This is something I might do from time to time. A randomly initiated top 5 list of something sports or pop culture related. With Arkham City consuming a significant portion of my life for the past week, I figured Batman theme songs would be a good choice.
The Caped Crusader has a history of adaptation (to the big screen, the small screen, and the game screen) rivaled only by Superman, DC's other heavy hitter. Because of this, he has more than enough solid theme songs to fill a Top 5, and then some. Because of that, these aren't really numbered, but you can consider them in order.
So, without further adieu.
Honorable Mention: The Adam West Theme
Sure, it's kitschy. Sure, it's cheesy. Sure, it stands as an antithesis to everything Batman has been since the 1980s. It's still Batman, it's still entertaining, and it's still Adam West.
Besides, what's a Batman list without it? (na na na na na na na na BATMAN).
Batman (1989) Theme
Dark, foreboding, and powerful. This was Tim Burton's Batman, and this was his theme song. I generally don't care for Danny Elfman, but this is as solid a theme as you can ask for. That it seems to have been the basic inspiration for the Animated Series Theme is an added bonus. I know that some of the later Burton/Schumaker themes might have been more elaborate and explosive, but this was the song they all sprung from, and the differences aren't really that huge.
Batman Beyond Theme
If Tim Burton's Batman films were dark, Batman Beyond was downright midnight. Set in a near-dystopian future Gotham in which Bruce Wayne has been forced into retirement, Beyond follows his successor (and secret biological son, apparently. Stupid arc.) Terry McGinnis, with his turn of the millenium version-cool high tech Batman suit. As silly as it might sound, the show drew heavily from the Animated Series (never a bad thing), and featured possibly the greatest animated Batman film, Return of the Joker.
Batman Begins Theme
Christopher Nolan's 2005 reboot of the Batman film series still stands as one of the triumphant moments of this Batman fan's fandom. It was (and still is) a revelation. The Hans Zimmer soundtrack didn't hurt, either.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Theme
The Batman: Mask of the Phantasm theme is, more or less, a semi-orchestrated version of the Animated Theme, which makes sense, considering it was basically three full length Animated episodes put together. But, my God, was it good. This, more than anything is responsible for informing me just exactly what a good Batman story was.
Batman: Arkham Asylum Theme
I feel like I've already used the word "foreboding" a little too much. How about "psychologically ominous." Because that's what Arkham Asylum was. It took the humanity, pacing, and talent (Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini) from the Animated series and mixed with the sheer psychological intensity of the best Batman graphic novels and one shots (A Serious House on Serious Earth, Killing Joke, etc), then threw in a pinch of the Nolan's films pacing. But still, this isn't meant to be a review of the game itself. Just the theme. Which represents all of those ideas magically. It was so great to hear this on the title screen.
The Dark Knight Theme
Like all great sequels, The Dark Knight took the best things from its predecessor, enhanced them, cultivated them, and then lit them on fire and kicked them, screaming, from a cliff. You can hear a lot of that in this theme, which is far removed from the broody themes of previous Batman films. This is where the shit hits the fan. Also, the shit is on fire.
Batman: Arkham City Theme
Similarly to the Dark Knight, Arkham City takes everything that the original did correctly (which was almost everything) and improves it. You can hear the similarities in theme. But where the Dark Knight theme seems to dispense with the brooding, the Arkham City theme embraces it, becoming some sort of apocalyptic cacophony of all things Batman, which is a pretty good description for the game, as well.
You had to know this was coming, right? The best theme song not only in the animated realm, but possible all of television as well, the B:TAS theme lets you know right off the Bat that this Batman is not to be fucked with. Dark, exciting, human and explosive, this theme is everything you need to know about Batman in a tidy, 60 second shell. This theme is vengeance. This theme is the night. This theme...IS...BATMAN.
Extra Credit: The Justice League Theme
Not quite a Batman show, the Justice League was a both a fitting successor and a natural continuation of both the Batman and Superman Animated Series. Besides, it was as much Batman's show as it was anyone else's. It's too good an intro not to use.
Extra Special Credit: The Batusi!
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