Today Ocarina listens to one of the television theme songs that has most captured the collective imagination, the Batman theme song, a piece that embodies the timeless appeal of Gotham City’s superhero and has made generations of children dream.
First appearing as a comic in March 1939 for DC comics, Batman is a true champion of goodness and justice, but also a creature of the night who, although devoid of superpowers, has managed to develop a perfect balance due to his great intelligence and extraordinary physique.
Batman is a unique character both because he is the only ‘superhero’ without superpowers and because of his complexity. On one side is the ‘normal’ Bruce Wayne who leads a daytime life of civic engagement and social life, and on the other is Batman, the dark knight, lonely and gloomy.
It all begins when as a child, after leaving the theater with his parents, a robber kills them in front of him. From that moment young Bruce decides to engage in his own fight against crime. To accomplish his goal, he decides to attend the best universities in the world to study to create special weapons and equipment. He also trains hard in martial arts to achieve perfect physical condition.
In the 1960s, and more precisely between 1966 and 1968, Batman became the protagonist of a television series, now a cult, taking the superhero’s name. Suddenly millions of people around the world who had never read a comic book before, became fans of the black superhero’s adventures. Its unique mix of action, comedy, and bold design thus became a landmark in television history. The series starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, creating an unforgettable duo.
One of the most distinctive and beloved features of the series was its musical theme song. Composed by Neal Hefti, the theme song of “Batman” is a musical masterpiece that has become an integral part of the character’s identity. The tune, which was essentially a series of “Batman!” vocals accompanied by lively and distinct rhythms distinguished by the legendary “nananananana” and the onomatopoeic sounds of fisticuffs, became immediately recognizable. Its simplicity and effectiveness in evoking the atmosphere of the series have made it a timeless classic.
