Let's talk about the changes in the Monday Night Football theme
 

SNR, I'm looking at you. No one else on this board can analyze music the way you can. Get in here and give us an expert's insight.

This is the original Monday Night Football theme. It is gorgeous. Perfect. The middle of the song (1:00-1:28 or so) is a bit cheesy and the 70s really start to creep in, but this is a GREAT song. Timeless.

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Now we have the first alternate MNF theme. This started to be played on MNF starting in 1989.

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This is clearly, at it's core, the same piece of music, but it's been slightly updated. It's just a little punchier. There's a little beat behind it. Synthesizers start to creep in, as the effects of the 80s take hold. It's still awesome, though. If you're a bit younger, like me, this is probably your favorite version, especially as it played during the 90s Chiefs MNF games.

Now we have the version ESPN started running when they got the rights in 2006.

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WHAT THE **** IS THIS SHIT? The clear, distinctive tones and melodies have been compressed and over-bassed. It's like someone watched a bunch of Hollywood trailers with their BWAAAAAAAM notes and decided the MNF theme needed to get as close as possible.

This isn't a piece of music. It's a bastardization. It's like someone took the original MNF theme, played some thrashing guitars behind it, sank the recording studio underwater, and recorded what a garbage scow heard passing by. THIS IS SHIT. IT'S TRASH. IT'S SACRILEGE.

**** YOU ESPN. You gave the MNF theme a concussion.

Thoughts?

ESPN's NBA theme also sucks ass compared to the classic NBC theme. I do like the CBS NFL theme

A brilliant piece of music.

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OH MAN WE GOT ELECTRIC GUITARS BEHIND A TERRIBLY FORGETTABLE, ANNOYINGLY VANILLA MELODY

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The earlier versions were way more brass-forward, while the current version is more orchestral/ensemble, and produced like a movie score - the horns aren't nearly as forward. Definitely less dynamic range, creating a less impactful experience.

ESPN had it right with SNF in the 90s. This was a great theme.

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I hope NBC somehow gets the rights to the NBA again. That theme is perfection.

That second MNF theme is an important part of my childhood. Staying up late on school nights to watch the foozball. **** you Alex Smith for ruining that, you piece of shit.

I actually had to go to bed in 1994 before Montana cucked Elway, so I recorded the second half.

Came home to watch it after school the next day and the tape ran out right before the last play. :cuss:

I'll talk about MNF in a second.

In the meantime, this is my opportunity to say yet again that the NFL on NBC theme in the mid-90s is my #1 favorite network sports theme.

It's gorgeous. It's hopeful. Positive. Why does football have to be this high-tension shit bass drum crap? This NBC theme elevates football to a more noble character. Your team could suck absolute shit, but with this theme playing in and out of commercial breaks, you never feel like your team can't pull off the incredible and get a gritty W.

I don't care if he only does shit movies and composes with a goddamn casio keyboard. Randy Edelman is a goddamn genius.

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The neighbors on both sides of my house heard me yell when Willie Davis caught that TD.....

Alex Smith listens to the NFL on NBC theme before every game. You know he does.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl..._L53034122.JPG

John Tesh is a beautiful man.

Tear

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_h7Lm7C9Nk

Get ready to blow your load

Heh.

So this MNF theme problem is a pretty typical thing you see these days. Media has control of a property or an idea that has turned into a classic part of American culture. The only problem is that they don't realize while the DEMAND and the adoration for this idea or property (whether it be music, a film, a show, etc.) would appear to be quite high, by giving in to that demand they're slowly killing off the creativity and the identification entire generations can connect to.

You hit the nail on the head, Clay. The brand new MNF theme sounds computer generated and perfect. It sounds inartistic. It's TOO perfect, which is my beef with pop music these days. There's no hint or room whatsoever for an acoustic or human-generated sound. Singers are over-processed and use shit like autotune to completely eliminate mistakes and "errors".

Same thing these days. The 1st and the 2nd versions sound like they could have been recorded by an actual jazz band plus extra instruments like strings. Hell, the first one probably was. The third one? Has no respect for differences in timbre. It bogs down the rhythm with its shitty bass and drum effects.

The NFL on FOX theme is partly to blame. When it first came out, it was innovative and awesome. But everybody wants to copy that tone and sound. There's no respect for orchestration or depth.

Remember when NBC brought back Sunday Night Football in the mid-2000s? You know who composed that theme? John ****ing Williams. Yes, THE John Williams. They used his ORCHESTRAL scoring as their theme music. What did they do the next year? "Uhp, we need it to be pasty and boring and shitty. Convert that shit to synthesized electric drums and horns and do the harmony with electric guitars."

Awful.

Additional evidence: the NFL killing off the unique Super Bowl logos for those bland as **** Lombardi-trophy chic logos.

Yeah, who really wants to listen to all this timbre depth? Too complicated! Simplify it down! You're going too fast! Take this studio recording and synth the shit out of it pronto!

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^^^^ The section from :19 to :29 is very nice. I can actually hear what I think are flutes in the latter half.

This is a ****ing muddled mess.

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What's next? Are they going to take John Williams' theme for the Olympics that's been going strong for 30+ years and add electric guitars and shit to it? After all, you gotta modernize stuff if you want the dumbass common man to connect to your product!

****ing reeruns.

I don't love berman much, but I wish berman and the white black guy with prime time music would do highlights until they both die of high blood pressure

This is what we will have in 2025:

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Sounds like Alice queefing out Andys load through a kazoo.

Horrifying.

What are the chances that Dane is responsible for the recent one?

That is a real snoozer.

SNR don't you get paid to play the piano at churches?

Organ. But that's just on the side.

You are just the worst.

I like the CBS theme these days, the rest are just meh.

I like the nbc thursday night football theme. Sound a little like ride of the valkyire

The original was the same for me. Bed time was 9 ish except for Monday Night Football. Got to stay up with Pops and watch starting about 3rd grade.

Mundane Night Football

As a professional musician this is what I think: Who gives a shit, its a TV theme song. Get a life man.

I don't know if this fits the strict definition of a "theme" as pertains to this thread, but it just doesn't get any better than this.

No one cares about your pop shit.

No one cares about your bar band. This is a serious entertainment issue.

Ditto for this. I miss the Hank Williams intro. This one combines Hank Williams and Wolfman Jack. #awesomeness

Bring back Faith Hill.

I know. Carrie Underwood is cute and all that, but nobody does it like Faith Hill did.

Bring back the old NFL Today on CBS song...
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Don't get me wrong. I love the 90s NBA on NBC theme.

But goddamn it I swear that's Will freakin Ferrell playing cowbell. There sure is a loooooot of cowbell in that thing.

Dane its been a while.

It sets tge mood and story for the game...as a musician, you should know this

PGM FTW

bass players aren't musicians

https://m.popkey.co/3d7416/OoYWL.gif

Games on NBC were more enjoyable in the 90s with those themes....FACT

Slim. But he's done a shit ton of stuff.