Best of TV Quiz & Game Show Themes [SOUNDTRACK]

Various Artists - Soundtracks - Television

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 31, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00004WJJ9
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,340 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The latter-day success of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? should've come as little surprise; game shows have been a successful TV staple since the medium's beginnings. Most have relied on brief, catchy (or should we say kitschy?) theme songs to give them their instantly memorable musical identity. Devotees of exotica and American cultural kitsch will want to make note of this collection, which gathers some 20 themes from across the genre's, er, rich history, from Bert Kaempfert's Match Game mind taffy to the infectious early electro synth-pop bop of Perrey and Kingsley's The Joker's Wild to the trashy Dixieland-cum-vaudeville charms of Chuck Barris's The Gong Show. Fans and anthropologists, take note: all are the original themes in their complete, unexpurgated glory and feature a concise, illustrated annotation of both their origins and the genre's history. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars more great themes, May 12, 2001

By	"bigdcaldavis" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

Here is a track-by-track veview :

1. The Match Game : The original 1960s theme. The original Match Game was not as raucous as the 1970s version, but it was still a good game and this is a great theme.

2. Password : The "big band" theme from the original version of Password (in the 1960s), this was written by Bob Cobert (who also wrote the theme for the $25,000 Pyramid which is on the other game show CD). This is a great theme.

3. To Tell The Truth : This is from the original version of TTTT which aired on primetime network TV from 1956 until 1968. This theme debuted in 1962, and was written by Bob Cobert. A great theme. (NOTE : The TTTT theme on the previous CD was from the syndicated version of TTTT which was on from 1969 until 1978).

4. Beat The Clock : The theme (also called "Subway Polka") is from the original network version (which was on from 1950 until 1961), and is okay but it gives me a headache (especially the opening sound effects which are quite annoying and irritating).

5. The Price Is Right : This is not the current theme (that was on the previous CD). This is from the original TPIR which was hosted by Bill Cullen. Once again, Bob Cobert graces us with another quality theme.

6. What's My Line : This theme, written by Robert Israel of Score Productions, is quite catchy. It is also from the syndicated version which aired from 1968 until 1975, and also featured Soupy Sales as a regular panelist.

7. The Hollywood Squares : This is from the original 1966-1981 run of this great show whose format has not aged at all (besides the current version, Hollywood Squares also aired from 1986 until 1989 with John Davidson as host). The theme, called "Bob And Merrill's Theme" (named after the show's producers Bob Quigley and Merrill Heatter), does sound a bit washed out, but I am satisfied by it.

8. The Joker's Wild : This is the original theme from the 1972-1975 CBS daytime version and is called "The Savers". It was written by Jean-Jacques Perry and Gershon Kingsley, whose electronic music has been heard in Disneyland's Main Street Electric Parade. It is a good theme. When Jack Barry brought back TJW for syndication in the late 1970s, Hal Hidey re-arranged the original theme to make is sound more modern, by making a funky version with the main theme being whistled.

9. Monopoly : Some people hate this song, but I like it. It's catchy...for some reason the female singer sounded like she had too much fun singing her part (her part was to sing "O" quite a few times over the course of the song).

10. Let's Make A Deal : This is from the original version of LMAD which aired from 1963 until 1977, and is a good theme. The composer of the theme, Sheldon Allman, also wrote the theme to popular cartoons such as _George Of The Jungle_ and _Super Chicken_.

11. Wheel Of Fortune : This is definitely a long-lost classic. This was the theme for the show (which was on NBC daytime TV at the time) from 1975 until 1983, and was written by Alan Thicke (yes, the Alan Thicke from _Growing Pains_). BTW, Thicke also wrote the themes to shows like _Wizard Of Odds_, _Diamond Head Game_, and _Whew!_ (Whew! is still unreleased, as Burt Sugarman still owns the tapes and has refused to release the rights to anyone).

12. Tattletales : Written by Robert Israel, this is from the 1982-1984 version. I like the original 1974-1978 theme better, but this theme is also good.

13. Blockbusters : This is a good theme. It was written by Bob Cobert and is from the 1980-1982 version.

14. Break The Bank : Underneath all the tape hiss is a very good theme...hopefully somebody will find a crystal-clear version of the theme and it will appear on Vol. 3 of game show themes. This theme was also used on The Joker's Wild during the $1,000,000 Charity Tournament Of Champions.

15. The Gong Show : Co-written by Chuck Barris, this vaudeville-sounding theme is one of my favorites.

16. The Diamond Head Game : Another quality Alan Thicke theme. Actually this was the only good thing that came out of the show.

17. The $10,000 Pyramid : The original theme. The best theme. Titled "Tuning Up", it was written by Ken Aldin and appeared on Pyramid from 1973 (the debut of the $10,000 Pyramid) until 1981 (the cancellation of the $50,000 Pyramid). Definitely worth the cost of the CD.

18. High Rollers : Written by Robert Israel and from the late 1980s Wink Martindale version (Alex Trebek hosted the original version in the latter part of the 1970s), this is a very upbeat theme...one of my favorites.

19. Split Second : This is from the 1970s Tom Kennedy version and is a pretty good theme. It was written by Stan Worth who was also a musical director on Name That Tune in the 1970s (which Tom Kennedy also hosted).

20. Rock And Roll Jeopardy! : This is from the GSN gameshow of the same name, and is a rock and roll version of the original Jeopardy! theme. I like it.

13. Block

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feast Your Ears, Game Show Fans!!!, February 10, 2001

By	Jerry Gerardi (Revere, MA) - See all my reviews

Great CD that's worth every penny! The two themes that stand out most IMO: Ken Aldin's jazzy-funky-rocky "Tuning Up"(The $10,000 Pyramid) is a musical masterpiece, it brings back great memories as a young kid watching the good old NYC-based Pyramids(pylons and all) back in the day. Alan Thicke's energetic, exciting "Wheel" theme is another bona fide classic that makes your spirits lift, but makes you scratch your head why the folks at 'Wheel' stopped using it - It's that awesome! Credit to compilers for their relentless research finding these gems and making them available for the whole world to enjoy. My only suggestion for anyone considering purchasing: is to buy two: One to enjoy to your heart's(and ears') content, and another to save for posterity. Thank you very much!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply amazing. I wish I could give it 8 stars., October 31, 2000

By	Mike (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

While both game show theme CDs are great items, the newest CD puts the one released 3 years ago to shame. While most of the tracks aren't as popular as The Price is Right, Jeopardy!, and Match Game, they're better themes. In my honest opinion, The $10,000 Pyramid theme is worth the cost of the CD. Add to that themes that haven't been heard in their entirety in ages like the original Split Second theme, The Hollywood Squares from the 70s, the original Wheel of Fortune theme by Alan Thicke plus 16 other phenomenal themes and you have a compilation that should be in every game show fan's CD player.