Oh, Neal Hefti, if only this song wasn’t the theme song for the Dark Knight Detective. Because I love this song. I love that it’s just people singing “Batman” over and over, and I really love that it almost sounds like instead of people singing “Batman” it’s just trumpet blasts made to sound like “Batman”. Even now as I’m listening to it, sometimes I can’t tell if it’s human voices or a trumpet. But why’d it have to be Batman, Neal Hefti? This song would be the perfect theme song for Plastic Man or The Tick or the Impossible Man, I could maybe even give you the Flash. But Batman?
I’ve never seen the TV show, Neal Hefti. I respect its place in pop culture history, but I still shudder at how someone thought it was a great idea to take the darkest, broodiest character in comics and turn him into high camp. I get it, Neal Hefti, I’ve read some of those old comics and I understand that there were plenty of campy tales starring Bruce Wayne’s alter ego, but still. . .
I’ve been very fortunate, Neal Hefti. While there were a dearth of comic book movies during my youth, I’m living in the golden age of comic book movies. It’s especially great because I’m a Marvel fan. I’m just defending Batman out of respect, but my heart has always belonged to the likes of Spidey and Cap and the fuzzy blue elf.
But I feel bad for the comic book fans who came before me, who had to sadly accept the few scraps of comic book heroes thrown at them from TV executives who didn’t give a hoot about who Batman or Superman really was, who had to accept that there wasn’t technology enough to truly capture the wonder that was being a superhero.
It’s too bad that the internet wasn’t around back then, Neal Hefti. I guarantee you that if Batman fans had gotten a whiff of what the TV show was going to look like, you would have heard a howl of indignation from basements all over the world.
Then again, we wouldn’t have gotten this great song out of the deal. I’d agree that it’s probably not a fair trade, but I’m going to listen to it again all the same, Neal Hefti.
“Batman TV show theme”
<awesome Neal Hefti jam>
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
<awesome Neal Hefti jam>
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Batman
Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
Batmaaaaan
Mixed Tape Masterpiece 