News music

April 4, 2004 6:34 PM

The music of the news: From Cool Hand Luke and Action News (ra) to today's Enforcer (MP3) and The Tower (WMA), TV stations and the music in their newscasts.
posted by calwatch (6 comments total)

I can picture all the identifying logos, studio lighting and anchors as I go through the sound packages from different time periods. Too cool.
posted by ao4047 at 9:16 PM on April 4, 2004

This is why I love the internet.

I'm a big Lalo Schifrin fan (not a day goes by where I don't hum 'Mission Impossible' in my head to get something done faster) and I rate Cool Hand Luke as one of the best of his huge body of work. How crazy it was to find out that where I'm from (Australia) it is used as the basis for the music from the news that I watch. Crazy.

This is why I love Metafilter.

This is my first comment. Really glad I'm here. Hi everyone.
posted by bdave at 9:56 PM on April 4, 2004

Hi, Bdave! This is why I love MeFi too.
posted by britain at 10:04 PM on April 4, 2004

I discovered the Cool Hand Luke connection to our local news many years ago when, during its weekly show devoted to soundtracks, our classical music station played it. "I wonder if Bill Bonds knows that he's being introduced every night by music written for a chain gang?" the announcer mused.

On the other hand, when I finally heard The Who's "Baba O'Riley" I thought, hey, that's Channel 50's news theme!
posted by pmurray63 at 11:52 PM on April 4, 2004

A crypto-punk band once covered the Action News (WPVI on the list) theme song. That Philly station hasn't changed it's theme, let alone it's anchors, since the 70s. It's so fabulously notalgic to hear that again.

"Move closer to your world my friends, take a little bit of time, and you'll see..." Priceless.

Thanks, calwatch.
posted by moonbird at 4:13 AM on April 5, 2004

I don't remember exactly where I first saw this story regarding the "soundtrack of war," (probably here at Mefi, though I can't find the thread) but I found it to be fascinating, particularly in regard to the way the network news' themes have evolved over time.

Hopefully relevant enough that a repost may be forgiven?
posted by malocchio at 10:07 AM on April 5, 2004