Your favorite theme song from a movie , series or cartoon. My movie is the sountrack of Lawrence of

[debm55]

Last edited Thu Dec 8, 2022, 06:36 PM - Edit history (2)

of Arabia, my TV series- the opening song from the Beverly Hillbillies. I also have as my movie favorite the opening song to the Sound of Music. At the time it was filmed, studios used hellicopters, not drones, and the scene going over the Alps to where Julie starts singing.
One last to add--the Fire Dance music with Kevin Costner in Dances With Wolves where he is back at his Army camp.

[ItsjustMe]

1. Hans Zimmer - You're So Cool

From The Movie "True Romance"

.

[debm55]

16. Its JustMe--that is a very cool song. I never heard it before. But it is very relaxing.

[Jamastiene]

2. Maybe, the Grizzly Adams theme song.

The full version of the song is on YouTube. It is by Thom Pace.

It's so beautiful. I love those lyrics. I can relate to them. During my more depressed years, I said I wanted that song played at my funeral. Now, I'm just happy to enjoy it while alive.

[WheelWalker]

8. Peter Gunn

[debm55]

18. Thank you Jamastiend, I will go to YouTube and find it. I have suffered from depression also. To the

point of not getting out of bed. Yes, enjoy it, you have earned it.

[Paladin]

3. For a TV series: "Ben Casey"

Hard-driving, well-scored theme song, following Dr. Zorba's blackboard drawings of "Man, Woman, Birth, Death, Infinity."

And yes, I realize I'm revealing my lengthy age.

[debm55]

19. Paladin, I remember Ben Casey and Dr.Zorba. I was in 3rd grade. I will go to YouTube and see what

they have.

[Paladin]

34. Plenty of stuff on YouTube.

I remember the world back then being split between "Ben Casey" and "Dr. Kildare" fans. My family sided with "Ben Casey."

[Lunabell]

4. Does a cartoon count?

[debm55]

6. Sure, I'll add to title

[emulatorloo]

5. The Knot's Landing Theme, it is a heck of an earworm. Movie Once upon a time in the west

Here’s an orchestral playing the music from Once Upon In the West:

Here’s the trailer from the movie. It is a great western from the director of The Man With No Name, incredible cast, and amazing score by Morricone.

Runner-up:

[LeftInTX]

69. Morricone was great

&ab_channel=WatchMojo.com

&ab_channel=SoundtrackFred

[emulatorloo]

97. +++ His melodies really get to me, sometimes they are so beautiful/moving I tear up.

Thanks for the links.

[Sanity Claws]

7. Car 54, where are you?

I lived in NYC and I loved the fact that it named neighborhoods in the song. It included Idlewild Airport, now known as JFK.

[emulatorloo]

9. ++++++

[2naSalit]

10. Showing my age.

For teevee shows I used to see at my house and I liked the theme songs...

I'll have to think about the movie music.

[Paladin]

37. Mancini's music was the best part of "Peter Gunn."

Last edited Tue Dec 6, 2022, 07:08 AM - Edit history (1)

A local channel used to show it in the middle of the night, I'd catch it every once in a while. Mancini's TV and movie music was outstanding.

[2naSalit]

40. It was.

I don't remember watching the shows, I was young, but one of those older then me did. My brother and I would compare notes about the music, often from the other end of the room.

[rampartc]

11. i like the perry mason theme song

and for movies, escape from new york.

cartoon , how about loony toones.

[2naSalit]

41. I almost went with that.

It's really dramatic.

And anything used for Looney Toons prior to the mid 1960s was fantastic, my introduction to classical music! When they cut back to harmonica and accordion, I lost interest in them. They also reduced the number of frames/second and it just ruined them.

[rampartc]

72. "kill da wabbot kill da wabbit"

is the best bugs bunny. i know he did "barber of seville." my poor memory.

[2naSalit]

74. And so much more!

There's at least one Mendelssohn piece from the Hebrides suite. I was beginning my classical vocal life by the age of nine, partly due to what I heard on the cartoons. In fact, after some reflection, it seems the cartoons I liked best had the best music.

[LeftInTX]

70. I was always in bed when I heard it. It scared the bejeezus out of me.

I always had insomnia as a kid and hearing the Perry Mason theme made it worse..LOL
I still get triggered when I hear it and not much triggers me!! It just brings back memories of insomnia and I always pictured someone stabbed when I heard it. It makes me shudder and makes the hair stand up on my back. (Yep, I just listened to it at 3:40 am)

Comments from YouTube:

Theme reminds me of my Mom. She watched it, I'd be in bed falling asleep, but I could hear the tv from the bedroom. RIP Mom, another memory of you. It was a great show and you were a great mother.


I felt the same about my parents and this show. thank you.


@spideraxis - Same here! LOL But it was my father watching this in 1959 he was going to college to work for Griffiss Air Force Base - electronics engineeer! Yeah I wolud be in bed hearing it too! Hhaha 😄Small world! RIP Dad! 👍✝

A friend told me that when he son was little the music scared him - sounded to him like movie from a scary movie.

I believe that because the theme frightened me as well


I thought this was spooky when I was a kid

[Jack the Greater]

12. My favorite for ages

[3catwoman3]

13. As already noted above, the Mission Impossible theme.

And Hawaii 5-0.

[debm55]

25. Hawaii 5-0 theme was great so was Jack Lord. Hawaii 5-0 has nothing on the original.

[lpbk2713]

14. Movie: Unforgiven

TV: Hill Street Blues

[debm55]

21. Yes, Hill Street Blues had a very good theme. Supposedly, it was to have taken place in Pittsburgh,

Steven and his wife and others went to Carnegie Mellon university.

[CTyankee]

31. Did you know Steve? His wife Barbara was in my class at Carnegie Tech (as it was called then)

and I think Steve was a year younger.

My daughter lives in LA and works in the film industry and she met Barbara. Everything seems to be coming around full circle. I called Barbara "Bobbi" in those days. I left before Steve enrolled, so I didn't know him. His show "Hill Street Blues" really was an inflection point in TV series and had huge affect on future shows of that genre.

Small world!

[Prairie_Seagull]

76. While the theme played that opening scene so cold, gritty and real.

So memory jarring for me.

[Brother Buzz]

15. Rawhide, Baby!

On edit, Maverick deserves a mention, too:

[debm55]

20. Brother Buzz, I was young for rawhide, but I remember that theme. In facts I remember looking for

the dogs as it was mentioned in the theme to get the dogies moving.
Thank you for your memories.

[Brother Buzz]

22. Were yo to young for Blues Brothers?

[debm55]

23. Nope I remember them and that scene.

Thank you Brother. PS. the 55 on my name is the year I was born.

[MerryBlooms]

38. Love Rawhide! Sheb Wooley, who played Pete, left the show

To pursue his singing career. He gave us, The Flying Purple People Eater! The cowboys on that show were combo rodeo guys and stuntmen.

Also from that genre, the themes of Wagon Train and The Virginian, also Big Valley.

Movie theme, Magnificent Seven.

😄

[fierywoman]

17. I'm fond of the sound of the theramin in Midsomer Murders.

Lawrence of Arabia for movie!

[debm55]

26. fierywoman, in my OP, I posted Lawrence of Arabia. Wasn't it wonderful! In fact the acting was great

too.

[fierywoman]

29. When I was a kid and the movie came out, my brothers and I were absolutely mad for it--

and read everything we could get our hands on about T. E. Lawrence.

Have you seen the director's cut? = even more amazing.

[debm55]

42. No I haven't. I 'll sse what they have on Amazon.

[MerryBlooms]

39. I love Midsomer! I read the band played for every episode,

Wasn't a soundtrack.

[fierywoman]

50. I enjoyed how in each episode the composer riffed on the main theme but

set the music in a story-telling way that was relevant to that episode.

[MerryBlooms]

52. If I had to choose a favorite episode, A Talent For Life.

How about you?

[fierywoman]

87. I'm REALLY bad at remembering titles, names, etc

But I love how they take on weird societal stuff (aside from their reputation for truly bizarre murders!)

[area51]

85. If you like the sound of a Theramin,

perhaps you might be interested in the original Dark Shadows theme.

[Patterson]

24. Local Hero movie by Mark Knopfler.

[debm55]

27. Was he the I Want My MTV, guy?

[Patterson]

33. Yes and "Sultans of Swing."

[debm55]

43. The DJ played that at my wedding reception back in 79.(Sultans of Swing)

[Harker]

28. I have the soundtrack for "Lawrence of Arabia" in my car right now.

Also, Ennio Morricone's score for "Once Upon a Time in the West."

Plus a two disc collection of the young Richard Tauber, and "Best of Traffic."

I'm a longtime lover of soundtracks, especially those of Japanese films.

[rogerballard]

30. The Comfort of Strangers/ Last Exit to Brooklyn Movies

Lost in Space Season 3/ The Avengers TV Shows

[IcyPeas]

32. series: House M.D., True Blood, The Sopranos, The Wire....

House M.D. (Song by Massive Attack):

True Blood:

The Sopranos:

The Wire: A different recording was used each season. Versions, in series order, were recorded by The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tom Waits, The Neville Brothers, DoMaJe, and Steve Earle.

The Wire Season 1:

The Wire Season 4:

[sarge43]

35. Hill Street Blues, Mr Lucky.

The Flying themes, The Blue Max and How To Train Your Dragon.

[debm55]

45. The only one I remember is Hill Street Blues. I live in Pittsburgh, legend has it that it was based

on a section of Pittsburgh called the Hill District. I watched every episode. Loved that show.

[Wounded Bear]

36. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly...

[debm55]

46. Thank you, Wounded Bear. I was in awe of various native instruments they used.

Wow, remember the spaghetti westerns that Clint was in early in his career.

[sakabatou]

44. I will always, ALWAYS pick this one:

[Different Drummer]

49. Good choice!

[Different Drummer]

47. Cartoon Division

[debm55]

61. I still say Race Bannon looks like Mike Pence

[Different Drummer]

77. Agreed!

[Prairie_Seagull]

78. Ok you ruined it for me. Never watching JQ again.

[yellowdogintexas]

48. Taxi, Wings, Twin Peaks,

Monk, Hill St Blues for TV

Warner Brothers is the hands down winner for cartoons.


all the Mancini: Movies, TV, cartoons. Victor, Victoria is one of the best soundtracks ever.

The Sting

Warsaw Concerto (the theme from Dangerous Midnight, a WWII movie) If you have never heard this you should dig it up and give it a listen!

[MerryBlooms]

53. We love Monk in our house. Wipe!

I think my favorite episode is when Natalie accidentally gets Monk shot, and then accidentally shoots him herself. 😆

[debm55]

54. Yes, I must have the Sting ten times. Loved the music.

Another plug for Pittsburgh Henry Mancini was from the Pittsburgh area.

[debm55]

51. No one mentioned the theme from Cheers, which I faithfully watched every THursday evening, In honor

Last edited Mon Dec 5, 2022, 11:38 PM - Edit history (1)

of Kristie Alley who died today I will add it. Didn't like her religion,or politics and felt no one could take the place of Diane on the show. But the theme was good and since my husband is from Boston, I added it.To all her family and friends, may she RIP and may her memories be a blessing to those left behind.

[debm55]

55. I also like the series and theme music from the Avengers.

[Easterncedar]

56. What a great post

The responses really got me thinking and reminiscing. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly had great music, so did The Great Escape. Love the Inspector Morse theme, which revealed Morse’s first name in Morse code, I’m told. Original Star Trek? The Prisoner? Rockford Files? So many to choose from the old days.

Thanks for the memories, all.

[Easterncedar]

57. Vera, too

I like the way they weave the theme through the action and wind it up sometimes very poignantly in the end.

[debm55]

58. Easterncedar, I'm glad this thread has brought back memories for you. Posters on DU are the best.

Posters memories of music they remember are great. Music is the heart singing

[avebury]

59. My parents dragged all three of us kids to see Lawrence of Arabia

when I was a young child. All I remember was sand, lots of sand. I have never been able to watch that movie as an adult.

[debm55]

60. Hi avebury, you need to watch the actors more-especially Petter O'Toole. He was wonderful in it. It

is a shame he never won an Oscar.

[Prairie_Seagull]

81. Great theme and one of the best lines in cinema.

"The trick William Potter, is not minding that it hurts"

[LeftInTX]

68. I survived watching it as an adult. Omar Sharif quote: "Don't take a woman to see LOA"

He said women did not like it.

All I saw was sand..LOL
I was 60 years old.

[avebury]

71. It is not a great movie to take a 5 year old to.

I don't think that I ever got over having to see it at that age. LOL!

[Brother Buzz]

62. Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer

It's amazing Harlem Nocturne (1939), the quintessential film noir jazz classic didn't get snatched up until 1985

Cool factoid: Earle Hagen wrote Harlem Nocturne, and he also composed the Fishin' Hole for The Andy Griffith show

[highplainsdem]

63. Some favorite TV intros here:

https://democraticunderground.com/10181611150

[DemocraticPatriot]

64. I am very fond of the general themes from

"Legends of the Fall" and "The English Patient"...


The composers who create orchestral themes for modern movies,
are the natural descendants of the classical composers of the 1700s and 1800s...

Lucky for them that films give them a market to share their talents---
otherwise, they would be nowhere today...

(Not much market for that kind of music anymore-- except as movie themes!)

[Skittles]

65. Everybody's Talking - Midnight Cowbow

freaking awesome Nilsson

[Buckeye_Democrat]

66. TV: Globe Trekker / Lonely Planet theme song.

Movie: The Last of the Mohicans theme song.

If there's singing, it better be damn amazing or I tend to prefer instrumentals.

[GReedDiamond]

67. The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night

[wishstar]

73. Twin Peaks is near the top of my faves still

&list=RDEMwirORSnOOriJOjBzNSNqsA&start_radio=1&rv=grlkoRazWh4

[rogerballard]

75. Basic Instinct (Main Title)

[panader0]

79. The entire sound track of "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?"

Or "The Long Riders".

[Brother Buzz]

82. The Long Riders was the Renaissance man, Ry Cooder's baby...

and interesting enough, produced by his son, Joachim Cooder. They have a very, very special relationship; Ry Cooder started deferring to Joachim on musical matters when he was only eight years old.

[Prairie_Seagull]

80. Honorable mention: Theme and intermission to DR. Zivago. n/t

[debm55]

84. I liked Dr.Zhivago theme too. Weren't they done by the same director and the musical score

done by the same person who did Lawrence of Arabia?

[Prairie_Seagull]

86. I am not sure but they do seem very similar in some way, to me.

Maybe it was just the time they were made in or tech. they had in common. I will check it out for us. Those 2 movies are both in my top 10, if absolutely had to choose maybe even top 5 movies of all time.

[debm55]

88. Thank you, I checked out Peter O'Toole yesterday and he lost that Oscar to Gregory Peck in To Kill A

Mockingbird. Those were two exceptional performances.

[Prairie_Seagull]

90. OK so I checked.

Both have same director, both have Maurice Jarre soundtrack and both have Sir Alec Guiness and Omar Shraif.

I am going to watch both again soon along with others in this thread. Thank you for instigating this. I guess the next month is shot.

Further checking he also directed "A passage to India" which won best picture, among other acalades.

Will watch it tonight and listen to the soundtrack with added attention.

[debm55]

91. Thank you, haven't been feeling well, today. They both had a similar touch-directing, production and

musical score. Gusiness and Sharif being in both. I wouldn't take a young child to see it. But both are epic films.

[area51]

83. The Firefly series opening theme

[Alpeduez21]

89. Cavatina from the Deer Hunter, Rainbow Connection from the Muppet Movie

[petronius]

92. I really like the opening to Lillyhammer - that transition when the scene shifts to the train

tunnel is just so cool to me...

[keroro gunsou]

93. Mine

Movie - Star Wars, hands down
Tv (US) - hill street blues and Barney Miller
Tv (JP) - one piece (run run run, kokoro no chizu, kaze wo sagashite, hands up)

[Jade Fox]

94. 'Orchard House' opening theme from 1994 version of Little Women - by Thomas Newman

[Paladin]

95. Way too many movies with great music for me to pick just one.

But certainly on my "Greatest" list would have to be Ennio Morricone's magnificent work on "The Untouchables." Just watched it again for the umpteenth time, and from beginning to end, the music is just wonderful.

[debm55]

96. Thank you. Paladin, I will have to go back and rewatch. Do you have a favorite TV series theme?

[Paladin]

98. See our exchange about "Ben Casey," earlier this week.

Great idea for a thread, by the way.

[debm55]

101. Sorry about that. Thank you for the idea, but it is all of us here on DU that makes it fun and

intersting.

[ironflange]

99. Newhart

A little Mancini gem, so hummable. Twin Peaks a close second.

[NowsTheTime]

100. Local Hero (liked the movie too)

[NowsTheTime]

102. Theme It'sa Mad Mad Mad Mad World