Customer Reviews

Best of TV Quiz & Game Show Themes

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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

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!

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.

I already owned Classic TV Game Show Themes, which I enjoyed, but wished there were some other themes included. I finally got my wish. The themes from the original Match Game and Password really brought back memories. So did the old Hollywood Squares theme. The theme from The $25,000 Pyramid was included on the earlier cd, but it was fun to hear the theme from the original $10,000 Pyramid, which I grew up with. I had forgotten what a great theme Wheel of Fortune had at the beginning. I had also forgotten what great, rockin' themesTattletales, Blockbusters, and High Rollers had too. Being a game show wiz, this was such a treat. Now, on the next one, I'd love to hear the Hollywood Squares theme from the first few years the show aired, although I know it will be virtually impossible to find. I'd also love to have the themes from Password Plus and Super Password.

This was the second volume of game show themes released by Varese Sarabande, in conjunction with Game Show Network. It's a real treasure trove for fans of game shows. Somehow, they managed to find the theme music for all these game shows, without the announcer's voiceover that you usually hear on the shows. That's pretty amazing, considering how old some of these shows are. Now, I'm not going to tell you that every one of these game shows had a great theme, because that's not true. But if you are a fan of old game shows, this CD is definitely nostalgic fun.

Listening to the first CD brought back many memories of watching game shows, growing up, whether first run daytime, or in reruns on USA network. This second CD gave me a link to the days before I was born, and also highlighted some cool themes from equally cool games that I caught on Game Show Network. Obviously we need a third CD, and here are some ideas for what to put on there:

1. Press Your Luck
2. Friend of Foe (the new game on GSN right now)
3. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

4. Classic Concentration (I forgot how much fun the theme, and the game was back in the day)
5. Win, Lose, or Draw
6. Name That Tune (if that's even possible)
7. Double Dare (that is, the Nickelodeon show from the 80's)
8. Wild and Crazy Kids (also a Nick show)
9. American Gladiators (again, also an athletic comp. show, but what a great theme!)
and much much more...

Keep up the great work, GSN and Vanesse Sarbande!

I am a stickler for authenticity. Although a few songs are clearly the "original versions as heard on TV" as advertised on the cover, at least as many are re-orchestrations. Maybe this wouldn't hold up as false advertising in a court of law, but they are not the actual versions of the music heard on the shows that aired. While close, but you can tell they are redone versions.

Password, Wheel of Fortune and Let's Make a Deal are the most obvious examples. In Password and LMAD, the musician "plays" with the melody more than they did on the actual show theme, although the musical instruments and arrangements are nearly identical to what I hear on GSN. If you compare LMAD on this CD with the one on the original GSN Game Show Theme CD, you'll see what I mean. The first CD had the "real" LMAD theme.

Wheel of Fortune (and $10K Pyramid, for that matter) is an excellent imitation, but for those of us who actually watched the show all the years Chuck and Susan (or Dick) were on, it doesn't sound quite right. Same arrangements, but not as forceful in the brass section as the original. Thankfully, there is some original work on this record, which partially redeems it.

Maybe I'm being picky, but much like the original Television's Greatest Hits CD, I feel like I've been duped when I get a bait and switch, even if it's only partial. I'd rather hear the flaws of the original than have a "perfect" imitation.

I had purchased the previously released Game Show Theme CD a couple of years ago and was pleased. But now, along comes another volume that makes the first look simply "fair". This CD is a MUST for game show "fun-atics" like myself. I was especially happy to see and hear that each cut is a full-length version of each theme and not the truncated ones released on CD's in years past. Also noteworthy here is the fact that these selections are the ORIGINAL (as played on the air) versions, NOT awkward recreations as has also been done in the past. I highly recommend this album to TV and game show fans wherever they may be....it's well worth adding to your collection. Incidentally, I found the audio quality quite good, considering that some of these recordings go back 40 years or so. Anyway, stop hesitating and just buy it.....you'll enjoy it!

This solid CD represents a wealth of research, since some of the better theme copies have been thrown away by networks and TV syndicators (as well as the shows themselves). The people behind cable's Game Show Network and 'The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows' have come up with several gems here, tunes some people might not realize were so well-arranged -- incuding Bob Cobert's get-down-funky 'Blockbusters' theme and his big-band 'Password' signature from 1963.

People in the 18-to-34 demographic TV producers cherish should enjoy hearing the old themes of their current favorites. They'll also end up wondering why the producers of the current 'Wheel of Fortune' and 'Hollywood Squares' ditched the original versions Alan Thicke's bongo-heavy 'Wheel' theme from 1975 and William Loose's swinging 'Squares' track from the late 1960s. And older game show fans will be pleasantly surprised that the 'Rock and Roll Jeopardy!' theme manages to pay tribute to the original AND be contemporary.

Even the themes here that weren't originally written for game shows are worth noting. Ken Aldin's jazz-rock '$10,000 Pyramid' theme, 'Tuning Up,' is easily the best on the CD. Its rocking drums and heavy bass line sound so unlike the typical game-show theme (say, 'Split Second'). And Bert Kaempfert's 'Swinging Safari' hit, used on the 1960s 'Match Game', suggests a laid-back after-dinner parlor game, as opposed to the leering barroom party 'The Match Game' became in the 1970s and 1980s.

There are a few zonks. The 'Break the Bank' theme sounds like one from a worn cassette and should have been left out (which cost the CD one star). The 1980s 'Tattletales' opener sounds like incidental music from 'The Price Is Right.' And conspicuous by its absence is the grooving 'Now You See It' theme track, Quincy Jones' 'Chump Change', one of the best quiz-show themes ever, even if Jones didn't compose it for that purpose.

Otherwise, it's a fine collection that should delight game fans who've relied on lower fidelity Internet files for their fix. And for newcomers to the game craze, it'll be a nice eye opener.

First off, if you're not a hardcore game show junkie, you don't want to start with this one -- look for "Classic TV Game Show Themes", a 1998 release from the same people that contains the most popular versions of Price, Family Feud, To Tell the Truth ("it's a lie, lie...") and more. If you already have that one, then you've GOT to get this beauty... for nothing else than the terrific original themes to Wheel and Hollywood Squares. But there are so many other treats - the suitably island-tinged Diamond Head, the swingin' Password, the art-rocky Blockbusters, and the original song that lent itself to "$10,000 Pyramid" (hint: on the show, they only played the right audio channel!).

Tons of treats for game show and TV fans, not to mention folks who love great instrumentals! Buy buy buy... ...