Theme From Hill Street Blues

Mike Post is one of the most prolific and successful writers of TV themes, and he already had a Top-10 hit under his belt with his theme for The Rockford Files when Steven Bochco asked him to write the theme for his new inner-city police drama Hill Street Blues. Speaking with the Archive of American Television, Post explained that when he screened the show with Bochco and discussed the music, they decided to forgo the typical hard-driving, street sound that was typical of these kind of shows in favor of something more poignant, but not too sentimental. This would play up the more human aspects of the show, letting the viewer know that there will be plenty of emotion to go along with the chase scenes and other police activity. Post went home and wrote the song in E flat on this piano in about 30 minutes. When he played it over the phone for Bochco, they both knew they had a winner.

Hill Street Blues lasted 7 seasons on NBC, and the full length version of the song was a hit for Post when it was released in 1981, during the show's first season. Post prefers to stay out of the spotlight, but he is the credited artist for his instrumental themes, and has three Top-40 hits to his name. In addition to Hill Street Blues and The Rockford Files, he also charted at #25 in 1982 with the theme from Magnum P.I..