Peter Gunn (song)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"The Peter Gunn Theme" (1959) is the opening (and closing) theme to the American television series Peter Gunn, composed and performed by Henry Mancini. The show's use of modern jazz music, at a time when most television shows used a generic, uninspired orchestra for the background, was another distinctive touch that set the standard for many years to come. Innovative jazz themes seemed to accompany every move Gunn made, ably rendered by Henry Mancini and his orchestra (which at that time included John Williams), lending the character even more of an air of suave sophistication. Most memorable of all was the show's opening (and closing) theme, composed and performed by Mancini. A hip, bluesy, brassy number with an insistent piano-and-bass line, the song became an instant hit for Mancini, earning him an Emmy Award and two Grammys, and became as associated with crime fiction as Monty Norman's theme to the James Bond films is associated with espionage. The harmonies fit the mood of the show, which was a key to success. "The Peter Gunn Theme" has been covered by numerous jazz, blues, and rock artists since, including Ray Anthony, Quincy Jones, The Remo Four, The Blues Brothers, Croon & The Creepers, Brian Setzer, The Cramps, Jimi Hendrix, Aerosmith, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Roy Buchanan, Melvin Taylor, Umphrey's McGee, Pulp, Dick Dale & The Del-Tones, and many, many others. A version by Art of Noise, with guest artist Duane Eddy on twang guitar (taking the piano riff) earned a Grammy Award in 1987. Furthermore, the riff has been incorporated into many blues and jazz songs. The theme is also used as the background music for the 1983 arcade game Spy Hunter, with Saliva recording a song which used the main theme, with added lyrics, for the 2001 remake. Versions of the theme have appeared in countless films, including The Blues Brothers (film) and Sixteen Candles. In 2004 the theme was used in The Lion King 1½ when Timon and Pumbaa try to break up Simba and Nala. Today, many people with no knowledge of the original show still can identify the theme.
The Boston University Pep Band, of Boston University in Boston Massachusetts, plays the Peter Gunn theme when the Terrier Hockey team comes out onto the ice
