TV Themes: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

[festivus]

Here's a video with the first four. I also really love the 70's vibe to the Luke Cage credits. Jessica's are noir and fit the show. I like the visuals more on Daredevil's than I do the music but I love all the opening credits for these shows. 

 

Here's The Punisher

[Annber03]

6 hours ago, festivus said:

The Sleepy Hollow ones are funny to me cause I did like them but the first time I saw them they just screamed 90's to me. And kinda soap opera-y. 

LOL! Yeah, I can see that, now you mention it :D. 

[festivus]

Here's what Sleepy Hollow's credits reminded me of:

 

I loved that show back then and I was so mad when it was cancelled. I watched it again a few years ago and it was terrible! Amazing what 25 years can do to your memories.

[Annber03]

Ooh, yeah, I can definitely see the similarity! Had I been a little older when that show debuted, I probably would've watched that, too-it sounds like something that would've been right up my alley. Shame it didn't seem to hold up as well for you-it's tough when that happens with a show you used to love. 

Cool-looking creepy house, though.

(Also, OMG, super young Joseph Gordon-Levitt! Awwww. Did not know he was on that show.)

[ParadoxLost]

3 hours ago, festivus said:

I loved that show back then and I was so mad when it was cancelled. I watched it again a few years ago and it was terrible! Amazing what 25 years can do to your memories.

Dark Shadows the 90s version.  I loved that show.  My high school BFF and I were just obsessed with it.  I have the DVDs but I haven't gone back and watched them. 

Two other shows on my "they keep cancelling my shows, I hate network executives" list from the 90s made me hate Disney World for a little while because the VCR ran out of tape while on vacation and I never got to see the last episodes aired and they werre cancelled when I got home.

In retrospect, I think I may have had awful taste in TV.

 

 

 

[Snow Apple]

There was a sitcom from 1980 called I'm A Big Girl Now and I was going crazy for years trying to find the theme song. Finally located on YouTube and it's just as good as I remember.

Sorry I can't link from my device.

[Rinaldo]

I remember it too! The show's star Diana Canova sang it. (One odd thing I remember about the lyrics after all these years, and just verified, is that in the phrase "like/as a child would" -- "like" being more colloquial, "as" more grammatically approved -- is that it happens once each way.)

Edited October 11, 2018 by Rinaldo

[BuyMoreAndSave]

Maybe a little weird but I think the Meet the Press theme song is the greatest theme song of all time, no question. I legit listen to this almost daily.

[BuyMoreAndSave]

This is another great theme song from the series Dirty Money on Netflix (every episode is a mini-documentary about some kind of scam pulled by rich people, and my husband and I are really enjoying it).

[AntiBeeSpray]

Really like the theme to Buffy.

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by AntiBeeSpray

[selkie]

And someone has actually compiled all the different "I'll Be Fine" intros from "Please Like Me"

 

 

(Youtube won't allow season 3 to embed)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G47KK_9AAHY

 

[BuyMoreAndSave]

Another one of my favorites is the Forensic Files theme song. I wish this was a full-length song.

[AntiBeeSpray]

I really like the theme from Dead Like Me.

 

Edited January 26, 2019 by AntiBeeSpray

[GaT]

Here's an oldie from 1995, one of my favorites, the theme from Murder One

[Spartan Girl]

Tell me I'm not the only one that loved this little earworm:

[Annber03]

Ooh, yes! I used to watch the "Underdog" reruns all the time when I was younger. 

I can't remember if this one got mentioned in this thread already or not, but since I'm watching "3rd Rock" at the moment, it's on my mind, so enjoy:

[SVNBob]

4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Tell me I'm not the only one that loved this little earworm:

4 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Ooh, yes! I used to watch the "Underdog" reruns all the time when I was younger.

The Butthole Surfers did an awesome cover of the Underdog theme.

Actually, that whole album rocks and fits this thread perfectly.  It's covers of Saturday Morning cartoons from the '60s through the '80s, performed by some of the biggest artists of the '90s.  Other highlights include Sublime covering Hong Kong Phooey and The Ramones doing the original Spider-Man theme.

[Annber03]

That album sounds pretty cool indeed. I'll have to check it out at some point. 

Speaking of cartoon theme songs, here's one to one of my favorite cartoons from my childhood, composed by the awesome Danny Elfman:

[cynicat]

15 hours ago, SVNBob said:

The Butthole Surfers did an awesome cover of the Underdog theme.

Actually, that whole album rocks and fits this thread perfectly.  It's covers of Saturday Morning cartoons from the '60s through the '80s, performed by some of the biggest artists of the '90s.  Other highlights include Sublime covering Hong Kong Phooey and The Ramones doing the original Spider-Man theme.

I remember that album!  I think I had it on cassette and nearly wore it out.  They also did this for Schoolhouse Rock.  It had Blind Melon doing 'Three Is a Magic Number", The Lemonheads doing "My Hero, Zero", and my personal favorite, Skee-Lo covering "The Tale of Mr. Morton".  Mr. Morton is the subject of my sentence, and what the predicate says, he does...

[ratgirlagogo]

On 6/9/2019 at 3:51 PM, SVNBob said:

Actually, that whole album rocks and fits this thread perfectly.

I listen to that album all the time!

[SVNBob]

I was reminded of this thread after coming across something on Reddit, but first wanted to check to see if it have been brought up here before.   And the answer is yes and no.

A theme song that probably should have been mentioned a while ago is the one to Disney's Gummi Bears.  (And those of you that have heard it before probably now have some of the lyrics bouncing here and there in your brains.)  The original post on Reddit was about the actual show opening.  But deep in the comments, I found a link to the extended version of the song, which is a topic that gets touched on a lot in this thread.  It's not too different, and the instrumental break in the middle seems like it was used under the closing credits.  But there is a second chorus variant just before the end.

 

And while reading back, I saw a lot of old love for the Game of Thrones theme.  How about a cover version, on the Great Highland pipes and drums?

 

[supposebly]

I have loved every soundtrack Ramin Djawadi has ever put together but this cover is pretty awesome.

[Was-MArsenault]

I've always liked these:

And what thread isn’t complete without this one?

 

[Was-MArsenault]

 

[Was-MArsenault]

Another theme song that I like:

 

[Was-MArsenault]

Another favorite of mine:

 

[supposebly]

Murdoch Mysteries. I almost never skip it. 13 seasons.

By Robert Carli

 

[Kromm]

On 12/12/2018 at 2:57 AM, BuyMoreAndSave said:

Maybe a little weird but I think the Meet the Press theme song is the greatest theme song of all time, no question. I legit listen to this almost daily.

EDIT - you posted the above almost 2 years ago so maybe you won't see this reply....  

You DO realize that the Meet The Press theme song is by freaking JOHN WILLIAMS, right?

Williams wrote MOST of the music historically used by NBC News from the mid 80s (most of which is still used, because you know... John Williams wrote it).

For example, the "ba-ba-ba-ba, ba-da da-dum " we all know?   John Williams.

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by Kromm

[Kromm]

On 3/6/2020 at 4:01 PM, Was-MArsenault said:

Another favorite of mine:

 

Music is often subjective, but if I'm being totally honest, I usually feel like taking a shower after hearing this theme.  It's always felt somehow... sleazy to me.

[BW Manilowe]

On 3/6/2020 at 4:01 PM, Was-MArsenault said:

Another favorite of mine:

That was written, & originally performed, by saxophonist Dave Koz. It’s on his Lucky Man & Greatest Hits CDs. They still use the song, but not his version of it anymore. His version is in the above clip.

 

[GreekGeek]

Hearing the "Meet the Press" theme reminded me of another news program intro. The Huntley-Brinkley Report had music by none other than Ludwig Von Beethoven: 

 

[Kromm]

Here's a nice piece on the evolution of the CBS News Theme.  Note that ANOTHER major modern composer besides John Williams is involved.... James Horner (although his version was only around for 5 years).

 

 

Here's Horner's theme in isolation:
 

 

 

[Sweedish Fish]

I don't know if it's been mentioned - CBS Sunday Morning theme song.

 

 

[ClassicShowsFan]

Here is Della Reese recording the theme song for Touched By An Angel:

 

[Blergh]

7 hours ago, Sweedish Fish said:

I don't know if it's been mentioned - CBS Sunday Morning theme song.

 

 

Count me as a dissenter!  I hate that loud bugle call. I'm not in the military I want PEACE AND QUIET first thing on Sunday Morning!

[Kromm]

I don't even particularly like this theme, but this topic DOES say "Good, Bad or Ugly" and I think this theme has a surprisingly interesting history.

Because it was the theme song for BOTH "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr."  AND a key piece of music for NBC's coverage of the Olympics.

 

 

 

SAME song.  And it's NOT a case of a piece of existing classical music simply used both times.  It was written for Brisco County.

 

Heck, it was even somewhat randomly seemingly used during the closing credits to the 1997 World Series.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv33GxsxF04

[shoregirl]

The West Wing theme might be my favorite. Watching the trailer for the special and when they played it during the special made me teary eyed.

If I ever became President I would want them to play that instead of "Hail to the Chief" 

 

Edited October 16, 2020 by shoregirl

[Thomas Crown]

This thread needs more loving.    So many great themes from the 60s, 70s and 80s have already been mentioned, but the Moonlighting theme for me is my personal favorite.  It captures the essence of the show so well.  Vocals by the great Al Jarreau.  

 

[Spartan Girl]

When the movie came out, I was ashamed to admit I remembered the theme song more than the cartoon:

 

[Blergh]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

When the movie came out, I was ashamed to admit I remembered the theme song more than the cartoon:

 

Not unlike the post-GI, pre-BB Sherwood Schwartz theme for his otherwise megaton It's About Time (1966-1967) which was far cuter and catchier than the show about 20th century US astronauts' interactions with a prehistoric cave family.

[Egg McMuffin]

I like the Moonlighting theme, too, but prefer the original version (from the first three seasons):

 

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, Egg McMuffin said:

I like the Moonlighting theme, too, but prefer the original version (from the first three seasons):

Everything about that show was better the first three seasons.

[AimingforYoko]

I was wondering where to put this and I landed on here. One of TV's best theme songs just got better:

As a rule, Twitter (I ain't calling it X) is a cesspool, but sometimes it almost justifies its existence.

[Spartan Girl]

You better believe that after 30 years I STILL know all the words to this theme song by heart:

 

[Fool to cry]

I forgot how great this theme is. That they actually got Tom Jones to sing "DUCK DODGERS!!!" is awesome.

Edited August 24 by Fool to cry

[Palimelon]

The original Cowboy Bebop opening. So, so stylish.