10 Best TV Theme Songs
Just recorded a podcast with Times TV critic Eric Deggans, who is currently out in L.A. at the TV Writers Liquor 'n' Hype-a-thon, where talented tube scribes get schmoozed and boozed by major broadcast networks. Eric is staying at the Beverly Hilton; they are no doubt fanning him and feeding him grapes, as well. Eric spins some good yarns, so definitely check out the podcast. We'll be recording a new podcast every day, my jealousy, my envy, my rage reaching new fevery peaks each episode.
In the meantime, I'm feeling inspired. Let's talk TV themes. THE 10 BEST TV THEMES, that is. I'm a big fan of Mike Post, so you'll find a lot of his work on here, including two in the top spots. I'm basically disqualifying pre-existing songs a la the Who hits for the CSI franchise. That said, Quincy Jones is getting on here, rules be damned. I also have no idea who wrote a couple of these. (In Search Of..., anybody?) So basically, the rules are loose, just like my morals and grasp of journalism. So here you go...
10) The A-Team Theme -- Mike Post and Pete Carpenter
9) The Dick Van Dyke Show -- ???
8) Meet the Flintstones -- lyrics by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, music by Hoyt Curtin
7) Hill Street Blues -- Mike Post
6) Miami Vice -- Jan Hammer
5) The Greatest American Hero -- Mike Post (sung by Joey Scarbury)
4) In Search Of... -- ????Maybe Leonard Nimoy????
3) Sanford and Son -- Quincy Jones (theme's real name is called The Streetbeater, I believe)
2) Magnum, P.I. -- Mike Post
1) The Rockford Files -- Mike Post
Sean Daly is the pop music critic for the St. Petersburg Times. His CD collection -- from Journey to Dylan, Prince to U2, Public Enemy to Stan Getz -- is much bigger and better than yours.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers rock Tampa Bay. To hear the latest "Stuck in the 80s" episode now, 
the theme from Mary Tyler Moore show is tragically missing from this list. (and i'm a little ashamed but i think cheers should be on there too...)
Posted by: Marie*Elaine | July 18, 2007 at 03:45 PM
"Mary Tyler Moore" -- that is a tragic omission. Have you every heard the Joan Jett version? Beret-tossing goodness. Good one, Marie*Elaine.
Posted by: Sean Daly | July 18, 2007 at 04:03 PM
Dude,
You missed "Moving On Up" from the Jeffersons; the theme from "M-A-S-H"; "Mary Tyler Moore" and what about the theme from "Monday Night Football"
Posted by: db | July 18, 2007 at 04:14 PM
No "Hawaii Five-O" or "Cops"?? Where have you been living for the past 30 years or so?? How about "All in the Family"? Is there any other theme song that so totally caught the essence of a TV Show? My personal faves also include "Welcome Back Kotter" and "Chico and the Man". I'll even throw "Rugrats" in there for good measure.
Posted by: Lockbull | July 18, 2007 at 04:26 PM
Where's Charles in Charge?
Posted by: Guy | July 18, 2007 at 04:37 PM
As I scrolled down your list I was already getting ready to berate you for not including The Rockford Files, but there it was, exactly where it belonged at number one.
I've been watching the repeats on cable, and becoming a fan all over again. Great show (a lot more fun than today's ultra-serious police procedurals), great characters, and of course great music by Mike Post.
Posted by: GlennS. | July 18, 2007 at 05:17 PM
Never drank the Kool-Aid on "M*A*S*H" -- yet more proof I'm an uncultured goon.
"Hawaii Five-O" I deliberately left off so someone such as yourself would raise a ruckus about. That said, it still wouldn't crack my Top 10.
"Monday Night Football" reminds me of vomiting chicken wings and Pils Light.
"Movin' On Up," however, is a GREAT theme. I am ashamed.
Posted by: Sean Daly | July 18, 2007 at 05:17 PM
I had "Welcome Back, Kotter" on 45. Used to play it all the time on my preschool turntable. John Sebastian. Brings back memories.
Posted by: Sean Daly | July 18, 2007 at 05:33 PM
As a true sign that I am parent to a pre-schooler, I have to give props to the Backyardigans theme. My husband has been known to put a Tivo'd episode on and play the opening 2-3 times...AFTER the boy has gone to bed!
Love the "Liquor 'n' Hype-a-thon" moniker. Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle calls it "Death March with Cocktails".
Posted by: Anne | July 18, 2007 at 06:14 PM
The Jetsons! Dude, The Jetsons!
What a great track!
Posted by: Brad | July 18, 2007 at 07:14 PM
what about laverne and shirley? with all the "oooooh ooooh oooohs" in in the background? love it.
Posted by: sarah | July 18, 2007 at 07:52 PM
How about the themes to "Peter Gunn", "Sopranos", "Monkees" and
"WKRP in Cincinnati"?
A guilty pleasure... I always like the theme to "Simon and Simon"
I also agree that "Welcome Back, Kotter" and "Hawaii Five-0" should be on the list
Posted by: Ray | July 18, 2007 at 11:31 PM
There are a lot of missing theme songs. Do you notice how old most of them are? Today's TV shows do not have memorable theme songs. Without a memorable theme song, the TV show wouldn't be worth remembering years down the road.
Posted by: Richard | July 19, 2007 at 08:29 AM
"Meet Cathy, who's lived most everywhere, from Zanzibar to Barclay Square. But Patty's only seen the sights a girl can see from Brooklyn Heights — What a crazy pair!"
C'mon where's the Patty Duke Show? OK, maybe it's not a Top 10 contender, but it should get a mention at least.
I'm very ashamed now for knowing the lyrics.
Posted by: Bob | July 19, 2007 at 09:09 AM
"Just two good ol' boys, never meanin' no harm..."
C'mon, the "Dukes of Hazzard" theme!
Posted by: Mike | July 19, 2007 at 09:12 AM
What about the Simpsons theme? What about Malcolm In The Middle (awesome theme by They Might Be Giants)? What about Cheers? What about Taxi? Sorry Sean, I think you missed some great ones.
Posted by: bassnote | July 19, 2007 at 09:13 AM
What about One Day at a Time. The former Mrs. Van Halen was enough to watch that show. Plus the theme wasn't bad.
And what about "All in the Family"?
Posted by: sparky | July 19, 2007 at 09:29 AM
My Dad had all of Bob James' albums -- he's the dude who wrote the "Taxi" theme. Great one.
I'm also a huge fan of Danny Elfman, and "The Simpsons" is definitely worthy, too.
That said, my list stays put.
Posted by: Sean Daly | July 19, 2007 at 10:05 AM
You never watched "Firefly", did you, Sean?
Posted by: Max | July 19, 2007 at 05:01 PM
Nope, never watched "Firefly." Good theme song? Or lots of references to "In Search Of..."?
Does NO ONE remember "In Search Of..."? Leonard Nimoy in search of Bigfoot! To a 7-year-old kid, it was terrifying television. But I couldn't look away.
Posted by: Sean Daly | July 19, 2007 at 05:31 PM
I remember "In Search Of" Sean.... but honestly didn't until you mentioned it!! Man, that's exercising the memory!!
Loved One Day At A Time! But didn't like the theme song to All in The Family at all!
What about the theme song to Alice or The Love Boat???? :)
Posted by: Carla | July 19, 2007 at 09:00 PM
Okay, you missed a great one ...
the them to "Richie Brockelman: Private Eye" ... by? Carpenter and Post, of course ...
"schooooool's out, sun's comin' up and the day's are gettin longer ... "
Posted by: chase | July 19, 2007 at 09:06 PM
Thanks to this blog I've been humming the theme song to One Day at a Time for a day and a half. While I was a huge M*A*S*H* fan, the words to the opening song, "Suicide is Painless," are quite depressing so I wouldn't vote for that one.
I like the songs that you can sing right out loud with..Moonlighting, Cheers, Jeffersons, MTM, but my favorite on your list? The Greatest American Hero...I'll be singing that for a few days.
Posted by: Erin | July 19, 2007 at 09:29 PM
I can't believe that nobody brought up "Diff'rent Strokes" or "Silver Spoons" or what about "The White Shadow".
Posted by: sparky | July 20, 2007 at 09:13 AM
"Greatest American Hero"? Jesus, E, I barely remember the show, much less the theme song...
I've been thinking about this entry since it was posted, but I haven't replied because I think Daly have most of 'em covered. I'd probably put "The Streetbeater" (you got the title right) at the top of the list, and add the "Taxi" theme somewhere in the bottom half, but otherwise, you're pretty close.
But while I remember "In Search Of..." -- a show that coincided nicely with my brief Star Trek fascination -- I can't come up with the theme music.
I can, however, offer my favorite TV theme music obscurity. In 1985, some idiot at CBS thought they could do a new version of "The Twilight Zone." The show was horrible, but the theme music -- and much of the score from the handful of episodes they made before it was mercifully was canceled -- was written and performed by the Grateful Dead. I even have a recording of a show from San Diego that year where the band plays a two-minute snippet of the theme before starting into "Scarlet Begonias." The show sucked, but the music was appropriately weird.
Posted by: Uncle Crappy | July 20, 2007 at 11:42 PM
Is this a US-only list? Because the greatest TV theme of all time is, of course, the original Doctor Who theme.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5ic1WURj2C8
Posted by: Worth | July 22, 2007 at 08:22 PM
It's about time, it's about space, it's about people in the strangest place....
Where everybody knows your name.
Posted by: NJP | July 22, 2007 at 08:55 PM
Any theme song for a network show that contained the lyrics "and your husband wants to be a girl" as the theme to "Cheers" did, gets my vote.
After that, "Movin' on Up" is one of the best of all time.
Just thankful that "Facts of Life" and "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" seemed to miss the cut, as well as "Friends" theme "I'll be there for you".
Didn't "Airwolf" have a cool theme?
Posted by: Scott | July 23, 2007 at 03:23 AM
OK...i didn't read any of the previous posts.
Two words.
Barney Miller.
One of the best damn TV theme songs.
Posted by: Richard | July 23, 2007 at 03:38 AM
It's amazing someone pays you for your narrow and lame views.
And my CD and music collection would surely make yours look like the joke it is.
You'd better pray your bosses don't actually READ this column, otherwise, you might be looking for work soon.
Posted by: Randal | July 23, 2007 at 05:53 AM
What, no "Amazing Stories"? Every time I hear a snippet of that music it makes me want to go on an adventure.
Posted by: Walter Cox | July 23, 2007 at 11:21 AM
"Good Times," people, "Good Times!" Who can forget that one?
And how about "Maude?" Anyone remember that classic? And because I'm a total Bea Arthur nerd - "The Golden Girls." They actually sing that theme song in a kiddie show at the Land of Little Dragons at Busch Gardens. Not the best version, but Kid Lulu loves the show!
And the song that takes me back to childhood - "The Love Boat." I would come running to the TV when I heard that one! It meant a night of zany adventures, wacky romance and white knee socks!
Posted by: Forever Fiancee | July 23, 2007 at 11:21 AM
Tragically missing:
Mission: Impossible
I Dream of Jeannie
Peter Gunn
Posted by: matt_the_webguy | July 23, 2007 at 12:41 PM
What about Airwolf? That had a nice catchy sound. I still listen to it today from time to time.
But I agree, 90% of those listed in the comments should have made the list, tho that would make it a lot longer than 10. So how about the top 25 or 50 theme songs.
Posted by: BillThyCat | July 23, 2007 at 01:19 PM
I know I'm a geek, but not listing the "Jetsons" or "Northern Exposure" is a glaring ommission.
Posted by: Michael | July 23, 2007 at 02:59 PM
Last season of Lost in Space.
Posted by: ClintBartonWannabe | July 23, 2007 at 03:12 PM
No Gilligan's Island? After, of course, they added the Professor and MaryAnne. Hawaii 5-0 and Mission Impossible are glaring omissions. How about Bugs Bunny...Overture, curtains, lights or Road Runner, beep beep. Fun topic! I'd like to see a top 25.
Posted by: volleybeck | July 23, 2007 at 03:15 PM
No Mission Impossible?
Posted by: Fred | July 23, 2007 at 03:52 PM
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale . . . of the REAL greatest TV show theme song ever!
Posted by: Gilligan | July 23, 2007 at 04:02 PM
What?
No Munsters?
.
Posted by: Matt | July 23, 2007 at 07:12 PM
One better... How about "The Adams Family"??
Posted by: Carla | July 23, 2007 at 09:01 PM
no barneby jones?
Posted by: jregal | July 24, 2007 at 03:52 AM
Wonder years
Posted by: | July 24, 2007 at 09:20 AM
Brady Bunch
The Monkees
The Love Boat
Posted by: gowens | July 24, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Twin Peaks? Angelo Badalementi?
Posted by: Jaques | July 24, 2007 at 11:26 AM
Not necessarily my Top 10, but these are memorable to me.
The Twilight Zone (Should be #1)
Leave It to Beaver
The Andy Griffith Show
All in the Family
WKRP in Cincinnati
The Jefferson's
Good Times
Cheers
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Beverly Hillbillies
Posted by: Bob | July 24, 2007 at 03:51 PM
FF - you beat me to the punch with Maude. I'm totally with you there.
I'd add to the list the theme song from Wonder Woman. I must have gone through a roll of tinfoil a week replicating her belt, hairband and cuffs.
"In your satin tights, fighting for your rights, and the old red, white and blue."
Now there's a campaign slogan begging to be poached.
Posted by: Tonianne | July 25, 2007 at 02:20 PM
"Unsolved Mysteries"
Sooooo creepy, but perfect for the show.
Magnum PI is awesome.
Posted by: Tiffany | July 26, 2007 at 02:29 PM
I think that the current absolute best theme has to be Starship Enterprise. I've been trying to find a dl of it for weeks.
Posted by: Francisco | August 07, 2007 at 11:25 AM