Let me take you back in time when the primary form of entertainment in the home was radio. Before and during the radio era the other basic form of entertainment was the phonograph.
This may seem strange to younger folks but there was: no television; no computer and internet; no cell phone; no smart tablets; no CD players; no DVD players; no MP3 players and no e-books to read on nooks or kindles. Of course, there was always entertainment in the form of sings and playing musical instruments.
In my pre-teen years the main entertainment in our home was the radio. It was standard procedure that we would go into the living room after dinner and Dad would turn on the big console radio for the evening programs. One of the first things you would hear would be theme music, with the show’s announcer speaking over the music.
The theme music sets a mood for the show and lets the audience know that the show is beginning. This was very important in early radio shows. Theme music becomes very familiar as we listen over a period of time. The music gives us a feeling of warmth and recognition.
Theme music was the radio show’s signature piece. It was always played at the beginning of the program and often repeated in some form during or after the show ended. Theme music clearly identified the program. After a few listenings people would automatically associate the music with the program.
Theme music was often original and unique to a particular show. In other cases music that already existed was put to new use. Often it was classical music that quickly became associated with a certain program.
The theme music for the Lone Ranger program, a very popular western show in its time, became so familiar to audiences that they started calling it “The Lone Ranger Theme.” Actually, it was Rossini’s “William Tell Overture” but a lot of the public didn’t know the real name of the piece.
While some of the themes had words or lyrics that helped identify the program or a particular person, most lacked any textual content. Many radio theme songs became quite famous and were immediately identified with certain radio personalities and shows.
Some of the most famous were:
Bing Crosby – Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day
Bob Hope – Thanks for the Memories
Jack Benny – Love in Bloom
Red Skelton – Holiday for Strings
Burns and Allen – Comin Through the Rye
Fibber McGee and Molly – Save Your Sorrow for Tomorrow
Lawrence Welk – Bubbles in the Wine
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon – Donna Diana Overture
Harry Owens and His Royal Hawaiians – Sweet Leilani and Aloha Oe
An interesting sidelight of radio shows was the serialized episodes of radio dramas that were eventually called Soap Operas. These shows were sponsored by soap companies: Procter and Gamble, Colgate, Palmolive and Lever Brothers.
As the ‘Golden Age of Radio’ came to a close in the early 1960’s, a new medium of entertainment was already making huge strides in popularity with the public—Television (TV).
As the population adjusted to this new form of entertainment, so did our family.
At my urging, my family bought our first TV set. We were the first family on the block to have one. You could always tell which households had TV by the antenna on the roof (Cable had yet to be invented). Our antenna was 20 feet high!
The new shows on TV adopted the theme music concept from their predecessors in radio. Each show or personality was identified by its opening music and the following themes became household fixtures.
From a national survey these top ten TV themes were selected:
Cheers (1982-1993) Where somebody Knows your Name
Gilligans Island (1964-1967) Ballad of Gilligans Island
Friends (1994-2004) I’ll be There for You
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996) You Know you’re a 90’s Kid When…
The Simpsons (1989-) Simpsons Theme
Full House (1987-1995) Full House Theme
The Adams Family (1964-1966) Adams Family Theme
Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) Love Is All Around
Happy Days (1974-1984) Happy Days Theme
Hawaii Five-0 (1968-1980) Hawaii Five-0 Theme
The network evening news shows also used musical themes to introduce the news and news anchors. They often used classical and semi-classical forms of music. In 1956 to 1970, The National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC) Huntley-Brinkley report used an innovative approach with two different venues: Chet Huntley broadcasted from New York and David Brinkley broadcasted from Washington D. C. Their theme music was from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Later, John Williams composed “The Mission,” the theme currently used for the opening of the NBC Nightly News. Most people never hear the entire piece Williams wrote, and NBC only uses the opening few bars.
The Columbia Broadcasting System’s (CBS) Evening News did not use theme music until 1987. Composers John Trivers and Elizabeth Myers wrote the original theme that is still used today.
The themes for American Broadcasting Company’s (ABC) World News Tonight,
has had many transformations over the years. Its current theme music is written by Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer.
Movie themes have been a major factor in films since the “talkies” came into existence in the early part of the 20th Century. Many movie themes became popular hits and were famous apart from the films where they were introduced.
The American Film Institute picked what they determined were the top ten movie themes:
Over The Rainbow from Wizard of Oz, 1939
As Time Goes By from Casablanca, 1942
Singing In The Rain From Singing In The Rain 1952
Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s 1961
White Christmas from Holiday Inn, 1942
Mrs. Robinson from The Graduate, 1967
When You Wish Upon a Star from Pinocchio, 1940
The Way We Were from The Way We Were, 1973
Stayin Alive from Saturday Night Fever, 1977
The Sound of Music from The Sound of Music, 1965
Musical themes have been very important in the past, and still are today. They are critical as openers that distinguish the program and talent that follows. For better or worse, it looks like they are here to stay!
Don’t miss a “Salute to John Williams” Danville Community Band’s Annual Spring Concert, Sunday, June 12, 2016, 3 p.m. at Community Presbyterian Church, 222 West El Pintado Rd, Danville. Free concert and parking. Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net. Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville Community Band.
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