This phrase is often used for comedic effect:
The melody is characterized by the movement in half steps around the dominant. But it is recognizable by its rhythm alone.
For example, it is used by Clown Core in "Hell" (at 1:24, the V chord replaced by a bike horn and the I chord replaced by noise):
Or by Marco Minnemann at the end of his drum cover of "The Dance of Eternity" by Dream Theater (at 6:38, with a slight rhythmic variation by replacing the triplet with two eighth notes):
I wonder where this phrase originates. Does it have a name? Was it ever used in a serious way? How was it popularized as a "parody"?
