NBA on CBS TV theme song

[ForemanFan]

Is the 1970s ABC NBA theme song still on YouTube? Its line were about sitting down and taking it easy.

[mjhartman1986]

Once ESPN's contract expires with the NBA, I honestly see them going back to CBS because of the network's college bball partnership with Turner, which has called NBA games for years and years. I would be all for a return to NBC, but I would be equally as excited for a return to CBS as well because anything beats ESPN/ABC's current presentation, or lack thereof.

[mvhcpa]

@saljustfarted Yep, the lyrics are on Wikipedia somewhere--you had the first part, I had the last part, and there is a little bit more in the middle.

[WhereverTheyMayRoam0]

NBA need to go back to NBC and CBS and stay with TNT the ABC presentation is awful

[mvhcpa]

I seem to remember the theme song before this one having lyrics, something like "[first line I don't remember] you'll see the best in basketball, when you watch the NBA on CBS"--does anyone know if I was close with that rendition?

[saljustfarted]

@mvhcpa I think you mean "Give it all you got/take your very best shot/and may the best team win. The time is now/the name of the game is action. They're on the floor/and they're ready to score/so let the game begin" I forgot the rest. Mid-70s I believe.

[celinetouchedmyhand]

THE MAVS WERE BORN IN 1980 AND WON THE FINALS 30 YEARS LATER.

[TheGlenth123]

this theme is original theme of NBA on CBS,ALSO that NBA on CBS would return in 2016,it used from NBA on TNT Theme (TNT & CBS Share theme) like CBS College Basketball theme share NCAA March Madness

[biffster68]

80s were the Golden Years of the NBA. Early 90s good too...SUCKS Now!!!

[amd77j]

@biffster68 Couldn't have said it better. and this theme song set it up on CBS. Great stuff.

[RoyalTebowDoom]

@biffster68 Except when my Mavs beat the scumbag Heat!

[nbafreak41]

I did as you said. I enjoyed it. GO KNICKS!

[corn8611]

jazzzzzzzzzzzzzy and eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepic

[davidvirgodc]

CBS did the best job. maybe it was because of all those classic match up. Sixers vs. Celtics, Sixers vs. Lakers, Lakers vs. Pistons. Basketball was so much better in the 80s

[abysmalatrocious]

This is the BEST NBA song. NBA on CBS. Nothing against NBA on NBC, as that will have a spot in my heart, because when my Sonics were contending, that song was always fresh in my ear. But, I wish that the NBA would go back to CBS, and bring this EXCELLENT song back with it!

[AK47Music]

GO LAKERS!!! 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!

REPEAT THREE-PEATS FOR BOTH PHIL & KOBE!!!

Ol' Jack Himself will be watching at courtside!!!

[MrBennetzen]

@AK47Music To The Boston Celtics: Beat LA, Beat LA, Beat LA!!!!!

[mrwoods22]

@AK47Music FAIL!!

[dolphinbuc]

Why are we subjected to the farse that is ESPN?

[MrCHITOWN247]

abc/espn sucks and jeff van gundy blows!

[MrFan32]

@MrCHITOWN247 abc blows but JVG is the shit

[JTWRZK]

CBS Sports did everything great in the 1980's. NBA, NFL, NCAA basketball and football, and NASCAR. Top notch production values, great commentators, and they made every game seem like the most important game to ever be played!

[CenterOpposite]

FUCKING.... CLASSIC.

[flash9376as]

Man this reminds me of the Piston-Celtic battles in the ECF in the late 80's..great memories

[MississippiRed1]

No doubt, the greatest network NBA theme song ever, NO DOUBT!!!!!!

[guy2008rules]

CBS and NBC kicks ABC's ass

[amd77j]

This was the music. Man, I miss this.

[rrvtjd]

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!

[kingovharts]

These themes along with NBA on NBC were the best

[PatDorr]

"The NBA on CBS is sponsored by; Mazda, and the full line of sophisticated Mazda products;

Gillette Atra Razor, the quick way to pivot for a close, comfortable shave;

Sears Roebuck and Company, you can count on Sears;

and by Miller High Life, welcome to Miller time."

[marquettefootball]

I don't mind having the NBA on two cable networks, so I can deal with ESPN doing Wed. and Fri. nights. But like @JZ2001JC said, bring NBC and CBS back. I like the CBS Saturday night game and the NBC post-football season tripleheader. Give each a conference final, but for continuity's sake, let NBC and CBS alternate years for the Finals and All-Star.

[DENNISPUPPY]

i like this. this would a lot like what ABC and NBC used to do with baseball; One network would cover World Series and All Star Game; the other had the League Championship series. Each year they would alternate

[marquettefootball]

@DENNISPUPPY Thanks. Either idea would work. The point: they ought to have two networks, not one. This FOX/MLB and ESPN/NBA solo stuff just doesn't work.

[Darkwyng99]

Wow, the NBA now truly sucks, and their current commentators are not much help. They are so bad, I actually MUTE the TV and try to listen to them on the radio.

[DENNISPUPPY]

Mike Breen is outstanding. Mike Tirico and Dan Schulman are horrible when it comes to the NBA. They are more suited for football

[Sylonth]

The NBA used to be something to watch...not something repulsive. I think they should ban tatoos, raise the hoop three feet and play the game the way it was instead of this jumping and jamming by a bunch of big guys that look like thugs. I am glad I am not a kid today and have to look up to these guys as "heros".

[carlton31174]

@Sylonth I agree with u to a certain extent. You refer to the players as thugs, but nba players in this day and age dont get in trouble like they used to. When was the last time you heard an nba player in trouble with the law? Not too much in recent years. That happens a lot with nfl players! And if you think about it the term "thug" is only used in the nba because of the wide number of black players in the league. You NEVER hear that word used in any other sport

[gatester311]

damn wow i use to be excited for basketball back then

[MrGreene313]

Man I want to play some basketball after listening to this theme!

[plpfctn2007]

this is good but roundball is better

[tb516]

Awesome song! This tops the NBC one by a longshot in my opinion!

[retromajor]

I agree, NBC tried but this theme cannot be topped. I'm a high school ref and before each game I listen too this theme too get hyped up. This theme marks the era of real team basketball

[auggdogrules]

ahh yes when the lakers rules the nba...just like they should

[Ecksntrick8]

Who wrote this?

[duckfan2378]

this song brings me great memories from being a little kid and watching my two favorite players Larry Bird and Clyde Drexler. great song.

[qmitch2]

I was born in '81 & got into basketball around '87. I remember those Classic CBS Sunday afternoon games right after football season ending. The Classic Christmas Day game, the Easter game, the All-Star game, & even the playoffs to NBA Finals. I do remember this theme music........dannnaa dunntta dunntt dunntt duannna LOL

[Tooms1121]

same here, also born in '81. i wish i could remember more of the games!

[runback22]

this brings back some memories.....still better than ABC's craptacular excuse for presentation.

[eviltodd1]

ESPN used to be good back then too . Whoever took over at abc/espn knows nothing about sports

[Dynasty5thGear]

Disney took over ESPN -_-

[casheasy]

I always loved the CBS NBA opening. Brent Musberger or Don Dtockton would always do the voice over for the opening. Great stuff.

[thedude19766]

raw should open with this theme

[ls14]

i agree with you, both networks CBS/NBC did a great job broadcasting NBA games, because now you see it on ABC and it"s horrible. 2 thumbs up for both CBS and NBC. NBA ON ABC stinks.

[generationll]

Dolphin,The Celtics won that game to.I was living in Bostonat that time

[dolphinbuc]

I remember when Jordan dropped 63 on Boston during this time.Man basketball was great back then.I'm Dick Stockton along with Tom Heinson and this is the NBA on CBS!

[SinistaN]

this really was the better of the two themes between cbs and nbc. nbc's was more flashy with the graphics, but also keep in mind it was a new decade when nbc did their graphics--cbs still did pretty good in the 80's anyway.

the cbs intro just presented things better, almost inspired you to watch it. they've had several great intros and theme musics--this one, the usa open tennis (yanni music), and currently the pga golf opening (also yanni music)-- good stuff!

[JZ2001JC]

NBA should leave ABC and go to NBC and CBS. TBS does games on Monday Nights like the old days, TNT does Thursday Nights, CBS has a game of the week on Saturday Night, and NBC has a triple header on Sundays. Then playoff time First two RDS will be all split up between TNT/TBS, NBC, and CBS. Then in CONF FINALS NBC gets EAST FINALS and CBS gets WEST FINALS. NBA FINALS--NBC does East Champs home games and CBS does West Champs Home Games.

[DENNISPUPPY]

I like this, and would TOTALLY embrace the idea if it happened

[JZ2001JC]

@DENNISPUPPY. Thank you sir. LOL I see my idea is rated Highest Rated comment. This would be cool if it did happen. Thank you for the support of the idea.

[D2Kprime]

@JZ2001JC : I'll buy that. I mean why have all the games on just one or two networks? The NFL is on NBC, CBS, FOX, and ESPN. Technically, even though MNF is on ESPN now, Disney own ABC which owns ESPN so the NFL is on all the major networks. The NBA should do the same.

I say let NBC do Eastern Conference games, CBS do Western Conference games, ABC do the All-Star Game, and All-Star weekend still be done by TNT. Let the NBA Finals rotate networks the same way the Super Bowl does.

[keithsmove]

Tomorrow night....

They should use this theme and Musburger doing the intro...

Bring back Heinsohn and Stockton for one nite.....

Musburger can use the "Garden of Even" analogy again :)

[keithsmove]

Best Theme Ever!!!!!!!!

[plpfctn2007]

classic. i'm waiting for dick stocken's voice.

[HuskerFanatic]

Tommy Heinsohn's too.

[gannable]

same here and as a Philly fan I'm expecting to see Sixers/Celtics, Sixers/Lakers or Celtics/Lakers.

[TMC1982Part2]

This theme actually debuted during the 1983 Finals up until just prior to the 1989 Finals (when CBS updated this theme).

[Yobachi2007]

They still use that theme music; but for college basketball now.

I don't remember them using it for then NBA; but I didn't start really watching B-ball until '89.

[ptonio3000]

SPIRITUAL!!!!!!!!! Reminds me of falling in love with the game in the 1988 NBA Finals-Isiah Thomas goes off for 25 in the 3rd quarter on a bumb ankle in the forum in Game 6. That was the night I knew this was for me!

[fearlessdave72]

Classic, reminds me of the Detroit Pistons bad boys years and the 1986 west finals between the Lakers and the Rockets

[mrmonty86]

I rather have the nba on cbs or nbc

[falange99]

I magnifici ANNI 80!!!!!!!!

[Jeff051176]

Thanks for uploading ridger, I get chills when I hear this music.

[primetime10x]

So do I. Reminds me of the Magic Show

[duckfan2378]

This intro was awesome. Because when they had a playoff series they would recap the games also with this. Brings back good memories as a young Blazer fan and Laker Hater when Bird and Celtics played them in the Finals

[Electronicboy1]

This is great! I wasn't even born in this era but I do watch NBA's Greatest Games, and when I hear this, it's just spectacular. Bird, Magic, and Jordan. The 3 best players ever. There is Kareem, Wilt, Karl Malone, so just forget that. This is great though. Great job!

[MCmikegriffin]

wikipedia has good stuff about the nba on cbs and nba on nbc and why they arent on cbs or nbc anymore

[dsu97]

The good old days, DR J 76ers, Birds Celtics and Magic's Lakers

[KaraLarson26]

This CBS theme brings me back to so many great memories of the NBA'S golden age of the 1980's. Larry Bird's Celtics, Magic Johnson's Lakers, the Bad Boys of Detroit, Michael Jordan's rise with the Chicago Bulls. Those were the days.

[dan19681968]

Love it. Brings back alot of memories of those great Celtics games in the 80s

[jsinger121]

This is such a great theme song. Wish they would bring it back.

[ridgeracerplayer14]

Me too. The NBA needs to get rid of ABC and bring back CBS or NBC.

[thatdudecozz89]

Well, how about if they bring back both, even though I was born in 1989, the next-to-last year CBS aired NBA games...But, I understand that NBC, CBS, TNT and TBS will own ABC and ESPN in NBA Television coverage anyday!!!!!!

[USAGiant]

Well i got some bad news for you. The NBA just recently extended the tv contract for ESPN/ABC for another 5 years and thus the Disney stations will now be broadcast pro basketball till at least end of the 2012-13 season.

[ridgeracerplayer14]

Another 5 years. *sigh* The NBA needs to think what are they are doing and keeping these crappy tv stations.

[USAGiant]

I agree 100% bro. NBC and CBS treated the NBA great and had great announcers ie Marv Albert w/ NBC and Dick Stockon w/ CBS.

However just like all sports leagues now, The NBA & David Stern only cares more than ever money. Slightly off topic but an example of this is the Sonics probable move to Okalahoma.

Okaklahoma did a great job w/ the Hornet during the Katrina crisis. However why should a long time city like Seattle lose a team?

Getting back to ESPN, they treat NBA too much as talk show.

[ridgeracerplayer14]

I remember how my dad loved to hear Marv Albert and Dick Stocken talked in the stations(hes 41 years old). yea, David Stern only cares about the money also the NBA. ;) Okalahoma did a great job helping with the Hornets during the Katrina crisis. But Seattle, I don't understand why they want to move? Is not like they will get more Fan Bases or something. But I will miss Seattle during to 90's. ESPN is like a talking show, at least their not that bad like ABC is.

[USAGiant]

By way Racerplayer thanks for uploading these great video clips of the "NBA's golden era of the 1980's and early 90's."

This era of Magic, Bird and Jordan(till his first retirement in 1993)is still the best period in NBA history with great balance of offense and defense. Not to mention only about 20something teams in league. No offense to other NBA fans across America, but just like the NHL, David Stern expanded way too much.

[ridgeracerplayer14]

Thanks :) I always want to here their themes again! I agree, the era of the Magic, Bird, and Jordan is the best period of NBA history!! I think David Stren likes to have to much NBA teams lol. crappy teams like the clippers and the grizzlies were crap. ;)

[thatdudecozz89]

Also, I would like 2 hear TNT and TBS' themes on YouTube, as well as the intros and games, etc...U have them?

[ridgeracerplayer14]

I don't have them, but if I find these songs. I can load them on youtube.

[giller33]

I agree. TNT sucks, ESPN sucks so does ABC. Those announcer talk to mucha bout bullshit stuff. Talk about basketball.