You have never heard the classic HBO theme played like this

Getting HBO in the 1980s was a real treat. Especially if you did not have a VCR or easy access to a decent video store. On it, you could get films that you would never see on broadcast television. The entire experience was thrilling, but when I think back on it, one aspect of the broadcast really sticks with me, the song “HBO In Space” or as it is better known, the classic HBO theme.

This music, which played at the start of every film, was part of the dramatic opening sequence. This intro was so dramatic and involved that they even made a making of the HBO intro video. I love those visuals, but the music is what sticks with me for a very simple reason. Often I was not in the room at the start of a movie. I would be running around, getting snacks, or letting the dog out. Anything that needed to be accomplished so that I would not be interrupted once the movie magic started. So the classic HBO theme was sort of a countdown for me. And I knew exactly when I needed to be wrapping stuff up so that I would not miss a moment of whatever it is I wanted to watch.

Watch: How the original 1980s HBO intro was made

Because I have such a high opinion of this music, I was excited to find this long version of the classic HBO theme. It is nearly four minutes long! Sent to radio stations, to be used in promos, I am not sure how it didn’t become a hit in its down right. It is jazzy. It is rocking. Most importantly, it is dramatic. So sit back, turn up the volume and enjoy this blast from the past. Here is the classic HBO theme, composed and performed by Ferdinand Jay Smith.

Listen to the classic HBO Theme “HBO In Space”