HELP!!! Name This Tune...

[johnny-boy]

I've been trying to find the origin of this 9 note tune. We've all heard it, but no one seems to know its origin.

"Mystery Tune"
https://schicksville.com/Music/Spooky.mp3

John

[piobaire76]

I didn't know either, but I thought that my friend, who is the Moderator of the MENSA Classical Music Special Interest Group might.  Here is his response:

"Oh oh oh!  Mr. Kotter!  Mr. Kotter!  I know that tune!
 
Everything I know about music, I learned from PDQ Bach.  His chamber piece The Musical Sacrifice is based on this very tune: "Da kommt ja der Schurke" ["Here Comes the Villain"]
 
That's how I finally learned its name.  However I don't know how "Here Comes the Villain" originated.  Possibly it might came from a popular song or a vamp in vaudeville or 19th-Century melodramas, similar to "Shave and a Haircut"."

That's all I can tell you.

[johnny-boy]

I didn't know either, but I thought that my friend, who is the Moderator of the MENSA Classical Music Special Interest Group might.  Here is his response:

"Oh oh oh!  Mr. Kotter!  Mr. Kotter!  I know that tune!
 
Everything I know about music, I learned from PDQ Bach.  His chamber piece The Musical Sacrifice is based on this very tune: "Da kommt ja der Schurke" ["Here Comes the Villain"]
 
That's how I finally learned its name.  However I don't know how "Here Comes the Villain" originated.  Possibly it might came from a popular song or a vamp in vaudeville or 19th-Century melodramas, similar to "Shave and a Haircut"."

That's all I can tell you.

Thanks Piobaire! This goes back the farthest thus far.

I did trace it back to the Silent Film Era. It was titled 'The Villains Theme'  when used in silent film.

Interesting piece that's been with us seemingly forever.

Best, John