NFL Films Music, Sam Spence, Classic NFL Music, The Over the Hill Gang, Autumn Thunder

[PackersSBChamps11]

Listening to Sam Spence before football games pumps me up way more than any hard rock or rap song.

[makaveli8888]

Does anyone know who does the music score and/or the name of the song for Super Bowl XIV at the 9 min mark when Terry Bradshaw and Mike Webster are running up the middle of the field?

[brokenglassize]

this remind me of my childhood, i couldn't wait for football on sunday, a great post.

[vitoduval]

And right before this Mike Ditka talking how the Colts were covering Pettis (Norman) on the outside.... This music would have been for Emmitt Smith also

[kyspentay]

Now, if we could just get Ray Ellis' music for the 1960s "Spider-Man" cartoon released like this.....

[AnnaAnnaYes]

@kyspentay Now that WOULD be SO Cool!!! People tend to forget that

Spider Man started as an adult comic!!

[tubricant]

"Number 54, Randy White's interception handed the ball back to the Dallas offense. And, if you're a betting man, you know the more you give the ball to the Dallas offense, the better your odds are of losing. ... However, there are times that even a sure bet turns up snakeyes, as Bobby Leopold grabbed onto Danny White's tipped pass like it was a hot pair of dice."

[jpad67]

from the frozen tundra of lambeau field lombardi would not let these men fail!!!!!

[bufnyfan1]

why can't a major symphonic orchestra play this music live with a large screen behind them showing the best NFL plays of the last ~20-25 years---that's a concert I would pay big bucks to see!!!!!

[Kasper44649]

That´s ihan surkeeta musaa



[Razorking2011]

All of sudden im 12 years old again. Watching This Week In The NFL,on channel 5. Drinking a Pepsi and eating Dorritos. Cool!

[griffinmets]

Terry Bradshaw spots Lynn Swan in the enzone touchdown!!!!!!!

Stauback with an amazing hail mary

[jackpark7927]

Spence's classics include Big Game America, Headcracker Suite and, of course, paying homage to the one-of-a-kind Johnny Unitas in "In One More Moment for the Master" I've got an equation for Perfection: Ed Sabol's films, Stu Spence's music and John Facenda's narration. Nothing in any other sport comes close.

[mrlove1961]

For someone who grew up in the 70's this is GREAT SHIT!!!!

[moncar77]

@mrlove1961 Does anyone know the name of the first song playing? Looking for the name since my Dolphins went undefeated. Thank's

[6400az]

" Lets Go Big O" is one of my favorite tracks, but I don't associated with any particular play or team.

On the other hand, "Rainbows In The End Zone", that one goes with Bobby Bryant's spectacular, backbreaking, 63 yrd TD return with an pick against Dallas, in the 1973 NFC Championship Game. For a boy watching this......simpley the stuff of dreams !!

[calimar28]

Because it was used in the Super Bowl V highlight film, to highlight the cowboys drive against the colts, it will always be "the theme from the cowboys" to me...

[Garvarino]

Football Football Football,,, im going back to schoolyard tackle football around 10 years old,, fall of 77,,  i was ALWAYS Chuck Foreman with my spin move,,then going home to the smell of Sunday Gravy with meatballs and all the fixings,, getting in front of the tv and watching football until i fell asleep,, and not caring about anything else at all ,,

[MrMatt8204]

Twisting through the Colts like two Texas tornadoes, Duane Thomas, #33 and Walt Garrison, #32, proved the worth of Landry's tactics.

[Panthers11222]

I have all the shows from '73-78 and have posted them.

[ctyankfan7]

@Panthers11222 Hey, nice to see you stop by at one of the music posts. Great job hanging in there over the past year to make all of your highlight posts available to us.

[grizzlaxful]

@Panthers11222

Great job, man. Being a pro football fan in my mid-40's, those shows bring back some great childhood memories.

[jszabo1000]

yeah.........tackle football on a Sunday mourning in 1975, then 6 hours of Pro Football....Those were the days....

[eddieman223]

John facenda rocks the over the hill gang

[eddieman223]

Love the over the hill gang but we need John facenda narrating the Dallas cowboys 1981 NFC championship

[neneshubby]

Stabler, Staubach, Tarkington, Pearson, Fouts, Kilmer, Payton, Foreman, Jaworski, Carmichael, Harris, Swann, Gilliam, Griese, Csonka, Moses, Gradishar, Youngblood, Grogan, Vataha, Bilentnikoff, Knox, Madden, Allen, Landry.......the 1970's, the greatest era of football ever. No West Coast offense, everyone took 7step drops, no shotgun, it was offsides not encroachment, illegal procedure, not false start, Rozelle, muddy fields, the dirt in Cleveland and Baltimore on and on and on

[kayhoney11]

Hearing the Over the Hill Gang will always remind me Dallas's Doomsday Defense

[Dakers11]

@targetvideo1 I thought I was imagining a music, that was in my mind as a child. Then I heard Sam Spence's "The Over The Hill Gang" with that Coronet high above, all alone. Equal to Beethoven's 7th & Mozart's Requiem in my mind. Thank You !

[MrFinsforlife]

ESPN cannot not even get close to this time . NFL FILMS is what football should be today. Not that junk that ESPN passes as info. NFL FILMS never forgotten

[MrFinsforlife]

Reminds me of the old Miami Dolphins teams of the early 70's. Super memories!!!

[MrFinsforlife]

Awesome!!!!!!!

[DarkPhoenixFire1963]

Only one team comes to mind whenever I hear this song: TOM LANDRY'S DALLAS COWBOYS

[federalwarhawk]

I seem to remember the first song playing, as they showed highlights of a team that was trying to make a comeback from a huge point deficit, then the second song at 2;40 played, as the other teams defensive laid punishing hits on them, and stopped any comeback attempt.

[KingofMars62]

I just love "The Over the Hill Gang". Listening to the part from the 1:35 - 2:00 minute mark just about gives me goose bumps.

Thanks for posting this. 8-)

[pjd10265]

brings back great memories of this week in the nfl with pat summeral and tom brookshire

[TheRetro64]

The quotes I just posted are from the first song in that video.

[TheRetro64]

Super Bowl V

"Twisting through the Colts liki two Texas tornadoes, Walt Garrison, #32, and Duane Thomas, #33, proved the worth of Landry's tactics",

"Only once did Morton resort to that old familiar Cowboy trademark, the long pass to Bob Hayes",

"The Cowboys had to settle for a field goak, and again came away with three points instead of seven."

[STP43FAN1]

@TheRetro64 Fabulous. But the track that immediately follows that clip, with psychedelic jazz over John Unitas' controversial touchdown to John Mackey - they should have included that one on the album, too.

[kgmule]

@STP43FAN1 The song you refer to is "Artful Dodger" by Syd Dale, on the KPM Library album #1049-Chorus and Orchestra. It's on iTunes. Check it out

[STP43FAN1]

@kgmule Thanks. I'll try to find it.

[pats8191]

@TheRetro64 Super bowl XIII

John Stallworth turned a routine sideline pass into a marathon 75 yard touchdown run that tied the game.

Stallworth is from Alabama and down there the locals say that he's like a blend of sipping whiskey and white lightning, smooth with a good strong finishing kick.

[joekiddlouischama]

@pats8191 ... yes, classic stuff.

[6400az]

At 7:45......The stuff of absolute dreams, whatever they may be !!

[GaryHMan]

Pretty cool. Thanks for the memories AND the Info. ...

[steve355]

Here's 3 real good ones, if someone could post: Street Warfare, Soloman

Squatz, and Milktrain to Paydirt.

[xxchinookxx]

Please!..Someone post: "March to Sudden Death" = THANKS

[delu534]

@xxchinookxx ..try this.."Game Plan For Sudden Death" might be what you are looking for.

Do a You Tube search for Columbia Lions Basketball..that piece plays in the backround.

[xxchinookxx]

You HIT the nail right on the head......That's the tune. I thank you very much. This tune is so 1970s Dallas Cowboys for me because of Captain Comback=Roger Staubach. ....Thanks again!

[STP43FAN1]

Can you post Electro Combat? That's one of the Spence tracks I've been looking for most. It's one of several tracks on the Superbowl XI film that I want most - Electro Combat opens Part III of the film.

[ctyankfan7]

@STP43FAN1 Try the beemp3 site that I mentioned in a post below. I like Electro Combat too. The beginning of it makes me want to run out of my garage in slow motion, out into my back yard where I high five and shoulder bump my two sons as we get ready for a big game of touch football.

[suchansyn]

I agree Gritsfed

[robphilll22]

This song is made for end runs and sweeps with a smattering of screen passes.

[6400az]

@robphilll22

Yes your right., But the track is also perfect for when a team who has been beaten up through out the game then comes back at the end.You know, as in the beginning of the final drive. We all have our favorites.

[fuhardest]

Damn, i put this shit on at work and it made me jump up, grab a foam football and run with my shoulders down, taking out 3 co workers on my way to the end zone (bathroom). Damn, i was like adrian peterson.

[Susquehanna80]

Ooo.. my favorite of the Classic NFL films music scores.. Very nice

[delbard1]

The first selection: "The Over the Hill gang", suggests  VERY desperate battle. Very dramatic I always wanted to find out the name of that piece of music. Who wrote that one? NFL films has two composers @ any time.

[ctyankfan7]

@delbard1 Answered the same question about a month ago. It's Sam Spence who did most of the work for NFL Films until the 1990's. During the mid-seventies, a few other composers were used, particularly Martha Jane Weber and Beverly Hermann.

[delbard1]

@ctyankfan7  i didn't see your answer sorry.

[ctyankfan7]

@delbard1 No problem.

[elmachosaskwatcho]

Would you by chance have "Touchdown Jubilee" somewhere where you could put it up...that would be great!

[ctyankfan7]

@elmachosaskwatcho Actually, you can try the Beemp3 site and search "Autumn Thunder."

[DaddySinister]

Love this!!!! Takes me back to my childhood playing football on a vacant lot in the cold on a late fall evening after watching your favorite team play on tv. Whens the last time you saw kids playing sports on a vacant lot?

[WaleStunna4]

Four of the best songs ever made!

[irish89055]

you saved the best til last.... "Rainbows to the End Zone"..... enjoy while you can, the studio cops will have this pulled...

[ecfan1]

does anyone know if there is a complete list of all NFL Films songs in existence. There was 1 song I want but cannot find.

[delu534]

@ecfan1

I found what I was looking for this way:

google this: autumn thunder track listing

click on the barnes and noble listing with the audio player .You can play a small sample of each piece of music from Autumn Thunder

[ctyankfan7]

@delu534 Yes, I have the Autumn Thunder set and it is excellent, but it doesn't have everything. There is something called the NFL Music Library which contains titles to other songs not on Autumn Thunder, but even that list is nowhere near a complete listing. For songs not on Autumn Thunder, I've been watching a youtube channel which has been posting clips from the mid-70's highlight shows. Try something like 1975 NFL wk 3 Cowboys youtube, and you'll get something.

[delu534]

@ctyankfan7

cool..yeah that's how I got to this point, by looking for clips from "This Week In Pro Football" on here. Brings me back to when I was 10-11 years old. I heard "Over the Hill Gang" on one of them but did not know the name..I used that little sample music player to find the name. Thanks

[fabesify]

this is why i live for football...

[vahekatros]

the theme music from backyard football. kick ass. nice work friend - tnx for posting. oh and off course I loved the weekly highlights as a kid - I was lucky to grow up during the years of mud and blood.

[runntum]

Some of the greatest music ever made !

[ldw47]

AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mgwilliams1000]

Just Awesome. Each week we would sit and listen to this as broadcast "This Week in the NFL". There was no ESPN, so this was how we got our highlights for that Sunday"s games.

[irish89055]

@mgwilliams1000 MG, yes... those were the days... NFL films using "Rainbows to the End Zone" and others of course, to show a teams struggle then big win over diversities in the championship game... glorious use of music. It just depended on what highlight show they did, it was all good... and a great documentation of the NFL.. I personally don't care for the attitudes today... better things to do on a Sunday afternoon now..

[Jantelover]

some years ago, i thought over the hill gang was the single best spence piece, if i had to name one... recall someone agreed it was great but commended game plan for sudden death...i have those two in a four song sequence to cap a 20 spence song program, those four being in a very specific order....after years of hearing them that way, i would say that overall, game plan for sudden death is now my single favorite spence composition, tho they are best in tandem: always OTHG first and then GPFSD

[thegamesthatrate]

What is the name and who is the author of the first track on this clip?

[ctyankfan7]

@thegamesthatrate

The Over the Hill Gang by Sam Spence who composed most of the NFL Films music until the 1990's.

[roquey44]

The hated Fore . . . uh, Redskins.

[Gritsfed1]

No doubt! I too remember "This Week in the NFL" as a youngster." Personally I have always liked "Over The Hill Gang" and "Rainbows in the Endzone." Stirring music for the battles of the NFL.

[roquey44]

@Gritsfed1 Before ESPN, it was THE show to watch for your teams NFL Films. Greatness. What was even better was "The Game of The Week." YOu waited all week hoping your team would be featured and when it was, it was like opening a Christmas present.

[richie19190]

@roquey44 That was my favorite show during the NFL Season. It was always extra special when they would feature the Cleveland Browns on the game of the week. As a diehard Browns fan that was awesome to see.

[1974NFL]

@roquey44 The games I remember the most from that era are the games in which my team was featured on the Game of the Week.

[hooliganbill]

Simply awesome!

[brianphilly]

the over the hill gang is Greatest song I ever heard loved it as a kid on this week in the NFL Back in the 70's Thanks to youtube I can listen anytime

[manmachineinc]

The BEST ever football music. It's fall of 1977, it's gray skies and cold and we're playing sandlot football. As serious, brutal and fun as any organized league game in town.

We pretended we were all the big names, pearson, hill, jones, mitchell, carr, dorsette, stabler, casper, riggins, kick, branch, etc. it was the best time as a kid.

It was pure love of the game.

[armybeef68]

@manmachineinc

You forgot the BEST team on the BEST team in the 70's, when I played football in the street on Lester Ave in San Jose, Ca at the same, exact time, it was always Bradshaw, Swann, and Stallworth, I still remember "cut left at the telephone pole, than go deep and it will be over your shoulder" We said that no matter who was playing quarterback, oh the memories

[abalvarez]

@armybeef68 Wow! I use to live on Lester in the 90s and I would play on that same street. Only, I pretended I was Hostetler. haha =)

[82maddhatter]

@manmachineinc - me too...a lot of street football then..

[propvalgroup]

@82maddhatter

Oh yea...loved it.

Now well into my 40's...I play touch once in awhile and think about those long lost days.

[82maddhatter]

@propvalgroup than after everyone went home, it was time for "This week in the NFL" and "NFL Game of the Week"...those were my fav programs...

[propvalgroup]

@82maddhatter

Ditto! Oh man, what simpler times.

[6400az]

@manmachineinc

Me too !!

Except it was the fall of 1971, I played here in sweltering Miami FL. Of all teams, I was the lone Vikings fan. Played with my Jr. Rawling helmet wich I sawed off one of the bars so it could look like my hero Joe Kapp's helmet. It was in that church yard that I avenged every single post season season loss the Vikings ever suffered. One year, I had 500 yrds rushing and 800 passing ( all in one game ). The most fun I ever had. I was Joe Kapp !!

[ecfan1]

@manmachineinc the fall of 1977 was a great one for me as a Cowboy fan.

[jerzeyshorelocal]

@manmachineinc dude we did the same thing wish we played your team there the best memories a few guys and me still have as kids by the way i was franco harris on offense and jack lambert on d people said i was nuts and go try out for the nfl i had a shot at being a walk on for the browns in the early 80s i never went till this day i still ask why?my boy plays now so maybe theres still hope

[propvalgroup]

@jerzeyshorelocal

Oh yea. We had dreams, we played with pure joy and emotion.

Because we loved the game and all the nuances with it.

Nowadays, it's ridiculous 'fantasy football' or Madden video games.

There are no lot sandlot games everyday or every week anymore. These kids (except yours maybe)

have no clue. It's a shame.

[willismtn]

The Over the Hill Gang is, in my opinion, the best song on the Autumn Thunder collection. As a lifelong Washington Redskins fan it has added significance as the title is the nickname given to George Allen's Skins teams of the 1970's.

"Just Remember This, Forty Men Together Can't Lose" 12/31/1972 George Allen

[mydadsarobot]

@willismtn ......I agree, this song inspired my brother and i to join Pop Warner football in 70'-71' and play a few good years of hard tackling football...our dream come true and great memories....btw i was a Los Angeles Ram fan back at the Coliseum.

[propvalgroup]

@mydadsarobot

Pat Hayden!

I used to root for him because he was short like me!

[ctyankfan7]

@willismtn

Won't get an argument from me on that. I think Over the Hill Gang, Big Game America and March to the Trenches could very well have been me and my siblings' top three favorites from the weekly highlight shows when we were growing up. I seem to remember Street Warfare, West Side Rumble and Action Ride being right there in the mix as well.

[nauort23]

Hi, Rank Shankle!!!  hee hee hee hee hee hee...