My Top 20 Pieces of Music from Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is one of the greatest shows that has ever aired on network television. Despite it initially being marketed as a kid’s show, Batman: The Animated Series ended up appealing to people of all ages due to its sophisticated storytelling, psychological characterizations, dark deco art style, and topnotch voice talent. It also featured amazing music scores that were unique and different for each and every episode and these scores all featured a mini orchestra as well. This was unheard of for television back then, especially for kids programming. Most television shows use the same musical cues over and over again and have just one composer who uses a computer now to create the soundtrack to the episode. Even today most shows don’t have mini orchestras and completely different scores for each and every episode. Yet, this is what made Batman: The Animated Series stand out because every episode felt like a mini movie.
I don’t remember when I first tuned into the series when it premiered in 1992 when I was 6 years old, but I do remember watching it fairly quickly after it’s premiere and becoming very taken with it. When I was in elementary school we didn’t get out of school until 3:30 pm, which meant by the time I got home I could only catch the last 2 shows on the Fox Kid’s block and those shows were Mighty Morphing Power Rangers and Batman: The Animated Series. I watched both shows religious and would try to never miss an episode. I soon started getting the action figures for Batman: The Animated Series and I fondly remember the McDonald’s toys with the characters as mini action figures or in cars. The happy meal boxes for those toys could be turned into streets and buildings for Gotham City as well which was way cool for a child.
As I mentioned in the intro article for Batman week it was the flamboyant male villians, such as The Mad Hatter, The Riddler and The Joker as well as the Femme Fatales like Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, who appealed to me most when I was a child watching the series every day. As a young boy who was not like the other boys, I was very drawn to these villains who were outcasts but dressed and acted much more femme and flamboyant than most of the characters I saw on TV as a kid.
As I got older, I left behind most of the shows I watched as a kid such as Mighty Morphing Power Rangers, but Batman: The Animated Series still left an impression on me even though I wasn’t watching it as much by the late ‘90s. I would still think about that show from time to time. Then Cartoon Network started airing the series every week day afternoon at the end of 1999 and I became hooked all over again. The show was just as engaging if not more so as a teen then it was when I was a kid. I really appreciated the dark stories and in-depth characterizations that this series excelled at. As I got older my love and appreciation for Batman: The Animated Series grew as I collected all the episodes on DVD and started showing it to all my friends in college, after college, and even my husband who initially hated Batman. Yet after I would show all of them episodes of Batman: The Animated Series they were always blown away by how good this supposedly “kids cartoon” show was, with my husband becoming infatuated with the character of Mr. Freeze in particular.
Something I noticed more about the series after getting back into it around 1999/2000 was the music. As a child I didn’t notice music too much unlike now where I notice it in everything and everywhere. I had been a big music fan for a few years when I rediscovered the show at the turn of the millennium and I started falling in love with the music scores in each episode. In the late 80s and early 90s there was an animation renaissance that started with the blockbuster success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988. That movie helped reignite animation at both Disney and Warner Brothers and both studios poured more money and resources into their animated films and cartoon shows than they had for decades. It’s why Batman: The Animated Series was afforded a mini orchestra and different scores for each and every episode.
The main composer and conductor for Batman: The Animated Series was Shirley Walker, a woman who excelled in a field that had very few women. Though she took the lead for the music on the show she also groomed young talent and would bring them on to the series and mentor them. She brought in between 40 and 50 young composers total during Batman: The Animated Series, which whittled down to about 7 composers by the end of the series. Those core group of composers followed Shirley to Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, before they took the reigns over completely for Justice League when Shirley went on to compose for films. Shirley sadly passed away in November of 2006 due to a stroke at the age of 61. Still her legacy lived on as the composers she mentored went on to do more music composing for shows like Batman Brave and the Bold and many of the Marvel cartoons of the past 10 years. The music from Batman: The Animated Series was Shirley’s greatest legacy though and after years of talks soundtracks were finally released on CD through La La Lands Records’ web site. In the past several years all those soundtracks have become available through streaming sites such as Spotify and Amazon.
Listening to the excellent podcast hosted by Justin Michael called, Batman: The Animated Podcast, I’ve learned to love the show even more. Justin who is my age, has the same nostalgia for the show but brings on all the talent who worked on the series, from voice actors, writers, directors, producers and many of the composers who worked under Shirley and composed specific episodes all by themselves. Listening to this podcast confirms why Batman: The Animated Series was so great because everyone involved in the show brought their A game and didn’t treat it like after school fodder. Hearing the composers talk about how they learned to not just compose music, but have the music tell a story and reflect character arcs and emotions is a testament to how good the music was on this series. The Music of Batman: The Animated Series wasn’t just background noise, it was its own character that was just as vital as the animation and voice acting in telling the story in each and every episode.
Below I am going to rank my favorite pieces of music from Batman: The Animated Series that are available through streaming on Spotify, which includes the soundtrack albums from La La Land Records and the film soundtrack to 1993’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, which remains my single favorite Batman film of all time. If you have not watched Batman: The Animated Series or Mask of the Phantasm yet I would highly recommend you do so. Not every episode is perfect, like any show it had its duds, and some of the animation has aged a bit, but for the most part it’s still one of the best shows every made. For me Batman: The Animated Series remains the best and most quintessential version of Batman ever made and this countdown will reflect why I think this show was and still is so special.
20. On Leather Wings by Shirley Walker
The first episode of the series featured the villain Man-Bat who was only known to comic book readers as he was invented around 1970. The fact that the series dug deep for its first villain showed what kind of Batman this was going to be. This take on Batman was going to be more faithful to the comics while changing things wherever the creators saw fit, usually for the better. The score, while not the all time best for the series, is still very good and has a lot of character to it. The opening fluttering flute feels uniquely different from the start and it has a good sense of drama and suspense to it as it unfolds.
19. If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich by Carlos A. Rodriguez
I love John Glover’s portrayal of The Riddler on this show as it’s less manic from the 60s show. Here Riddler is a smug intellectual who looks down at others for not being as intelligent. The opening music is strange but cool and shows what a different type of Riddler this is going to be compared to the Frank Gorshin version. I also love Riddler’s newly designed suit, which is what I based my costume on that I wear for Halloween and Batman film premiers.
18. Pretty Poison by Shirley Walker & Lolita Ritmanis
Poison Ivy was one of my favorite characters on this series. I loved how beautiful but dangerous she was and her motives were not terrible. She felt that killing plants and destroying nature for man’s own selfish needs needed to be addressed and stopped. That’s a pretty sympathetic motive even if she went about it all wrong in every episode. The musical theme for Poison Ivy, which would reappear in her various appearances throughout the show, was sexy but creepy in a very subtle way. Her theme music felt very eerie but entrancing much like the character herself.
17. The Joker’s Favor by Shirley Walker
When I show people this series for the first time this is the episode I show first. It’s a great Joker episode, with Mark Hamill in peak form throughout. Harley Quinn is also introduced for the first time ever in this episode. Joker’s Favor centers around the Joker terrorizing a man who cut him off once on the freeway. It’s a very low stakes but compelling episode of how one man’s mistake haunts him for years to come. The music is very interesting as it starts off sounding like a sitcom screwball farce before switching gears into this very energetic jazz sound. By the end it takes a dark turn once Charlie, the poor sap who cusses out the Joker on the freeway, is confronted by the Joker and realizes he just made the biggest mistake of his life. We also get the hear the classic Joker theme towards the end as well. In just the first few minutes this opening score shows how versatile a composer Shirley Walker was and why the series felt cinematic.
16. The Last Laugh by Shirley Waker
Joker had the same theme music throughout the series but each of his episodes were scored very differently. It’s Jazzy again here but much darker and with a sense of urgency to it. From the moment it starts during the title card the episode has your full attention due to this music. If anything the music of this episode takes what is a pretty standard Joker story (spraying Joker gas on the citizens of Gotham) and makes it feel epic.
15. The Demon’s Quest by Michael McCuistion
Based around the series of comics in the early the 70s by Neal Adams and Denny O Neal, the Demon’s Quest is about the introduction of one of Batman’s greatest foes Ra’s Al Ghul. The episode has a unique beginning because it’s the only one that doesn’t start with a title card but with Robin coming home to his college dorm in the middle of night during a rain storm and being shot and tranquilized as soon as he enters his apartment. Note for note it’s just like the comic book beginning from 1971 and there is no dialogue much like the comic so it’s the animation and music that tells the story at the start before the title card cues up. The music has a pretty quality to it but is slightly creepy which perfectly reflects the darkness of the rainstorm Robin is coming home to. When it switches gears and gets more exotic and larger than life during the title card we now know that this is about to be one the most epic and globe trotting episodes of the entire series.
14. Almost Got ‘Em by Stuart Balcomb
The music on Batman: The Animated Series could get very Jazzy at times, which is fitting since the character was created in 1939 at the height of Jazz. The score to this episode has a very sexy but good time Jazz vibe which soundtracks many of the major Batman villains sharing their stories of how they almost killed Batman while they are playing a game of poker. It’s a fun episode with a great twist and the jazzy score establishes how entertaining this episode is going to be right from the start.
13. Two-Face Part 1 by Shirley Walker
Two-Face is one of the most tragic villains in all of Batman and the series captured this perfectly in their Two-Face two-parter. The theme Shirley Walker came up with for Two-Face is extremely unnerving and creepy. This music reflects Harvey Dent’s evil side before he becomes Two-Face and every time it pops up we know Harvey is about to lose control. The fall of Harvey Dent into the villain of Two-Face is one of the most complex and riveting psychological arcs of the entire series and the music helps it feel even more tragic and disturbing. That flute is the stuff of nightmares.
12. First Love from Batman Mask of the Phantasm by Shirley Walker
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is my favorite Batman film of all time because it’s everything I want in a Batman film. We have a great origin story told in flashback, Gangsters, Film Noir, horror, mystery, The Joker and it’s easily the greatest love story ever told in a Batman film. The relationship between Bruce Wayne and Andrea Beaumont is beautiful and tragic and the music in the film helps you invest in their relationship even more. The Love Theme Shirley Walker came up with is gorgeous and lovely and helps convey how beautiful their relationship once was. This theme makes the downfall of their relationship hit even harder later in the film.
11. Read My Lips by Shirley Walker
More jazz and this one is a doozy. Scareface and the Ventriloquist are one of the most bizarre but fascinating villains on the series. This show helped elevate Scareface & The Ventriloquist into becoming a top tier Batman villain by adding them to the series just 5 years after they were first introduced to the comics by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle in 1988. I love the way the Jazz music here filters in and out of score but becomes more frantic and fast paced every time it reappears as Scareface and his crew pull off a heist. Very gangster, very film noir and very compelling.
10. Perchance to Dream Subtitle Main Theme by Shirley Walker
The Mad Hatter was always one of my favorite characters due to both his flamboyant attire and presentation and because he was connected to Alice in Wonderland which is one of my favorite childhood stories. The theme for him is very jaunty and fun as the character in a lot of ways doesn’t mean harm, he just does the wrong thing because he feels he never gets his way. One of the best and most memorable villain themes of the entire series.
09. Heart of Ice by Shirley Walker & Todd Hayden
Mr. Freeze was a one note villain with a one off appearance in 1959 when he was called Mr. Zero. Yet when the 60s Batman show adapted that comic and changed his name to Mr. Freeze, the character became a top tier villain who appeared in numerous Batman comics from the late 60s through the late 80s as a result. Comic book writers though still didn’t know what to with him, until Paul Dini reshaped the character completely on the Animated Series with Heart of Ice. Here Mr. Freeze is given a tragic backstory that made him more compelling and relatable than he had ever been before and honestly ever would again. Mr. Freeze’s theme music is light and pretty, but masks a darkness and despair underneath it. Mr. Freeze’s theme music plays at the start and at the end of the episode and it becomes more emotionally moving once you watch the whole episode.
08. Phantasm’s Graveyard Murder from Batman Mask of the Phantasm by Shirley Walker
As I said earlier Mask of the Phantasm is a great Batman film for many reasons and one of those is its horror film elements. While much of the film is creepy, the graveyard murder is probably the most terrifying sequence in the entire film and the musical score during this sequence is the biggest reason why. Here Shirley Walker pulls out all the stops, from a subtle creepy start to the other worldly theme for the Phantasm that sounds like a supernatural mix of a thermon and an eerie heavenly singing voice. Shirley doesn’t miss a step here and helps turn a creepy sequence into a terrifying sequence through the power of her music.
07. Shadow of the Bat/Batgirl Theme by Shirley Walker
Make no mistake, while I loved the femme fatales like Catwoman and Poison Ivy, I also loved Batgirl too because I just loved female characters, especially ones who could kick butt. The Batgirl theme by Shirley Walker is a high point for the show, because it might just be the most heroic sounding piece of music for the entire series. Yes, Batman’s theme is heroic but it’s also draped in mystery and darkness too. Not so with Batgirl’s theme which is bright, youthful and triumphant. Again, through this music alone we know who Batgirl/Barbara Gordon is as a character. She is just as heroic as Batman, but with more light and spunk. She’s a character who is there to put a smile on your face while saving lives and that makes her very appealing, which this theme captures perfectly.
06. It’s Impossible/Perchance to Dream by Shirley Walker
Perchance to Dream is the most psychological and dark episode of a series known for psychological and dark episodes. Here we find Bruce waking up in a world where his parents were not killed and his fiancé Sylina Kyle was never Catwoman. Yet like Bruce, we know something is off and the reveal/resolution is shockingly dark and complex for a “kids cartoon.” The thing that makes us realize things are off though is the music, specifically this flute which sounds so disturbing. It is quite honestly one of the creepiest pieces of music I have ever heard period. Every time I hear that flute I get goosebumps and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
05. Harley & Ivy by Michael McCuistion & Lolita Ritmanis
Harley Quinn, who was created specifically for this series by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, was the breakout star who not only crossed over into the comics but has now become one of the biggest and most beloved comic book characters ever! Harley Quinn now outsells every other DC superhero in her own comic book title besides Batman. Harley & Ivy is a pivotal episode for the character as she breaks away from the Joker for the first time and meets up and befriends Poison Ivy. As a young child this was my favorite episode of the series because I loved seeing these bad girls get into trouble together. As I got older, I realized what a statement this episode is about feminism and toxic masculinity as the girls are attacked and belittled by all the men around them, which makes you cheer for them more as they take out these sexist men. Also, as openly gay pop star Jesse Saint said to me on Twitter, the Harley and Ivy relationship was the first time he witnessed a queer relationship on TV. While it’s not explicitly said, it’s clear Harley and Ivy are much closer than just good friends in this episode. This episode is why both characters are now beloved, especially among girls and gays who love dressing up as them whether together or separately. These 2 characters helped create more diversity in comic book entertainment, which is a field that is mostly male driven both creatively and character wise as well. The music in this episode is wonderful. We get to hear Harely Quinn’s own theme for the first time and it is as fun, bouncy and playful as the character herself. The heist in the museum where Harley and Ivy both accidentally meet has a very catchy and fun jazz score to it that gets the blood pumping, but also has you rooting for these 2 ladies of crime to succeed. Really despite the fact that they are criminals you love Harley & Ivy so much that you want to see them get away with all their crimes during the episode. Harley and Ivy’s relationship is also great because it brings out the best in both characters. Harley Quinn is the only person who Ivy actually likes which makes Ivy more sympathetic then usual since she typically only cares about plants. Meanwhile Ivy helps Harley act more independent and more sure of herself without the Joker around to belittle her. The music captures what everyone loves about the Harley and Ivy dynamic, which helped further cement their relationship and made the episode one of the series’ very best and most influential.
04. The Laughing Fish by Shirley Walker
The Laughing Fish is inspired by classic Bronze age Joker stories such as The Joker’s Five Way Revenge and The Laughing Fish. It is arguably my favorite episode of the entire series. The episode is equal parts funny and scary with Mark Hamill giving one of his very best performances as the clown prince of crime where he makes you laugh one minute and recoil the next. His laughter when he enters and exits the copyright office is blood curdling and perfect. The creators of the series along with Shirley Walker decided to treat the episode as a mini horror film. As a result, the music of the episode takes its cues from Bernard Herman, specifically his score to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Like Psycho it is a very creepy and atmospheric score that makes you more afraid of what is about to happen in each and every scene. The fact that they based the music around a classic horror film for a children’s show in order to ramp of the fear factor of the episode demonstrates once again just how daring and groundbreaking this series was.
03. Nothing to Fear by Shirley Walker
The Scarecrow was a character that took the creators a while to nail down. The character ended up going through 3 redesigns and 2 voice actors before they nailed it but Shirley Walker nailed the character’s theme music right from the start. The Scarecrow theme is one of the most memorable and creepy pieces of music to come out of the entire series. I love it so much that it’s on volume 1 of my favorite songs ever playlist. This theme is the series at its best.
02. Batman: The Animated Series Main Theme by Danny Elfman
While Danny Elfman’s Batman Theme is the definitive piece of music for Batman, Danny himself came back to do it again for the Animated Series where he made it shorter but punchier. In some ways this version is more satisfying than the original theme from 1989. The music is also paired to a perfect opening title sequence where Batman stops a few thugs after a bank robbery on a rooftop. There is no dialogue or text throughout this entire opening. It never says anywhere that you are watching Batman, but because the visuals and music are so perfect together you don’t need to be told. It’s an iconic opening that still stands as my favorite opening title sequence to any TV show ever. It’s not just a TV show opening, it’s a mini movie in and of itself.
01. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Medley by Shirley Walker and conducted by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir.
OK I’m cheating here as this is a medley of different pieces from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir off an album of all Batman movie music, but I’m including it because it is AMAZING! I discovered this 3 years ago on Spotify and I fell in love with it immediately. It has the main movie theme, which was already epic in of itself, and they recreate it with a full operatic choir just like the film. Around that theme though they play various pieces of music from the film that tell the story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman and how his relationship with Andrea didn’t work out. This medley captures the tragedy and pathos of the film in a way that knocks me out every time I listen to it. In 4 minutes they are able to capture the emotional arc of the film and it feels like I have experienced the whole film inside my head every time I listen to it. It was in my top 5 most played songs of 2017 according to Spotify and I am gonna continue listening to it for as long as I live.
