You may not know who Neal Hefti is (or actually, WAS), but you know his work... He's the guy who wrote the TV theme for the 1960's version of "Batman"! Here are some sample lyrics:
Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah
Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah
BATMAN!
It doesn't seem like the "brain surgery" of TV themes, but Hefti's son says the "Batman" theme was Neal Hefti's most difficult piece, taking him at least one month to compose the driving bass and explosive trumpet bursts.
"He threw away more music paper on this thing than any other song," Paul Hefti told The Associated Press. "It got down to the blues with a funny guitar hook, the lowest common denominator and a fun groove."
Neal Hefti was born Oct. 29, 1922, in Hastings, Neb., and played trumpet with local bands as a teenager to earn money.
I was 5 years old when "Batman" debuted on TV, and while the grownups around me saw the Adam West portrayal of the Caped Crusader as campy, I took it darn seriously! When Mr. Freeze trapped Batman and Robin in giant snowcones at the end of an episode, I worried and fretted for the Dark Knight. I ALWAYS tuned in the next week at the same bat-time and same bat-channel!
The show just wouldn't have been the same without it's theme, so thanks Neal!
