Now that I remember, there's something I've always been eager to find out and never found anyone who's been able to answer me...
OK, there's this pattern/rhythm with clock sounds that I've heard identically in various songs and I've always wondered where could it have come from, and maybe why is it.. uhh.. "popular" for lack of a better word.
I'll link the songs I remember that have those clock sounds:
Toshiro Masuda - Survival Examination (from the OST of Naruto) [At the beginning of the song]
YouTube - Naruto OST 2 - Survival Examination
Nobuo Uematsu - For the Reunion (from the OST of FF7:AC) [Starting at 1:08]
YouTube - FFVII Advent Children Music - For The Reunion
Chikayo Fukuda - Title (from the OST of .hack//GAME) [Starting at 0:10]
YouTube - .Hack Infection~Title