Who Let That Noise Into the Song? Quiz

Answer: A camera taking pictures

The rapid clicks come from a camera taking pictures. They are part of the song's recording, not an effect added only to the music video. A motor-driven film camera can take several photographs in quick succession, producing this familiar mechanical noise. On Duran Duran's self-titled debut album, the camera sounds lead straight into the band's entrance.

Answer: Clocks chiming and alarms ringing

Clocks chime and alarms ring before the music settles into its introduction. Engineer Alan Parsons had recorded the clocks in an antique shop for a sound-effects project. He obtained permission to use those recordings with Pink Floyd. The combined noises introduce the song's subject before anyone sings a word.

Answer: Glass breaking

The crashing sound began with a wine glass being smashed. Richard James Burgess, who worked on the recording, described playing it back at a lower pitch to give it a heavier sound. It was used with a Fairlight, an early digital instrument that could store and play recorded sounds. Using a recording as material for another piece of music is called sampling.

Here, a short crash could be changed and played as part of the arrangement.

Answer: Rain and thunder

Rain and thunder accompany the music throughout this atmospheric recording. Producer and engineer Bruce Botnick explained that he used an Elektra sound-effects recording while mixing the song. Jim Morrison also recorded a whispered vocal beneath his main singing. The quiet voice and the storm sounds help create the recording's eerie mood.

Answer: A creaking door

A creaking door opens the horror scene at the start of the recording. Footsteps, thunder and howling sounds build the scene before the main song begins. Later, actor Vincent Price adds his spoken passage and a memorable laugh. These effects are part of the original album recording, not just the famous short film.

Answer: Helicopter rotors

Helicopter rotors grow louder in the introduction, helping establish the setting before the singing begins. "Goodnight Saigon", from "The Nylon Curtain", tells of soldiers' experiences in the Vietnam War. The helicopter effect returns towards the end of the recording. Joel has also discussed the introduction in an interview with Alec Baldwin.

The sounds help bring the listener into the setting of the song.

Answer: Barking dogs and a passing train

After the singing fades, barking dogs and a passing train bring "Pet Sounds" to an unusual close. The dogs were Brian Wilson's pets, Banana and Louie. In an interview for the album's box set, Wilson recalled recording their barks and combining them with a train from a sound-effects tape.

This extra passage was not included on the original solo single, which is why the question specifies the album ending.

Answer: A car engine starting

The opening ignition sound was recorded from singer Dave Gahan's Porsche. Alan Wilder described how they recorded the car starting for the track. A different engine also appears in the music: a sampled motorcycle contributes to the rhythm. The question asks about the start-up sound at the opening, so the car is the answer. Depeche Mode often used recordings of everyday noises alongside their electronic instruments.

Answer: A dental drill

The whirring sound came from a dental drill. Her brother and producer Finneas explained that Eilish recorded it while attachments for her clear dental aligners were being filed down. Aligners are removable trays used to straighten teeth. The song also includes glass breaking and a staple-gun sound, so the question singles out the noise recorded at her appointment. An unpleasant everyday sound became part of the track's eerie atmosphere.

Answer: Gunshots and a cash register

Gunshots and a cash-register sound fill the gaps in the chorus. The effects form part of its hook: the memorable phrase or sound that catches the listener's attention. The recording also samples the Clash's "Straight to Hell". M.I.A. has explained that the song challenges stereotypes about immigrants and money.

The question specifies the original album recording because some broadcast versions changed the effects.