Song 180 - The Pink Panther - Henry Mancini

A few weeks ago, we were sitting in our city centre flat in Edinburgh and we started to hear bagpipes from the pup below us. Not a usual sound to hear when you are in Scotland, but it then became more bizarre when I realised they when playing the Flintstone Theme on them. That's the power of music on everyday life; I haven't sat and watched the cartoon in years, but I remember the theme tune as if it was yesterday and the opening/closing credits.

This started me thinking about other theme tunes that become part of your musically DNA and one of my all time favourites cartoon theme tunes is The Pink Panther.  Written in 1963 for the film The Pink Panther, Henry Mancini created a timeless classic and sometimes I feel glad to have grown up at a time when they still had cartoons on television. Mancini's theme would go on to be nominated for an Oscar at the 1964 awards ceremony. Mancini is no stranger to this blog having co-written Moon River, which was song 117 in the jukebox and won an Oscar in 1962.

The theme itself was originally played in the key of E minor, noted for its quirky, unusual use of chromaticism which is derived from the Hungarian minor scale. This music makes you want to pick up an alto saxophone.  I think for me the music stays with you due to the cartoon character and the sublime creation of the animation to fit the music. The cartoon was developed as a spin-off of the opening credits of the films where the animated Pink Panther first appeared. The Pink Panther show first aired in 1969 and our non-speaking panther has been on and off our TV sets ever since. 

During my youth, I remember the theme being popular with the wind bands and brass bands as it was always a favourite at concerts.

To listen to this marvellous tune:
Pink Panther Tune 

And for those who want to remember how slick the Pink Panther was; here's the cartoon:
Pink Streaker


Written: Henry Mancini
Year: 1964

Song 117 - Moon River by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer

What better song is there to celebrate Valentine Day than putting Moon River into the jukebox. Written for the 1961 film Breakfast in Tiffany's, starring the timeless Audrey Hepburn, there is nothing more romantic than dancing to this tune with the one you love. I think the hairs on the back of my neck has always stirred at the line, my Huckleberry friend, Moon River and me. For me love is one of the greatest adventures of all and this, for me, is captured in the lyrics of this song.

Written for Hepburn's vocal range, Johnny Mercer used memories of his own carefree childhood memories and you can feel the freedom in the melody and when people first fall in love; they are often swept away into a world of endless possibilities. For me; some might say that this a a romantic view of love and I don't mind that, because love is endless and even if it doesn't lead you to travel around the  world in a green pea boat made for two; true love will always give adventure, support and friendship whatever your life together has in store.

Moon River won the Oscar at the 1962 ceremony and became the signature tune for Andy Williams, who first performed  the song at the forementioned Oscar ceremony. But as my Valentine present to you; here's Audrey singing the original from the film.

Moon River, sung by Audrey Hepburn

Oscar for Best Song: 1961.

Written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer

Film: Breakfast in Tiffany's