Author Topic: Review a GS Theme... (Read 5864 times)

whampyl03 · « **on:** July 20, 2003, 07:37:25 AM »

OK, give us the name of the show it was used on, possibly who produced it if you know, a few comments, and a overall grade...

I'll start

\"Headline Chasers\"
Merv Griffen

Random Caption on the song: \"I'm in love!\"

Usually I take Merv's stuff with a bit more than a grain of salt, not saying it's bad stuff, but just not the best stuff I heard. This completely reformed that thought. What a beautiful piece of work. I'm almost captivated by that electronic base thingie. One thing I like about the song is the number of Instruments. There isn’t too many, which is perfect for this theme. My only gripe is that the ending is a little un-imaginative.

Still not the best stuff I’ve heard, but It’s in my top 25...
My Grade: 9 thumbs up out of 10.

EDIT: I'm sorry guys, I just realized what board I posted this in. I apologize. Could somebody move this to The Big Board for me? It would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Chelsea Thrasher · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2003, 07:45:21 AM »

\"Super Password [Closing]\"
Score Productions

Score Productions is known for producing, for the most part, good stuff. But this one completely blows the rest of the Score package away, IMO. I can;t find a single flaw in the entire piece (Maybe, just maybe, the start could have been slightly better....). The opening theme is ok, but the closing theme's enough to blow a person away. I really wish GSN had adopted their current practice of crunched fee plugs/full credits earlier than they did. It woulda been great to hear the theme/see the credits of SP more often (8 times outta 10, they removed fee plugs and crunched credits)

It's the top theme on my GS Themes list

My Score: 11/10 (Alright, 10/10)

ChuckNet · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2003, 01:44:38 AM »

Quote

Usually I take Merv's stuff with a bit more than a grain of salt, not saying it's bad stuff, but just not the best stuff I heard. This completely reformed that thought. What a beautiful piece of work. I'm almost captivated by that electronic base thingie. One thing I like about the song is the number of Instruments. There isn’t too many, which is perfect for this theme. My only gripe is that the ending is a little un-imaginative.

If you're reviewing the clean copy of the HC that's been floating around, the version heard on the actual show used a different (and superior, IMO) arrangement, which included a kick-ass guitar solo in the 2nd repition...the clean version of which you speak was a bit too streamlined for my taste.

Chuck Donega (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2003, 06:55:22 AM »

[quote name=\'whampyl03\' date=\'Jul 20 2003, 06:37 AM\'] OK, give us the name of the show it was used on, possibly who produced it if you know, a few comments, and a overall grade...

I'll start

"Headline Chasers"
Merv Griffen

Random Caption on the song: "I'm in love!"

Usually I take Merv's stuff with a bit more than a grain of salt, not saying it's bad stuff, but just not the best stuff I heard. This completely reformed that thought. What a beautiful piece of work. I'm almost captivated by that electronic base thingie. One thing I like about the song is the number of Instruments. There isn’t too many, which is perfect for this theme. My only gripe is that the ending is a little un-imaginative.

Still not the best stuff I’ve heard, but It’s in my top 25...
My Grade: 9 thumbs up out of 10.

EDIT: I'm sorry guys, I just realized what board I posted this in. I apologize. Could somebody move this to The Big Board for me? It would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the inconvenience. [/quote]
Nine thumbs out of10? You've got to be kidding; I feel like this music was rushed together in 10 minutes; it seems to random; a more \"newsy\" sounding piece would have been better.

\"Tunin' Up\" by Ken Aldin
NYC Era Pyramids

Nice \"strum\" to warm up before launching the theme. I prefer it to the smoother sounding version from the 80s era Pyramids.
8.5/10

Card Shark · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2003, 10:24:26 AM »

I'm going to review the Card Sharks theme from the 1986-89 run by Edd Kalehoff. In my opinion, this theme was not nearly as \"exciting\" as the NBC theme. I'd have to give it a B-.

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2003, 01:10:51 PM »

I'll review the Newlywed Game theme from Television City.

Rating: **** (out of 5)

Basis: very catchy. awesome flute solo.

Flaws: High, off-key Saxophone squeak at the end.

MCArroyo1 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 27, 2003, 01:18:05 PM »

Continuing in the line of good reviews...

Password Plus

Exciting and catchy fanfare, plus a great bass line and keyboard solo. I'm not a fan of the last five seconds (If only they used the Alphabetics win cue to end the piece), but I'm giving this a 9.5 out of 10.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #7 on:** July 27, 2003, 01:35:43 PM »

I'll review my 2 favorite themes (unfortunatly neither one is in the trade curcuit in a \"clean\" version).

1. Whew! - the closing theme is my favorite game show theme of all time - and I hope one day we will have a clean copy of it. I love the catchy instrumentation that builds through (what sounds like) a violin solo in the middle to a repetition of the main part of the theme right near the end. Very catchy and memorable - Alan Thicke's best work.
10 out of 10

2. Jeopardy 1978 - officially titled \"Frisco Disco\". A great tune with a nice melody that adds slightly different instrumentation at the beginning of each new \"verse\". In my opinion, this was the best of the \"Jeopardy\" themes. It was also used a prize music on \"Wheel of Fortune\" starting in 1983.
9 out of 10.

Just a little trivia: For the first month or so of the 1978 \"Jeopardy\", the entire theme was used during the closing credits. Starting around the fifth week, the took the first part of the theme (or \"verse\") and edited it together so would \"loop\", rather than going to the second \"verse\". During the last week of the show, they again used the whole theme. If GSN does ever get around to airing this show (not too likely, I guess) then you'll see what I mean. Too bad more episodes of this version aren't floating around.

Ian

jalman · « **Reply #8 on:** July 27, 2003, 03:08:36 PM »

Battle of the Password themes!

60s Password:
First - really...um...\"travelouge\" music.
Second - Much better. Kinda quaint, but fits the show well.

early 70s Password (All Stars):
First - Score Productions begins their super-theme-special here and anyone can hear their distinctive sound with this and all their themes during the 70s. ABC PW Theme is a little too saccharine and almost workmanlike.
Second - A bit too annoying for me.

Password Plus:
Not one of my favorites, really. Just okay.

Super Password:
Again, just okay. The closing theme is better than the main title, but the somewhat tooty arrangement seems almost out-of-place on a game show.

whampyl03 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 27, 2003, 10:09:20 PM »

Quote

Nine thumbs out of10? You've got to be kidding; I feel like this music was rushed together in 10 minutes; it seems to random; a more \"newsy\" sounding piece would have been better.

Well, I think it's pretty good, but that's my opinion. And yes, I'm referring to the current piece that is circulating around the net. So shoot me, I actually like it.

ChuckNet · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2003, 12:15:49 PM »

Quote

early 70s Password (All Stars):
Second - A bit too annoying for me.

Personally, I thought the '75 theme was the best of all the Password theme songs, but to each his/her own.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

BrandonFG · « **Reply #11 on:** July 29, 2003, 09:56:05 AM »

BULLSEYE:

Very catchy and upbeat, not a bad disco piece...unfortunately the version that circulates online is incomplete. Extra points for the Latin feel of the music.

9/10

HIGH ROLLERS (1970s):

As I said before, this is probably Stan Worth's best. Very jazzy piece, sounds like something you'd hear in Vegas, which of course fits the feel of the show. Minus points for a weird guitar solo which seems out of place (towards the end of the song).

8/10

ChuckNet · « **Reply #12 on:** August 06, 2003, 11:26:28 PM »

Quote

BULLSEYE:

Very catchy and upbeat, not a bad disco piece...unfortunately the version that circulates online is incomplete. Extra points for the Latin feel of the music.

It's actually a cobbled-together version of what's really a 3-part track, which I'll break down for y'all:

Part I is what you hear during the closing fee plugs, and then segues into the bass section used during the first part of the ticket plug, which is significantly longer than the small portion heard on the version that's circulating.

Part II is the section most are familiar with...it's used during the closing theme, then changes keys and goes into the looped section heard during the mid-show fee plugs, before returning to a reprise of Part I, and fading out.

Part III is the brassy, booming closing section, as heard on the edited copy.

And as for the theme's \"Latin feel\" you mentioned, it's no accident, since it was based on \"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood\" by Santa Esmeralda (the instrumental portions from DLMBM itself were actually used as music for the Bullseye pilot).

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2003, 11:38:54 AM »

Quote

Part I is what you hear during the closing fee plugs, and then segues into the bass section used during the first part of the ticket plug, which is significantly longer than the small portion heard on the version that's circulating.

During the original run of the show, I remember watching episodes where that bass part went quite long at the end of some shows - I was surprised at how long it ran (I think I might still have an off-air tape of it lying around somewhere).

If GSN ever does run \"Bullseye\" again I wonder if we'll ever hear it though, considering that they usually edit out fee plugs or split screen them.