At the time when television meant three American networks and two Canadians, almost everyone was aware of everything on television. Even if you don’t like it or don’t watch a special program, you are likely that you know it. And one of the things that could have infiltrated your mind was the theme song of a show.
Even when the number of channels and programs developed, television theme songs were omnipresent, many of which became the 40 best successes (Theme of Swat, The Rockford Files, Greatest American Hero, Peter Gunn, Hawaii Five-O, Miami Viceetc.) that have generated an additional consciousness and species.
There is a sub-genre of music fans who like the subject of television themes, the genre that was delighted when multi-volume collections like the The biggest television successes The series (via the Tee-Vee Toons label) began to appear in 1985. I wonder if these aficionados know these stories.
The twilight zone
The original theme of the Anthology series by Rod Serling has been covered several times. You probably buzz it right now. It is based on four dissonant guitar notes which point out that what we are about to see is strange and disturbing.
The origin of the theme itself is a little disturbing. In an attempt to break and save money, CBS decided not to order a new composition for the show. Instead, he found two pieces of stock music different from the CBS library and sprained them together. The composer of this original music, Marius Constant, did not pay anything beyond the unique payment he obtained for having created him.
It was the original music of the program when it appears for the first time on October 2, 1959 and used for the first season. The composer was Bernard Herrmann, an award -winning orchestrator of the Oscars whose career began in the 1940s and ended with Taxi driver in 1976.
The Spreaded version which included Constant’s work was used for the second season. The guitarist is Howard Roberts, a jazz player, using a 1952 Fender Telecaster.
Gilligan Island
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If you are a certain vintage, you can probably sing The whole theme About the SS Minnow and his three -hour condemned tour right now. Written by producer Sherwood Schwartz and George Wyle, he was directed by a group called The Wellingtons (for the first season) and the Eligibles (each season thereafter). But when Sherwood Schwartz obtained the green light for the pilot in 1964, he started with a different approach. He hired a young television composer named John Williams – Yes, the Jaws/ /Star Wars/ /Close meetings/ /Harry Potter/etc. Guy) to find an opening number.
He took the Calypso road – a little strange, since SS Minnow left Hawaii and not nowhere in the Caribbean. The pilot was never broadcast and the original theme song was forgotten – until the Internet arrives.
MUNSTERS
This theme, composed by Jack Marshal, was created by laughing deliberately Twilight Theme while adding a small surf guitar inspired by Duane Eddy. It was so popular that he was nominated for a Grammy in 1965 (he did not win). And there are words written by standard co -producer Bob Mosher. About the only place where they can be heard is on a 1964 Sing-Along album.
Star Trek: the original series
Another classic. The creator Gene Roddenberry hired Alexander Courage, a composer and orchestrator for the film, to find something appropriate for a five -year mission of galaxy. Officially called Where no man went beforeIt’s famous for monologue William Shatner declaring that space is the last border.
Then Roddenberry became sneaky. To ensure that he was also paid for the theme (a theme he paid to the Commission), also wrote unnecessary words – without the knowledge of courage. In this way, Roddenberry could be credited as a co-writer and receive royalties each time the show has been broadcast. He was perhaps a visionary television producer, but a lyricist he was not.
Beyond
The edge of the star light
My love
Wand’sring in star flight
I know
He will find in stroke sections
Love,
Strange love that a star woman teaches.
I know
His journey never ends
His Star Trek
Will continue forever.
But tell him
While he wanders his star sea
Remember, remember me.
Wow. Not good. To my knowledge, a full version has never been published, although Lieutenant Uhura sings this in a DC comic issue Star Trek.
Acclamations
Whenever I hear the opening theme of AcclamationsI immediately shout “Norm!” And hey, who doesn’t want to spend time in a place where everyone knows your name? This emblematic theme was the work of Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart-Angelo. It took a while to do things well in terms of arrangement and instrumentation, but they finally found one of the most loved television themes of all time. Here is the original version.
Friends
In another universe, constant rehearsals of Friends run with the original choice of producers for the opening theme: Brilliant shiny people By Rem Michael Stipe, probably to its endless regret, refused the offer, losing millions of millions of dollars in fees. This money went to the Rembrandts instead to I’ll be there for you. Even then, the Rembrandts (who did not write the song) did not want the concert. But because they were the only group available on Warner Bros. Records, they were strong to record it. The emblematic slams were a last second addition.
Try to imagine this opening with each episode of Friends.
Ridiculous
The Blooper video show seems to be the only thing that flows on Muchmusic these days. Endless rehearsals are excellent news to mark Mothersbaugh by Devo. As a music composer for cinema and television, he was asked to find something fast for the show and decided to rework an old Devo song entitled Uncontrollable desireThe head of their first album of 1978, Q: Do we note men? A: We are Devo!
Mashrsbaugh is now gaining more than $ 1 million a year from this piece of ridicule. He earns more money from that than anything else. Nice work if you can get it, right?
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