History Main / JeopardyThinkingMusic

Creator/MervGriffin, the creator of ''Jeopardy!'' (and sister show ''Series/WheelOfFortune''), composed the well-known "Think" music. He [[SelfPlagiarism self-plagiarized]] it from "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ14PFZNoF0 A Time for Tony]]", which he wrote as a lullaby for his son; the original "A Time for Tony" later became a prize cue on ''Wheel'' in the 1980s.

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'' used a sort of variant of the theme: When Tulio asks Miguel to think carefully about what Chel meant to both of them, a little bell can be heard as if symbolizing Miguel's thought process. When he comes to his conclusion ("Chel is... off-limits?"), a bell goes off like a game-show timer.

* Used at one point in [[TheFilmOfTheSeries the feature film adaptation]] of ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies''', when Elly May mentions that Beverly Hills has smog. Granny asks, "What's a smog?", and as the Clampetts ponder the matter, a truncated version of the original "Think!" cue plays, after which Jethro deduces: "[[ComicallyMissingThePoint I reckon it's a small hog.]]"

* ''Jeopardy!'' itself capitalized on this by changing its own theme tune to an upbeat remix of "Think!" in 1984. Various other themes had been used during the Art Fleming-hosted versions of the show (the original 1964-75 theme was called "Take Ten" and was written by Merv Griffin's wife at the time, Julann).

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* ''[[WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow Ren and Stimpy]]'' episode "Out West" uses a SuspiciouslySimilarSong of the tune twice.

* Sports example: The tune is frequently played over the stadium loudspeakers during [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL instant replay reviews]].

* In ''Film/TheSantaClause'', the theme plays while Scott Calvin's co-workers wait for him to finish eating.
* In ''Film/MusicAndLyrics'', Alex Fletcher plays the tune on the piano in hope of inspiring Sophie to write. It only makes her more nervous.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButthead'' episode "Closing Time", Beavis and Butthead imitate the theme in a "rock" style while the health inspector checks on Burger World.
* An issue of ''[[Magazine/{{MAD}} Mad]]'' in the late 1990s featured lyrics for the theme, in an article entitled "11 ways to piss off Alex Trebek":

* In the first ''Film/InspectorGadget'' movie (the live-action ones by Disney), when Gadget is being taught how to use his new abilities, one scenario is that he's supposed to stop a jewelry-store robbery by giving the robbers [[IncrediblyLamePun the slip]]. While he's thinking, [[IdeaBulb a lightbulb rises from his hat]] and the first eight notes of "Think!" plays. When he gets an idea, the bulb lights up, and his next line: "Go, go, gadget oil slick." (buzzer sound) [[ItMakesSenseInContext Toothpaste comes out.]]
* Used in WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of ''Film/{{North}}'', when the Critic was searching for the apparent "joke" when the Texan family lamented their "big loss". It was used again in the ''WesternAnimation/RoverDangerfield'' review.
* Honestly, is there one among us who hasn't been subjected to someone "singing" this just to be obnoxious?
* The Chinese ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' [[CaptainErsatz clone]] ''Duludubi Star'' somehow [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJxuyxqWg-w#t=4m13s managed to plagiarise it]] for usage on a '''non-thinking''' context.
* The music that plays during ''VideoGame/SpaceQuest IV'''s CopyProtection sequence is a remix of the ''Space Quest'' theme designed to sound like this tune.

* Played on ''Radio/TheHowardSternShow'' when someone has been asked a tough question or is taking a long time to respond.

* When [[Series/TheDailyShow Jon Stewart]] interviewed Betsy [=McCaughey=] regarding her opposition to President Obama's health care proposals, she trotted out a huge binder containing half of the proposed bill. Jon challenged her to show him the passage that she cited to prove her (made-up) points against the bill, and as she thumbed through the pages of the binder, he started humming the ''Jeopardy!'' theme. Later, when she searched for another passage, he started singing "[[Series/TheBennyHillShow Yakety Sax]]."
* Used at least once in ''Series/AmericasFunniestHomeVideos'', where it was dubbed into a home video of a man at the altar taking his sweet time thinking over the "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" question.
* Used at one point in [[TheFilmOfTheSeries the feature film adaptation]] of ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies''', when Elly May mentions that Beverly Hills has smog. Granny asks, "What's a smog?", and as the Clampetts ponder the matter, a truncated version of the original "Think!" cue plays, after which Jethro deduces: "[[ComicallyMissingThePoint I reckon it's a small hog.]]"
* Misteroo's Flash Animation ''WebAnimation/{{Arfenhouse}}'' uses the Think Music briefly.
* On ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', it was one of the features of Raj's sound effect shirt.
--> '''Leonard:''' I can't decide if I want Creator/StanLee to sign my ''Journey into Mystery'' 83, first appearances of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], or my ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' number 5, first appearance of Doctor Doom.
--> '''Raj:''' *Plays ''Jeopardy!'' music*
--> '''Leonard:''' Hmm... Alex, I'm going to go with: What is you're a dumb ass?
* A ''WesternAnimation/TomTerrific'' story arc had Tom and Mighty Manfred trying to find Sindbad the Sailor and get him to use his last wish so the genie that granted the wishes can return to his lamp. Tom and Manfred encounter a sorcerer in a flying booth, and they ask him where Sindbad could be. The sorcerer, like a contestant on the quiz show ''Series/TwentyOne'', thinks and gestures like a contestant with think music playing in the background. Manfred even says "Take all the time you need."
* The ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'' spin-off film ''Film/BorisAndNatasha'' features the theme at one point after the title duo has been questioned by authorities.

* A ''TomTerrific'' story arc had Tom and Mighty Manfred trying to find Sindbad the Sailor and get him to use his last wish so the genie that granted the wishes can return to his lamp. Tom and Manfred encounter a sorcerer in a flying booth, and they ask him where Sindbad could be. The sorcerer, like a contestant on the quiz show ''Series/TwentyOne'', thinks and gestures like a contestant with think music playing in the background. Manfred even says "Take all the time you need."

---->''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun''

* In ''MusicAndLyrics'', Alex Fletcher plays the tune on the piano in hope of inspiring Sophie to write. It only makes her more nervous.

* Edited in, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny hilariously]], to [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScM2-mOMNuc this portion]] of the ''WesternAnimation/MegaMan'' cartoon.

--> '''Leonard:''' I can't decide if I want StanLee to sign my ''Journey into Mystery'' 83, first appearances of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], or my ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' number 5, first appearance of Doctor Doom.

--> '''Leonard:''' I can't decide if I want StanLee to sign my ''Journey into Mystery'' 83, first appearances of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], or my ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' number 5, first appearance of DoctorDoom.

* Used in WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of ''{{North}}'', when the Critic was searching for the apparent "joke" when the Texan family lamented their "big loss". It was used again in the ''RoverDangerfield'' review.

--> '''Leonard:''' I can't decide if I want StanLee to sign my ''Journey into Mystery'' 83, first appearances of [[TheMightyThor Thor]], or my ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' number 5, first appearance of DoctorDoom.

** Elly May mentioned something people had in Beverly Hills and the music started playing when someone asked her what that was.

MervGriffin, the creator of ''Jeopardy!'' (and sister show ''WheelOfFortune''), composed the well-known "Think" music. He [[SelfPlagiarism self-plagiarized]] it from "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ14PFZNoF0 A Time for Tony]]", which he wrote as a lullaby for his son; the original "A Time for Tony" later became a prize cue on ''Wheel'' in the 1980s.

* Used to underscore ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies''' naïveté/stupidity at one point in TheMovie.

"Think!" is the title of the ThinkMusic played on the game show ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' while contestants write their questions in its final round, "Final Jeopardy!", and was at one point universally recognizable. For readers who've never heard it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Obmnz_1hZk here's the version that has been used since 2008]].

* The ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'' spin-off film ''Boris and Natasha'' features the theme at one point after the title duo has been questioned by authorities.

* A ''TomTerrific'' story arc had Tom and Mighty Manfred trying to find Sindbad the Sailor and get him to use his last wish so the genie that granted the wishes can return to his lamp. Tom and Manfred encounter a sorceror in a flying booth, and they ask him where Sindbad could be. The sorceror, like a contestant on the quiz show ''Series/TwentyOne'', thinks and gestures like a contestant with think music playing in the background. Manfred even says "Take all the time you need."

"Think!" is the title of the ThinkMusic played on the game show ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' while contestants write their questions in its final round, "Final Jeopardy!", and was at one point universally recognizable. For readers who've never heard it [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXGhvoekY44 here's one version]].

* Sports example: The tune is frequently played over the stadium loudspeakers during [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball NFL instant replay reviews]].

* This shows up in a live rendition of RayStevens' "It's Me Again, Margaret". As the character in the song starts to dial the phone, he [[OverlyLongGag spends way too long]] doing so, and the first two bars of "Think!" play.

* A ''TomTerrific'' story arc had Tom and Mighty Manfred trying to find Sindbad the Sailor and get him to use his last wish so the genie that granted the wishes can return to his lamp. Tom and Manfred encounter a sorceror in a flying booth, and they ask him where Sindbad could be. The sorceror, like a contestant on the quiz show ''TwentyOne'', thinks and gestures like a contestant with think music playing in the background. Manfred even says "Take all the time you need."

Older shows, or those who can't afford to license "Think!", may substitute Leroy Anderson's "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Syncopated_Clock The Syncopated Clock]]". In the United Kingdom, the iconic [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfa3MHLLSWI#t=0m38s theme]] from ''{{Countdown}}'' will usually be substituted. In Japan, the music from ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6V5whgQF-Y Time Shock]]'' is a common choice for timing 60 seconds.

--> '''Leonard:''' I can't decide if I want StanLee to sign by ''Journey into Mystery'' 83, first appearances of [[TheMightyThor Thor]], or my ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' number 5, first appearance of DoctorDoom.

---->''3rdRockFromTheSun''

-->''I know what the answer is; I got it.''
-->''No that can't be, I'm so wrong,''
-->''I guessed Mao, but it's B.D. Wong.''

->''Thinking, Thinking, Thinking hard.
I know what the answer is; I got it.
No that can't be, I'm so wrong,
I guessed Mao, but it's B.D. Wong.''

->''Thinking, thinking, thinking hard. Think I've got it-- wait! Oh no, that's wrong...''

Older shows, or those who can't afford to license "Think!", may substitute Leroy Anderson's "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Syncopated_Clock The Syncopated Clock]]". In the United Kingdom, the iconic theme from ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfa3MHLLSWI#t=0m38s Countdown]]'' will usually be substituted. In Japan, the music from ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6V5whgQF-Y Time Shock]]'' is a common choice for timing 60 seconds.