Opinion: Game Show Theme Songs
Jason Hancock
Holland) writes:
>
>
>We have been lacking in articles lately that all readers could
>participate in, so I thought I would toss the "Hot Potato" and get you
>guys opinions on your favorite Game Show Theme songs.
Great topic! My votes go to:
1. The Price is Right
2. Press Your Luck
3. Tic Tac Dough (Wink Martindale version)
4. Family Feud (the original theme, not the 1994 variation)
5. Scrabble (80s version)
6. Monopoly
Now, I just wish that Score Productions would release the best of their
great game show themes on tape or CD, but I seriously doubt that will
happen.
--Jason
Jake Tanner
>
>We have been lacking in articles lately that all readers could
>participate in, so I thought I would toss the "Hot Potato" and get you
>guys opinions on your favorite Game Show Theme songs.
>
>my list of favorites:
>
>There's probably more that I can't think of, but I WANT FEEDBACK!
Chris, refer back to my post on this newsgroup a few days
prior...I guess I helped toss this "Hot Potato" already! :)
Jake
Chris Holland
>>
>>Whew! - I AGREE!
>I've never been lucky enough to have heard this one...in fact,
>I've never seen an episode of Whew! Our CBS affiliate was
>showing Donahue during that time slot in the 80s...
Such a shame....the show was a riot. The set had the appearance of a
cartoon strip....the music was somewhat cartoony, but was a classic.
The puns were outrageous (The Von Trapp family sings, and sings, and
sings, and sings, in the movie "Shut Your Trapp!") and the gameplay
was original (One contestant places blocks on the gameboard, and the
other tries to avoid them and answer puns to get to the top of the
gameboard in less than 60 seconds). The bonus round was "The Gauntlet
of Villains," a lineup of 10 cartoon evildoers who attempted to keep
you from $25K.
>>Hitman
>ABSOLUTELY!! One of the greatest uses of a piano (during the
>theme's bridge) that I've ever heard...even had a slight
>elegant feeling in a powerful theme...I was glad to see that
>they kinda let the music run a bit at the end of the final
>show...
Yes. The theme, set, and Peter Tomarken were the only redeeming
things about this show.
>>Later Version of Match Game (Rayburn) The Ross Shaffer music sucked.
>A classic...can't be disputed...
Although in the syndicated run, they attempted to slow the music down
and it sounded dumb (the "wanks" were way too long)
>>Card Sharks, The "clapping" effect was cool!
>Excellent theme...probably my fav from the 70s...the 80s
>version was the pits...
I liked the "Double Dare" version of this theme.....the only
difference was that it was an octave higher.
>>All-Star Blitz - Another great theme with lyrics, if you want to call them
>>that. Good use of the trumpet is some parts.
>Because this theme was so incredibly bizarre, this show gets my
>vote for the most irreverant game of the 80's
I thought that this theme was absolutely stupid. I'm not big on
"singing" theme songs, the exceptions being TTTT and Better Sex.
>>Password Plus - I AGREE! Great music!
>I like any theme that uses tons of orchestration and this one
>took full advantage...another great power theme of the 70s!!
TPiR and P+ themes probably cost G/T a fortune. They both use so many
different instruments. I like P+ for it's "Toy Piano" like parts as
well as it's "groovy" bass lines.
>>Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour - Okay the game sucked, but the music
>>was very powerful. Fun to catch it now and then on PIR.
>It's a great theme but kinda repetitive...there wasn't enough
>variety in it...it's one of those that would get a little
>tiresome if you had to listen to, say, a 1.5 minute stretch of
>it...though classic, Match Game is the same way...
I agree that it was repetitive, but it still was
powerful.....especially for those entrances.
>Well, here a few of my favs...
>The Hollywood Squares (original run...a true classic)
I didn't care for this one.
>Wheel Of Fortune (the Thicke version)
I hated the music they played after a puzzle was solved.
>Sale Of The Century (both 80s versions)
Yes....it was so spacey!
>Blockbusters (the GREAT Bob Cobert)
The original was extremely powerful with that wonderful brass
section...of course NBC really cheaped out the second time with it's
"Train Wreck" set and "Dancing Radiation Symbols"
>The $10,000 Pyramid (the original theme...again Cobert)
I liked the $25K better, but this theme was arranged where you heard
the chorus over and over and over and over again.
>Bullseye (THE BEST!!!!!!!!!)
The undisputed champion!
>To Tell The Truth (90s version)
The 90s version was a remake of the 70s version (they had originally
planned to use the words for the 90s version, but backed out at the
last moment).
>The Joker's Wild (the whistle theme)
MUCH better than that awful "pipe organ" theme!
>Tic Tac Dough
Hal Hidey must have had a clapping fetish.
>>Since Feud is off the air, I wonder if PIR will adopt the theme music and
>>use it for one of their car announcments again. Hmmmm.!
>>
Did you know that the "Grand Game" theme is actually the last 2
measures of the Family Feud theme? (Duh-da-Duh-Duh-Duh-DA! <Bump!>)
Chris Holland
10252...@compuserve.com
John L. Venturini
(1) The Price is Right: every time I fail a MATH 141 quiz the losing
music plays in my head.
(2) To Tell The Truth: as one person has said on here, it should really
be released. Lyrics have little to do with the game, and it
sounds like a pop 60s/early 70s song.
(3) Family Feud: a classic, you hear it, you know it's time to play the
Feud (except 1994's edition, too jazzed up...)
(4) Tic Tac Dough: Great theme, the sound effects on the show were great
as well.
(5) Match Game: I love that theme, especially the 70s edition, because
the 'wanks' made it sound really cool. Also it describes what
type of show it is, laid back and funny.
(6) Press Your Luck: a very dynamic theme and with the Whammy! is the
trademark of the show
(7) tie:
$25,000 Pyramid >>> both have the same elements, but are good and
$10,000 Pyramid >>> the 25 theme was better for the 80s because it
had a new sound to it.
(8) Scrabble... the theme that helped introduce the first word was really
cool, and the theme altogether was a nice theme to listen to.
(The 1993 one stunk though... they should have kept the old theme)
(9) tie:
Card Sharks (80s theme)>>> many of you might disagree with me on this
Card Sharks (70s theme)>>> saying that the 70s theme was far superior
than the 80s one, but I liked the 80s theme
just as much, it had more of the "gambler"
type feel to it. Could be wrong, but then
again, this is MY list!
(10) M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y: cute theme, it's worth #10 in my list.
- John
Haproctre
flutes.
Also the thumpin' bass line of "Password Plus". And especially for those
who get GSN, The Theme from "Decades", the interactive game.
My $ .02 plain.
Pat Alder
Hapr...@aol.com
Chris Holland
>Well, since you wanted opinions:
Don't be so hesitant! :)
> "Now You See It" -- Either arrangement is okay with me. Quincy Jones
>wrote the theme.
I thought we'd never get to this one.....I have a question about
"Chump Change" (the official title) and NYSI. About 3 weeks into the
70s run, NYSI began using a DIFFERENT theme and used parts of that
theme for 2 weeks. It sounded like a cat going through a food
processor (Meow Meow Meow Meow! WHOP! WHATTY-BOW!) Then they began
using it during the 1st round change up. Does anyone know why they
tried to change themes?
> "Stumpers" (1976) -- Fun theme. Good show, just like "Password". The
>set was a bit much. Written by Alan Thicke!
I liked the set. It was designed to look like the marquis of a movie
theatre. I loved Allen's entrance when it flipped up. The
theme.....eh....
> "To Tell the Truth" (1969-78 version) -- Can't wait until I hear this
>again on The Game Show Page! Charles Fox, one of the composers of this,
>also cowrote "Ready to Take a Chance Again" from the movie "Foul Play."
A definate classic.
> "Treasure Hunt" (1973-77 & 1981-82 version) -- Complete opposite of the
>program itself. Luxurious, sophisticated. Written by Frank Jaffe & Lee
>Ringuette.
Though they cheaped out at the end, playing "Barris Stock" music
(which can be heard on every show he produced).
> "The Who, What or Where Game" -- I barely remember it (it went off the
>air when I was 11), but very rockin' for 1972. Written by George David
>Weiss, whoever he is.
Absolutely the worst Jeopardy take-off I've ever seen. I slept
through the entire episode I have.
>And the worst:
> "All-Star Blitz" -- Sorry, John, I just can't agree on this. Very
>limited arrangement, and I think they used the vocals (which simply stated
>the show's name) so that we would remember it wasn't "The Hollywood
>Squares."
Agreed. The vocals were absolutely stupid.
> "Concentration" (1958-73) -- Sacrilege, I know, but I have a feeling
>one of the reasons NBC put it out to pasture in 1973 is that organ was
>sounding a little too quaint. Also, I think I had a nightmare about that
>penny whistle when I was very young.
I thought that the Concentration theme was creepy. Sent chills down
my back.
> "The Magnificent Marble Machine" -- Probably copied from a nickel game
>machine at Disneyland because they spent too much money on the set.
Another one that freaked me out.
> "Name that Tune" (all '70s and '80s versions, except maybe the late
>'70s disco version) and "Face the Music" -- Odd that two music games
>should have such lousy theme music.
I like the disco version, the others, <PHHHHHT!>
Chris Holland
10252...@compuserve.com
David Hammett
>I LOVED your comment about the LOSING music from Price!!!! That REALLY
>cracked me up. But I will tell you this, of all the themes, only ONCE did
>I see any mention of Sale Of The Century. The theme, especially the one
>used in the last season, was THE ALL TIME BEST EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER
>EVER theme song. The music in the opening when new announcer Don Morrow
>would say, "this week contestants will win, a jukebox...etc" and the
>opening theme would creschendo and they would do that staccato camera
>zoom toward the car and then show the briefcase with $50,000! What an
>excellent show. I personally preferred the first format of the show the
>best, combine that with the 88-89 theme song and PERFECTO! Not to mention
>that Jim Perry is #1 as well, a really nice guy, a gent with a great
>sense of humor, is it no wonder that my other favorite show was Card
>Sharks with the clapping theme song.
Everyone's entitled to his or her own opinion, and here's mine... the latter
theme to $OTC was the pits! The first one (83-88) was much more lively and
better orchestrated. When USA started running $OTC reruns and opted to go
with some of the 88-89 shows first (which we didn't see in Atlanta... a
familiar refrain), I was taken aback by the abrupt change in the theme.
Give me the older theme... with either Lee Menning or Summer Bartholomew as
hostess, of course.
David
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Hammett Our budget must be just shot to hell...
dham...@netcom.com --- John Davidson commenting on the
expensive prizes on the last
episode of "Time Machine" (4/26/85)
Nick Schneider
Here's my two cents on themes:
1 -- Card Sharks '78/Double Dare v.1 -- Why? Because of the
ooo-wee-ooo-wee...? Because of the horns and upbeat tempo?
Because of the dramatics to it? All of the above? I think so.
2 -- TPiR: A classic. Nuff Said.
3 -- Match Game '7*: See 2.
4 -- Bullseye: Well done, and the bridge in the end credits is
the best. As well as the opener. *Wishes that Aaron Solomon
could do his "Bullshit" opener on here. :)*
5 -- MG/HShour: I know... Maybe switch this with 3... but it
didn't have enough time on the air. Goes along with CS...
because of the orchestration. Very well organized.
That's good enough for now.
I think...
---
--
Nick Schneider !3-31-96 : The *RETURN* of the Ultimate
gsa...@noctrl.edu !Warrrrrrrior!
ie403@Cleveland. !"Feeeeeeel the Power!" -- Addams Family Pin.
Freenet.edu !GameShowAnimePinballSFASF2CLTVetcetcetc.
E. Christianson
>participate in, so I thought I would toss the "Hot Potato" and get you
>guys opinions on your favorite Game Show Theme songs.
>
>
NBC "Match Game" theme -- Bert Kaempfert's "A Swingin' Safari". I had
to have the record!!! (Still available, now even on CD). Drove
everybody nuts with it -- I used to pretend I was Johnny Olson. That's
how I learned how to announce.
Also liked the original CBS "Password" music, although I never found
out what it was. I did hear it elsewhere, though (on an
Australian-produced kid's adventure series), when I was small.
-- Gene Davis Christianson
Interstate Radio Network / Chicago.
E. Christianson
a live organist in the studio? Fun music.
-- Gene Davis Christianson
Interstate Raio Network / Chicago
Terry Wilkie
(Chris Holland) wrote:
> We have been lacking in articles lately that all readers could
> participate in, so I thought I would toss the "Hot Potato" and get you
> guys opinions on your favorite Game Show Theme songs.
>
I agree with allot of the choices for game show music. I've been an avid
Game show music collector for the last 24+ years and can fill you in on a
few given's.
All of the Goodson game music is still at Score Productions in New York.
There seems to be many composers that worked on those great shows over the
years. Go into the BMI & ASCAP Web pages for hours of interesting facts.
Last contact with Score productions is their not interested in a CD of
game music. ( I hope they will relize just how many people would buy it
and change their mind... ).
The publishers of allot of the Goodson music is Mark Goodson Productions
and now that its been sold and regrouped as All American Video who knows
what it would take to orginize the rights just for a CD.
I thought after all this time Score would lose interest in those old
archives and make some of this stuff avaiable.
Please someone from Score or Edd Kalehoff jump in and prove me wrong...
Terry Wilkie- TPI...@AOL.Com
John Kukla
along with a great set as drawing cards to a great game. While most any
theme will get me going, it is these that still send chills up my spine:
"Match Game 7x" - You can't help but smile when you here the "wanky"
guitar--it captured the show(and the 70's) frightenly well. I however,
did like the updated 90's versioon, especially the cool harmonica unbder
the opening star montage.
"Blockbusters(1980)" - i was fortunate enough to attend a taping of this
show and even after hearing over and over during three tapings was still
humming it!
"Password Plus" - Instantly catchy, love the horns!
"TTTT" - The 70's version is the ultimate, the 90's version very powerful-
-I even like the short lived 1980 robin ward version.
"Showoffs" - very cool theme. I'm surprised G-T didn't try to recycle it
like ....
"Double Dare/Card Sharks" - Insanely powerful!!
"10,000 Pyramid" - can't hear it with out picturing someone going
legitimately nuts after winning the big prize.
"High Rollers(1974)" - great thumping open as the numbers lit up...
"Monopoly" - Catchy.
and arguably my all time favorite:
"Tattletales(1970's)" - Others may quibble, but the combination of Edd
Kalehoff's synthezisers, the great cheorographed open with the fish eye
view of the arena, and the cool green & white set, ...let's hear for the
Banana section!
I also vote for:
"Mindreaders" - the shortlived Dick Martin vehicle, which boasted a set
with nine different colors of carpet and as I remember a cool theme. If
anyone has a copy of this show, I'd love to see it!
JKu...@prodigy.com
Have met Vanna White, Dick Clark, and David Hammett!
C319Chris
names Milton Kaye and Tony Columbia come to mind. There was an organist
and a percussionist.
C319Chris
Bob Israel (owner of Score Productions)
Edd Kalehoff (TPIR, Tattletales, Concentration, Trivia Trap, Card Sharks
II)
Sheila Cole (TPIR theme)
????? ('70s Match Game)
Matt Ottinger
: I'm trying to remember the original "Concentration" studio musicians. The
: names Milton Kaye and Tony Columbia come to mind. There was an organist
: and a percussionist.
Wow, good memory! According to the EOTVGS2, the musical directors for
the original Concentration were indeed Milton Kaye and another guy named
Paul Taubman, who appears to have been the Barry-Enright musical dude.
(Tic Tac Dough and Twenty-One are also listed among his credits.)
Columbia may very well have been the percussionist, the book doesn't list
one. My vague childhood memories of "Concentration" don't include
percussion, but I also don't remember second grade, and I know that happened.
--
Matt Ottinger
mott...@isd.ingham.k12.mi.us
"It should be noted that children at play are not playing about;
their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity."
--Montaigne (1533-1592)
Visit Chri$ Lambert's truly amazing Game $how Home Page:
http://silver.ucs.indiana.edu/~wlambert/GameShows.html
C319Chris
they didn't use it in the subsequent version I don't know.
The 1980s "Blockbusters" package was one of the few for which Goodson did
not use Score Productions. It was done by Bob Cobert, who also did
"That's My Line" that same year, as well as probably all of the Bob
Stewart shows including "Pyramid".
The "Mindreaders" package was recycled and used on a pilot for NBC:
"Puzzlers", which was Pat Sajak's first game show.
Chris Clementson
Goodson-Todman Productions, 1978-1980
Dave Mackey
: I agree, Edd Kalehoff's 1970s "Tattletales" package was splendid. Why
: they didn't use it in the subsequent version I don't know.
Because he wrote even better music for the 1980's version.
: The 1980s "Blockbusters" package was one of the few for which Goodson did
: not use Score Productions. It was done by Bob Cobert, who also did
: "That's My Line" that same year, as well as probably all of the Bob
: Stewart shows including "Pyramid".
And the second version had a stock theme from a company called Music
Design Group.
--
dma...@raven.cybercomm.net Dave Mackey
Visit my Home Page! http://raven.cybercomm.net/~dmackey
Jake Tanner
>Excellent subject and opinions...I agree with Jake, who credits the theme
>along with a great set as drawing cards to a great game. While most any
>theme will get me going, it is these that still send chills up my spine:
Hey, I can't argue with a man who values and agrees with my
opinion!! hehehehe
>"10,000 Pyramid" - can't hear it with out picturing someone going
>legitimately nuts after winning the big prize.
I have never understood how anyone can prefer The $25,000
Pyramid over the classic $10,000 theme...I guess I like the
$10,000 version because it's so FUNKY!! The $25,000 theme
sounds a little too antiseptic for me...
>"Monopoly" - Catchy.
Most people don't like game show themes with vocals...I'm one
of them...but this one was just too cute!!
>"Tattletales(1970's)" - Others may quibble, but the combination of Edd
>Kalehoff's synthezisers, the great cheorographed open with the fish eye
>view of the arena, and the cool green & white set, ...let's hear for the
>Banana section!
Okay...I might agree...but I need to know...which version do
you prefer? The original that debuted in 1974 or the later
version?
Jake
C319Chris
do.
MrTV1
Mackey) writes:
>: The 1980s "Blockbusters" package was one of the few for which Goodson
did
>: not use Score Productions. It was done by Bob Cobert, who also did
>: "That's My Line" that same year, as well as probably all of the Bob
>: Stewart shows including "Pyramid".
>
>And the second version had a stock theme from a company called Music
>Design Group.
Talking about the new Blockbusters theme. I rented Addams Family Values,
at think that was it. Anyway, before the movie they were selling the
video game, and guess what music was playing. Not the exact version of
Rafferty's game, but the same theme.
John
Warrior JS
>>"10,000 Pyramid" - can't hear it with out picturing someone going
>>legitimately nuts after winning the big prize.
>I have never understood how anyone can prefer The $25,000
>Pyramid over the classic $10,000 theme...I guess I like the
>$10,000 version because it's so FUNKY!! The $25,000 theme
>sounds a little too antiseptic for me...
The $25K/$100K Pyramid theme was more "complete" with more
instruments, a half-step higher key, and as much, if not more,
catchiness to the rhythm as the $10K/$20K version. Also, though I did
see the old episodes of the $20K Pyramid on ABC and later on CBN, I
much preferred the $25K version better.
>>"Tattletales(1970's)" - Others may quibble, but the combination of Edd
>>Kalehoff's synthezisers, the great cheorographed open with the fish eye
>>view of the arena, and the cool green & white set, ...let's hear for the
>>Banana section!
>Okay...I might agree...but I need to know...which version do
>you prefer? The original that debuted in 1974 or the later
>version?
Either is cool, but since I only have '70s episodes in my library and
the CBS station that would have aired the '80s Tattletales aired I
Love Lucy reruns and WB Cartoons instead, I prefer the Watt-watt-WATT!
theme of the '70s.
- Jeremy REAL MEN EAT BEEF. (Except on Fridays during Lent.)
"The NEW WWF Generation. On top of the hill, not over it." - WWF Promo
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Andre, Kerry, Art, Eddie, Jerry Blackwell, Big John Studd, SMW ... Sigh ...
Travis C Sparks
Game/Hollywood Squares Hour?" Incidentally, that theme can be heard
every now & then on TPIR.
Travis Sparks, W-B, PA
C Alliaume
Show Page, I have a few questions:
1) Did Score also write other TV themes besides those for game shows? If
so, was the "Double Dare/Card Sharks" theme originally written for a cop
show that never made it to series? (It doesn't sound that far off.)
2) Was the "To Tell The Truth" theme ever released as a single?
(Doubtful, but it would have been right at home on 77 WABC, the
quintessential top 40 station in New York in 1970.) Also, who recorded
the vocals?
-- Curt
C319Chris
Productions and Edd Kalehoff.
If you browse the ASCAP database on their web page, you'll see that a lot
of composers of game show music also did cues for the soaps, as well as
for things like golf tournaments.
As for the original purpose of the Double Dare/Card Sharks theme, it
wouldn't surprise me if it were originally for some other show. It wasn't
really game-showy.