Author Topic: Hey, Isn't That....? (Read 12667 times)

PYLdude · « **Reply #15 on:** March 07, 2007, 01:18:00 AM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'147573\' date=\'Mar 7 2007, 12:31 AM\']
The theme from Bonanza was a top-40 hit for Al Caiola. (I think he actually wrote it, but I won't swear to it.) When GSN added Blockbusters back in 2002 or '03, I thought the theme song, especially the Gold run music, sounded similar to it.
[/quote]

Maybe it's just you...but I don't see any sort of similarity in either Blockbusters theme. Maybe the second one, but it's minimal at that.

(Not really related to the topic at hand, but every time I hear the 70s Concentration theme I think someone would be able to use it as instrumental backing for a techno song...don't know why, but I do)

BrandonFG · « **Reply #16 on:** March 07, 2007, 01:54:23 AM »

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'147558\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 09:17 PM\']
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'147536\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 03:35 PM\']
You know, I've heard this song a million times, and never knew what it was called (love when that happens). I would've thought it was Doobie Brothers.
[/quote]
Pretty good reason for that--Michael McDonald did background vocals on the tune.
[/quote]
And there it is. :-)

/whatever that means

tvrandywest · « **Reply #17 on:** March 07, 2007, 02:21:08 AM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'147573\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 09:31 PM\']
The theme from Bonanza was a top-40 hit for Al Caiola. (I think he actually wrote it, but I won't swear to it.)...[/quote]
Better not. The theme from BONANZA was written by the fabulous team of by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. And I was so surprised to learn that it has lyrics, that I asked Ray for an autographed copy. Ask me in a couple of days and I'll dig them out and post the words, if anyone is interested.

Another rock riff in a game show theme: The "Chopsticks" musical phrase from a rock song that I can't now remember was borrowed for "Trivial Pursuit". Anyone remember the hit song? Was it "Blinded By The Light"? My head hurts from trying to remember.

Randy
tvrandywest.com

whewfan · « **Reply #18 on:** March 07, 2007, 05:28:35 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'147572\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 11:35 PM\']
To me, the theme to "High Chaparral" sounded a lot like the Tornadoes hit "Telstar."...oops, sorry, wrong forum.

I'll throw out some I thought were similar:

"Hit Man"-"Livin' it Up (Friday Night)"
"Super Password"-"If the Love Fits"
"Bullseye"-"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (Santa Esmeralda version)
"Treasure Hunt" closing theme-"True Grit"
[/quote]

whewfan · « **Reply #19 on:** March 07, 2007, 05:35:17 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'147572\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 11:35 PM\']
To me, the theme to "High Chaparral" sounded a lot like the Tornadoes hit "Telstar."...oops, sorry, wrong forum.

I'll throw out some I thought were similar:

"Hit Man"-"Livin' it Up (Friday Night)"
"Super Password"-"If the Love Fits"
"Bullseye"-"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (Santa Esmeralda version)
"Treasure Hunt" closing theme-"True Grit"
[/quote]

Sorry about my "empty reply", I hit the wrong button... anyway, I listened to samples of these through iTunes...

I don't really hear any similarity with Livin it Up to Hitman, If the Love Fits I guess kind of sounds like a slowed down version of the SP theme, and most of us know that the pilot Bullseye theme was indeed inspired by the Santa Esmerelda song and that the TH closing theme was basically an instrumental of True Grit.

davemackey · « **Reply #20 on:** March 07, 2007, 07:05:58 AM »

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'147581\' date=\'Mar 7 2007, 02:21 AM\']
Another rock riff in a game show theme: The "Chopsticks" musical phrase from a rock song that I can't now remember was borrowed for "Trivial Pursuit". Anyone remember the hit song? Was it "Blinded By The Light"? My head hurts from trying to remember.
[/quote]
Cut loose like a deuce... it was the Manfred Mann version of "Blinded By The Light" that had that Chopsticks interlude that Bruce Springsteen could never have dreamed of.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #21 on:** March 07, 2007, 08:56:15 AM »

Quote

Maybe becuase "The Love Experts" theme WAS a top 40 hit (albeit barley). The name of the tune is "Spring Rain" by Argentine composer and producer Bebu Silvetti, known simply by just his last name. He is best known for this beautiful disco instrumental that peaked at #39 on the Billboard charts back in 1977. Just thought I'd share this piece of music trivia.

Forgot to put the little "winkie" in my last message

Anyway, I really like that tune and it got a lot of use back then; from background music to sports highlights, to being a game show theme, to even being used as a traffic bed on a radio station, as I think someone previously mentioned. For those of you who haven't seen Love Experts, you've most likely heard the tune at some point. Bob Stewart also used it on his 1984 pilot of a new version of Jackpot.

TimK2003 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 07, 2007, 09:42:18 AM »

Here's a few harder-to-find relations

Wordplay -- "Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me" by Juice Newton. (1981-ish)
Break The Bank '76 -- "Why Cant I Touch You" by Ronnie Dyson. (1969)

Quote

Better not. The theme from BONANZA was written by the fabulous team of by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. And I was so surprised to learn that it has lyrics, that I asked Ray for an autographed copy. Ask me in a couple of days and I'll dig them out and post the words, if anyone is interested.

I can help you a bit on that Randy:

We chased lady luck till we finally struck..Bonanza,
With a gun and a rope and a hat full of hope we planted our family tree.

We got a hold of a pot full of gold... Bonanza,
With a horse and a saddle and a ranch full of cattle, how rich could a fella be.

Lorne Greene also did a version of the song (how fitting!)

SRIV94 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2007, 11:25:47 AM »

[quote name=\'davemackey\' post=\'147587\' date=\'Mar 7 2007, 06:05 AM\']
[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'147581\' date=\'Mar 7 2007, 02:21 AM\']
Another rock riff in a game show theme: The "Chopsticks" musical phrase from a rock song that I can't now remember was borrowed for "Trivial Pursuit". Anyone remember the hit song? Was it "Blinded By The Light"? My head hurts from trying to remember.
[/quote]
Cut loose like a deuce... it was the Manfred Mann version of "Blinded By The Light" that had that Chopsticks interlude that Bruce Springsteen could never have dreamed of.
[/quote]
Yes, but you need the LP version to get it. The 45 edited it all out.

/Not that I'm old enough to remember 45s.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2007, 11:30:50 AM »

Duplicate post of below which I can't delete for some reason.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #25 on:** March 07, 2007, 11:32:03 AM »

If "London Bridge" was ever a top 40 hit, you could add "Child's Play."

clemon79 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 07, 2007, 12:01:35 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'147600\' date=\'Mar 7 2007, 08:32 AM\']
If "London Bridge" was ever a top 40 hit, you could add "Child's Play."
[/quote]
"London Bridge" _was_ a Top 40 hit. Just not the one you're thinking of.

whewfan · « **Reply #27 on:** March 07, 2007, 01:15:39 PM »

Isn't there a Bruce Springsteen song that had an instrumental bridge that was VERY much like the Wordplay theme?

radioboy949 · « **Reply #28 on:** March 07, 2007, 07:21:24 PM »

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'147614\' date=\'Mar 7 2007, 02:15 PM\']
Isn't there a Bruce Springsteen song that had an instrumental bridge that was VERY much like the Wordplay theme?
[/quote]

Don't know about that, but the instrumental bridge to Jungleland was used as the closing theme to the 1980-81 season of Saturday Night Live.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #29 on:** March 08, 2007, 08:49:09 AM »

Quote

/Not that I'm old enough to remember 45s.

They were still making them on some hits as recently as a couple of years ago; but you could only get them through the small number of stores that still carried vinyl.