Even the most casual NBA fans probably remember the classic theme song from games played on NBC during the Golden Age of Basketball 1990s. They will almost certainly remember that it was written by John Tesh, a former television host and composer. Some may even know it’s called “Roundball Rock.” This was commemorated in pop culture on “Saturday Night Live” and further accompanied by a video of Tesh explaining where the song comes from: a voice message he left for himself.
In the 21st century, another theme song has become familiar to NBA fans, but probably not as familiar as Tesh’s. It was the one that marked the debut of one of the most influential studio shows in sports, “Inside the NBA” on TNT. Here, the composer of the theme song is virtually unknown to the show’s viewers and even its hosts. But he is a well-known name in some musical circles and one of the most prolific composers in the industry.
“I wasn’t even really aware of it, to tell you the truth,” Ernie Johnson, one of the hosts of “Inside the NBA” and a Yes fan, said in a phone call after finding out that Rabin was the composer. “But it’s very cool.”
Rabin, who lives in Los Angeles, describes himself as a rabid basketball fan, particularly the Lakers. He said he watches the games “religiously” and uses that time to practice guitar. But when it came to this theme song, it went almost unnoticed.
“I remember Shaq once saying he liked the theme just in passing, but no one ever recognized me. Charles Barkley must recognize it and shout. Otherwise, I’ll never support him again,” Rabin joked during a recent interview, referring to Shaquille O’Neal and Barkley, who host “Inside the NBA” with Johnson and Kenny Smith.
Rabin, 67, turned to film music in the 1990s. He had expressed an interest in orchestration from his childhood in South Africa, growing up as the son of a classical pianist mother and a a violinist father. As a member of Yes, Rabin said he often tried to introduce orchestral elements into the music.
“A lot of it has become electronic and computerized, but writing for orchestra has always been a passion of mine,” Rabin said, referring to the on-screen scores. “So I decided to go into acting and I remember my manager saying to me, ‘Oh, it’s a big brick wall out there. Just because you have gained notoriety in other fields, filmmaking is going to be very difficult. But I decided, ‘No, I really want to do this.’
He quickly became a sought-after composer in Hollywood. In 1998 alone, the films “Armageddon”, “Jack Frost” and “Enemy of the State” were released with Rabin’s music. His most famous work is probably the theme song for 2000’s “Remember the Titans.” This composition was performed in November 2008 after Barack Obama’s acceptance speech. for winning the presidency.
It was the “Titans” theme that put Rabin on the radar of Craig Barry, now a Turner Sports executive who oversees studio production for “Inside the NBA.” Barry, also a huge Yes fan, was doing production work for NBC during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City – and used the “Titans” theme. soundtrack to close the final broadcast. Barry then recruited Rabin to rework the show’s theme song from the TNT studio.
“I left armed with a handful of his work,” Barry said, adding, “I was basically telling him I wanted it all together.”
Part of what makes a theme song effective, Barry said, is that “you never get tired of hearing it.”
Obviously, that’s not the case with TNT. Usually, according to Rabin, the network will update graphics and other parts of the broadcast — except for the hosts, of course — every three years or so. But the theme song has remained the same for almost two decades. He became a character in the series, along with Johnson, O’Neal, Barkley and Smith. (Like Tesh’s, this theme appeared on “Saturday Night Live,” but as part of a bigger send-up of “Inside the NBA”)
“For me, it’s kind of a signature,” Johnson said. “If someone has their back turned and they’re in the house doing something and they have the TV on for background noise and they’re waiting for something, when they hear this song, he says, ‘OK, ‘NBA on TNT.’ is on. It’s like the stamp that announces the arrival of the NBA.”
The listener can hear some essential elements of what made Yes successful, particularly the soaring lead guitar riffs and heavy use of a synthesizer. But there are other things that may not be immediately visible. The song is in the 7/8 time signature, whereas most songs written for any medium over the past two centuries are more traditionally 4/4. (A time signature is generally a measure of the rhythm of a song.)
The genesis of the theme song was an act of aggression. Rabin said he was watching the 1984 NBA Finals between the rival Boston Celtics and his Lakers, when in Game 4, Celtics forward Kevin McHale double-teamed the Lakers’ Kurt Rambis. Rabin was scoring while watching the game, and the clothesline inspired him to invent the 7/8 meter, which he would later use for TNT.
Another aspect that sets this song apart is its versatility, whether as a highlight or as a main theme.
“What’s unique about the ‘NBA on TNT’ theme is that it can be used in a variety of situations and it can be really appropriate,” Barry said. “There’s this main theme, then there’s this very aggressive rushing section, and then there’s a slight fanfare. It’s all sort of merged together seamlessly.
Rabin said the only NBA figure he has discussed the topic with is Gary Payton, the Hall of Fame point guard who spent much of his career with the Seattle SuperSonics. Just after the theme debuted, Payton visited the set of “Bad Boys II,” a film for which Rabin had composed the music. Rabin was chatting with the film’s protagonist, Will Smith, when Payton approached.
“I said, ‘Oh, my God, you’re the Gauntlet.’ How are you? And can I shake the glove?’ ” Rabin said.
He informed Payton that he had composed the “Inside the NBA” theme song.
“And then he was like, ‘Man, that’s cool.’ And I guess that’s the story,” Rabin said.
Although TNT hasn’t made a move for a new theme song, the current song has a prominent critic: Rabin.
“It’s kind of a terrible affliction that I have,” he said, adding that he was also uncomfortable watching the films for which he composed music. “I feel like everything I do, when I listen to it, I always think, ‘Oh, my God, why didn’t I do that? I should have done that.’
But every time the song is played on the show, Rabin cashes a check, even though he cringes when he hears it.
“I wish it was $15,000 at a time, but unfortunately I think it’s more like 15 cents,” Rabin said.
