‘Move Closer to Your World’ released on streaming platforms, vinyl

The Action News theme, “Move Closer to Your World,” is now available commercially with its first official release on streaming platforms and as a limited vinyl pressing.

The initial pressing of 300 7-inch vinyl copies sold out during the pre-order phase, prompting a second pressing of 500 copies. Orders of the physical release are expected to ship on May 9, 2025.

The digital version, available on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, is available for streaming today. 

The song, the longstanding theme for WPVI’s 6ABC Action News, is being released by Eraserhood Sound, a Philadelphia-based music label founded by Maxwell Perla and Vincent John. 

Originally commissioned in 1974 by ABC executive Walter Liss, the theme was composed by Al Ham, who also produced music for the Coca-Cola “Buy the World a Coke” campaign. Ham collaborated with the Hillside Singers, the same vocal group used in the ad, to create a package of theme variations. The music spanned pop, soul, funk, orchestral and jazz influences.

Despite its popularity in the Philadelphia region, “Move Closer to Your World” had never received a commercial release until now.

John and Perla worked with Sean Ham, son of the late composer, to prepare the release, to locate and restore the original master tapes. The tapes were recovered from a barn in upstate New York, where they had been stored for decades. A second trip to the site yielded the correct master recordings just before the location was cleared.

Audio engineer Toby Seay handled the restoration process at Drexel University, and Grammy-nominated engineer Ryan Schwabe completed the final mastering. The release includes the full original version of the theme and several previously unreleased alternate versions selected by the Eraserhood Sound team.

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Grammy-nominated artist Perry Shall designed the cover art. According to Eraserhood Sound, the three selected tracks reflect a range of moods and musical styles while preserving the original message of unity and community.