The Smiley Smile Message Board

What are everyones favourite theme songs from TV shows? I'll put forward the following:

(Theme From) The Monkees - an obvious one I know
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2hzusE4veM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2hzusE4veM)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - makes me feel 10 again!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPx-zkaKlTA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPx-zkaKlTA)

The Flinstones - love the big band sound on this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s13X66BFd8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s13X66BFd8)

Karen - featuring a little-known Californian vocal group...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iJXcOJ9VQ8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iJXcOJ9VQ8)

The Munsters - my personal favourite, absolutely love this, written by the same guy who wrote Karen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUftpgCf8yE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUftpgCf8yE)

The Simpsons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqog63KOANc

Superjail!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15W_4-4j41g

Remy Zero - Save Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSN6et9eze8

 :3d


The rest of my favourite shows have instrumental themes such as X-Files, Twin Peaks or T.J. Hooker.  ;D

Stack-o-tracks - The theme for Superjail is great, never heard of it before today and of course The Simpons is classic.

Lowbacca - The Smallville theme is actually quite nice, never really paid attention to it on the few times I've watched it. I cannot believe I forgot X Files and Twin Peaks, Twin Peaks especially as I'm a huge fan and love the theme, beautiful piece of music. T J Hooker is another good one, did you ever see the episode with Carl in it? Oh yeah, another awesome one - Star Trek Next Generation.

Happy Days theme

There's a T.J. Hooker episode with Carl Wilson in it???  :o Dude, I watched the German-dubbed episodes when I was a kid and loved the old guy with the belly and the toupee runnin' around and shootin' bad guys - that's all there's to it.. I never knew Carl was on that show.  :o Searchin YouTube now...

Brian Wilson's "Good Kind Of Love".   ;D

That song is just BEGGING to be the theme of a forgotten 80's sitcom!

One of my faves:

The Theme from Get Smart!

Dick Van Dyke Show, Secret Agent Man, Peter Gunn, Banana Splits, Green Acres, Hawaii Five-0, The Avengers

Gotta second Paulos on the TMNT theme, I was raised on that show. COWABUNGA!
I've always liked the Batman theme.
Umm..."Hey Sandy" by Polaris, theme to the Adventures of Pete and Pete.
Salute Your Shorts theme.
I prefer hearing "Rock Around the Clock" to the song "Happy Days" when that show starts. I'm going to assume the producers of the show didn't want to keep paying royalties for RATC.
"Down the Street" by Big Star/Cheap Trick-from That 70s Show.
The Law and Order theme.

if this doesn't catch your heart then idk what will :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOQZAJa-_M0

This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f8egAxC8-w

OMG! too hilarious :) ..this just sounds ridiculous..but it's good to see that this cartoon is appreciated all across the world.

Mad Men: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcRr-Fb5xQo
Gilligan's Island: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfR7qxtgCgY
Laverne and Shirley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AIaakO9YDw

And the greatest of them all:

CHiPs theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYKdayl7BHM

Not that I know "Courtship Of Eddie's Father", but the theme song is great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCF7Dnov8vA

Oh, and here's another one.

Supergran  :-D I liked that one when I was around 10. How tastes change...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZxuGonMxr0&feature=related

Here's a good one by the great John  Barry that is mostly forgotten, probably because the 1971 series only lasted one season. His theme for The Persuaders:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UypR9O4IT8U

The A Team     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MVonyVSQoM

The guitar part in the middle rocks!!

Also big props for X-Files and The Addams Family themes.

Ren & Stimpy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLzJ3tGLWxA

My Secret Identity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfFKwylOsLU
 
Who's The Boss?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dvzR0jfxKk

There's too many!

All time favorite?

The Dukes of Hazzard   ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxD0PqVlt5Q

My favourite will always be The Edison Twins theme.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CMAK0N3U8k (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CMAK0N3U8k)

Wow. Some interesting Canadian content in here.

I'd say Cheers is a great one and also The Rockford Files. Been recently re-watching The Cosby Show and that intro, particularly the second season, with both image and sound is really iconic at this point.

Do you watch trailer park boys? That theme is pretty iconic in canada.

I don't watch it, but that's true!

did any of you people watch dragon ball z? dragon ball gt? :)

Lots of good stuff mentioned here people, nice!

This for Alex as he remembered it and it is awesome - Batman Animated Series

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEx9r5enZsk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEx9r5enZsk)


What about most hated TV themes? Mine has to be the Friends theme 'I'll Be There For You' - if I ever have to hear that shitty fucking song ever again I will go on a stabbing frenzy!

Which Cosby show?  The one from the '80s, or the early '70s Cosby where he played a gym teacher, with the Quincy Jones theme (aka "Hikky Burr")? 

Ha - meant the one from the 80s

I have a hard time making breakfast every morning without hearing the theme song for DEXTER in my head:

http://youtu.be/iZQrkLhSgpY

I find the poms tend to crank-out the Good themes:
The Sweeney - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D99O6oTJVHo
(there’s also a mellow gonna cry into my cuppa after work style closing theme)

Grange Hill - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SlvZF6k5bE – has farty synths and one of those fish shaped percussion dohickys prominent in the mix

At home with the Braithwaites - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKwx67-WHHg

As opposed to the worst, usually from the Yanks:
Who’s the Boss (not you, mate) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPfZVSgpclw

Family Ties - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iliLnQmaEOA

Although I will grant them this rare exception – What about MiMi - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zceQ_tg_T5U

Every year should be 1966....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch1T8-hDy5I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iaR3WO71j4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXfyhqXxf3E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNS0u6USBT8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C8EUrtEhfM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUQzNIxGLyM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpBhrjfetkk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq6g5qwAPv8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R45kkVRM4MQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS_hD6CyZwc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6FY9DZcSoA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjwI9Oz0yl0&feature=related

The one from Community is really good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEGbjR1Y9Qo

BTW, how cool would it be to hear the Beach Boys sing this? 

Oh and for classic themes, it's hard to beat this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqazleR3FE

Not the best TV theme, but one of the best cover versions of a TV theme, complete with dance moves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFXhkP8w3O0

ALIAS SMITH & JONES ... "There's one thing we gotta get Heyes ..." "What's that ?" "... Outta this business"  :lol

Best show ever ...

Love that show and the song!
_____

This one's a tie for best and worst - I just can't decide haha
Fresh Prince of Bel Air: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBe0VCso0qs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBe0VCso0qs)

MacGyver: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaQvBbzslJE

Not too impressive I admit, although I did like the series


Airwolf though still get me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=nr_CJL1YQRc&NR=1


ah, and then there's David Hasselhoff of course  ;D  :

Knightrider: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo8Qls0HnWo
worse?
Baywatch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuYrRebvFHc
even worse?
Baywatch Nights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bsoTvdGrMQ
worst? (or priceless... you decide  ;D ):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBFsJk6PWu0

Airwolf! God I loved that show when I was kid, great stuff. The Baywatch Nights theme is freaking terrible but I can't dislike the Baywatch theme, mostly because Baywatch 'helped me' through my teenage years!

Here's another great one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7vS4z6ngQo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7vS4z6ngQo)

and thinking of Airwolf, I almost forgot this one.... actually quite bad, but I think I watched the whole series when I was a teenager

The Highwaymen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLLyS88_DB8



and here's an all-time favorite of mine: Battlestar Galactica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHD1uPVkyk0

Magnum PI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OTvTv0EgIg

Since I was thinking about 1980s Americana...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IMesJgw3oU

It might be scary but I'm sure most of you guys know this one lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnE3-0X-174
&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99BpuWQKtJw

Cool to post next to Newguy. :3d Few favorites:

"Spellbinder"/ "Spellbinder: The Land Of The Dragon Lord"
"Tom & Jerry" (the classic vintage cartoon series)
"Scooby Doo"
"Merrie Melodies"
"Sherlock Holmes" (the version with great & the best Sherlock Jeremy Brett)
"Miss Marple" (BBC)
"X Files"

Hawaii 50 with The Ventures:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwhvByj8YG8

The Ventures is great band. Do you like any cartoon series theme? Film TV shows - which else will you list? Curious.

I was a "flag girl" in my high school marching band and we did a show focusing on TV theme songs., including the one from Hogan's Heroes. While not musically something I would just listen to, whenever I watch the TV show I get a rush from the piece.  I'm told that Carol Kaye played bass on the recording?

If you're not familiar, it was a comedy about allied air force prisoners in a German  POW camp. The prisoners did intelligence gathering and transmission, helped with resistance activities and caused general mayhem  while always  getting  over on the Nazis.

Interestingly, the actor who played an SS major was an American Jew; theFrench/Jewish actor who played the French corporal lost all but two of his family (with 12 children) in the Holocaust; a Jewish/German actor played the German General, and the Jewish/Austrian actor who played the German sergeant lost his family in the camps. The Jewish/German actor who played the camp commandant fled with his family to Los Angeles where his father became conductor of the LA Symphony Orchestra. As "Colonel Klink," he sometimes plays an achingly terrible violin, but thinks he is great; in reality, he is a classically trained violinist.
 
It's a very funny show, although the humor is pretty simplistic - basically American Colonel Hogan playing mind games with insecure Colonel Klink  whose main goal during the war was to avoid being sent to the Russian Front.  The show was  criticized when it was on in the 60s and 70s because people felt that it made light of the situation. The actors, however, liked the fact that it made the Germans characters out to be buffoons.
Here's the tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onZm-1GjYdw

I don't know if it's great or a favorite, but darn it if the Growing Pains theme song doesn't get stuck in my head on a recurring basis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRvzm51EaKo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRvzm51EaKo)

BJ Thomas sang that, accompanied by Jennifer Warnes, then Dusty Springfield.

Sanford & Son will always be my favorite TV Show Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIK9yffjRK8

Northern  Exposure and the Doctor Who theme from the 1970's.

2Buckethead: I like military comedies a la "Police Academy" with commands, goofy jokes etc. & since you mentioned Carol Kaye, I've got utmost respect for her. She's really great bassist & played bass in many things, therefore am sure that what you're told - i.e. she playing in "Hogan's Heroes" - is right.

Yeah, goofy can be good, especially when you don't want to think too hard. I hope that Carol played on the HH theme, too, because I enjoy any kind of BB connection!   

Always loved those cool British 60s theme songs such as Danger Man and The Prisoner.
My favorite is The Avengers theme (Patrick MacNee/Diana Rigg era). No US show could touch that. Love the bongos lol!

Don't laugh but a favorite US theme song from the 60s was for the Jonny Quest cartoon show.

I won't laugh. He also did the theme songs for the Jetsons and the Flintstones. A poster indicates that the musicians showed up for the Johnny Quest session thinking, how hard could it be to do a cartoon theme song and...


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIhEpjnaNlo

Now that you have me thinking about kids' shows, here is my all-time favorite theme song. It's from Shining Time Station, a series that ran from 1989 through the early 90s that incorporated Thomas the Train cartoons. (Ringo Star and George Carlin both played Mr. Conductor.) I'd feed and diaper my three sons in the morning and we'd settle in to enjoy this magical experience. The best part is when we'd try to sing along; not kid-friendly lyrics, what a mess! My heart is full...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-z3bXGY6L4

Sung by Philadelphia's own Kevin Roth.

2Buckethead: You listed kid shows, it's different case entirely to cartoon shows, real people play etc. - see the previous question. Or, if you didn't answer means you dislike cartoon themes? Not the single example?

RangeRoverA1 - Cartoons were not my thing, generally. Too many older brothers who dominated the TV and I had no choice but to watch. But if I had to pick one cartoon theme, it would be Astro Boy. Those Japanese knew what they were doing!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpwbNYFvZy4

Teen Titans was a good cartoon theme.

Fall Guy
Spider-Man Cartoon
Littlest Hobo
Barney Miller
Gimme a Break (early version)
Snow Job

First the hockey talk and now this. You are really out-Canadianing the rest of us Canadians on the board.

The Sopranos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaXIuHH91fU

 :lol

This has been stuck in my head since I was about 4:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x4wBbx9wE5U

I've never seen that before but what I like best about it is that they film it in a way that it looks like they are singing that song to me as I'm being forcibly removed from the building.

2Buckethead: We'll agree to disagree re: Japanese cartoons. Hated them. They strangely got popular here with Russian kids. & music themes? Just plain bad.

RangeRover A1 - I was talking  "tongue-in-cheek" about Japanese cartoons (being kind of sarcastic).  Aside from Astro Boy, I'm not really impressed.  It's interesting, though, that  Japanese cartoons caught on in Russia. I assume this was after Gornachev?

Yes, during Gorbachev's "perestroika" lotta things from abroad began to be allowed - music, films, clothes etc. Btw, do you live in California? It's definitely the best state. :3d Lucky if you do.

I really like the main theme from The Simpsons by Danny Elfman. 

It's a shame that increased commercial time on TV shows has more or less killed the title sequence and need for TV theme songs. 

RangeRoverA1 - No, I actually live in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. I've been to California  three times, though, and it is quite different fro m my home state. A big part of the romance of California was, of course, encouraged  by  Beach Boys music. My high school had a couple of exchange students every year form other countries and many would insist that their host families take them to California. They didn't realize that it was so far away that even most Pennsylvanians had never been there! my favorite pat of CA is the northern part. Not "fun in the sun" but beautiful.

2Buckethead: Cool! Bet you liked being there. Btw, I knew California way before discovering BBs. Seeing pictures, postcards with cool images, luxurious house designs, palm trees etc., I regard it the best place in the world. :3d There's inofficial "rivalry" between California & New York - 2 entertainment centre states etc. But I read many long-time New Yorkers praising it when they visit it. As they should. :police: :3d

For some reason, I love as theme songs the sorts of music I'd never enjoy otherwise. Presumably it's mostly because of my age (and thus the shows I grew up with), but I have a soft spot for those cheesy soft pop themes like Family Ties, Growing Pains, etc. Diff'rent Strokes was great. Mr. Belvedere, Perfect Strangers. The Greatest American Hero theme was fantastic. The laughably corny power chords that kicked off Beverly Hills 90210.

Anyone mentioned Angelo Badalamenti’s theme song for Twin Peaks?

LOL

That's sweet!

Few additions:

"Perry Mason" - great show with great theme.
"Rocky & Bullwinkle" - immediate favorite.
"Around The World With Willy Fog" - nice friendly singsong intro & nice rolling credits song in the end. Esp. intro.
"Tail Spin" - mischievous, joyful, fun. "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" meets "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" but better.
&
CBS Radio Mystery Theatre - starts with long nerve-racking, nails-to-glass high creaking noise, it then shifts to bass, slow, dark doomed 3-note music. In short - cool! :3d

Only TV theme song that can bring tears to my eyes: Chico and the Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7FISjhfpmc

Remastered version here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dFQ0k9iAOg

Three TV faves and their composers:

The Wild Wild West - Richard Markowitz
The Price Is Right Theme - Edd Kalehoff (or, Shelia Cole)
Green Acres - Vic Mizzy


Special Mentions:
Gotham City Municiple Swing Band - Neal Hefti. Theme for Bob Wilkins' various Northern California TV shows.
Syncopated Clock -  Leroy Anderson. Opening theme for Valley Playhouse (pretty sure), a local show out of Sacramento, CA.

Great theme!

Hard to tell whether this one has been linked yet. Great, great instrumental (guitarfool will agree). It's the theme from Route 66: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw1tiNGQ4wI

This is cool, too, but different. It's the theme from a US TV series I only discovered earlier in the week, BoJack Horseman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSEyU_OZUVI

I realize I'm replying to a really old post, but if you're still out there lurking Paulos, I was talking about the series with the REAL Batman, the late great Mayor of Quahog, Adam West. You know, "na na na na na na na BATMAN!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSaDPc1Cs5U

Hey, I didn't list "Heathcliff", 80s TV cartoon show about cat Heathcliff & fam he lives in. Mel Blanc voices. :3d Cool upbeat song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml8mnc7WciA

"Laverne & Shirley" - nice cheery song with good vocs & crucial reason - it fits the lovely & funny ladies which TV series tells about. Didn't check its related series ("Happy Days" is it? "Happy Times"? Keep forgetting), seems like it's about family, looking at publicity pic.

Older shows:

Classic Era Doctor Who
Star Trek Original Series
Hawaii Five-O

21st century shows:

Sopranos
John Adams
House of Cards

Didn't see "Dr. Who". Is it really good that many say? Wiki description seems dull.

Like anything, it depends on your tastes, RR. I've been a lifelong fantasy/sci-fi fan, and a casual fan of British TV, so when I was introduced to Doctor Who over a decade ago, it was a natural fit for me. I find the basic premise of a quirky, long-lived character who travels through time and space in a box having adventures and doing good appealing. Of course, the show is decades old, and has had many actors fill the role of the Doctor over the years. Most fans find they have a favorite iteration or two. Mine happens to be the 4th Doctor, played by Tom Baker. In my circle, people seem to either love the show or hate it.

Magnum PI
Miami Vice
Sesame Street (which bears more than a passing resemblance to GV)

Any thoughts on the original theme song? It lasted for about 9 or 10 episodes.

The Laverne and Shirley theme is nice.
The other show would be Happy Days

I’d forgotten about the original theme!  I re-watched the first couple of seasons of Magnum a few years ago and was surprised to hear the original theme as I didn’t remember it from the first time around.  To answer your question, I think it’s a fine piece of music on its own and actually quite interesting, but as theme music to the opening credits of a show it just doesn’t compare to the later theme.  The second, more long-running theme and opening credits just worked so well together and created a real sense of excitement.  The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, I guess is what I’m trying to say. 

What do you think?

What's this weird "Magnum PI" title?

I agree with you. I also get a '70s vibe from the original theme which is disjointing for obvious reasons.

Magnum, P.I. was a TV show from the 1980s, based in Hawaii and starring Tom Selleck as a private investigator (P.I. being an abbreviation for private investigator).

Here's the theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBIgXhiOpeQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBIgXhiOpeQ)

TY, GH.

Theme from Tales of the Unexpected.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js7T-VTL91k

St Elsewhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9h7ugSzlEk

Laverne and Shirley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAnecJl_Z1A

Mary Tyler Moore Show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYgKcUDZ-E0

Rhoda.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtjZuWxE6ho

Dharma and Greg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm3e7w2xtfU

I'd seen few eps in "Tales From Unexpected". Which eps do you like, Jeanster? To me, it's "Fly-paper", "The Landlady", "Open Window", "Edward The Conqueror" (cat ep).

I did mention "Laverne & Shirley". Fave characters: Laverne & Squiggy - funniest lines & humorists.

Rhoda is Junior's babysitter's name in "Problem Child 2". It's really ugly.

Deleted ...

Stick. I'll get people to answer which eps in "Tales..." they like. But, why theme music is "forever"? To these ears, it's really pedestrian, cheesefest, it doesn't fit the series. It must be FRIGHTFUL, MYSTIC, BIZARRE, PSYCHEDELIC. Ditto visually, instead what seems like shadowed naked girls' silhouettes dance stupid dance with banal dull moves. Zzzzz. Wish to pinch their curvy thighs with strength till they quit it, it's annoying.

Ta to explain the "Rhoda" series. I didn't see it, I simply tell you that in "Problem Child 2", I'm sure everybody seen it, there's single day babysitter named Rhoda who stayed with Junior & didn't let him see cartoons he wished to see, instead kept channel with pigs frolicking in pigsty. Since then, I think about Rhoda being easily in Top 5 ugliest girl names. :-D

Shirley got cute nose. :) In fact entire cute face. She could be funny but what's that dreadful elaborate accent she talks in? Really makes me lose temper hearing it. Lenny tries to copy Squiggy's funny voice but fails - not that funny. But I like him too. He's kinder than Squiggy, it's usually plus. :)

You did it in previous reply, here:

Don't thank me. :D

Deleted ...

The man who wrote the music for the Dark Shadows TV series, Bob Cobert, died last week aged 95. I found this album of music from the series played by The Robert Cobert Orchestra, with one or two monologues by Jonathan Frid in his role of Barnabas Collins (RIP both):

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD9A2F99FDCB0B033

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Shadows (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Shadows)