# Mike Hammer Music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 2, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731 "2010-04-02T14:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731/1 "2010-04-02T14:29:28Z")
This thread is for the purpose of exploring the various pieces of music used for themes to various presentations of Mickey Spillane’s detective. My earliest memory of such music is from the radio drama where Ted De Corsia was Hammer’s voice and [Streetcar Named Desire - Main Theme](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FaDve3_SIU&playnext_from=TL&videos=LLsTffr2sB0) was the music. (I just recently located this YouTube clip and decided to see if any of you have a fondness for the music or Hammer or Spillane or whatever.) ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731/2 "2010-04-02T14:43:00Z")
The TV show used _Harlem Nocturne_; it was an okay enough version, but the ultimate example is that released by The Viscounts in 1958. The tune fits in well with the moodiness of the big city, especially at night. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731/3 "2010-04-02T15:09:40Z")
> [@In\_Winnipeg](#): > > The TV show used _Harlem Nocturne_; it was an okay enough version, but the ultimate example is that released by The Viscounts in 1958. The tune fits in well with the moodiness of the big city, especially at night. Roger that! [The Viscounts / Harlem Nocturne](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfAv8yAaHps) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731/4 "2010-04-02T15:18:46Z")
In case it wasn’t known before now, _Harlem Nocturne_ was composed by the same guy who gave us [The Andy Griffith Show-theme song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACQTddaIO2s&feature=related) For a fascinating 10-part interview with this prolific man, check out [Earle Hagen - Archive Interview Part 1 of 10](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdUCEVpyUoM) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731/5 "2010-04-02T15:41:40Z")
I love _Harlem Nocturne_; great moody song. And I laughed my ass off when it popped up in “Tango and Cash” as the part of the soundtrack that introduced Kurt Russell in hooker drag. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731/6 "2010-04-02T15:53:19Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I love _Harlem Nocturne_; great moody song. And I laughed my ass off when it popped up in “Tango and Cash” as the part of the soundtrack that introduced Kurt Russell in hooker drag. It does make for some good stripper music! And for my money there aren’t many other tunes that scream “Big City” any better. Offhand, others that have a similar feel, even if not quite as gritty and grimy, include: [Street Scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vXcifFt8oQ) Rhapsody in Blue Slaughter on Tenth Avenue [Naked City (TV show)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoIJbx83It8) [Manhattan Serenade](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR3DuRuNq4o) (ought to be familiar from The Godfather). Others? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mike-hammer-music/534731/7 "2010-04-02T20:27:03Z")
Well, I have a Harlem Nocturne station on Pandora, and it plays lots of semi-similar stuff. The last two songs it played were “Romance” by Billy May and “On The Sunny Side Of The Street” by Johnny Hodges. Also lots of Count Basie…TRM