I Spy (Original 1960s TV series/Limited Edition CD
Soundtrack)
Sound:
B Music: B+
Have
you ever wondered to yourself, “How many versions of the I Spy theme are there?” If
so, you’re in luck. Not only is there a
definitive answer to that question, but now, you can stop asking yourself dumb
questions and instead fill that time by listening to the I Spy soundtrack.
Earle
Hagen is probably one of the best-known TV theme composers with classics like The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mod Squad, but his best work was on
I Spy. Not only did he write the compelling theme,
but his scoring won Hagen an
Emmy in 1967. When you listen to the
entire original television soundtrack on CD, it’s clear why.
I Spy was one of the first
TV shows to shoot on location around the world. Hagen was
able to travel with the cast and crew to places like Spain, Japan, Italy and Mexico
giving him the opportunity to observe the cultures of these locations and
flavor his scores accordingly. Borrowing
from the indigenous music of each country to help transport the viewer halfway
around the world, he created a diverse range of material that boosted the show
all the more.
The
CD is set up to reflect this cultural influence. It’s divided into five sections: Hong
Kong, Japan, Mexico, Burma and Spain. Within each section are selected tunes from
specific episodes. Even though some of
the cities seem to have a more interesting soundtrack than others (I am partial
to Spain, myself), the CD is put together in the perfect way that the listener
never gets bored by hearing the same types of melodies repeated over and over.
Unlike
many TV CD’s, I Spy makes a great
addition to the libraries of TV and music fans alike. It’s just long enough to remind you of great
episodes that have seen in the past and short enough to give you time to turn
off the stereo and watch them on TV. The
PCM CD sound is solid and the booklet included is the kind we do not see in CDs
enough. However, only 3,000 copies of
this title are being produced, so it will be in print for a limited time. You can order yours exclusively through the
FSM label of Film Score Monthly Magazine by going to www.filmscoremonthly.com for this
and many other outstanding exclusives.
- Paul Goebel
Paul
Goebel was recently seen as the resident TV geek on Comedy Central's gameshow, "Beat the Geeks". He has appeared on numerous television shows
and is recognized as the leading expert in TV trivia. He doesn't know everything about TV, he just
knows more than you. Paul can be reached
through his website:
www.TheKingofTV.com
