Best teevee P.I. theme?

[KansDem]

Mannix

...without a doubt. Hands down...

Don't bother replying to this thread if you don't agree.

[no name no slogan]

1. Screw that. Rockford Files FTW!

Mike Post is the god of cheezy TV themes.

[KansDem]

4. Well, now, I must concede...

You are correct. "Rockford" is the best in a kind of "funky," "get-down" sort of way.

Nice use of harmonica...

[jobycom]

7. Absolutely, no contest, not even debatable.

[graywarrior]

8. Yeah! Rockford!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JFFGICqVg0

[Dr. Strange]

2. Magnum, baby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upc6yMKPu1c

[KansDem]

5. Now that you've mentioned it...

"Magnum" does have a real percussive drive reminiscent of the 1980s.

But I still like the jazz-waltz style of "Mannix"

[RandomThoughts]

6. I would have to say Magnum PI also

Great show, and great theme song.

[MrScorpio]

3. I agree

That piano solo ROCKS

[KansDem]

9. A funny story

When I was a senior in high school (1970-71) my school’s orchestra director, who was also the assistant conductor of the Long Beach Symphony (CA), organized “pops concerts” with the symphony every summer. The orchestra performed in the amphitheater in Recreation Park. The director was a superb arranger and would arrange popular tunes, including movie and TV themes for the concert. He asked me if I would perform on his arrangement of “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” (ukulele and banjo) and a friend of mine on “Theme from Mannix” (alto saxophone). His arrangement called for an alto saxophone solo on the main theme just after the introduction (you can hear one on the original as well). Well, we were both seniors and the world was our oyster so we agreed thinking “All right! Musicians’ Union here we come!” We were even “paid” 20 or 25 dollars for the gig.

The rehearsals went well, but come the night of the performance, my friend and I were standing backstage waiting our turns (since we weren’t in the entire program, we waited backstage for our specific tune), We knew “Mannix” was up as the song just before it was ending, so we waited for a stagehand or some orchestral person to come back and tell my friend it was time to go onstage. There was a short silence following the audience’s applause for the preceding tune, and then suddenly we heard the introduction to "Mannix" (the rhythmic trombone riff)! The director didn't realize that his alto saxophonist wasn't onstage! My friend literally ran on stage to his place and arrived just in time to start his solo. In fact, I believe he started playing just as he was sitting down in his chair. In spite of all that, the performance went well.

We still laugh about that today!