By JACOB BENNETT / Courier & Press staff writer 464-7434 or
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Friday, September 28, 2007
Crank Dat Soulja Boy
now watch me YOOOUUUU
Crank Dat Soulja Boy
now watch me YOOOUUUU
"Sorry, I gotta take this. It's my mom calling."
That has probably been happening a lot lately, since Soulja Boy's
"Crank That (Soulja Boy)" is now the best-selling cell phone ringtone
in the country.
Millions of people each week download music snippets that play as ringers when their cell phones are called.
Ringtones come in two styles: "Realtones," which are taken from the
album version of songs; or polyphonics, which are digital remakes of
the melody.
People download some of these ringtone snippets, which cost $2 or more,
but more often they get the 99-cent complete versions that can be
played anywhere.
Hip-hop dominates the charts. Akon's "Smack That" was last year's
best-seller, with nearly 1.6 million sales. But you can get almost
anything — "Pancho & Lefty" by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, to
the piano music from "The Incredible Hulk" TV series.
The themes from the video game "Super Mario Bros." and the movie "Halloween" are perennial best-sellers.
The songs you pick say a lot about you. So we asked some folks with
visible jobs around town what you would hear if someone called them.
Alfred Savia, music director, Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra
My answers will probably be fairly disappointing, because I have my
phone currently set to its default ring tone — just a standard phone
ring. It seems like the newer the phone the more difficult to get
varieties of ring tones — and I never bother downloading anything like
that.
Of course, for orchestra rehearsals it is de rigeur to have your
phone's ringer off, which segues to my most embarrassing cell phone
incident. I was conducting the Butler University Symphony a few seasons
ago, and we were in rehearsals for a performance of the Beethoven 9th
Symphony that fall. Of course, I made a point of telling those student
musicians that it is totally unprofessional to have one's phone on in a
rehearsal, and they were all very good about adhering to that.
Unfortunately, one rehearsal I had forgotten to turn my phone off, and
in the middle of rehearsal of the 9th, it rang and rang — and the ring
tone was, of course, the "Ode to Joy" from the Beethoven 9th. After a
while everyone was looking around to see whose phone was ringing and I
sheepishly had to fess up — but, I added "At least it's set to the
Beethoven 9th!"
Randa Gatling, assistant women's basketball coach, University of Southern Indiana
I've got "Ice Box" by Omarion. It's a hip-hop song ... "I got an ice box where my heart used to be."
I loved the chorus. A lot of the girls on the team have them. We'll
hear them in passing, or their phone will ring when they're in the
office talking to us.
Brad Hill, Evansville police chief
My ring tone is Old Phone, which came with the phone. My daughter
helped me download some songs...Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Avalon,
Mark Schultz, Nicole Nordeman. I always have my phone on vibrate,
however, to eliminate those embarrasing moments. Only time I have it
audible is on the counter at home.
Diana M. Barber, edcation curator, Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden
I have several tones depending on who's calling. Zoo-related calls
have their own tone — a howler monkey calling. I recorded it from the
howlers at the zoo. If you've ever been at the zoo when they call, then
you know it can be very, very dramatic and loud. It's quieter on my
phone because the speaker is not as big as a howler's throat.
Mike "Sandman" Sanders, disc jockey for WGBF-103.1FM:
I have Metallica's "Enter Sandman" because ... that's me! (My most
embarrassing moment) is when it went off in church. But God made rock
and roll, so I'm sure he didn't mind too terribly.
Dan McDonnell, assistant sports information director, University of Southern Indiana
The "Imperial March" from "Star Wars." I stole the idea from my
roommate. We're both huge "Star Wars" fans. Now he's got that and the
University of Nebraska fight song, which drives me nuts because I'm a
Colorado fan.
The Rev. Jeff Stratton, pastor of American Baptist East in Evansville
I have "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys. I got it a year and a half ago
after we used the song as a lead-in and theme song for a series (of
sermons) at church. Now, when it rings in a restaurant, I always tell
the person I'm with, "Just a minute, I need to get that. It might be
God."