If you were looking for the article about the episode, then see "Suction Cup Symphony."
"The Suction Cup Symphony" is a song that was composed by Gary Stockdale. The song plays in the episode of the same name.
Overview[]
"The Suction Cup Symphony" is an orchestral piece consisting of a piano in the episode only, strings, flutes, clarinets, a timpani, bass drums, cymbals, oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, tubas, an xylophone, a glockenspiel, chimes, a triangle, and a snare drum. In the episode of the same name, the only instruments shown are: three violins, two cellos, timpani, a piano, a harp, two flutes, two tubas, and three trumpets. Also in the episode, additional sound effects are provided by SpongeBob and Patrick, an example being Patrick's screams while SpongeBob gives him an X-ray. This is due to Squidward writing down everything he heard while writing the song.
The piece starts off with short and strong notes being attacked. It follows the main theme, composing of a piano, strings, woodwinds, and brass. A short musical phrase plays, which then follows with several other musical phrases. A popular rearrangement of the piece itself plays at mainly F major and at 148 beats per minute.
Role in episode[]
In the episode that this piece plays in, SpongeBob and Patrick start to make sound effects throughout the piece and while practicing before the symphony performance:
Patrick examining his tongue and making strange noises.
Patrick using a workshop hammer as a reflex hammer and SpongeBob timing the reflex.
SpongeBob dropping a brick onto Patrick's foot, which causes Patrick to scream.
SpongeBob dropping an anchor onto Patrick's foot, which causes a more exaggerated result than the brick did.
SpongeBob putting on a rubber glove and squeezing a rubber duck, leading to Patrick's noises
Patrick screaming by becoming shocked by X-rays.
SpongeBob operating a laughter machine with Patrick feeling calm and relaxed.
Patrick reading magazines and his "hmm" commentary.
SpongeBob swirling his seat upwards and touching Patrick's brain.
Tickling Patrick's brain causes him to laugh.
Smashing Patrick's brain causes him to stick his eyes out and make a high-pitched flatulent noise
Smashing Patrick's brain again causes a lower-pitched flatulent noise.
Pressing two fingers on the sides of Patrick's brain causes him to burp.
All of these sound effects are repeated multiple times before the grand finale: SpongeBob coming out of a timpani, expanding Patrick with a sphygmomanometer, which expands another timpani, popping it and letting Patrick float around like a balloon, and lastly Patrick opening his mouth to release the air and deflating to end the performance.
Much to Squidward's surprise, the audience ends up loving the performance and gives him a round of applause.
Trivia[]
In some countries, "The Suction Cup Symphony" is played one semitone higher, thus playing in F♯ major instead of F major. This is because some episodes are played in PAL speed instead of NTSC speed.
This is one of the few songs in the entire series where Squidward gets praise from other Bikini Bottomites.
