Author Topic: Those understated theme songs (Read 4991 times)

gamed121683 · « **on:** January 22, 2004, 02:25:22 PM »

You know, there are just some theme songs that I find are underrated. I mean, sure most of us can agree that "Super Password", "The Price Is Right", and of course "Jeopardy!" have all become classics in there own way. Yet, what about the ones your rarely hear about if at all, for example...

--Trivia Trap
--Dream House (Eubanks)
--Family Secrets (This one I'd LOVE to hear again)
--TTD '90 (Great theme, wrong show)

Any others pop out at you?

clemon79 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2004, 02:47:44 PM »

[quote name=\'gamed121683\' date=\'Jan 22 2004, 12:25 PM\'] You know, there are just some theme songs that I find are underrated. I mean, sure most of us can agree that "Super Password", "The Price Is Right", and of course "Jeopardy!" [/quote]
Frankly, the theme to SP never blew my skirt, especially following up P+, which for my money is one of THE best themes EVER. In fact, today I'd place it no better than a weak third, behind P+ and "Bicentennial Funk".

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--Trivia Trap

Always had a certain affinity for this one myself.

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--Dream House (Eubanks)

Enh. Didn't really care for either one. This show never really got to me, save for the Opening of the Golden Doors. And that's because they were playing for a freakin' HOUSE, fer God's sake.

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--Family Secrets (This one I'd LOVE to hear again)

I don't remember this theme, which can't be a good sign

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--TTD '90 (Great theme, wrong show)

IIRC, would have been fine think music for the center box, but asking it to be a theme on its own, Mancini or no, was a little much.

calliaume · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2004, 02:52:02 PM »

Understated (subject line) or underrated (text)? I could see Tic Tac Dough in the former category, but not the latter.

My favorites that are underrated:
To Tell the Truth 1980
Break the Bank 1976
Showoffs
Tattletales 1974
Hot Potato (close only)

inturnaround · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2004, 03:13:33 PM »

[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Jan 22 2004, 02:52 PM\'] Understated (subject line) or underrated (text)? I could see Tic Tac Dough in the former category, but not the latter.

[/quote]
TTD as an understated theme? Man, those synthesizers hit you hard when they're rockin' for the Winkmeister. Not very subtle at all.

clemon79 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2004, 03:18:50 PM »

[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Jan 22 2004, 12:52 PM\'] My favorites that are underrated:
To Tell the Truth 1980
Break the Bank 1976
[/quote]
BTB showed its age after a while, though. A rearrangement of that could be AWESOME.

I also liked the TTTT '80 theme....in fact, looking back, when GSN ran the Larry King episode not too long ago, I realized that I really didn't appreciate TTTT '80 as much as I should have. Great flashy set (too much so for TTTT, but it sure made me happy), Ward was very energetic, and the theme was cool.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2004, 03:25:21 PM »

Some understated themes are ones like the original J! closing theme and the 3W's closer. I would say Joe G's Memory Game, but I don't remember how it goes.

calliaume · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2004, 03:59:47 PM »

[quote name=\'inturnaround\' date=\'Jan 22 2004, 03:13 PM\'] TTD as an understated theme? Man, those synthesizers hit you hard when they're rockin' for the Winkmeister. Not very subtle at all. [/quote]
I meant TTD 1990, going on memory.. No, nothing understated at all about the 1978 theme.

PeterMarshallFan · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2004, 04:20:13 PM »

Cross-Wits [all versions, even the '86 one]
TTTT80
The Love Experts
Name That Tune '84
Play the Percentages
Whew!
Stumpers
LMAD90

Chief-O · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2004, 04:20:33 PM »

Get ready for a very long list. I have quite a bunch. Most of these are ones that aren't out there at all, or are just plain rare:

-Wordplay: I don't know about you folks, but I love this theme.
-Boardwalk and Baseball's Superbowl of Sports Trivia: Same reason as above.
-Supermarket Sweep: Pretty much one of the best themes of the 90's.
-Shopping Spree: Another great 90's theme.
-Jeopardy! '78: The closing music was just awesome.
-Whew!: Somehow, I can't believe this wasn't mentioned yet.
-Make the Grade: This one's a personal favorite of mine. One of Edd Kalehoff's best Nick themes [excluding DD, of course].
-He Said She Said: This one applies to the theme later used as the "Who's Who?" cue from WML?.
-It's Anybody's Guess: With the amount of Stan Worth's work that's turned up since the SS theme was released on CD, I'm surprised this one isn't anywhere. A little repetitive, but still good.
-Eubanks Dream House: Of course, the 6-note sting heard in the bonus round has become quite famous in the game show circles, but the main theme is pretty darn cool.
-Break the Bank '76: If a higher-quality version of this turns up, I will be so happy.
-Split Second '87: Too bad all we have of this one is that chopped-up-sounding one.
EDIT---Body Language: This one wasn't too bad either.

Honorable mention: Bumper Stumpers, Hit Man, Hot Streak, Headline Chasers, Big Showdown, Starcade, Trump Card, Make Me Laugh '79

BrandonFG · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2004, 04:23:38 PM »

[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Jan 22 2004, 04:20 PM\'] Cross-Wits [all versions, even the '86 one]
[/quote]
EDIT: Agreed, I recently listened to the 1986 version, and liked it more than I could remember.

Others:
-$ale of the Century (first Perry theme)
-TJW (the one used in the 80s...don't know when it was first used)
-High Rollers (70s-probably the only Stan Worth piece I liked, he had some weird stuff)
-Make Me Laugh (70s)
-Go
-HS (Bob and Merill's theme)
-Treasure Hunt (70s)

While I'm at it, anyone mind if I start an overrated themes poll?

-Card Sharks 78 (It's OK, but I never understood the hype behind it)
-TJW 72 (the Savers)
-Shoot for the Stars/Jackpot (maybe it's because Bob Stewart used it for every damn pilot he did)

DrBear · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2004, 05:00:08 PM »

An underrated modern theme: TTTT 2K. Jazzy but still musical, unlike the new Feud music. (And I always liked the orchestral arrangement of the classic 70s TTTT theme that was used on TTTT90.)
An underrated classic theme: Norman Paris's "I've Got a Secret" 60s version, or as I call it, the "neener, neener, neener" theme...

off topic: I prefer the British "Whose Line" theme to the "Drew's Line" theme, if anybody cares.

clemon79 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 22, 2004, 05:03:39 PM »

[quote name=\'Chief-O\' date=\'Jan 22 2004, 02:20 PM\'] -Whew!: Somehow, I can't believe this wasn't mentioned yet. [/quote]
Prolly 'cuz the thread called for favorite themes that were underrated by most, and while we can all agree that the SHOW might have been underrated, the theme freakin' RULED.

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EDIT---Body Language: This one wasn't too bad either.

Yep, I was always fond of this one, too. In the 80's, Score Productions pretty much could do no wrong, with rare exception (the aforementioned SP, IMO)

combsisthebest · « **Reply #12 on:** January 22, 2004, 07:14:49 PM »

Two of my favorite underrated-
Blockbusters '87
TANLMAD ('84-'86)

EDIT: I also liked the Million Dollar Bullseye Pilot theme (similar to Bullseye's theme, but a little bit more upbeat).

zachhoran · « **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2004, 08:16:11 PM »

[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Jan 22 2004, 05:00 PM\'] (And I always liked the orchestral arrangement of the classic 70s TTTT theme that was used on TTTT90.)
[/quote]
It was reported on Usenet that the a cappella vocal group Take 6 were to do the vocals for the classic TTTT 70s theme, and that was to be the theme for TTTT90 at one point, before the one we're more familiar with was decided on.

KWJCDon · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2004, 11:50:58 PM »

I always thought the theme to "Catch Phrase" was pretty darn snazzy. Anyone know where to get a clean copy of this one?

Don