Theme tunes

stufisher

Over the last few weeks my morning routine has changed and I now walk the dog at 10.30am instead of 9am-ish ... the reason for the change is The Professionals.

I've been reliving my youth somewhat and remembering how cool 70s-80s cop shows were when I was in my teens. Yes, they are now dated and clearly from a bygone era but I still love the theme tune ... I mean c'mon, drums, high-hats, wah wah ... short, sharp and sweet ... what's not to like?

So, I was wondering if anyone plays theme tunes ... doesn't matter if it's for fun, part of a gig, a bet, warm-up or any other reason.

Personally, I noodle the old snooker theme tune sometimes and ... (I confess) kids-programnes music like Bagpuss, Trumpton, Chigley, Camberwick Green, Postman Pat ... just can't help mesel.

I promised myself I'd learn Flashing Blade and Robinson Crusoe from Sat am TV of my youth but I haven't even started on those yet.

So, which themes do you play? Why?

BillDL

One of the first pieces of music I learned to play by listening to the TV was the theme music for the original Hawaii Five-O.  It was just single-string melody but I managed to inject some vibrato into it and eventually some power chords (before I knew what they were).  I haven't tried to play it for many, many years, but it's now stuck in my head and I will need to get the guitar out when I get home from work.

stickyfiddle

The snooker theme is one of the absolute best bits of noodle guitar ever written 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GkgoeKHsXI

Phil_C

I play the snooker theme all the time. It's a really good warm up tune!

RocknRollDave

I’ve been known to play the Grange Hill theme at home occasional. Great tune.

stickyfiddle

RocknRollDave said:

I’ve been known to play the Grange Hill theme at home occasional. Great tune.

Ba-da bwap bwaww… 

Cols

The Beavis and Butthead theme.  Uh huhuhuhuh...

https://youtu.be/KPeePg2N6QM

guitars4you

I can of play a montage of Match of the day, Bring me sunshine, Flintstones, Pink Panther - But I play around with them - Not in a jazz way, but certainly not a straight 4 to the bar way - I suppose in a way that how would Hendrix or J Beck play them 

Sporky

Ski Sunday. Awesome chune, incredibly dull programme.

Danny1969

I've got a police themed thing I do which is The Gentle touch, Juliet Bravo and the The Bill 

Musicwolf

In the late 1980's I was at University in Leeds and played with a 1960's influenced band (combination of 60's covers and original material in a 60's style).  Our set included several theme tunes, the ones that I can recall being;

Joe 90

Hawaii Five-0

The Avengers

On a couple of occasions over the last decade I've played at weddings where we've been asked to play a particular theme tune.  Once it was the closing theme from Fireball XL-5 (which then stayed in the set) and more recently Happy Days.  The latter ran for many years and the theme tune changed over time.

I once did a Rockabilly arrangement of the theme tune to White Horses (those of a certain age will remember this from the summer holidays).  So far I haven't gigged this - but I will.

CharlieShaw

Anyone Can Play Guitar did a lesson on how to play the Snooker theme, or Drag Racer to give it its proper name. Complete with a bit of history of the tune.

https://youtu.be/1bnilpkuItw

theatreanchor

You might like this band - https://dreamthemes.bandcamp.com/album/current-affairs-american-crime

Open_G

A nice lick/riff is still a nice riff or lick wherever its from, -and I cannot resist the Postman Pat theme opening

GoFish

Some awesome stuff from the Golden age of TV Theme tunes mentioned above. Personally, most of the BBC sports themes from the 70s to the 90s are fab - snooker, skiiing, tennis, cricket are probably the picks.

I'm also partial to much of the output of th great John Barry - beyond the Bond stuff, though that cartainly has its moments.

Back a bit further, the incomparable Peter Gunn.

ICBM

A band I was in used to play the Dr. Who theme - or at least the first bit which everyone knows - as a middle section in Kraftwerk’s The Model… it fits perfectly and always went down a storm.

axisus

The first thing I ever learned on the guitar was the theme to kids show 'Tales of the riverbank' on one string! (actually it might have been two?) My pal who owned the guitar was amazed that I was alt picking so fast with my first attempt at guitar. I didn't even know what alt picking was back then but I could do it easily from day 1.

About 20 years ago I heard someone play the snooker theme at a guitar show. I was amazed at how cool it sounded, so I set about learning it. I never did get the feel right!

JonnyBgoode

When I gigged as a Spanish/classical guitarist for functions I played a whole bunch of theme tunes - eg. The Titanic, Deerhunter/Cavatina, theme from MASH... oddest request of all was The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, for someone's wedding! Best man and ushers all doing the whistling and Aarh-eeh-ah-eeh-arrggh! vocal parts.  Bizarre.

The MASH arrangement is superb, from an ancient copy of Total Guitar. I met the guy who arranged it a few years back at a gig. Well known session player from the Bristol area. Oddly none of my wedding clients ever requested 'Suicide is Painless' as their theme though...

blobb

Bergerac.

stufisher

Time to switch from Strat to Ibbie AM93 ... this is my new target 'must learn':

... swiftly followed by this:

stufisher

This is a pretty good rendition methinks: