Comments on: Song from Liars episode of This American Life?

Question: Song from Liars episode of This American Life?

0xFCAF — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:14:42 -0800

Can you identify this song used in This American Life? Starts at 19:18 and continues for the entire segment.

It's mostly piano with what sounds like a string section backing it up. From episode #18, "Liars". Previously here, but their website seems to have been revamped. To make it more difficult (or easy?), the episode was made in 1996, which rules out all of the listed soundtracks and bands. It's not from the "I, Swinger" album, either.

By: mmcg

mmcg — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:21:18 -0800

Perpetuum Mobile by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

By: cior

cior — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:22:03 -0800

I know it was used in a US television commercial not so long ago, for a financial planning-type company. A bank, a mortgage lender, investment firm. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't conjure it up.

It is reasonably popular, someone will know!

By: 0xFCAF

0xFCAF — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:26:01 -0800

Absurdly fast answer. Thanks!

By: :-)

:-) — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:36:26 -0800

A friend told me that the second link on this google search will link to an mp3 of that song (remove the brackets): [-inurl:htm -inurl:html intitle:"index of" mp3 "perpetuum mobile"]

By: mykescipark

mykescipark — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 02:36:40 -0800

Just for the record, there are several available versions of this song by PCO. This is the studio version from the Signs of Life album. (The version on Concert Program is nice too, but the original is the definitive one.)

By: Happy Dave

Happy Dave — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 06:38:42 -0800

Awesome tune! I remember this episode. Thanks for posting.