Raymond Burr headlined two much-loved dramas with highly regarded theme songs. Sometimes the best is just the best. Much like the show, the theme had two distinct versions. It starts with a nod to the old Universal horror days with a fugue on organ. Published on 9/7/2016 at 7:09 PM. The Animaniacs Theme Song is, as its title suggests, the song that opens every episode of Animaniacs. 21 on the pop chart and hit the top of the Hot 100 Country chart in 1980. They get stuck in our head, we sing them without noticing, and we remember them fondly after a series has ended. Largely whistled (by Hagen), actual musical instruments don’t come in until about halfway through the 30-second theme. Television theme songs set the tone for the entire series, and for the beginning of each episode. Despite that, the original ’68 opening sequence of music, photography and editing cant’t be beat. Mainstream, Adult Contemporary, and Airplay charts. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Heroes in the half shell Turtle Power! I’m on the search for such info. " It's a Jungle Out There " is a song written by Randy Newman and used as the theme song for the TV series Monk starting in its second season. The theme charts the Jefferson’s move from their old neighborhood to their new high-rise thanks to the success of George’s dry-cleaning chain. After a decent run on CBS, the show became enormously popular in syndication. The premise turned on the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha, who have to try to survive when the moon is knocked out of Earth’s orbit. The theme, Falling, was derived from a song that Lynch and his frequent collaborator Angelo Badalamenti wrote for singer Julee Cruise. version of ‘Hawaii 5-0’!! Piano Sonata No. Coincidentally, his friend (and frontman of The Diamonds) Dave Somerville had written a song about a stunt man for a show that never went forward. (Turtles!) The Rembrandts co-wrote the original minute-long version of the tune with Friends producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman, Kaufman’s husband Michael Skloff, and musician Allee Willis. What can you say about Sesame Street? The elder Altman would later note on The Tonight Show that the song’s use in the film and TV series had subsequently earned his son over $1 million in royalties. These were overwhelmingly themes from dramas and comedies, many of which were ranked higher because of how they expressed their relationship to the show (Buffy, for example, mixed punky energy with classic horror organs) or were just awesome (Ironside, S.W.A.T., etc.). If all else fails, then it's time to kick butt! It certainly would have made a Top 100 by me, possibly Top 60. The theme song was an even bigger hit, going to No. The surf-inspired theme for monster comedy The Munsters received a Grammy nomination in 1965. Innumerable references in popular culture. Joss Whedon gets a lot of credit for revitalizing genre TV. Some readers might recognize the song from Fall Out Boy’s 2015 song “Uma Thurman,” which used the theme as the source for its primary sample. Someone had the idea to put the wildly charismatic Will Smith, the “Fresh Prince” of hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, in a sitcom. However, the rights holder wanted too much money for the song so Semper ended up not being able to use it. This was, in part, because of controversy surrounding the level of violence on the show. A No. The production company, Mercury Zeitgeist Film Studios was hired to create the animated sequence for the opening theme. It is sung by Ramone Hamilton and Jay Gragnani as George and Harold, with Nat Faxon performing some vocal elements as Mr. Krupp/Captain Underpants. It was first used in the opening series in 2015. Turtles! Saturday night live? Along with writer Mark Frost, he created a TV series for a major broadcast network. Then it rips into four-on-the-floor post-punk surf-rock, turning the old themes on their heads in the same way that the show stretched horror tropes. Thanks to the guitar and bass tones on the track, it’s considered an entry in the surf rock genre; it’s been covered by acts like Jan & Dean, The Who, The Kinks, The Jam, and Eddie Vedder (with his daughter, Harper). Re-recorded for the series by Fee (and re-recorded again for later spin-off, The Golden Palace), the tune is now indelibly associated with Dorothy, Sophia, Rose, and Blanche. What about the mod squad and Barney miller those were also great tunes. A spin-off of the hit show The Rookies, S.W.A.T. The popular Redd Foxx/Demond Wilson sitcom featured the catchy funk of Quincy Jones. The theme, which is actually called “Yo Home to Bel-Air,” puts the show’s premise and Smith’s talent on full display. It’s been 56 years since the first Doctor stole the TARDIS and began his adventures through space and time. I could go on and on but you get the idea. Extremely popular, the single reached No. This was just one facet of Thicke’s incredibly diverse career that ran the gamut from composer to singer to talk show host to lead actor on the successful sitcom Growing Pains. Two-Mix also did the main song “White Reflection” for the wrap-up film, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz. © Copyright 2021 Saturday Evening Post Society. Troy, Troy, Troy…. The tic-tac-toe board layout of the opening sequence and the song itself have been parodied many times, including a recent take by the actors of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. TV Theme Lyrics. One of the most instantly recognizable pieces of television music ever created, the Peter Gunn theme brought Henry Mancini an Emmy and two Grammys, including Album of the Year in 1959 for The Music of Peter Gunn. Thanks for putting these together. It’s very of its time, but awesome lives forever. For Part 3, read The 40 Greatest Animated TV Series Theme Songs. It had a short U.K. run but became an unexpected hit in the U.S. during summer reruns under the name Secret Agent. Used in revivals of the show? 1 show in America from 1971 to 1976, and another of Norman Lear’s murderer’s row of monster CBS hits, All in the Family’s plots turned on the clashes between bigoted Archie Bunker (O’Connor); his ostensibly silly but deceptively wise wife, Edith (Stapleton); their liberal daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers); and her ever-more-liberal husband, Michael “Meathead” Stivic (Rob Reiner). It is used in almost every episode except for a few specials such as The Making of ZOOM and America's Kids Respond. The theme song from “Route 66” should be on the list. Check. 2! Incorporating electric guitar and some very 1970s keys, “The Rockford Files” had a four-month chart run in 1975, eventually hitting No. It also won a Grammy in 1975. Never fight unless someone else starts. Fun note: the spoken “neat,” “sweet,” and “petite” were supplied by Lurch himself, Ted Cassidy. Tom Morello of the band Rage Against the Machine suggested that bands should be considered for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the basis of “impact, influence, and awesomeness”; we’ll use a similar criteria of catchiness, memorability, and appropriateness to rank TV theme songs. His first hit, based on the film that he wrote, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, came packed with a great theme. Speed Racer, aka Mach GoGoGo, is a series that lives vividly in the hearts and minds of millions of anime fans across generations, and it’s in no small part to this incredible song. Consider that, in 2016, more than 1,400 shows ran on prime-time television in the United States — that doesn’t include streaming — and most of those shows had some kind of opening sequence with music. An action-comedy about a high school teacher who gets a superhero suit from aliens (but loses the instructions), The Greatest American Hero had a decent three-season run in the early 1980s. It won two Grammys in 1986. Turtles count it off: 1! ER? The following list contains scores or songs which are the primary theme music of a television series or miniseries. The show was a huge hit and launched Smith into an even more successful film career. No Star Trek or Hart to Hart is criminal. The theme itself was written by Boyce and Hart, the songwriting team that also composed other Monkees tunes, like “Last Train to Clarksville” and “(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone,” as well as other 1960s hits like “Come a Little Bit Closer” for Jay and The Americans. Your email address will not be published. However, Season 2 only aired on Netflix. It’s also often sited as the first disco song to hit number one, or at the very least greatly influenced that genre. Both of those are in the Spoken Word List; the link is at the top of this story. Check. Morton himself passed away in 1991, but we have a feeling that this tune is never going away. We’ll also be breaking this list into three distinct categories: live-action, animated, and spoken-word/voiceover themes. Cowboy Bebop is frequently held up as one of the great anime series. Space: 1999 didn’t have a long run, but it left behind several generations of fans. We’ve covered the origin of The Monkees more than once in this magazine. 2! Co-written by a show creator? The two series even had a crossover episode; another episode guest-starred Charlie’s Angels. One of the spin-offs from All in the Family featured the extremely popular neighbors, George and Louise Jefferson, played by Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford. The effortless cool of James Garner as P.I. Visionary film director David Lynch did the unthinkable in 1990. The theme from The Brady Bunch serves as a microcosm of our bigger list. This is another theme that switched between seasons. That’s where you find Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Hart to Hart, and others. This prompted a resurrection of the show that ran from 1964 to 1968. Though most people associate this song with the TV series, Gold’s original recording of Thank You for Being a Friend hit No. I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists. Ninjutsu action! The theme has been covered by a number of artists, including Joan Jett and Minneapolis-based Hüsker Dü, who parodied the show’s opening in their music video; Hüsker Dü frontman Bob Mould still performs the song as an encore on his current solo tours. Someone was a genius. Space 1999 made the list but not Star Trek? Discover the benefits that come with your membership. Legal drama Perry Mason’s theme had a jazzy swagger that befitted the character borne from Erle Stanley Gardner’s detective stories (some of which ran in The Saturday Evening Post). “Goodbye” is also known for being the intro theme to the Netflix’s series Dark. Lear didn’t shy away from controversial topics or blue-collar characters, and Good Times was an exemplar of that. The theme song was originally sung by Shannon Chan-Kent, Pinkie Pie's singing voice. British electronic act Alabama 3 (called A3 in the U.S. to avoid confusion with country band Alabama) blended their modern approach with the mood of a bluesy murder ballad. Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Frequently covered and used as a musical cue in film, the song received a second life in the 1980s as the music for the enormously popular Spy Hunter video game. Jerrold Immel broke into television composing scores for Gunsmoke in the early 1970s. Two weeks at number one in the US, making it the first TV theme song to hit the top of the chart—yes, it beat Welcome Back Kotter by over a year. A single with both the instrumental and Cruise versions charted in over a dozen countries between 1990 and 1991. Producer Glen A. Larson wanted to develop a show featuring a stunt man. The ZOOM theme song is a staple of each season. When the show was retooled for season 2 (which included replacing four of the girls — one of whom was a young Molly Ringwald — with Nancy McKeon’s Jo), portions of the lyrics were rewritten, including the addition of the more famous “You take the good, you take the bad” opening line. Country legend Waylon Jennings nailed the spirit of a show about car chases and misadventures with his plot-explaining anthem. https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2019/09/the-25-greatest-tv-themes-of-all-time-part-2-spoken-word/, And our animated list is here: https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2020/03/the-40-greatest-animated-tv-series-theme-songs/. The theme’s lyrics reference the hardships that the Evans family faced in the projects, notably the hard-to-hear-unless-you-know-the-words “hangin’ in a chow line.”. In one of the theme songs that actually states the show’s premise, “The Ballad” explains how the S.S. Minnow got lost in a storm with seven very different people aboard. 5. A version of the music was used in the 2003 film adaptation, which starred Samuel L. Jackson. But, yeah, Bonanza should probably be on the list! Part of the new success was owed to the rocking U.S. theme song, which became a No. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Turtles count it off: 1! The theme song was written by Haim Saban. With virtually no crimes to solve, most of Andy's time is spent philosophizing and calming down his cousin Deputy Barney Fife. This weird western starring Bruce Campbell ran for only 27 episodes in the mid-1990s. At the time, we commented on the “famously spooky opening theme.” Mark Snow composed the theme; it was used in the nine original seasons, the two revival seasons, and in both theatrical films. Joe Perry, the lead guitarist of Aerosmith, was then hired to perform the theme song that would be used in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. It ended up being the 11th biggest hit song of 1981 in the States. Turtles count it off: (1!) Turtles! The Love Boat was part of ABC’s hugely successful Saturday night lineup, airing ahead of fellow hit Fantasy Island. The song's demo version was available at Ingram's SoundCloud site. The theme, Falling, was derived from a song that Lynch and his frequent collaborator Angelo Badalamenti wrote for singer Julee Cruise. Happy Days generated a remarkable seven spin-offs (two of which were animated). Sherwood Schwartz again? Season 1 did not air on Netflix for an unknown reason. The tune is absolutely unmistakable. It pretty much invented a whole genre (electronic) and was very popular on thee continents. (3!) If Norman Lear was the king of 1970s sitcoms on CBS, his counterpart at ABC was Garry Marshall. Succession? The 40 Greatest Animated TV Series Theme Songs, When TV Shows Completely Changed 50 Years Ago, Review: Concrete Cowboy — Movies for the Rest of Us with Bill Newcott, Contrariwise: Let’s De-escalate Video Calling, https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2019/09/the-25-greatest-tv-themes-of-all-time-part-2-spoken-word/, https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2020/03/the-40-greatest-animated-tv-series-theme-songs/. Besides, there may be a contract that prevents this musician to expand this short song. Friends Theme Lyrics I'll Be There for You Lyrics by the Rembrandts. A few that were missed, Rawhide by frankie lane, Bonanza theme,and my top pick Runaway 1986, Del Shannon redid his original 1961 hit Runaway. No Wild, Wild West or Mannix or The Real McCoys? Created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, Hill Street Blues changed television almost immediately. The first Joss Whedon show on the list, the space western Firefly boasted a theme composed by the writer himself. Then there are the dissonant piano chords, the 808s and dramatic strings. Check it out on Youtube. The fantastic one was the harder rock, jazzy, sexed-up version found under Del Shannon-Runaway (Crime Story) where the lyrics were altered and updated. He would go on to write the theme for Dallas and score 55 episodes of the show. One of the great statement-of-purpose themes, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” received an Emmy nomination in 1983. Jim Rockford was conveyed in this terrific number by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter. I kept waiting for two of them….obviously The Rockford Files Which came in at number 2…and Welcome Back , Kotter …and that is a disgrace that it is not on the list at all never mind top 5. The theme was composed by Grainer, but the studio wizardry of Delia Derbyshire and Dick Mills incorporated the electronic sounds that made it legendary. We’re practically legally obligated to include this one. The first, and most successful, was Laverne & Shirley, which followed two single gals who first appeared on Days as friends of the Fonz. Were was the AIRWOLF Theme that one is really good. 3! Those lyrics were written by the director’s son, who was only 14 at the time. Required fields are marked *. Thanks Troy! However, on this earlier program, Thicke sang lead. Given the greenlight for a series after a TV movie, actress Cathy Lee Crosby was replaced with Lynda Carter. Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street? Singer Jack Jones performed the title tune that was used for the first eight seasons of the show; Dionne Warwick did the version used in the final season. (4!) The theme itself ran in its original form until 1992; since then, occasional and subtle changes in pacing and instrumentation have been made, but it’s still a classic. It’s also one of the few lasting themes to prominently feature harpsichord. The first version was used for season 1 and featured star Charlotte Rae and a number of the seven featured young ladies trading lines. The first one he did for ‘Crime Story’ was too close to the 1961 version. The show also had the distinction of being one of the few hour-long American series to employ a laugh track. The No. Jennings also served as narrator for the series. This short segment is so powerful, the arrangements, the voice, the whistling, everything works perfectly. What Is the Dreamy 'Narcos' Theme Song Really About? The tune, set against a spare opening of mafia underboss Tony Soprano driving home through New Jersey, evokes the dark tone of the series. Maverick theme song deserves to be on this list. The Dallas theme, an improbable blend of western film tropes and disco, remains instantly recognizable. what happened to “Bonanza”? The “I’ve been seen with Farrah” line was a reference to Majors’ then-marriage to Farrah Fawcett of Charlie’s Angels; she also appeared in The Fall Guy pilot. Law and Order (original)? Theme Song (TV series) is the opening theme song for The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants. I myself would have swapped out a couple of Troy’s choices (no hard feelings…) for the ‘MacGyver Opening Credits/Scene (Intro) 1080 Full HD’ and ‘TJ Hooker-Ultimate Intro’. Both Incredible theme songs with the latter having an unexpected sexy ending! This theme joins The Fall Guy theme (and many others) in expressly describing what the show is about. Incredibly, the theme lives on, having been appropriated by NBC for its Olympics coverage since 1996. It's like you're always stuck in second gear, Cheers 2. ... You can hear a few tracks off that record via NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series… The show was led by Martin Landau and Barbara Bain (who were married at the time and had starred in Mission: Impossible together) and shot in the U.K. Song explains the plot? Of course the same can be said for the even more awful 2010-20?? Endlessly covered, a staple of marching bands (it’s the unofficial “fight song” for the University of Hawaii), and awesome enough to be used again for a series remake 20 years later (the original was re-recorded with some of the same musicians), we’re confident in saying that “Theme from Hawaii Five-0” is the greatest. The association between the show and its theme song can bring back memories. All Rights Reserved. The theme song from "Laverne and Shirley" ranks as one of the most recognizable of all time. The majestic main theme is by composer Ramin Djawadi, whose body of work includes creating additional music for Hans Zimmer scores for movies like Iron Man, Batman Begins, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Unlike some superhero themes that would never be used today, the classic still pops up in places like Wonder Woman’s guest appearance on Batman: The Brave and the Bold. What exactly do you want from a tv theme song if that’s not good enough to get on these lists? The memorable track with a single lyric (“Batman!”) paired wonderfully with the animated intro, evoking the campy and comedic tone of the show. Musical side-note: the late regular cast member Roxie Roker (Helen Willis) is the mother of rock star Lenny Kravitz. Not sure how/why the “Fresh Prince” theme was even chosen at all, but oh well. The first season, set during World War II, ran on ABC. The Saturday Evening Post is a nonprofit organization funded primarily by our members. Danger Man was a British TV series featuring Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Glad to see “Cheers” was included, but “The Facts of Life”? Lalo Schifrin’s Mission: Impossible is one of the gold standards for theme music. Martin, HBO’s Game of Thrones became a worldwide fantasy phenomenon. Dallas is way to low, it should be in the top five at least if not number one. Packed to bursting with synth, electric guitars, and Cuban rhythms, the piece aimed to evoke the titular city, action, and fashion all at the same time. Missing from this list has to be Knight Rider, Party of Five, E.R., Blue Bloods, all the CSI’s even NCIS. They Might Be Giants might be considered the MVPs of the TV theme song genre, having also written the themes to kids cartoons “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Higglytown Heroes.” Plus, it … The series takes its title from the song of the same name, which was originally released on a hit record by The Romantics in 1980; it was written by the group's members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill, Rich Cole, and Jimmy Marinos. They're heroes in a half shell and they're green (Hey - get a grip!) “Wings” had a great instrumental lead-in. Friends Theme Song Lyrics. TC, you’ll notice that none of the themes are from shows that are expressly music and variety shows (except mayyybee The Muppet Show). A single with both the instrumental and Cruise versions charted in over a dozen countries between 1990 and 1991. Laverne herself, Penny Marshall (Garry’s sister), contributed the hopscotch chant that comes before the song in the opening credits. The 25 Greatest TV Theme Songs of All Time: Spoken-Word. The album itself hit No. one Tree hill theme song for season 1 is amazing. The words and music were by George Wyle and show creator Sherwood Schwartz. The J-pop theme “Just Communication” by pop duo Two-Mix is by turns propulsive and introspective, which are the two dominant moods of the series. I think sing-along ability should count for something. 1 hit for Rhythm Heritage and sold over a million copies. Do they realize that that is the only television theme song to reach #1 on the Billboard Top 100…to the creators of this list…up your nose with a rubber hose. You have obviously never heard of “Airwolf”, one of the greatest themes in the history of TV. Lynch, Frost, and much of the cast revived the series on Showtime in 2017. Every episode has a different dance move forMr. Theme song and opening sequences. Are you kidding me? In 2017, a CBS television reboot starring Shemar Moore debuted; it uses an updated version of De Vorzon’s theme by Robert Duncan.

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