There’s an old musical trope that dates back to at least the 1960s with the da-da-da-daah-da-da-da-daah-dadada Morse code riff of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” by Diana Ross and the Supremes. It’s an insistent, troubling musical refrain. It signifies a crisis of communication, an SOS (save our souls).
It’s there in the wires of the “Wichita Lineman” made famous by Glenn Campbell. Jimmy Webb who wrote “Wichita” would often joke that the Morse code in the song spelled out “Bring me a beer”.
A similar insistent Morse precedes the chorus in David Bowie’s “Starman”. It’s also in “Melting Pot” by Blue Mink with its incredibly suspect lyrics but worthy call to racial equality. It’s even in the song “Western Union” by The Five Americans, at least superficially and nonsensically in terms of converting the code. Edwin Starr does an SOS in his song “Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.)”. And, although The Police song “Message in a Bottle” has Sting pleading that he is sending out an SOS too, there’s no Morse code in that song as far as I am aware nor in ABBA’s SOS.
There’s some fake Morse code at the beginning of Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine”,
A different take on it underpins YYZ the instrumental by Rush that takes inspiration from Toronto airport’s call sign. Of course, the theme tune to TV’s detective drama Morse, uses something similar too to spell out the eponymous character’s name.
There’s an SOS tapped out on a guitar pickup at the end of “London Calling” by The Clash.
For some reason, I couldn’t escape using the code in my own song Lighter Fuel Baby.
Long after I wrote this article, I found another had been written with additional Morse tunes, here. There’s also Australian band Sherbet’s “Howzat?”.
Check out Mayday by The Go! Team
Does Beethoven’s 5th count or Holst’s “Mars”? Don’t forget the Pearl & Dean cinema advertising jingle from the 1970s, Macarthur Park by Richard Harris.
New song with a bit of the Morse – John Newman’s “Love Me Again”
Standin’ in the rain – Electric Light Orchestra
One final one…and maybe the first? There’s a little bit of this Morse refrain in Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles.