I need help identifying this song.

March 5, 2014 8:39 PM

There is a famous song that starts with a sultry saxophone riff I am trying to identify. Usually they play this song in a movie when they are introducing a sexy lady moving all cat-like about to seduce someone. I was able to reproduce the opening with this virtual keyboard on its saxophone setting. Forgive me I know no music. The keys I pressed were C (1 sec), G (1 sec), C1 (1 sec), D1 (1.5 sec), D#1 (2 sec), C1 (5 sec), a pause, C1 (1 sec), G (1 sec), and then the keyboard doesn't extend far enough down for me to keep going. Does anyone recognize it? Sorry this is so convoluted. Thanks!
posted by Sully to Media & Arts (3 answers total)

Best answer: Harlem Nocturne
posted by bink at 8:42 PM on March 5, 2014 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: Done in one! Thank you so much! That's it!
posted by Sully at 8:45 PM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

The Johnny Otis version is good also. The song has a Wikipedia page which points you towards many other versions - as well as to movie references. You might be thinking of the version used as the introduction to "Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer" from back in the 80s.
posted by rongorongo at 2:29 AM on March 6, 2014