Music From Peter Gunn

The Music from Peter Gunn is a 1959 album by Henry Mancini (RCA LPM/LSP-1956), the soundtrack of the TV series Peter Gunn. It was the first album ever to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1959. It was followed by More Music from Peter Gunn (RCA LPM/LSP-2040). The opening theme music is notable for it's combination of jazz orchestration with a straightforward, rock 'n roll beat. In his autobiography Did They Mention the Music? Mancini stated: "The "Peter Gunn" title theme actually derives more from rock and roll than from jazz. I used guitar and piano in unison, playing what is known in music as an ostinato, which means obstinate. It was sustained throughout the piece, giving it a sinister effect, with some frightened saxophone sounds and some shouting brass. The piece has one chord throughout and a super-simple top line." The Music from Peter Gunn was selected by the Library of Congress as a 2010 addition to the National Recording Registry, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".