Television Theme Songs - A Few of My Favorites
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The TV show theme song. Do we realize just how important it is? ... how imprinted it becomes on our brains? I know the melody and words (if any) to all the shows I loved as a kid: Batman; The Monkees; H.R. Pufnstuf; The Flintstones; The Andy Griffith Show; The Brady Bunch; Space Ghost; I Love Lucy; Hobo Kelly; Lost in Space; Bewitched; Green Acres; Scooby Doo Where Are You?; Petticoat Junction.
Whew!
The theme song is a short and recurring trailer for the show we are about to watch. Some are so catchy they become hits:
- Hawaii Five 0
- I'll Be There For You (Friends)
- Rockford Files
- Welcome Back, Kotter
- Movin' On Up (The Jeffersons)
- Three's Company
A good theme song will not only pique your interest about the show itself, but will also give you some insight as to the general attitude and ideals of the show's character(s).
Rarely have I heard this more impressively done than with the western-inspired theme of Sci-Fi Channel's classy "Firefly."
So I'll start with that one ...
Firefly
'The Ballad of Firefly': written by Joss Whedon, performed by Sonny Rhodes
"Television is not real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs." --Bill Gates
Simon & Simon
"Best of Friends" written and performed by Barry De Vorzon and Michael Towers.
"In general my children refuse to eat anything that hasn't danced in television." --Erma Bombeck
Malcolm in the Middle
"Boss of Me" written and recorded by They May Be Giants.
Full-length episodes unavailable.
"If it weren't for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we'd all be eating frozen radio dinners." --Johnny Carson
"I could never have imagined that firing 67 people on national television would actually make me more popular, especially with the younger generation." --Donald Trump
Get Smart
Written by Irving Szathmary (Thanks MindField!)
Full-Length episodes unavailable
"Television is chewing gum for the eyes." --Frank Lloyd Wright
"You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. They don't want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something." --Mitch Hedberg
Survivor: The Australian Outback
Composed by Russ Landau
(I admit it, it's the didgeridoo!)
No full-length episodes available.
The Munsters
Written by Jack Marshall
Full-length episodes unavailable.
Star Trek: Enterprise
"Where My Heart Will Take Me" written by Dianne Warren, Sung by Russell Watson.
Full-length episodes unavailable
All in the Family
"Those Were the Days" written by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse
Full-length episodes unavailable
The Muppet Show
Writer/composer unknown
Full-length episodes unavailable
Looney Tunes
Adaptation of "Merrily We Roll Along" by Charles Tobias, Murray Mencher, Eddie Cantor
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Composed by Bear McCreary
Thanks, Teresa!
The Andy Griffith Show
"The Fishin' Hole" composed by Earle Hagen
Full-length episodes unavailable
(Yeah, that little boy is director Ron Howard!)
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Comments
Thanks Teresa. I forgot about that one! I'll have to check it out.
I like your tastes.
PS: I was counting on suggestions from readers. Ooh-ha-ha!
Artisan: Irving Szathmary wrote the Get Smart theme. Great hub!
Favorites besides Get Smart and Simon & Simon (what fun!):
Maverick, Rawhide, Wagon Train, Cheyenne, Johnny Yuma, Bonanza, Hawaiian Eye, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaii Five-O, Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Golden Girls, Peter Gunn, The Defenders, Dr. Kildare, Leave It to Beaver; The Andy Griffith Show; The Patty Duke Show; Gidget, The Flying Nun.... You can see how I frittered away my misspent youth!
Thank you, MF. I'll post it! How'd you know? The Andy Griffith show is a REAL possibility! I watched most of those shows, too.
I have copies of Get Smart on video tape. Made it easy! Here's a link to IMDB to confirm: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0843805/
Oh, sorry - I almost forgot what is probably my all-time favorite. That Girl! I was devastated when Earle Hagen died last year and I'd never written him to thank him. He also wrote the Andy Griffith theme, Gomer Pyle, and the brilliant I Spy, among many others.
Gilligan's Isle is another great one, by Sherwood Schwartz, I think - which I know a secret about. Beg me to tell it!
And here's some trivia - Szathmary (see comment above) is Bill Dana's brother.
Gosh, this is fun!
Nice hub!....you went and stirred Mindfield up too! Mindfield, I'm dying to know the Gilligan's Isle secret....but I think you should write a hub about it!
Included in one of my 70s music hubs is the theme to "Welcome Back Kotter"...one of my favorites.
-MF; Don't need the link. I totally believe you.
Wow, you're a trivia queen. I hope you're watching Cash Cab. You'd be a wiz! I wanted to add Cash Cab theme, but couldn't find it. Just added Andy Griffith Show!
What secret?
-KCC, that's right! A theme that became a hit. I needed that for the opening text. Thanks!
Okay, KCC, but now you're gonna have to wait!
What are we waiting for ... suspense?
I'll play the Jeopardy music.
I'm with KCC and Welcome Back Kotter, but also MASH. Cool hub!
Thanks, Randy. I almost included the mash theme.
Oh, heck, guys. It isn't worth a whole hub. You can sing Gilligan's Isle to the tune of Amazing Grace and it fits very well (there's only one place where it falls off the rails and you can probably guess which lyrics cause that). Others say House of the Rising Sun is a better fit with A.G.
That's pretty good. They probably took the melody from one of those songs.
I'm not sure that makes sense to me, Artisan. Can you explain what you mean?
That messes with my head MindField....LOL.....like trying to read a list of names of colors that is written in different color ink. Such as "r-e-d" written in blue ink and the "B-l-u-e" written in green ink. Trying reading a group of words like that. Part of your brain wants to say the color you see while the other part wants to read the word. Same thing with your song challenge. Makes my brain mush. LOL
-Kcc, I've seen that. It's an excellent brain exercise.
Those kind of "brain teasers" are actually really good mental exercises.
Or, were you talking about the song? If it matches really, really well, they probably "borrowed" the melody for the Gilligan's Island theme. Change a note or two here or there and VIOLA! Legal.
Just ask that cheesy white rapper-dude, Ice-something or other.
Cool stuff AW - I agree with you and most of those who have commented. They are indeed some of the most memorable TV themes.
But but BUT I was kind of looking for Jan Hammer's Grammy award winning theme for Miami Vice.
Btw I watched van Helsing again and made notice of the theme - yep, i know now why youl like it so much :D
Hi Cris. Miama Vice theme is good, but never one that stuck in my head, you know?
Cool. it's REALLY powerful with good headphones! ... or good speakers.
I don't. LOL
Oh it is, the drums and the chanting, specially during the opening sequences. Awesome stuff. My headphones were smoking! Will finish the movie later. :D
Yep. Know exactly what you mean. You should download it to your MP3 - or whatever you have.
Gotta go eat.
No...the songs are no where near alike, but she's saying you can make it fit. That's tough to do. That's why Mindfield was confused with your comment. You're evidently not familiar with the theme to Gilligan's Island and Amazing Grace.
Kids...don't try this at home.
KCC, I found a site a year or so ago where I could play Amazing Grace, then another that had the lyrics to Gilligan. The problem was solved instantly. And, yes, I've also seen those red/blue tests you talked about. Nearly ended up in the ER!
Darn! I keep thinking of more theme songs I love: Route 66 (fabulous), Time Tunnel, Star Trek: Voyager, It's About Time, Second Hundred Years, Murder, She Wrote.
-KCC, I'm familiar with both, just didn't put an awful lot of thought into comparing the two.
-MF. That's too weird! I had the video picked out for Voyager to include here, but then thought better of including two Star Trek themes. Maybe I will, anyway.
Why should I download if you can email me the files? *wink* :D
Did anybody mention THE MONKEES yet ?
I can, that's true. But it's a big file! You should also check the soundtrack to Conan the Barbarian. It's more powerful than Van Helsing and probably my all time favorite.
-Tony, yes I did. In the opening text.
-Cris, sending you the first three titles in a few minutes. Big files, might take a few.
@ Cris -- my cell phone rings to the theme from Miami Vice. . .
I like most of the opening and closing themes for Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X) and "Who are you?" by The Who, the opening theme for CSI. :) I also like the opening themes for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Thundercats, and Pokemon. ;P Can you tell I watched a lot of cartoons when I was younger? Hehe. :D
AW
Can you send it to my gmal account. I've emailed you the address. Thanks :D
Teresa
Cool! Now I'm having a vision of white blazers (with shoulder pads) and loafers (without socks) :D
-Susan, I remember all those x-cept for Samurai X and Pokeman.
-Cris, I'll give it a shot.
The theme to the Sopranos (and the video segment it accompanies) is first-rate.
I'll definitely have to check it out. I've never seen that show because it used to be on HBO (or one of those), then when it moved to regular cable I never bothered to watch it.
Artisan Walker, your hub made me all nostalgic about Samurai X last night that I compiled its opening and ending themes and wrote an article about it. Thanks for the inspiration! :D
Sysan, that's great! Very glad to be someone's inspiration.
love the get smart theme the most. I use that one in the playlist of the store that I manage. This also makes me think about the sanford and son theme.
Yep, I remember that one!
Artisan - Absolutely LOVE your new avatar. And it suits your angelic personality. :-)
Thank you, MF. ... And I'm pure and innocent, too!
~Wait ... do these wings make my butt like weird?
No weirder than usual.
Good one!
... Wait, is that a yes, or no?
This is a great collection of theme songs! Some of these sure bring back memories. I can remember in my 20's I would record Andy Griffith, which was on during the day as a rerun and watch it in the evening. I did the same with Get Smart. LOL, I loved those shows!
When I was also in my 20's, Get Smart was on about 5 (7 on weekends!) times a day, on various channels. I watched them all!
lots of work gone into this....... anothere enjoyable hub, is there no end to your talent.....
-Ha ha. Thank you, Brenda, and I'm sure there is. I just refuse to acknowledge it. ;-)
I think you covered all the TV bases here, Mr. Walker! Since you introduced The Munsters I have to add "The Addams Family" and then "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres."
What a fun idea for a hub! I love nostalgia! Hope you are doing well. MM
MM, I considered all of those, especially Green Acres because the guitar part is so cool, but alas, none of them are themes I've ever found myself humming.
A lot of work goes into the theme songs, as well as into songs for video games, etc. Great hub!
Thanks Jeff. You're right, professional, big-name acts are doing video game scores.
Teresa McGurk says:
7 months ago
Interesting choices; thanks for the links, too. Of course, when we read a hub like this, we all want to add our favorites (I like the theme to Terminator:The Sarah Connor Chronicles better than I like the show); but my all-time favorite has to be In The Heat Of The Night.