The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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Frenchy1939
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The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by Frenchy1939 »

Greetings Fellow Crimefighters!

I am new to the board, so please excuse me it this has been discussed before. I couldn't find any other posts. I was about 4 years old when Batman went off the air. When I was a little older, a neighborhood friend showed me his Corgi Batmobile. I said, "Wow, what kinda car is that?" Then the older kids explained to me that there was a Batman TV show, that's the car at was on TV and it's not on anymore. I remember the car being bigger than a Hot Wheels car, with gadgets.

A few years later, my sister bought me the Sensational Batboys! record. The show was always a mystery to me and I thought that record was the music to the show. When I finally saw the show, I said, "Hey, that music is wrong!"

Anyway...does anybody know anything about this music? It's really good! Now the record is the real mystery! Who are the musicians? What's the story?

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BATWINGED HORNET
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by BATWINGED HORNET »

Welcome to the board!

I'm not sure about the album's production history, but it was widely available in the early 1970s, as my older brother had this album (and we played to no end), and it was also rented in libraries of the period. There's not much in the way of familiar (as in 1966 TV-based) cues, other than an organ-heavy, extended version of Hefti's main theme. The rest are some unusual tracks with titles such as Cheatin' Charlie, Mars Visitor (no relation to the third season Joker episode), Behind the 8-Ball, and The Villain Strikes.

A cash-in album to be certain (smart title design), but the musicians were clearly professionals with a knowledge of different forms, from jazz, blues, pop and post war romantic cues reminiscent of that written for movies of the 50s.
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Frenchy1939
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by Frenchy1939 »

Thanks for the input. I really enjoy it on my commute along with the Marketts album. They're companions as I journey through all 120 episodes on blu ray each evening!
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Progress Pigment
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by Progress Pigment »

Thank you for this! I've heard this before. That sounds sort of like organ music you hear if you watch old roller derby film on ESPN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjtMQ91l1vs

I like these too. Especially the first one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgGwBnAKO-w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA5kt9ke81k
Next week, the Dynamic Duo meets the Clock King!
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TBolt
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by TBolt »

I've always been partial to The Jam's version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXmPEsuipUw
To the Bat-Elephant!!
emartin149
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by emartin149 »

This album was put together using tracks recorded by three different bands. My guess is that the "Batboys" recorded the first five tracks, and the second side of the album was cobbled together from other studio recordings of the era.

Side 1 (tracks 1-5) features a jazz/lounge band with piano, organ, guitar, bass and drums
Side 2 (tracks 6-8) features a rock band with organ, a "surf" guitar that uses a lot of reverb, bass and drums. NO piano.
Side 2 (tracks 9-10) features a studio orchestra with piano, guitar, trumpet, trombone, flute, saxophone, bass and drums. NO organ.

Track 9 is a version of Gounod's "March of the Marionettes" and has been heavily used in films and television, most famously as the opening theme to Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The version on the Batman album was also featured on a Thunderball-Man From Uncle Compilation, as "Win, Lose or Spy" (track 4):


Track 10 is also repeated on this album as "Under Cover Agent Theme," track 5:


i believe the piano player on both these tracks is Johnny Knapp, a studio orchestra leader of the period.
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bat-rss
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by bat-rss »

Does anyone know where this album might exist digitally? I found the Batman theme and three other tracks from it on YouTube, but can't find it in its entirety.
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John Mack
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by John Mack »

The track, Cheatin Charlie is my favorite track on the Batboys LP. You gotta hear it.
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Progress Pigment
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Re: The Sensational Batboys! Batman Theme Album

Post by Progress Pigment »

John Mack wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2017 2:43 pm The track, Cheatin Charlie is my favorite track on the Batboys LP. You gotta hear it.
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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrNwCwOlujM[/youtube]
Next week, the Dynamic Duo meets the Clock King!
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