What's a good place to look for a short version of the classic recorder/flute (whatever darned instrument it is) song that most people associate with a snake charmer? I checked the ole iTunes, and it comes up with lots of stuff, some of it labelled "explicit"...I just need about a minute of it, something very recognizable.

Steve Thomas

It's either an oboe or an English horn, oboe being the higher-pitched instrument and English horn being the lower.

I would Google for "oboe snake charmer song" or something similar. I have heard it sung with the lyrics "There's a place in France..." It was also in a Warner Brothers cartoon, I think, with the lyrics "I'm a Persian cat, I'm a pretty Persian cat"...

Steve,

It's called Streets of Cairo. It's a little difficult to find. I would suggest that you begin searching here:
http://www.gildedserpent.com/articles3/streets-of-cairo.htm


Lyndel

Found some and used it for the first time today in a show in conjunction with my Khyber Kobra. I got tired of the situation where it would be a relatively quiet situation and the motor noise is apparent with the KK, so this effectively covers it, and rather well.

Steve

I have never been able to find that song either.

The music I supplied for my Snake in the Box is about 35 seconds long.(It was timed for the trick.)
Is that long enough for you?
It is sort of circus band sounding.
I could get you a copy since the trick is no longer available.

For your require music of snake charmer I suggest one email of ALL INDIA MAGIC SOCIETY. AIMS one member launch collection of music (snake charmer ) DVD for magician .its free for magician

Email : allindiamagicsociety@yahoo.com

There's a very cool book called The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, by Erik Larson. The author devotes a few words to the snake charmer music's provenance. It's a delightfully creepy read.

I was using a version of the classic snake charmer music from iTunes. It's called, what else, Snake Charmer, and it's by Kidz Jamz.

If this is too "kid-like" for you, the music I now use is similar but more contemporary. It's from a site called Partners In Rhyme – and it's royalty-free and FREE

The song is here:http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/pir/free_music_loops.shtml

And a link to my marketing blog here will give you other free music options, if you're interested.

http://www.smartmarketing4.me/home/Sound-Investment-0.html

Bill White's "Eye of India":

http://www.magiclegends.com/product1366.html

Searching a little deeper on the Café I found this link:

http://www.shira.net/streets-of-cairo.htm

I was able to download 4 versions of the song in 5 minutes. As a bonus, you will learn everything about the song you never wanted to know.

I built my own snake basket several years ago. Personally I actually play the music myself on a
recorder. (A good wooden one - not one of those plastic things they use in the schools.)

Look for records by an Oran player named Korla Pandit. He put out some LP's in the 50's and 60's. One song I recall was titled the "Song of India" The only reason I remeber him is because my maother made me take organ lessons from him when I was about 8 years old. That was many decades ago.
You can see him playing organ in the movie Ed Wood.

I agree with Steve use Bill White's "Eye of India"

Bill White's material is superb. It does also cover the dreaded mechanical sounds of props very well!