"Batman Theme", the title song of the 1966 Batman TV series, was composed by Neal Hefti. The song is built around a guitar hook reminiscent of spy film scores and surf music. It has a twelve bar blues progression, using only three chords until the coda. The lyrics to the theme consist of eleven cries of "Batman!" These eleven repetitions of "Batman!" were then followed by singers crying "Da Da Da Da Da Da Da Da BATMAN!"
The eleven cries of "Batman!" are sung by a chorus of four tenors and four sopranos. A long held myth purports that the chorus is actually a group of horns. Adam West's book Back to the Batcave also fuels this rumor by claiming the chorus is instrumental, not vocal. However, Neal Hefti, the writer of the theme, stated that the chorus was made up of eight singers, one of whom joking wrote on his part, "word and music by Neal Hefti".[1] TV's Biggest Hits by Jon Burlingame, published in 1996, focuses exclusively on TV theme songs, and includes an interview with Hefti about the creation of the Batman theme song. According to Burlingame, the song consisted of "bass guitar, low brass and percussion to create a driving rhythm, while an eight-voice chorus sings 'Batman!' in harmony with the trumpets."[2]
The theme was the most recorded song of 1966.[citation needed] In addition to Neal Hefti's original version, and the television soundtrack version by Nelson Riddle,[3] versions were covered by The Marketts (single "Batman Theme" and album The Batman Theme by The Marketts), The Ventures (The Ventures Play the "Batman" Theme, Dolton BST8042, 3/1966), Al Hirt, The Standells and actor/musician David McCallum. There were also versions by groups who seemed to exist solely for covering the song, such as "The Sensational Batboys" and "Bruce and the Robin Rockers".[citation needed]
The song has been widely parodied in the decades since its debut, and remains a prominent pop-culture subject to this day.[citation needed] The theme has been re-recorded by dozens of artists, including Link Wray,{[4]} The Kinks,[citation needed] Snoop Dogg,[citation needed] 50 Cent and Eminem,[citation needed] The Flaming Lips,[citation needed] Voivod,[5] Alien Sex Fiend (as Dynamic Duo),[citation needed] Mucky Pup,[citation needed] The Jam,[6] and The Who.[7]
[edit] Adaptations
- In 1966, an album called Batman and Robin: The Sensational Guitars of Dan and Dale was released featuring members of the Sun Ra Arkestra and The Blues Project.[8] The opening track is a cover of the "Batman Theme", while the rest of the album is taken up with a combination of instrumental jams and modernised workings of classical pieces, all given Batman-oriented names.
- In addition, artists Prince and R.E.M. used variations of (but did not remake) the TV show theme in their work: Prince, in the song "Batdance" (which appeared on the soundtrack to Tim Burton's 1989 movie), and R.E.M. in a rejected song for the Batman Returns soundtrack, later released under the title "Winged Mammal Theme," as a B-side to the single "Drive".[9] In a televised interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Prince played the theme on a piano in response to the question, "You taught yourself to play at seven years old? Do you remember your first song?"[10]
Stan Freberg did a recorded comedy skit in 1966. based on "Batman and Robin" Entitled "Flakman and Reagan", about Ronald Reagan's running for Governor of California, with his straight adviser, a press agent named "Flakman", however, due to licensing restrictions, Freberg could not obtain the rights to use Hefti's music, and so a variation of the "Batman Theme" had to be used, without direct plagiarism. (Source: "Pay Radio" Stan Freberg album 1966))
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