Schifrin Gears

Lalo Schifrin - Mission: Impossible (Main Title)

Music from Mission: Impossible, 1967

Ask me to explain the difference between the sounds of bossa nova and samba music and you'll get the Zac Galafianakis gif expression from me, but I do have a fond appreciation for Latin America's grandioso film and TV composer,  Lalo Schifrin. 

Perhaps his most famous theme would be the one he composed for the American espionage series Mission: Impossible (1966 - 1973). Its legacy has survived from one generation to the next. Sincerely hopeful Schifrin's theme will out live Tom Cruise's cultural appropriation of the franchise in the same manner it lived on long after the series originally ended.

Call it nostalgia, but Lalo Schifrin's soundtracks always felt like an additional score to that imaginary movie me and my mates acted out in the school playground many decades ago. From funky west coast jazz vibes matching Steve McQueen's cool swagger, to that nasty Roobarb & Custard inspiring electric guitar riff and the sound of a funky drummer complimenting Clint Eastwood's supercop Harry Callahan, they left an indelible impression on how a score could bolster scenes in a film.

Fave Lalo Schifrin Tracks:

Lalo Schifrin - Bullitt (Main Title) (1968)

Lalo Schifrin - Shifting Gears (1968)

Lalo Schifrin - Danube Incident (1969)

Lalo Schifrin - Tiger Tank (1970)

Lalo Schifrin & The Mike Curb Congregation - Burning Bridges (1970)

Lalo Schifrin - Scorpio's View (1971)

Lalo Schifrin - Theme from Enter the Dragon (1973)

Lalo Schifrin - The Human Fly (1973)

Lalo Schifrin - Magnum Force (Main Title) (1973)

Lalo Schifrin - Ape Shuffle (Theme from 'Planet of the Apes') (1974)

Lalo Schifrin - Starsky & Hutch (Main Theme - Season One) (1975)

Lalo Schifrin - Rollercoaster (1977)

Lalo Schifrin - The Amytiville Horror (Main Title) (1979)

Lalo Schifrin's scores also resonated with other people too; particularly other musicians. Always entertained by hearing a recognisable part from a film in a song, and hearing Schifrin would leave me buzzing like Zammo in Grange Hill. His music is an invaluable treasure trove for sinister sounding loops and hard drum breaks in sample heavy music:

Lalo Schifrin Sampled Songs:

MC Sugar Ray & Stranger D - Knock 'Em Out Sugar Ray (1989) 

Big Daddy Kane feat. Q-Tip & Busta Rhymes - Come On Down (1991)

Hijack - The Contract (1991)

Katch 22 - Service With a Smile (1991)

N.W.A - Approach to Danger (1991)

Portishead - Sour Times (1994)

Tha Alkaholiks - Let It Out (1995)

Heltah Skeltah feat. Louieville Sluggah - Prowl (1996)

Busta Rhymes & A Tribe Called Quest - Wild Hot (1997) 

The Wiseguys - Ooh La La (1998)

Nas - I Am (Intro) (1999)

Limp Bizkit - Take a Look Around (2000)

Memphis Bleek & DJ Clue - My Mind Right (2000)

Souls of Mischied feat. Casual & Pep Love - Interrogation (2000)

L-Fudge feat. Mr. Complex - New York Minute (2001)

C-Rayz Walz - Buck 80 (2003)

The Go! Team - The Power is On (2004)

Terror Squad - Yeah Yeah Yeah (2004)

Ghetto Dwellas - Coolest Muthafuckas (2006)

AZ - The Format (2007)

Ghostface Killah feat. Wu-Tang Clan - Watch Your Mouth (2007)

Action Bronson feat. Big Twin & Sean Price - Blood of the Goat (2012)

Well done to AZ and DJ Premier for sampling the best bit from This Side of Forver, one of my least fave Schifrin tunes, and churning it into a five star classic.

Also, I had no idea Lalo Schifrin worked with Alice Cooper on I Am the Future for Class of 1984 (1982) until I watched the film again last year. Doing this blog has been educational.