Science of Success: The Mind at Work Behind an Iconic Song

Bold Names

The Wall Street Journal

Technology

4.4 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2024

⏱️ 13 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Is it an earworm or an icon? The Super Mario Bros. theme is the soundtrack to many childhoods and has remained resonant today. Recently inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry, the song was not easy to write. Video game composer Koji Kondo faced musical and technical challenges in creating the song. Columnist Ben Cohen talks to New England Conservatory musicologist Andrew Schartmann about how Kondo created this lasting and genre-changing piece of music. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: [email protected] Further reading: The Mind Behind the Music You Can't Get Out of Your Head Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	For brands in the digital age, content is the customer experience.
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0:20.0	Ready to maximize your content's potential? Get started at contentful.com.
0:25.0	Contentful, where content drives business momentum.
0:29.0	Hi Future of Everything Listeners, I'm Ben Cohen and I write the Science of Success column here at the Wall Street Journal.
0:35.6	We're trying something new and bringing you a new feature based on my column.
0:39.2	Take a listen and let us know what you think.
0:41.2	Drop a line to FOE Podcast at W.S.J.com.
0:47.4	Every year the Library of Congress enshrines a new collection of music into the National
0:51.7	Recording Registry.
0:53.2	The idea is to, quote, highlight the richness of the nation's audio legacy.
0:57.8	Last year's inductees included, Like a Virgin, by Madonna, Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett, and all I want for Christmas is you, by Merrittel. by
1:05.0	Madana, Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett, and all I want for Christmas is you, by Mariah Carey.
1:06.0	Among those karaoke classics
1:08.0	was a song with a title you wouldn't know
1:10.0	written by someone whose name you've probably never heard, but I bet you recognize the tune.
1:15.0	D'N-Dand-Dant-Dant-Dun-Tun-Tun-Tut. Do-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh-Dum-Duh-Dum-Bum-Bum-Bum-Buh. The song that many of my colleagues at the Wall Street Journal attempted to sing is by
1:35.8	Kojikondo. It came out in 1985 on one of Nintendo's most beloved games. So what's it called?
1:43.0	It's like the opening level song.
1:45.0	Super Mario theme song? I have no idea.
	...

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