--- description: Who's the search engine that knows the theme to Shaft? No, not Google. But maybe Wolfram|Alpha can ring in as the savviest search engine out... title: Wolfram|Alpha Language-Based Search Engine Knows ‘Shaft’ Theme image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Business](/section/business/) * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) # Wolfram|Alpha Language-Based Search Engine Knows 'Shaft' Theme by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) Jul 11, 2011 12:17 PM CUT by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) Jul 11, 2011 12:17 PM CUT Who’s the search engine that knows the theme to _Shaft_? No, not Google. But maybe [Wolfram|Alpha](http://www.wolframalpha.com/ "undefined") can ring in as the savviest search engine out of ’em all, because [it knows the theme to _Shaft_](http://gizmodo.com/5819776/wolfram-alpha-sings-the-theme-from-shaft/gallery/1 "undefined"). Show me another search engine that can do that. Seriously. I’m still waiting. (**MORE**: [You Should Be Using Wolfram|Alpha](http://techland.time.com/2010/11/16/you-should-be-using-wolframalpha/ "undefined")) Wolfram|Alpha is a search engine that lets users ask questions in plain English. And as you’ll recall, the _Shaft_ theme[is comprised of question after question](http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=shaft+lyrics "undefined"), all with the same answer. Ask each one to Wolfram|Alpha and you’ll get the correct answer, including any color commentary: “Shaft! (Ya damn right!)” or “Shaft! Can you dig it?” But Wolfram|Alpha also works just fine when I want to know how many miles are in the Earth’s circumference (that would be roughly 24,901 miles, my friend). What’s next? Everything I’ve ever wanted to know about _Futurama_? I’m down with that. Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother man? SHAFT! Can you dig it? **LIST**: [50 Best Websites 2009](http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1918031%5F1918016%5F1917928,00.html "undefined") (via [**Gizmodo**](http://gizmodo.com/5819776/wolfram-alpha-sings-the-theme-from-shaft/gallery/ "undefined")) _Erica Ho is a reporter at_ TIME_. Find her on Twitter at_ [_@ericamho_](http://twitter.com/#!/ericamho "undefined") _and_ [_Google+_](http://gplus.to/ericaho "undefined")_. You can also continue the discussion on_ TIME_’s_ [_Facebook page_](http://www.facebook.com/time "undefined") _and on Twitter at_ [_@TIME_](http://twitter.com/#!/TIME "undefined")_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7240265/wolframalpha-language-based-search-engine-knows-shaft-theme/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/7240265/wolframalpha-language-based-search-engine-knows-shaft-theme/"},"headline":"Wolfram|Alpha Language-Based Search Engine Knows 'Shaft' Theme","datePublished":"2011-07-11T12:17:23.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T10:51:21.243Z","description":"Who's the search engine that knows the theme to Shaft? No, not Google. But maybe Wolfram|Alpha can ring in as the savviest search engine out...","url":"https://time.com/archive/7240265/wolframalpha-language-based-search-engine-knows-shaft-theme/","keywords":["Tech","Music"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/archive/7240265/wolframalpha-language-based-search-engine-knows-shaft-theme/","name":"Wolfram|Alpha Language-Based Search Engine Knows 'Shaft' Theme"}}]}] ```