One simple word, sung by a chorus eleven times.
That’s all it took for one of the most popular television theme songs ever. This is the genius of Neal Hefti’s Batman.
We all know it … every single one of us. Because no one piece of theme music has ever been so dominating as this 1960s classic. If it wasn’t for the campy television series and the collaboration with the creators to do it in the style they did, we wouldn’t have this immediately-recognizable bit of ear candy at our disposal. 45 years young, it’s still fresh and airy.
Hefti scored many television themes of the ’60s, Batman and The Odd Couple among them. But this attractively hummable tune won the composer a deserved Grammy award. It became a Top 10 single for Hefti as well as for the ’60s group of session musicians noted for their surf sound, The Marketts.
And … Holy Copy Cat, Batman! With a “Whap! … Biff! … Ooooof!”, cover versions aplenty cropped up to dominate the airwaves. Notables such as Link Wray, The Ventures, Eminem, The Who, Al Hirt, Snoop Dogg and The Jam are but a handful to power through the song.
I break out into this piece all the time. And I’d be willing to bet dollars to donuts you do, too, after giving a listen to several of the selections provided below: The original opening credit, the Hefti “long” version and cover samplings by The Marketts, Link Wray and The Jam. Please enjoy!
I predict the Batman theme will be your earworm for the day.
“Na na na na na na na na na na na na na … Batman!”
Clacked by Michael Noble 
on Oct 07, 2010 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
I’m “friends” with Adam West on FB, and he calls us all “old chums.” He’s kinda strange. In a good way.
I recall running around my yard screaming out this theme song. No, it wasn’t last week. I was a KID.
*POST AUTHOR*
. . . . .
You were a goat … ?!?!?
Example? Here is Adam West’s current status update.
Adam West: I recently became friends with a rather buxom lass here on facebook. At her request, I was looking at her pictures and each one was more risque’ than the previous. Unfortunately, my better half walked into the room and saw this rather bodacious half naked lady on my computer screen and this sent her into orbit. How do I explain this?
See what I mean?
*POST AUTHOR*
. . . . .
I don’t understand what he means by “How do I explain this?”
I mean … she’s ‘in orbit’ … right?