Wow, you get to 49 years old before you realize who Mike Post was and what effect his music had on your childhood. The hours I spent singing his songs, thanks Mike.
About 10 years ago I met Joey Scarbury (singer of Believe it or Not - Greatest American Hero). He was selling cars of all things. Nice guy though, a little cold, but I cut him some slack because he was working. When he handed me his business card and I read the name, I said, "Oh, like the singer." He replied with, "That's me, or I'm him." As to the rest of this album, there are two songs missing from the version I had on LP. There was the theme from Richie Brockelman, Private Eye (a spin-off of Rockford) called "School's Out" and the theme from The White Shadow.
The 'Hillstreet Blues' theme song used to pull at my heart strings as a little girl. I don't know why...the chords? maybe. The fact that my dad was a police officer and my mom and I prayed for him every night? That's a good possibility. It still affects me, though. i'm tearing up a lil now.
I was 17 when Hill Street Blues premiered. Only saw it a few times, but heard the song on the radio. I get emotional when I hear it now, too. Better times? Younger times? Beautiful music? And, is this vinyl?? So clear.
Also, each of these theme songs were Billboard Top 40 hits: "The Theme from Hill Street Blues" - #10, 1981 "Theme from Greatest American Hero (Believe it Or Not)" - performed by Joey Scarbury (#2, 1981) "Theme from Magnum, P.I." - #25, 1982 "The Rockford Files" - #10, 1975
I watch 3 out of 4 of these TV series regularly. Greatest American Hero was just a tad bit out of my age level. Great for little kids not so great for an adult. But I remember coming home from College and Dad and I would watch Rockford Files. Dad always got a kick out of Isaac Hayes calling Rockford "Rockfish". The character "Angel" always scheming and Detective Sgt Later LT Becker seemingly at odds with Rockford but then coming around to his ideas. Now that I am approaching 70 these "TV" heroes are slowly dying off. Dad passed in 2014 and mother passed in June 2022. The simple fact is that we are all aging. But TV has and to some degree will always be a part of our heritage.
Lolol Wow. This dude wrote the soundtrack to my entire life of TV watching! Mike Post you are the talent whose work everyone in the states knows (if you have ears, live in the states and own a tv that is)but whose name only few know. I am amazed at the amount of tv shows of which you're the composer!!!!
So glad to have found this when I Googled "Mike Post Theme Songs", although there is info here I didn't even know. Having loved the theme from "Hill Street Blues" and seeing his name on some other themes, I bought a cassette of them (yes, way back in the 'old days'). For some reason, I thought of this in the wee hours yesterday morning, and was trying to remember what the tracks on the tape were...but couldn't. I finally had to try to find out, and I ended up here (in the course of watching "Hill Street Blues" from the beginning on Hulu). I was aware that Mr. Post was quite talented, but hadn't realized how prolific he had been. I'm even more impressed than I was 20+ years ago!
We'll get QUANTUM LEAP on another edition (Volume 2? ...) of Mike Post themes - promise! I mean, seriously, the guy has composed SOOOO much TV music and soooo many classic (no ... LEGENDARY) thmes, it's just impossible to do 'em all justice. Hey, we so wanted to get his theme to WHITE SHADOW in this suite this time around too, but the constraints of time just wouldn't allow.
These pieces are an epic part of history and life - really captures the mood and emotion of an simpler era. Beautiful music for the quality and love of music
Happy Birthday Mike Post born on September 29, 1944. He is an American composer, best known for his television theme music for various shows, including The White Shadow; Law & Order; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; The A-Team; The Byrds of Paradise; NYPD Blue; Renegade; The Rockford Files; L.A. Law; Quantum Leap; Magnum, P.I.; Hill Street Blues, and Mammoth. - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Post
Loved this theme song ( Hill Street Blues)and it was my favorite show when it aired! "Lets Be Careful Out There!"Just adding that Magnum PI and the Rockford Files were also great scores as well as top notch productions!! Thanks for the trip down nostalgia lane!! CUDOS, MIKE POST!!!
Hi Bear Man - I second Zeigler's comment. Your write-up of Nov 2012 on Post's craft is very interesting; I grew up watching 'The Rockford Files' and 'Magnum PI' amongst others - I had no idea what a long and illustrious career he had
John Williams watched the STAR WARS movies as he was directing the orchestra. This way, he knew what type of "mood" to set the orchestra to. Mike Post in a way "shot from the hip" when he did the ROCKFORD FILES theme song.......
Hill Street Blues - one of the greatest TV themes ever. When my uncle Albert retired from the Chicago PD in 2012 after 32 years on the force we created a video of his career-we used this song. as the BM. ..... The last two pictures on the video were his rookie picture from the Academy and his last as a Lt. I never saw him cry until we showed that video......what memories must have going thru his mind.
I didn’t even need to look it up to notice it had to be Larry Carlton playing the guitar riff on the Magnum, P.I. theme. The same sound from one of the greatest guitar solos in rock history, Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan
Such a wonderful heartfelt theme for a show with such heart and soul. One of the greatest series ever. This song is one of the most special in my lifetime.
That first song. I never knew where it was originally from but the second I heard it I recognized it as one of the background scores to my kindergarten video cassette yearbook from my school in Germany when my dad was a U.N. peacekeeper after the berlin wall fell. That brought tears of joy I haven't shed since 1993.
My next door neighbor had this album when I was a kid and recorded a copy for me on cassette. My question is why wasn't the 'White Shadow' theme included? That was a groove thumpin track.
On "Greatest American Hero" and "Hill Street Blues", yes, it is, but not for Rockford. Carlton did lead guitar on many of Post's TV themes, including also "Magnum, P.I." and "NYPD Blue". Additionally, Lee Sklar is the bassist on almost all of Post's TV themes!
Before tv became propaganda!!!!better world then.good memories of what could of been.we had so much potential . I always watch old TV now.quit watching network crap after 9 11.
They're "Concert" or "Radio" version (so to speak) re-recordings actually done by original composer Mike Post. In other words, they were expanded from their original 30 - 60 second running times within the TV series themselves into approx. 3 min . + renditions. But, where possible, Post attempted to keep the arrangements as close to the originals as possible.
Until getting Magnum PI on DVD I had not heard original intro music by Mark Snow it was so lame. ( though he did redeem himself with the X-files) they were right to change it.
avmtech1968 Yeah, I think this is the one I liked the best. The tone of the synth (MiniMoog?) and the parts played always makes me think it's Rick Wakeman playing it but I think it was Ian Underwood?
John L Rice Gotta be Minimoog! Hear that linear glide! This is definitely a different mix from the 45 I've had for years...gotta dig that one out and compare the two.
