Tuesday, November 16, 2010

'HAWAII 5-0' The Theme Song Lives On...

SONGS I LOVE:
Yes, a re-make of Hawaii Five-0, the television series, is on our small screen now. But I remember the song better. The instrumental was an after dinner call for the family to gather in the living room.
The theme song was recorded by The Ventures in late 1968 and is popular with many of our local and SE Asian pop bands. There was always a guitar group performing the tune on stage then.
In fact, The Ventures were one of five musical acts that had been indicted into the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame on March 10th, 2008.
The Quests from Singapore has a version of Hawaii 5-0 on its LP, The Sound Of The Quests (SREG: 9514) recorded on 9/11/1970.

With its upbeat sound and military like rhythmic precision, Hawaii 5-0 is still being played today and many brass bands include it in their repertoire.
Original article: Andy Lim.

5 comments:

FL said...

Andy, Hawaii 5-0 was one of my never to be missed TV programs around late 60s/early 70s, together with "Combat". Too bad, the programs were in black & white then before the arrival of colour TV around the mid-70s I think. I also remember one of Hawaii 5-0 filming was shot in Singapore using cable cars if I'm not wrong. The theme song or music was very catchy and you could hear it from afar when most of the homes on their TVs the same time at 8pm on Sundays, I think. Sadly, the main actor Jack Lord is no longer around.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks FL for your comments and fond memories of Jack Lord and this really exciting series. I am still a 'Hawaii 5-0 fan'. The new series is on Sundays at 9pm on Channel 5 Singapore (Star Hub Ch: 155HD).

I appreciate your regular visit, FL. Sometimes bloggers need encouragement from friends and readers to carry on. You are one.

Lam Chun See said...

I saw a little documentary or rather trailer on tv recently about how they produced the new Hawaii 5-0 theme song; and the musical director commented that it was very difficult to do. Credit to the Ventures for achieving it with the technology of that era.

Shadows and Ventures were two popular instrumental bands of that era. Strange that nowadays we don't have such bands anymore.

BTW, like your new look website. The old one a little too dark for me.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks Chun See for the interesting comments about the making of the theme song. I missed the documentary but there are some videos on You Tube, perhaps shorter ones.

Instrumentals with a large orchestra backing are never easy to record but there is a need to differentiate the ORIGINAL Ventures on vinyl with the one on TV.

Glad you like the new look. The blog's two years old on the 22nd November 2010 (tomorrow).

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Sorry for wrong info: Hawaii Five-0 is on AXN, not Channel 5. Time/Day similar.