Friday's post got me thinking about some of the great TV theme songs. It may be a product of my age, but it sure seems like the shows of my youth had much better theme songs than those television classics of today. Some shows opening themes are instantly recognizable. Partly because of the popularity or long runs of the shows. The Simpsons Theme comes to mind. Everytime I hear the M*A*S*H theme I instantly think of the death of Henry Blake episode. Who does not love the Alfred Hitchcock Hour theme? Do you know the Masterpiece Theater Theme?
Who among us does not instantly connect with the Lonney Toons theme or Three Stooges songs? For those of us of a certain age, we instantly recognize the themes from Bewitched, I Dream of Jeanie, Leave it to Beaver, Bonanza and Laverne and Shirley. Younger readers may associate closer with the themes from Friends or Full House. Many of us will recognize the theme from Days of Our Lives or Pee Wee's Playhouse.
Here are some of what I consider the greatest TV theme songs of all time:
1. Rat Patrol. Listen
The undisputed best theme song ever.
2. The Andy Griffith Show Listen
3. The Addams Family Listen
4. Hogan's Heroes Listen
5. Rawhide Listen
6. Peter Gunn Listen
7. Hawaii Five-O Listen
8. The Monkees listen
9. Batman Listen
10. Daniel Boone Listen
Honorable mention -- The Tonight Show Theme (Johnny Carson version) Listen
I am sure I missed some great ones. What are your favorites?
17 comments:
Baa Baa Blacksheep - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_qJjwXhG9E
Peter Gunn.
I know you said it, but it's all I can think of.
I just heard a killer version of it a couple days ago with Jeff Beck, Trombone Shorty and Brian Setzer! Wow.
Of course there's that Three Hour Cruise song.
Three Hour Tour. Tour.
How could I forget Gilligan!
I loved The Monkees theme song, and The Munsters as well as the Addams family.
HB...How about the Flinstones and the Jetsons?
Signed,
Your Brother Otter
yep, and how about My Three Sons?
Uh huh...and "The Rifleman", "Ironsides" & although no words, "Perry Mason"....
You mentioned a couple of favorites, but I'll make a 5 of those I can't see passed by:
1) Miami Vice (the synth, the mood, the show that set up the whole genre of cops shows with running background music that others like Cold Case can copy, but never duplicate)
2) Welcome Back Kotter (hard to believe the dude never had another hit - he had one heck of a voice, and this was one heck of a song)
3) The Sopranos
4) Law and Order (two simple notes - thunk thunk - that would set off the Pavlovian response in me and sucker me for an hour of excellence)
5) Dukes of Hazzard (just two good ole boys, never meant any harm - and Waylon's easygoing commentary on whether the boys will get themselves out of this latest mess)
honorable mention: Barney Miller (the barge floating past the New York skyline as the funky jazz bass kicks in)
Mentioning Barney Miller theme, made me think of the one for Night Court too....
Miami Vice: Peter Gunn for a newer generation.
How could you have missed Then Came Bronson?
Oh and Branded. I would assess that you missed the boat on the list. Yes I loved The Monkeys, but in the top ten theme song, nah.
I must insist you justify your criteria because it's just wrong. Hogan's Heroes might qualify, but where is M.A.S.H.? AND ALFRED HITCHCOCK.
Wanna repost this one now?
I put MASH and Hitchcock in the almost made the list(and even linked to the songs!). I should have included Gilligan and perhaps The Rockford Files. And really, how could I have ommitted The Partridge Family!
I can justify the decisions easily. I am right, everyone else is wrong. I have fact on my side, everyone else has opinion.
Hahaha if we all remember that, things go smoothly!
I should have included Miami Vice as well. I missed that one
Gilligan and The Partridge Family??? Surely you are now pulling my leg. Those are girly songs. And again, The Monkeys???? Hello?? Were you also a big fan of Donnie Osmond? ;)
mts,
I forgot to mention this but the author of the Welcome Back Kotter theme was John Sebastian. He was a founding member of the Loving Spoonful and a staple of the early 1960s coffe house folk rock scene. He is mentioned in every verse of the Mama and Papa's hit Creche Alley. He is in the Rock & Roll HOF.
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