TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

AndrewMeronek · by **AndrewMeronek** » 2022-07-17 3:43 p.m.

My folks have been glued to this series lately. I gotta admit, that theme is catchy and does feature a well-done trombone countermelody.

<YOUTUBE id="XA3Ym0SbbXE">~~[media]~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA3Ym0SbbXE</YOUTUBE>

What other TV theme songs have nice 'bone work?

EriKon · by **EriKon** » 2022-07-17 5:24 p.m.

Just what immediately comes into my mind: Two Mancini soundtracks.

Mr. Lucky theme with some nice bone section work.

Peter Gunn theme with a great trombone solo.

JohnL · by **JohnL** » 2022-07-17 5:28 p.m.

That's a cover of You're Wondering Now. They went to a new arrangement a few series (seasons) back; the trombone is less prominent now.

A couple bits from the golden age of TV themes.

One that comes up from time to time is the theme from Johnny Quest

<YOUTUBE id="8TNWSGCiBzg">https://youtu.be/8TNWSGCiBzg</YOUTUBE>

Lots of trombone work. The trombone solo is short, but it (and the rest of the tune, for that matter) is pretty cool...

A bit of tasty bass trombone work (though not really a solo) in the theme from Ellery Queen

<YOUTUBE id="rmioyJZqdpQ">https://youtu.be/rmioyJZqdpQ</YOUTUBE>

EDIT

Gotta add Hawaii Five-O

<YOUTUBE id="ASvQ-bNURn4">https://youtu.be/ASvQ-bNURn4</YOUTUBE>

Not a solo, but prominent trombone section work.

AndrewMeronek · by **AndrewMeronek** » 2022-07-17 6:06 p.m.

Yeah! JohnL, thanks for the additions. :)

brassmedic · by **brassmedic** » 2022-07-17 6:19 p.m.

<YOUTUBE id="CwhnY2K36uM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwhnY2K36uM</YOUTUBE>

<YOUTUBE id="63WmKc3CnX0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63WmKc3CnX0</YOUTUBE>

<YOUTUBE id="tJjL4d42wX0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJjL4d42wX0</YOUTUBE>

robcat2075 · by **robcat2075** » 2022-07-17 6:20 p.m.

Connoisseurs know that Season 2 Munsters Theme was the good one.

<YOUTUBE id="HM0riizU8Ls">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/HM0riizU8Ls</YOUTUBE>

First three notes...

<YOUTUBE id="0s8qWXqm2bI" t="55">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/0s8qWXqm2bI?t=55</YOUTUBE>

When a Hollywood producer writer thinks "trombone," this is what he's thinking...

<YOUTUBE id="kbD1FYNB4BY">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/kbD1FYNB4BY</YOUTUBE>

brassmedic · by **brassmedic** » 2022-07-17 8:09 p.m.

Oh yeah, and of course:

<YOUTUBE id="FUtdg-HdB3E">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FUtdg-HdB3E</YOUTUBE>

JohnL · by **JohnL** » 2022-07-17 8:55 p.m.

So much of the theme music in the 1950's and 1960's was in the big band style - and so many of the musicians "cut their teeth" playing during the big band era...

another goodie...

<YOUTUBE id="7XRs-_KtHp4">https://youtu.be/7XRs-_KtHp4</YOUTUBE>

jthomas105 · by **jthomas105** » 2022-07-18 12:10 a.m.

Watrous playing and whistling

<YOUTUBE id="M0OcsNEmpFw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0OcsNEmpFw</YOUTUBE>

Finetales · by **Finetales** » 2022-07-18 5:26 p.m.

No melody, but the trombones are throwing down nonetheless (especially 1:44 to the end):

<YOUTUBE id="DJexGxuZewY">~~[media]~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJexGxuZewY</YOUTUBE>

Lots of low goodness:

<YOUTUBE id="8PReim0Axt4">~~[media]~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PReim0Axt4</YOUTUBE>

chromebone · by **chromebone** » 2022-07-21 8:30 a.m.

I remember this well from when I was a kid, the trombone part still plays in my head

<YOUTUBE id="3MjkCFEv6HY">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/3MjkCFEv6HY</YOUTUBE>

On a related general brass player you should know note, the great Vince DeRosa passed away a few days ago at the age of 101. One of the greatest horn players who ever lived and almost certainly the most recorded brass player of all time, maybe the most recorded musician of all time over over his 75 year career for that matter: we should all be emulating his sound:

<YOUTUBE id="nz3WMFEC9Gs">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/nz3WMFEC9Gs</YOUTUBE>

WGWTR180 · by **WGWTR180** » 2022-07-25 10:03 a.m.

Can't believe no one has mentioned Johnny Quest.

brassmedic · by **brassmedic** » 2022-07-25 2:58 p.m.

[quote="WGWTR180"]Can't believe no one has mentioned Johnny Quest.[/quote]
It's there, you just didn't see it.

robcat2075 · by **robcat2075** » 2022-07-25 4:07 p.m.

Regarding Jonny Quest starting at about 0:52... It sounds like they've just roughly faded from a take in one tempo to a take in another tempo... what's happening there?

<YOUTUBE id="8TNWSGCiBzg" t="52">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/8TNWSGCiBzg?t=52</YOUTUBE>

Posaunus · by **Posaunus** » 2022-07-25 5:04 p.m.

[quote="chromebone"]... the great Vince DeRosa passed away a few days ago at the age of 101. One of the greatest horn players who ever lived and almost certainly the most recorded brass player of all time, maybe the most recorded musician of all time over over his 75 year career for that matter: we should all be emulating his sound:

<YOUTUBE id="nz3WMFEC9Gs">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/nz3WMFEC9Gs</YOUTUBE>[/quote]

Peter Gunn! Vince DeRosa, Dick Nash, et al. The soundtrack of my youth! :good:

WGWTR180 · by **WGWTR180** » 2022-07-26 8:30 a.m.

[quote="brassmedic"]<QUOTE author="WGWTR180" post_id="184352" time="1658757813" user_id="7573">
Can't believe no one has mentioned Johnny Quest.[/quote]
It's there, you just didn't see it.
</QUOTE>
:good:

bellend · by **bellend** » 2022-08-05 2:02 p.m.

Here's the BBC's I Claudius from the 70's , always liked this

<YOUTUBE id="71s_Y37_KYo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71s_Y37_KYo</YOUTUBE>

Bleek · by **Bleek** » 2022-08-07 12:21 a.m.

Another recent one

<YOUTUBE id="-CbpM1-VZgc">https://youtu.be/-CbpM1-VZgc</YOUTUBE>

robcat2075 · by **robcat2075** » 2023-10-24 9:54 p.m.

This compilation of openings to failed TV shows of the 1970s has quite a few with prominent horn sections like we do not hear today.

Two with notably audible trombones:

2:47 Viva Valdez

5:42 The New Temperature's Rising

Did we really watch dreck like this? I know I did!

<YOUTUBE id="RCVQXrTbJ9g">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/RCVQXrTbJ9g</YOUTUBE>

AtomicClock · by **AtomicClock** » 2023-10-24 10:38 p.m.

I'm partial to The Prisoner.

<YOUTUBE id="ygLg-7G0Xp0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygLg-7G0Xp0</YOUTUBE>

sacfxdx · by **sacfxdx** » 2023-10-25 6:22 a.m.

[quote="AtomicClock"]I'm partial to The Prisoner.

<YOUTUBE id="ygLg-7G0Xp0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygLg-7G0Xp0</YOUTUBE>[/quote]

Great show. Way ahead of its time.

baileyman · by **baileyman** » 2023-10-25 8:15 a.m.

British TV seems to have lots of well-played small bore. Still?

Kbiggs · by **Kbiggs** » 2023-10-25 12:29 p.m.

Atomic Clock and sacfxdx beat me to it.

I’ve often wondered whether Ray Premru was playing on this track.

AtomicClock · by **AtomicClock** » 2023-10-25 1:14 p.m.

[quote="brassmedic"]<YOUTUBE id="CwhnY2K36uM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwhnY2K36uM</YOUTUBE>[/quote]

Video was taken down. Does anyone remember what brassmedic linked?

tepposal · by **tepposal** » 2023-10-25 1:39 p.m.

The Matlock theme hasn't been mentioned yet.

We played it just a little while ago, and let's be honest, it is a bass trombone solo! :D

<YOUTUBE id="SQgdfJoxX1s">https://youtu.be/SQgdfJoxX1s?si=qpt4Np017JmDminh</YOUTUBE>

AtomicClock · by **AtomicClock** » 2023-10-25 1:53 p.m.

I'm surprised these all sound so good, given they were surely written for the tinny mono TV speakers of the day.

TonyNeal · by **TonyNeal** » 2023-10-25 4:07 p.m.

Two British children's programmes spring to mind. The Flumps. And Johnny Briggs theme was the Acrobat.

Sitcom Steptoe and Sons had a prominent trombone.

More recently Death in Paradise

AndrewMeronek · by **AndrewMeronek** » 2023-10-25 5:25 p.m.

[quote="tepposal"]The Matlock theme hasn't been mentioned yet.

We played it just a little while ago, and let's be honest, it is a bass trombone solo! :D[/quote]

Yeah, this is great!

WGWTR180 · by **WGWTR180** » 2023-10-26 10:33 a.m.

[quote="AtomicClock"]I'm surprised these all sound so good, given they were surely written for the tinny mono TV speakers of the day.[/quote]

Makes perfect sense to me. Digital recording has ruined the great sound of the past.

tjonz · by **tjonz** » 2023-10-26 10:57 a.m.

There's a very nice section soli in "Meet Mr. Solo".

<YOUTUBE id="nJuZ61m3Yhk">~~[media]~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJuZ61m3Yhk</YOUTUBE>

brassmedic · by **brassmedic** » 2023-10-26 1:41 p.m.

[quote="tjonz"]There's a very nice section soli in "Meet Mr. Solo".

<YOUTUBE id="nJuZ61m3Yhk">~~[media]~~https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJuZ61m3Yhk</YOUTUBE>[/quote]
Sounds like French Horn to me.

brassmedic · by **brassmedic** » 2023-10-26 1:45 p.m.

[quote="AtomicClock"]<QUOTE author="brassmedic" post_id="183623" time="1658096394" user_id="4102">
<YOUTUBE id="CwhnY2K36uM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwhnY2K36uM</YOUTUBE>[/quote]

Video was taken down. Does anyone remember what brassmedic linked?
</QUOTE>
Not sure I remember, but I think it was the little trombone solo on The Oblongs end credits.

<YOUTUBE id="UxTpGp371VY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxTpGp371VY</YOUTUBE>

VJOFan · by **VJOFan** » 2023-10-26 5:41 p.m.

Not the most prominent, but I remember rushing home from school with my band part to play along when the repeats played on afternoon TV. It must have been in the same key as my school arrangement.

<YOUTUBE id="wtB8WeubuHc">https://youtu.be/wtB8WeubuHc?si=CCd07Qn2D8vx4MAl</YOUTUBE>

Mikebmiller · by **Mikebmiller** » 2023-10-28 11:17 a.m.

The Foundation series on Apple TV has some epic low brass writing. Also, it is a fantastic show.

robcat2075 · by **robcat2075** » 2023-10-30 9:42 p.m.

Further forgotten trombone follies:

5:54 Calucci's Dept.

6:28 Lotsa Luck

16:24 Tenafly

<YOUTUBE id="69DJAvSvA0A" t="354">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/69DJAvSvA0A?t=354</YOUTUBE>

NorthernEuph · by **NorthernEuph** » 2023-11-02 12:20 p.m.

Check out an old British cooking show called “Two Fat Ladies”. Go a little past the intro into the start of the show.

robcat2075 · by **robcat2075** » 2023-11-27 2:26 p.m.

More echoes from the vast wasteland...

0:10 "The Ropers" - painfully prominent trombone solo w/ plunger

1:12 "Detective School" - trombone counter-lines

4:38 "Working Stiffs" - nice brass section

6:51 "Big Shamus/Little Shamus" - opens with sad-trombone solo, some bass trb lines later

<YOUTUBE id="DGQ7WRhcC8w">~~[media]~~https://youtu.be/DGQ7WRhcC8w</YOUTUBE>

Bonearzt · by **Bonearzt** » 2023-11-29 8:48 p.m.

I can't believe NO ONE hit this one!!!

<YOUTUBE id="j2PoXfZdYVU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2PoXfZdYVU</YOUTUBE>

Posaunus · by **Posaunus** » 2023-11-30 12:32 a.m.

[quote="Bonearzt"]I can't believe NO ONE hit this one!!![/quote]

Perhaps because no one ever watched it, so it died in obscurity? :idk:

brassmedic · by **brassmedic** » 2023-11-30 3:04 p.m.

[quote="Bonearzt"]I can't believe NO ONE hit this one!!![/quote]

That reminds me, Thunderbirds theme song had a bunch of trombone stuff.

<YOUTUBE id="a2n0widQ4nA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2n0widQ4nA</YOUTUBE>

dbwhitaker · by **dbwhitaker** » 2023-12-02 3:43 p.m.

[quote="Bleek"]Another recent one

<YOUTUBE id="-CbpM1-VZgc">https://youtu.be/-CbpM1-VZgc</YOUTUBE>[/quote]
I noticed that the 4th actor listed in the opening credits is named Pankow. Wikipedia indicates that the actor is James Pankow's younger brother. I wonder if James might be playing the theme?

samboni · by **samboni** » 2024-12-21 10:37 p.m.

Old thread I know, but it seemed to fit

<YOUTUBE id="7dQC3DC54Ts">https://youtu.be/7dQC3DC54Ts?si=C_z2yq3jduLchb0H</YOUTUBE>

sf105 · by **sf105** » 2024-12-22 4:28 a.m.

BBC The Money Programme. Taken from "The Carpetbaggers" from Jimmy Smith's album "The Cat". Tony Studd playing the pedal Eb's?

<YOUTUBE id="bHOMEJmzt58">https://youtu.be/bHOMEJmzt58</YOUTUBE>

Quick Links

Instruments

Marketplace

TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts