The Pink Panther Theme The Pink Panther Theme "The Pink Panther Theme" is an instrumental composition by Henry Mancini written as the theme for the 1963 film "The Pink Panther" and subsequently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 37th Academy Awards but lost to the Sherman Brothers for "Mary Poppins". The eponymous cartoon character created for the film's opening credits by David DePatie and Friz Freleng was animated in time to the tune. The tenor saxophone solo was played by Plas Johnson. The song was included on the film's soundtrack album and issued as a single (in the United
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" is a jazz song written by Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas. Taylor's original version (as "I Wish I Knew") was recorded on November 12, 1963, and released on his "Right Here, Right Now!" album (Capitol ST-2039) the following year. His 1967 instrumental take was later used as the theme music for the "Film..." review programme series on BBC Television. Taylor said: "I wrote this song, perhaps my best-known composition, for my daughter Kim. This is one of the