Sunday, June 07, 2009

THE AVENGERS & Other Top Sixties TV Themes

Here's an excellent 2-disk set of TV soundtrack themes as rendered by Britain's top EZ bandleaders. Most of these shows never made it to our shores here in the US of A so this is pretty unfamiliar territory for me, but it's hard to go wrong with '60s soundtracks, especially ones of the sci-fi, action and crime genres.

There's some famous names here: jazzman Roy Budd ("Get Carter" soundtrack), John Keating of "Space Experience" Space-Age/Moog fame, and Ron Grainer of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, whose sketch of the "Dr Who" theme melody was eventually realized by Delia Derbyshire.


I cannot stop impulsively singing the "Stingray" theme, much to the annoyance of anyone around me: "Stingraaaaay...STINGray!" You'll be doing it too, I tells ya...


Disc: 1
1. Avengers - Laurie Johnson Orchestra 2. Man in a Suitcase - Ron Grainer & His Orchestra 3. Thunderbirds - Barry Gray Orchestra 4. Dr. Who - Eric Winstone And His Orchestra 5. Old Ned (Theme from Steptoe & Son) - Ron Grainer 6. Who Do You Think You Are Kidding... Mr. Hitler? (Dad's Army) - Bud Flanagan 7. Captain Scarlet - Barry Gray Orchestra 8. Theme from Z-Cars - Johnny Keating & His Orchestra 9. Saint - Cyril Stapleton & The Eliminators 10. Departments - Cyril Stapleton Orchestra 11. Joe 90 - Barry Gray Orchestra 12. Crossroads Theme - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 13. Lucky Stars [Theme from "Thank Your Lucky Stars"] 14. Light Flight (Theme from Take Three Girls) - Pentangle 15. Stingray - Barry Gray Orchestra, Gary Miller 16. High Wire [Theme from Danger Man] - Bob Leaper Orchestra 17. Champions - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 18. Hancock [Hancock's Tune] - Derek Scott Music 19. Forsyte Saga Theme - Cyril Stapleton 20. On the Ball [World Cup TV Theme] - The John Schroeder Orchestra 21. Power Game - Cyril Stapleton Orchestra 22. Little Sutie (Theme from Dr, Finlay's Casebook) - Les Reed Strings 23. Fireball (Theme from Fireball Xl5) - Flee-Rekkers 24. Maigret Theme - The Eagles 25. Out of This World - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 26. No Hiding Place - Laurie Johnson Orchestra 27. Fugitive Theme - The John Schroeder Orchestra 28. Theme from 'Who Dun It' - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 29. W. Somerset Maugham - Cyril Stapleton Orchestra 30. Happy Joe [Theme from 'Comedy Playhouse'] - Ron Grainer

Disc: 2

1. Scarlett [Theme from 'Scarlett Hill'] - Peter Knight Orchestra 2. How Soon [Theme from the Richard Boone Show] - Jackie Trent 3. THW Willow Waltz (Tim Frazer's Theme) - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 4. Mr. Rose - Roy Budd 5. Doctors - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 6. Theme from Sam Benedict - Johnny Keating & His Orchestra 7. Ben Casey - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 8. Sir Francis Drake - Piccadilly Stings 9. Perry Mason - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 10. Our House - Piccadilly Stings 11. Who Is Sylvia? - Charlie Drake 12. Latin Quarter [Theme from 'Riviera Police'] - Laurie Johnson Orchestra 13. Ghost Squad - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 14. Echo Four-Two - Laurie Johnson Orchestra 15. Our Love Story [From TV Series 'Love Story'] - Sounds Orchestral 16. Theme from 'The Naked Story' (Somewhere in the Night) - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 17. Sucu Sucu [From TV Series 'Top Secret'] - Laurie Johnson Orchestra 18. Casablanca (Theme from Crane) - Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen 19. Oliver Twist Theme - The Eagles 20. Carlos' Theme [From 'The Sentimental Agent'] - Johnny Keating 21. Spies Theme - Cyril Stapleton 22. Deputy - Laurie Johnson 23. Man Alive - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 24. Memories of Summer (Love Story Theme) - Tony Hatch & His Orchestra 25. Lunar Walk [Theme from 'Thank Your Lucky Stars'] - Johnny Hawksworth Orchestra 26. West End (From Whicker's World) - Laurie Johnson 27. Three Live Wires - Bob Wallis 28. Quick Before They Catch Us - Paddy, Klaus & Gibson 29. That's Me over Here (Ronnie Corbett's Theme) - Cyril Stapleton 30. Theme from 'Peyton Place' - Jack Dorsey Orchestra

THE AVENGERS & Other Top Sixties TV Themes (disk 1)
THE AVENGERS & Other Top Sixties TV Themes (disk 2) .

Thanks to Chris Swank!

7 comments:

kukuzelis said...

betterer and betterer!

Gerard said...

In holland we say Beter en Best!

J-Unit 1 said...

This is an awesome post. Thanks!

Sleazegrinder said...

My life is better already. Thanks!

Isa Noel Joyeux said...

Thank you ! :)

Cathy said...

Did you know that The Avengers TV episodewas the first British series to be filmed. My brother loves watching this show.

00100 said...

Yippie Skippy!