- Crockett's Theme
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"Crockett's Theme" Single by Jan Hammer Released September 14, 1987 Format 7", 12" Recorded 1984 Genre Instrumental Label MCA Records Writer(s) Jan Hammer Producer Jan Hammer "Crockett's Theme" is an instrumental song written for the hit NBC series Miami Vice. The surname Crockett refers to Don Johnson's character, James "Sonny" Crockett. The initial version of the theme first appeared in the episode Calderone's Return: Part 1 - The Hit List which aired on October 19, 1984. Composed by Jan Hammer, this song is an example of the instrumental New Wave hits popular during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s.
Contents
Chart performance
Although not a big success in the US, the song was a smash hit in the UK, reaching #2 in the singles chart there. It was a #1 in the Netherlands for 4 weeks. It was not originally called "Crockett's Theme", but its success led Jan Hammer to feature the original version on his 1987 album Escape from Television.
Country Peak
positionAustria 29 Germany 4 Netherlands 1[1] Switzerland 9 United Kingdom 2 Cover versions
It spawned many covers, such as ones by the Finnish heavy metal band Children of Bodom, FPU, Manual, Tunnel Allstars Feat. DJ Yanny and Trance Atlantic Air Waves. The Shadows recorded guitar version Crockett's Theme. A more recent cover has been made by house artist Michael Cassette. In 2000 it was released by Dj Sakin & Friends, a hard trance version under the name "Miami".
Other uses
Between 1991 and 1994, it featured in a series of adverts for National Westminster Bank in the United Kingdom.
NBC Sports used "Crockett's Theme" during its prologue (narrated by Bob Costas) for Game 5 of their 1991 NBA Finals coverage between the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, and it's still one of the tones played in the Staples Center during Lakers games.
The song gained new fame in Finland in the late 1990s when a then popular, now defunct, radio channel, Kiss FM, started playing it on their morning shows.
The instrumental song was also featured on the 1987 Amiga game Mike the Magic Dragon, and later in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, on the fictional radio station, Emotion 98.3.
In 2008, Snoop Dogg made a hip hop version of the theme, entitled "Jans Hammer vs. Snoop Dogg".
It was also included in the compilation album Pure Moods.
Hammer was asked to remake the track in 2006 with R&B singer TQ.
References
- ^ "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 19, 1987". http://www.top40.nl/index.aspx?week=19&jaar=1987. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
External links
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