R.I.P. Neal Hefti

Batman!
Batman!
Batman!
Batman!
Batman!...Batman!...Batman!

Da,na,na,na,na,na, na,na.....BATMAN!

Neal Hefti, composer of the theme song to the 1960's TV series Batman starring Adam West died this Saturday due to causes which have not been disclosed. Hefti was 85 years old.

The theme song, whose lyrics are quoted above, earned Hefti a Grammy and was in many ways as a big a hit as the campy TV series was. In the series, which was a far cry from the Dark Knight we know Batman as today, the "Caped Crusader" and his sidekick Robin battled evil each week as "pows" and "bams" flashed across his screen, amid corny dialog like "Holy Crime Wave Batman!" Hollywood stars from Cesar Romero to Burgess Meredith lined up to play evil-doers like the Joker and the Penguin.

Hefti's famous theme song will live forever in the memories of anyone old enough to remember the innocence of both the series and the time.

It certainly does in those of this writer.

Rest In Peace Neal.