Your Favorite/Least Favorite Theme Songs

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 09:32 PM\'] [quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Sep 22 2004, 02:02 PM\'] Family Feud (Karn)- Again fits the feel of the show

Least Faves:

Family Feud (Anderson)- Just like his version of the show, the theme stunk
 [/quote]
I thought they used the same theme; sans for the short time they used the Combs' theme. [/quote]
 The Karn theme has more electric guitar in it. Like Adam said, the change was for the better.

[The Ol' Guy]

Being one of the geezes, I agree with a lot of the choices (yay, Chain Reaction!) - I'll pick a few that go back a bit

Old faves:
Say When!!
Chain Letter
60s I've Got A Secret
G.E. College Bowl
$64,000 Question
Call My Bluff
Get The Message
Video Village
Word For Word
--later ones--
Lingo (w/Reagan)
Every Second Counts

[JMFabiano]

Some of the ones I like...

MG/HS Hour
Big Wheels (of course, Woolery

Wheel and early Sajak NBC Wheel theme)
Split Second (original....between this and Big Wheels, I think it's an unwritten rule...BONGOS = INSTANT GREAT SONG.  For those of you from the NY area, I also present WPIX's Channel 11 Film Festival theme as another example)
Whew! (would that I could find a clean copy of this)
Hitman (ditto)
Password Plus
Password Plus "going to Alphabetics" theme (the song they usually play as a commercial outro when a match is finished or, yes, when the players walk over to the Alphabetics area)
Press Your Luck
Tuning Up ('70s Pyramids, both the show edit and the long version on the GSN2 CD)
'80s Pyramids (Tuning Up Again?)
100 Mexicanos Dijeron (the more FF-flavored first theme)
Card Sharks (all but, of course, the CASINO theme in 2001)
The Barry-Enright Big Three ala Hidey
Break the Bank '76 (show edit(s))

Random observation: though I like the High Rollers '78 theme, was it just me or did the NBC H-Q Two (HR '78 and Las Vegas Gambit) have themes where the musical piece building up to the title appearing were kind of more exciting than the rest of the song?  (I mean the music that plays when the animated dice appear with either the numbers of "1978" or the "HR" logos, and the music when the word "Gambit" forms)  

Another thought: which GS themes spun off into the best musical cues (for wins, bonus game transitions, commercial outros, etc)?  I already mentioned the PW+ "going to Alphabetics" music, and I liked the front game winning jingle as well.  I also liked that part of the CS78 theme used for revealing the Money Cards board.

[Frank15]

Family Feud (1976, 1988... 1988 version a tad bit better, but not really that big a difference)
The $25,000/$100,000 Pyramid
Scrabble (1984.  Though not a standout theme, the 1993 theme is entirely underrated)
Tic Tac Dough (1978)
Wheel of Fortune (1983, 1989, and 1992.  In that order)

[mystery7]

JM, I'll put in a vote for Bullseye on the "Best Cues" question. All three of the Barry & Enright shows are at the top of the list for prize music. Bullseye is the best, but the other two get points just because there were more cues (OK, so Joker and Tic Tac shared - but there were still more in that shared package than in Bullseye).

Also agree on bongos, as someone who's just barely old enough to remember Channel 11's movie theme. And how about the CBS Special fanfare from the mid to late '70s?

Now, back the GAME SHOW music discussion, already in progress.

[JMFabiano]

[quote name=\'mystery7\' date=\'Sep 23 2004, 02:47 PM\'] JM, I'll put in a vote for Bullseye on the "Best Cues" question. All three of the Barry & Enright shows are at the top of the list for prize music. Bullseye is the best, but the other two get points just because there were more cues (OK, so Joker and Tic Tac shared - but there were still more in that shared package than in Bullseye).

Also agree on bongos, as someone who's just barely old enough to remember Channel 11's movie theme. And how about the CBS Special fanfare from the mid to late '70s?

Now, back the GAME SHOW music discussion, already in progress. [/quote]
 Speaking of B-E share cues, gotta give a nod to the Face the Devil cue the TJW of the '80s borrowed from Bullseye (not sure if I ever heard the identical piece on Bullseye, I know part of it was its win cue).  Though not as great, I also liked the FTD music used near the end of Barry's run and in the first Cullen season.  And...well, you're right, all of the Hidey stuff was great!  Not just the Big Three stuff either, there's also Hat Put...dammit, I mean Hot Potato ;-)  

How could I have forgotten the CBS Special jingle?!!?

[LetsGoMets2003]

Well, for me, TPiR '72's theme is number one. Best theme of all time, you just can't help but get excited and/or sing along. I probably hum it two times a day, at least.

Nickelodeon's Double Dare ('88-93) probably had the best music of any kid game show, and the obstacle course cue is a perfect example of how Edd Kalehoff felt the tension and excitement of those kids running around. Unfortunately, it sounds to me now that I have Nick GaS on digital cable that the cues from Finder's Keepers could've been rejected DD ones.

Supermarket Sweep - Memorable melody, fit the show perfectly, I can hum along to it.

The current Jeopardy! and Wheel themes are quite good, IMO. They're better than the mid 90's Wheel big band and J! bongofied versions. I can see why some of you would think the current arrangement for Wheel has no structure, because it doesn't have that "stick in your brain and repeat throughout the day" feel to it.

Jeopardy '78 - Probably one of the most underrated catchy, laid back themes of the genre. I wish Merv would release it on an album to hear the whole thing.

MG '7X - Has a nice groove to it, and although it's a bit heavy on the synths in some parts, it's really good.

Least favorites - Shop 'Till You Drop, Pictionary '97, Showoffs, Mindreaders, Better Sex, All Star Blitz. Generic GS music that got annoying for me after repeated listenings.

James

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'JMFabiano\' date=\'Sep 23 2004, 04:20 PM\'] How could I have forgotten the CBS Special jingle?!!? [/quote]
 For many people (including myself!), they'll be forever linked with "Peanuts" specials (brought to you by such names as Peter Paul, Dolly Madison, etc.)

ObGameShows: You can find said jingle at 80stvthemes.com, where game show themes are downloadable, too.

[Ian Wallis]

Jeopardy '78 - Probably one of the most underrated catchy, laid back themes of the genre. I wish Merv would release it on an album to hear the whole thing.

There actually were a few "Wheel of Fortune" episodes where the whole thing was played underneath prize descriptions.  It would be nice to hear "in the clear" though.

[Jay Temple]

Favorites:

$10/25,000 Pyramid--1982 for celebrating a victory in the Winner's Circle;  10K for everything else.  I even like it is just a song to listen to.
J! (1984)
TTTT 70's
FF (Dawson)
Blockbusters (Cullen)

Least favorites:
Pyramid--Hear, hear, to the person who asked, "Is this even a theme?"
Monopoly
plus a bunch that I'm probably blocking because they were so bad

I'll also agree with JM in liking the CBS Special jingle.

[Stevek83]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Sep 23 2004, 08:27 PM\'] [quote name=\'JMFabiano\' date=\'Sep 23 2004, 04:20 PM\'] How could I have forgotten the CBS Special jingle?!!? [/quote]
For many people (including myself!), they'll be forever linked with "Peanuts" specials (brought to you by such names as Peter Paul, Dolly Madison, etc.)

 [/quote]
I feel the same wa about that CBS Jingle, with the peanuts special. Sure brings back memories

Anyway my fav. themes in no particular order are:

1. Family Feud (Esp. the classic theme)
2. Price is Right 72 and Esp. 94 (love the remix of the latter
3. Lingo (Current season)
4. Match Game 7x-98
5. TTTT (Classic Theme and 2001 Theme)
6. Card Sharks 86 (sentimental reasons, reminds me when I was about 3 or 4 yrs old, watching it with my mom and grandparents
7. Wof 75-94
8. Scrabble
9. Pyramid

The only one I can think of right now that I never really liked was Lingo 2002

[mystery7]

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' date=\'Sep 25 2004, 09:32 PM\']$10/25,000 Pyramid--1982 for celebrating a victory in the Winner's Circle;  10K for everything else.  I even like it is just a song to listen to.
[/quote]
Wasn't the Winner's Circle music from The Pyramids (all versions) just a slice of the main theme? And whatever happened to that funky electric piano solo toward the end of the '80s theme?

- Brought to you by Mystery 7, who reminds you that 80s TV Themes has the full CBS Special intro as a Real file. Click for Promos at the bottom of the main page, then click CBS. Can't miss it.

[MyCapableAssistant]

LIKES:

1 - Press Your Luck
2 - Pyramid

* (figures nobody else has said they enjoy this one,
     but I think it's catchy, especially the beginning!!)

3 - What's My Line? (1965 - 1967)

DISLIKES:

1- Feud (Anderson)
2 -Wheel Of Fortune

[Robert Hutchinson]

[quote name=\'mystery7\' date=\'Sep 26 2004, 12:28 AM\']Wasn't the Winner's Circle music from The Pyramids (all versions) just a slice of the main theme?[/quote]
It wasn't even a slice--it simply was the main theme. You didn't get to hear it play out very far unless there was a lot of celebrating, though.

[ChuckNet]

Good thing they aborted it. What they eventually used was far better and far more distinguished.

Indeed...orchestration-wise, I'd call TTTT '90 one of the best arrangements ever written.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")