Name That Tune - General Discussion

[CrystalBlue]

50 minutes ago, Maverick said:

Vicki Don't Lose That Number?!  Oy. 

I know, how shameful is that?  I thought he had said Rikki because he spoke so fast, then was equally stunned when the other guy said Jenny!  As in 867-5309? Gah!

Really scraping the bottom of the barrel:  "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" 'Traditional'?  Jingle Bells?  And yes I was screaming "'Uptown Girl' By Billy Joel" as soon as I saw the "classy supermodel" clue.

"American Pie" for the win!  Yay Tim!  Is this the first Golden Medley winner?

Does Jane have any other outfits besides the black one and the hot pink one?  Does Randy have any other duds as well?

[Snow Apple]

Wow. How have I never noticed Uptown Girl sound like Heart and Soul until they played it without the lyrics? 

[Rickster]

3 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

 

"American Pie" for the win!  Yay Tim!  Is this the first Golden Medley winner?

 

No, someone won on the first episode (not sure if it was the first or second game).

[Swenson]

Uptown Girl and Heart and Soul do have similar opening notes.....but with different sequencing.   Kinda like how Huey's "Do You Believe In Love" sounds like ELO's "Sweet Talkin' Woman".

[853fisher]

It did feel a bit like they really wanted another Golden Medley winner, but I enjoyed the show, and that was a nice note to end on.  I don't mind the likes of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" or "Jingle Bells" but think I would prefer them in Bid-A-Note, where it's more about parsing the clue and not getting confused if you only hear a piece of the melody: the latter really was a bit too easy in the endgame.

I'm not sure, but I think the female guitarist may have brought more neckwear than Jane brought outfits.  I think Jane stuns in the pink one, but the black one isn't to my taste.  I don't think anyone looks good in thigh-highs, and honestly, I think her breasts look asymmetrical or squished or both from some angles in that dress.  She's gorgeous, but I just don't find that ensemble flattering.

It seemed like we had a few more interesting guesses this game, plausible but wrong.  I'm thinking not of "_____ Don't Lose My Number" but of "Heart and Soul" for "Uptown Girl" and whatever the first finalist said for "I Think We're Alone Now."  The same way I enjoy realizing which little musical bit makes me remember a title, I like thinking about how they got to those kinds of guesses.

[rr2911]

I remember watching this show back in the 70's and I actually liked the old version better. Here is my take on NTT so far.

1. The host has got to go! I don't like the way she reveals the answers. That hesitation is awkward and annoying. She is too old to be wearing revealing outfits. A more experienced and attractive host would do wonders!

2. Someone posted earlier that they didn't think it was fair that the contestant had to answer exact title of the song. The earlier versions of NTT had to say the exact correct title of the song also. I don't mind this at all, as long as they keep it consistent. I saw an episode where the contestant said "the theme song from Friends", which has an actual title, and they let her have it. I didn't agree.

3. Again, the earlier versions did bring the audience into the show. I wish they would tone down the audience with their "whoooos and aaaahhhs'

4. The NTT Band is the best part of the show!

     

[GenerationX]

In the first contestant's Golden Medley round, she missed #6, but had passed on two songs prior to that.  The show didn't mention the names of the songs she skipped.  Unforgivable.

[eyelash]

On 2/1/2021 at 5:31 AM, Rickster said:

I found Jane’s hosting persona “interesting” for an episode or two, but now it’s really grating.

I feel the same disappointment in Jane's hosting persona as I did with Leslie Jones on Supermarket Sweep. Jane tries to be cutesy and Leslie just s-c-r-e-a-m-s constantly.  Either way, it gets old fast!

[853fisher]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks the audience needs to be toned down. I don’t mind a little reaction and understand why most shows without a live bunch have put in some canned noise instead. But be judicious with the live, canned, or “sweetened” response in the final mix. When there’s rapturous cheering for “this next one is by _____” or any of Randy’s little platitudes, you have nowhere to go when they win the $100K.

I’ve also noticed that what I’m sure is meant to be sympathetic groans has come out sounding more like frustrated jeers, so that a contestant in each of the last two episodes has felt obliged to say “sorry, sorry!” Just ease off a little and it’ll be fine. I also don’t need to look at them even half as often. It makes sense to show them when Jane asks whether they knew a title that neither contestant did, say. But otherwise, I don’t need to see members of the peanut gallery giving each other side-eye to know how to feel at any point.

Edited February 5, 2021 by 853fisher

[CrystalBlue]

44 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks the audience needs to be toned down. I don’t mind a little reaction and understand why most shows without a live bunch have put in some canned noise instead. But be judicious with the live, canned, or “sweetened” response in the final mix. When there’s rapturous cheering for “this next one is by _____” or any of Randy’s little platitudes, you have nowhere to go when they win the $100K.

I’ve also noticed that what I’m sure is meant to be sympathetic groans has come out sounding more like frustrated jeers, so that a contestant in each of the last two episodes has felt obliged to say “sorry, sorry!” Just ease off a little and it’ll be fine. I also don’t need to look at them even half as often. It makes sense to show them when Jane asks whether they knew a title that neither contestant did, say. But otherwise, I don’t need to see members of the peanut gallery giving each other side-eye to know how to feel at any point.

Totally agree with you!  The hamming up of the audience is annoying and fake.  They've become a part of the show like that on America's Got Talent before the Covid non-audience episodes debuted.

[KWalkerInc]

The guy who guessed "So What" by Pink off of one note was very lucky.  The clue only referred to her, not that song in particular; and with the reference to being "misunderstood" I would have guessed a song from that album, maybe "Just Like a Pill."  "So What" came years later.  But the guy had admitted that he was desperate because he was behind by a lot.

[Snow Apple]

I don't like the audience reaction either. Why are they ooohing and ahhing when a contestant bid the maximum 10 notes?

Go ahead and do it when they bid one note, but ooohing and ahhing everything makes it meaningless.

[opus]

On 1/31/2021 at 10:56 PM, GenerationX said:

On the other side of the coin, I find it irritating that the contestants are clearly encouraged during Bid-a-Note to say the other contestant's name as part of their bid.  It doesn't sound natural to say the name every time, but they do

If memory serves (it doesn’t always), that goes back to the original versions.

[blackwing]

On 2/4/2021 at 8:08 PM, GenerationX said:

In the first contestant's Golden Medley round, she missed #6, but had passed on two songs prior to that.  The show didn't mention the names of the songs she skipped.  Unforgivable.

The first one was “Born to be Wild”.   The second one is on the tip of my tongue and it’s driving me crazy.  I thought it was “Thanks for the Memories” by Fall Out Boy but that’s not it. Anyone know?

The guy who won in the second half, I mean, good for him but those songs were so easy.  Also, could he have any less of a personality?  Seemed like a real square who just uttered the title in his monotone voice.  

[Lovecat]

On 2/5/2021 at 9:22 PM, blackwing said:

The first one was “Born to be Wild”.   The second one is on the tip of my tongue and it’s driving me crazy.  I thought it was “Thanks for the Memories” by Fall Out Boy but that’s not it. Anyone know?

The guy who won in the second half, I mean, good for him but those songs were so easy.  Also, could he have any less of a personality?  Seemed like a real square who just uttered the title in his monotone voice.  

I thought it was “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At the Disco...but a lot of the songs from around that time sound similar to me (not to mention having titles that don’t appear anywhere in the songs!).

[blackwing]

18 hours ago, Lovecat said:

I thought it was “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At the Disco...but a lot of the songs from around that time sound similar to me (not to mention having titles that don’t appear anywhere in the songs!).

Yes!  That’s it!  Thank you.  And you’re right, that song and “Thanks for the Memories” resemble each other a lot.

[KWalkerInc]

On this week's episode, they were taking so long to get to the golden medley in the first game (and it wasn't the local channel screwing up this time) that I thought the woman had flamed out on the first song or something.  It turned out she did decently, but they let the first game spill over several minutes into the next half-hour.  They usually don't do that even though they always start the show at 9:02.  I pretty much sucked playing along at home this week, but oddly got several that the contestants didn't, like "Sussudio" (though I had to thing about just how many "sus" there are in the exact title) and "If You Leave Me Now." 

There's no episode next week because of Masked Dancer's finale, but then there will be two hours each of the following two weeks to end the season.

[echo.Echo.ECHO]

On 1/31/2021 at 10:56 PM, GenerationX said:

Speaking of not sounding natural, Jane will be the death of this show.  Everything she says sounds stilted, awkward, or halting.  There's zero fluidity there.  I've been watching both this show and the revived The Chase since they started, and what a world of difference in hosts.  Sara Haines on The Chase sounds so much more comfortable in her role as host and plays off of both the contestants and chasers very well.  Sara dresses better, too (but that pretty much goes without saying).

Funny, I was coming here to say almost exactly this! I love Jane Krakowski, but she is horrible in this role. She's awkward and stilted and just trying too hard or something. 

So then last night I caught an episode of The Chase, which I had never seen before, and I sat here and thought how the host (whose name I didn't know) was very natural and engaging and did such a good job reading questions, identifying answers, and interacting with everyone. And that's what I want Jane to be on NTT!

I just hate that she's not good. It really takes away a lot of the fun of this show for me.

And she has a great body, but those dresses are not doing her any favors.

[CrystalBlue]

Is it official now that Jane brought two outfits with her to Australia, the hot pink one and the black one?  So, four hours total more to go for this season?  I think I can't wait for it to be over.

[blackwing]

I did notice that somebody said “Ride With Me” and Jane accepted it even though it’s actually “Ride Wit Me”.  So there is some leeway.

The guy in the second half was terrible in the golden medley.

[blackwing]

Also, in the Golden Medley for the second half, the guy missed “Body Like a Back Road”... I had no idea how much the main melody of that song sounds exactly like “Hey Look Ma I Made It” by Panic at the Disco.

[KWalkerInc]

I think it was in this episode that one of the songs in Bid-a-Note was obviously going to be the Seinfeld theme based on the clue (and it was); but when Randy played the notes on the piano, it kind of sounded like "Tell Me Something Good."

[lynxfx]

So what would happen if they guessed with the Weird Al version of a song? Like a Surgeon instead of Like a Virgin for instance. 

While it is fun playing at home, this version is so bad. The whole energy of the show is just...off. Jane sounds like a kindergarten teacher talking to kids. Randy is deflates in both size and spirit. The round money values are horribly unbalanced. You only need the last two to win. The stupid random bonus prize makes zero sense. The audience is over the top. The contestants are a mixed bag. The band is pretty good though. 

It is hard not to compare to Shazam. The energy is night and day. Jamie Foxx and his daughter keep everyone and the game moving. 

That said this show is much easier. I actually got all 7 in the previous episode and that never happens. 

And boo to answers like theme from Friends. 

Edited February 15, 2021 by lynxfx

[GenerationX]

I watched episodes 7 and 8 tonight.  As it turns out, fast-forwarding through the banter between Jane and Randy, the rules, and the contestant bios help immensely.  Each 30 minute match is a good 5-10 minutes of reasonably entertaining show (thanks primarily to the band).  I appreciate the broad mix of music, too, from Tutti Frutti to Cheap Thrills.

[lynxfx]

Bad night for you/U. Two songs missed because they dropped the word. U Can't Touch This and You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet. 

[853fisher]

I'm ready for them to burn off the last two episodes.  I do enjoy challenging myself and find moments interesting, like the "Super Freak" guess based on the bit "U Can't Touch This" later sampled, that make me think about how popular music can be assembled.  It's not actively unpleasant to watch, or I'd stop, but it doesn't really live up to the format's potential either.  I wish more episodes of the older versions had survived to go into rotation on Buzzr or something.  But in the here and now, time to send Jane and Randy back to other projects.  I think there are two different pink dresses, by the way, so Jane brought a total of three.  I guess she really didn't want to have to check a bag!

[rr2911]

I just can't believe the TPTB are happy with the make up of the show.

1. Lousy host

2. Over the top audience

3. Randy just seems out of place. Like, "Where do we put him"?

I could survive with Randy on the show, but the host has to go. Like someone said earlier, the host for The Chase would be good for this show.

Probably what gets on my nerves more than anything is the "Oooo and Awww" from the audience during Bid a Note. Just don't show the audience. The show will be fine!

I was telling my wife that I probably wouldn't be picked to be in the audience or a contestant because it seems that you have to dance during playing of a song by the band. I can't dance a move to save myself!  🤣 

[MsTree]

Is Randy a producer on this show?  Not only is he "out of place", but IMO, totally worthless...including his dopey 'words of wisdom'. What a waste of time and space.

They could easily do without him, as singular notes played on a piano are more difficult to decipher.  They should save money (Randy's salary) and just use the band instead. This would also give them a few extra bucks to spare for their "special prize" of the night, which unless I'm missing something, is totally random to the recipient.

[Rickster]

9 hours ago, MsTree said:

Is Randy a producer on this show?  Not only is he "out of place", but IMO, totally worthless...including his dopey 'words of wisdom'. What a waste of time and space.

They could easily do without him, as singular notes played on a piano are more difficult to decipher.  They should save money (Randy's salary) and just use the band instead. This would also give them a few extra bucks to spare for their "special prize" of the night, which unless I'm missing something, is totally random to the recipient.

I don’t find the audience over the top, compared to other musical game shows.

I don’t care for Jane’s sort of “ironic” approach to hosting, but I do wonder if the whole enterprise would be better if she were paired up with a peppier partner than Randy. As someone mentioned upthread, he’s (unfortunately) cadaverous looking and his words of wisdom are dopey and suck the life out of the show.

[Bliss]

It may be a Covid-induced/influenced reaction... I doubt I'd give this show another viewing in "normal" circumstances. However, I love music, and I enjoy the band's limited performances.

I'm finding almost all the game shows have way too much repetition for my taste - especially repeating the rules, or snowing us with the rarely reached uppermost prize. For NTT, it's the "Golden Medley for $100,000!!!" that Jane repeats ad nauseum. Since it is rarely won, perhaps they could make it a million... and while they're at it, perhaps they could choose songs which have opening notes that are actually distinguishable?

Randy's 'deep' thoughts? "You can do this." Wow. If that's his 'deep', can you imagine the dust in his shallow end?

Will someone please tell Jane that the words, "clue" and "tune", are one syllable words? e.g., It isn't pronounced, "killuuuuewwwwoooo". Yes, I'm exaggerating. A bit.

I've almost worn out the fast forward button on my remote.

[opus]

I would have looked bad going against Becky......

“Becky, what would you do with the money?”

”Use it for IVF to enlarge our family “

”And opus, what would you do?”

”Umm, buy gum?”

[MsTree]

14 hours ago, Bliss said:

However, I love music, and I enjoy the band's limited performances.

Yes, the best and ONLY part of the show worth watching.

[Lovecat]

On 2/24/2021 at 11:13 PM, GenerationX said:

I watched episodes 7 and 8 tonight.  As it turns out, fast-forwarding through the banter between Jane and Randy, the rules, and the contestant bios help immensely.  Each 30 minute match is a good 5-10 minutes of reasonably entertaining show (thanks primarily to the band).  I appreciate the broad mix of music, too, from Tutti Frutti to Cheap Thrills.

Scene from my living room...

Jane:  Tell me, Alex, how would winning that $100,000 change your life?

Me:  Don’t care!!!  ::gleefully hits the FF button::

[KWalkerInc]

Four games in one sitting is a lot to watch!  The way that you can win with only one correct answer kind of reminds me of Family Feud (though there it only gets you to the sudden death round), but the fact that the only answer the last winner got was "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" made me laugh.  After she got "Blister in the Sun" wrong, I forgot that she had been ahead (and therefore won because the guy had already missed it) until Jane mentioned it.  At least she did get a couple right in the golden medley, so she did better than the previous winner.  There were a couple of pretty cocky people on the show tonight.  I don't understand why the one guy refused to reveal what his favorite category was in the Mixtape thing because he didn't want his opponent to know.  That didn't give him an advantage in any way.  I suppose it was gamesmanship to be intimidating or whatever. 

It was funny that the one guy was so psyched about the foosball table.  If I had won the underwater scooter or electric skateboard, I would have had to bite my tongue to avoid saying, "This is going up on eBay right away."

[lynxfx]

Yeah the dollar amounts each round are horribly unbalanced. The only reason must be that they don't want one person running away with it early. But as is the only songs that matter are the final 2. 

The first show I surprisingly knew quite a few. The second, not so much. But man oh man was I excited to hear Vengaboys! I haven't listened to them since college. I had to pull up the album on YouTube. Instant nostalgia. Also the Beverly Hills Cop theme. They are pulling some great tracks.

[rr2911]

Another thing about the show that I don't like is during Bid a Note's final round which is worth $25K. Why have the final round (25K) when in some instances even if the contestant that is trailing wins that round, they can't advance because they don't have enough points. It seems pointless.  

[rr2911]

On 2/26/2021 at 11:20 AM, Rickster said:

I don’t find the audience over the top, compared to other musical game shows.

 

Maybe not as over the top as in The Masked Singer, which is down right ridiculous, but the "ooo's and awww's" from the audience sounds corny and scripted, which it is. I'm certain that the show tells them to do it. Maybe let it get own to 1 or 2 notes before the audience reacts. And let the audience react naturally. 

[Rickster]

1 hour ago, rr2911 said:

Another thing about the show that I don't like is during Bid a Note's final round which is worth $25K. Why have the final round (25K) when in some instances even if the contestant that is trailing wins that round, they can't advance because they don't have enough points. It seems pointless.  

Because if the leader is right, he/she adds $25K to their total winning, even if they miss the bonus round.

[blackwing]

On 2/26/2021 at 2:09 AM, MsTree said:

Is Randy a producer on this show?  Not only is he "out of place", but IMO, totally worthless...including his dopey 'words of wisdom'. What a waste of time and space.

They could easily do without him, as singular notes played on a piano are more difficult to decipher.  They should save money (Randy's salary) and just use the band instead. This would also give them a few extra bucks to spare for their "special prize" of the night, which unless I'm missing something, is totally random to the recipient.

 

On 2/26/2021 at 11:20 AM, Rickster said:

I don’t find the audience over the top, compared to other musical game shows.

I don’t care for Jane’s sort of “ironic” approach to hosting, but I do wonder if the whole enterprise would be better if she were paired up with a peppier partner than Randy. As someone mentioned upthread, he’s (unfortunately) cadaverous looking and his words of wisdom are dopey and suck the life out of the show.

Fully agree... Randy is completely worthless.  I don't mind Jane.  I think she tries too hard and she's not as funny or clever as she thinks she is.  But Randy is the pits.  His words of wisdom are useless.  I agree that they could just use the keyboard player in the band to deliver the notes in Bid a Note.

I don't care for the audiences oooohs and aaaaahs.  "I can name that tune in TEN notes."  obligatory OOOOOOOH.  Stupid.

I just finished episodes 7 and 8.  Two more to go.  

[opus]

14 hours ago, blackwing said:

I don't care for the audiences oooohs and aaaaahs.  "I can name that tune in TEN notes."  obligatory OOOOOOOH.  Stupid.

Somehow, that never got old. Yeah, it’s stupid, but it always made me laugh.

[GenerationX]

I think it's a tight race in the who is more annoying category - Randy vs. Jane.  They both annoy on multiple levels, but I still have to give the crown to Jane.  I'm just going to sing this Pat Benatar song with the band, because I'm the star and the show must indulge me.  And I want praise and affirmation from the band.

If this show manages to get another run, I'm out unless they rework its many flaws.

[MsTree]

6 hours ago, GenerationX said:

If this show manages to get another run, I'm out unless they rework its many flaws.

Couldn't agree more!

[Bliss]

Just saw the very first episode... the guy actually won the $100,000 that Jane talks about so much! I was moved by his emotional response and the fact that he believed his deceased Dad was "with him". I've had similar experiences and it's so sacred... ooh, goosebumps! A divine intervention!

What I'm wondering is if we can all chip in and buy Jane some new outfits (and maybe another bra... that black one must be ragged by now). She seems to wear the hot pink OR the black outfit for every single show. Hunh? Did they actually tape all the shows in 2 days? If so, couldn't they find something else for her to wear? Like, something yellow, blue or green?

[dvr devotee]

On 1/7/2021 at 8:16 AM, lambertman said:

It taped in November 2020 in Sydney, Australia. All the contestants were American ex-pats living there.

I read this comment as I was watching the episode with Rick, the astrophysicist-turned-detective from Massachusetts, who didn't sound the slightest bit like someone from Massachusetts. But if you put the slightest Boston accent under an Australian one, you have Rick. And then I realized the woman he was playing against had a much more pronounced Australian accent.

It's made it interesting to listen for the slight Australian accents on the remaining contestants. They don't all have it, but when you're looking for it, you easily hear it.

[blackwing]

Finally finished the last double episode.  I was convinced the very last person would win, to end the season on a high note, but she was terrible.  I also cackled at the lady who got zero dollars in the bonus round by omitting two words on the second clue.

Apart from the first guy in the very first show (exterminator who wanted to use the money to go back to college), did anyone else win the $100,000?  I can’t even remember.

[Rickster]

10 hours ago, dvr devotee said:

It's made it interesting to listen for the slight Australian accents on the remaining contestants. They don't all have it, but when you're looking for it, you easily hear it.

I made this into a game too. Sometimes it was just a specific word or two that had an Aussie twang. Although I was confused because there’s a linked interview somewhere where Jane says some contestants were flown from the US.

1 hour ago, blackwing said:

Finally finished the last double episode.  I was convinced the very last person would win, to end the season on a high note, but she was terrible.  I also cackled at the lady who got zero dollars in the bonus round by omitting two words on the second clue.

Apart from the first guy in the very first show (exterminator who wanted to use the money to go back to college), did anyone else win the $100,000?  I can’t even remember.

Pretty sure there was one other $100,000 winner, about 2/3 through the run of shows.

[lambertman]

Ugh. I also just watched the last two-hour episode. Game 3, with the contestant who got nothing right, yet somehow still won the game by drawing "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" in Bid-a-Note?  A travesty.

One contestant in an earlier game also seemed never to have heard any popular music before in their life, and then there was at least one more instance of calling a contestant wrong for giving too many words. It was like the show was playing their "greatest hits of fail"!

Thoroughly disappointed in this revival and don't care to see it renewed, but at least the band was pretty good.

[Natallyanna4]

The show could be better.  It's the band I'm not crazy about I feel they should just play the actual song and keep Randy on the piano for the tune off part. Some of the songs the band played didn't sound at all like the actual song and some they played did. 

[blackwing]

On 12/23/2021 at 8:49 PM, Natallyanna4 said:

The show could be better.  It's the band I'm not crazy about I feel they should just play the actual song and keep Randy on the piano for the tune off part. Some of the songs the band played didn't sound at all like the actual song and some they played did. 

Is it back? The last episodes aired last March... I guess I assumed it had been cancelled.  If it does come back, I wish they could find a way to drop Randy.  He is useless.

[Snow Apple]

1 hour ago, blackwing said:

Is it back? The last episodes aired last March... I guess I assumed it had been cancelled.  If it does come back, I wish they could find a way to drop Randy.  He is useless.

I also hope they change the way they build up points. Other game shows have similar point building formats, but this show seems less fair than those other shows somehow.