Wednesday Wondering: Theme Songs

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This should be a fun one. I can recall as a young lad, starting to drift away for the night and laying on the couch, suddenly stirring because of the first chords of a great TV show theme song.

Barney Miller definitely had a great song…I can’t say that I had much of interest in the show itself (I largely didn’t get it), but the song was great, soulful, and powerful. Nice. Some of the others I remember from my youth that I enjoyed a lot:

The Jeffersons

Sung and written by Ja’Net DuBois, who played Willona Woods on Good Times, and Jeff Barry, who had writing credits including “Doo Wa Diddy Diddy”. this song was recorded with a full on gospel choir and Norman Lear was so impressed by it it actually served to help set the literal vision of the show. Cool stuff and somehow can still remember all the lyrics to this day.

Dallas

Yep, this was one of those theme songs that signaled bed time for me, but I love how upbeat and strong the whole song is, including a key change and nice loud end. The series jumped the shark with Who Shot JR, in my opinion…or maybe it was when Bobby just showed back up in the shower in one of the episodes.

Hill Street Blues

Another signal for a date wit the Sandman, I have to say this song perfectly matched the shows very serious and dark seriousness and tone. It sounds like a memoriam when it played, and I can recall that I never, ever, wanted to go to that horrible, violent place called New York City.

Miami Vice

Mainly because this was one of my favorite shows, but Michael Mann always had really great songs with his series and movies, and I can recall listening to the tape back in the day that had all of Jan Hammer’s songs on it, and everything including the opening theme was a favorite of mine.

Simon and Simon

Just a great song, really enjoyed the series, too. Would’ve been a song I’d have listened to on the radio or on repeat if it was longer.

Others I can remember and really liked:

  • Magnum P.I.
  • Newhart
  • Little House on the Prarie
  • WKRP in Cincinnati
  • Fraggle Rock
  • Night Court
  • The Muppet Show
  • LA Law
  • The Dukes of Hazzard

How about you, Refugees? Which was your favorite and why…and which show’s theme song was your signal to head to bed?

57 thoughts on “Wednesday Wondering: Theme Songs”

  1. “Taxi” had a great theme song, as did “Welcome Back Kotter” and I’d definitely agree with you about “WKRP.” “What’s Happening” had a theme song that fit the show. “Speed Racer” had none other than the (uncredited) Nashville Brass playing on it. And — be with me here — “The Price Is Right.” – PDawg30577

  4. Hawaii Five-0, my dad loved it.
    Law and Order – SUV. Open chords get your attention,
    Beverly Hillbillies
    Hee Haw – Roy Clark could play the hell out of that banjo.

    • One of my college roommates and I were playing trivia the other day and “Stand” was being played while we pondered the answer. He said to me that every time he hears that song now all he can think about is opening credits for “Get a Life”

  6. A lot of good ones here.

    For the old WTBS lover, Andy Griffith.
    For the game show fan, Jeopardy!
    For the early 70s sitcom, The Brady Bunch.
    For the late 70s/early 80s sitcom, Happy Days.
    For the 80s hip hop sitcom, The Fresh Prince of BelAir.

    That’s all I got.

  7. Welcome Back Kotter, Hawaii Five O, Andy Griffith, Beverly Hillbillies, Miami Vice , Petty Coat Junction and to show my age my favorite Secret Agent Man.

  9. The Sammy Davis, Jr. theme song for Baretta was by far the coolest. Sorry, but there’s no comparison. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.

  10. The end credits song from WKRP was a real rocker!

    Favorites: the Must See Thursday lineup of The Cosby Show/Family Ties/Cheers/Night Court

    Married…With Children introduced me to Sinatra

  11. Jonny Quest. If I heard that opening coming from the living room on a Saturday morning when I was a kid, I’d knock over a table to get to the TV.

  12. Magnum PI! Dukes of Hazzard! And don’t forget the theme to Johnny Quest! I was a cartoon freak.

    SWAT had a banger. We used to hum it with our toy M-16s while “clearing rooms” (lollygagging in the funnel, lol. WE WERE 7!) DURING Recess AT School!

    Yes, you read that right. In 2nd grade we all brought toy guns to school and played SWAT (interestingly way more than Army) at recess! Frankly, I’m shocked in hindsight! Shocked that we didn’t get PT’d for sweeping teammates or range violations, smh

    • It is an iconic song. When Robert Altman finished shooting MASH, he knew they needed a song for the credits. So he showed his 14 year-old son the scene where a character fakes his death/suicide and asked Michael, to come up with “the stupidest most childish” lyrics for a song. The lyrics were set to music composed by Johnny Mandel.

      Michael wrote the lyrics to “Suicide is Painless” hoping his Dad would buy him a guitar. However, Robert insisted that Michael receive the standard songwriter contract for the lyrics instead of the guitar.

      Robert was paid $70k for directing MASH. With the movie, the tv series which ran for over 10 seasons and syndication, it is estimated that Michael has made several million dollars in royalties from that song he wrote at 14.

  14. The Rockford Files was / is the shiz. I have it on my playlist still. Renegade has a good theme song.

    • Man … James Garner was just a cool dude. I am curious to know how the reboot will go. I had hoped they would pick someone like Glen Powell to play Rockford but they went with David Boreanz (who looks similar to Garner.)

  17. Theme songs? Fall Guy and I saw a nice replica of the truck in Roswell.

    The cartoon MASK was cool as a kid

  18. I always thought if I played bass, I would want to be in a band that played this tv theme jam on a late night Saturday:

    Night Court > Seinfeld > Barney Miller > Sanford & Son

  20. My first thoughts went to Miami Vice. Not necessarily the theme song, though I liked it. More Glen Frey Smuggler’s Blues and You Belong to the City, and then Russ Ballard Voices.

  21. I miss the era of when 40’s/50’s/60’s era crooners were used for tv theme songs. Its cheesy as hell but the “Love Boat” theme by Jack Jones is fantastic and fun to croon along with.

    So is “Love is All Around” (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) by Sonny Curtis.

    The Mad Men theme was perfect for the entire tone of the show.

    Both Peaky Blinders and Narcos had great songs too. Red Right Hand is a perfect fit for Peaky. It isstark and menacing like the show. Tuyo is groovy, sultry, and has a borderline illicit feeling that captures the vibe of greed, drugs, sex and violence of that show.

  23. Cowboy Bebop. Yes, its anime, but the soundtrack for the entire series holds its own against any show on this thread…….

  24. I go back to the black and white tv days. I liked Gunsmoke but my favorite was Bob’s Hope’s “Thanks for the Memory” or Memories. I used to tell my buxom hs sweetie good night with thanks for the mammories.

  27. Alfred Hitchcock (duh)
    Checkmate
    Route 66
    Perry Mason
    Paladin (Have Gun, Will Travel)
    Laramie
    Maverick

    There are others

  28. Surprised no one has mentioned the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme…catchy as hell & makes me laugh every time I think of Larry & his hijinks.

  29. Forget to include Fire Fly……Burn the land and boil the sea you can’t take the sky from me.

    Another show I found only after it was cancelled.

  30. For those of us old enough to remember, the original Hawaii Five-0 was the best! The Rockford Files was a close second.

  32. There was this 80s anime cartoon, “Star Blazers.” That opening theme was a banger! And that space ship was cool as hell.

    But, of course, given my handle, I PITY THE FOOL who doesn’t appreciate the A-Team theme!

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