Television Theme Songs

Well written television theme songs stand the test of time the way any classic song does. Television theme songs are beloved pieces of pop culture; some theme songs are so memorable that nearly everyone can sing along to them, even decades after the shows themselves have left the airwaves. Oddly enough, in recent years, TV theme songs seem to have gone the way of the dinosaurs, but this fact just makes the vintage ones that much more memorable.

What Makes a Television Theme Song - and Where Did They Go?

TV theme songs should not be confused with songs that run during the opening credits of a show. A theme song is lyrically linked somehow to the show and was usually written specifically for that show, with the characters and plot in mind. By this definition, it is clear that TV programs have moved away from the use of dedicated theme songs. There are a few recent shows that use very recognizable music during their opening sequences, for instance:

• The Sopranos (Woke Up This Morning by Alabama 3)
• The Law and Order instrumental theme
• The various CSI incarnations with songs by The Who
• Curb Your Enthusiasm (with the trombone laced theme that runs during the closing credits)

With the exception of Law and Order and Curb Your Enthusiasm, these songs may have been chosen for having some lyrical connection to the plots of the shows (“who are you,” for CSI, a show about solving crimes and identifying victims and criminals, and “woke up this morning, got myself a gun,” for the mobsters on The Sopranos), but these tracks were not written specifically for these shows.

Likewise, many modern shows don’t use music during their opening sequences at all. Think of shows like Ugly Betty and Grey’s Anatomy, which dive right into the action. These programs make effective use of music throughout the shows, but they do not have specific theme songs.

There could be a number of reasons for the shift away from TV theme songs. One could be simple fashion. It becomes en vogue to structure TV shows in a certain way and so as shows like Ugly Betty which just “start” become popular, everyone repeats the formula and TV theme songs become passé. Another reason could be the way that people watch TV now. With TiVo, DVRs, and DVD box sets, people don't gather around the set and watch shows in real time anymore. These technologies give people the power to fast forward through the opening credits, so theme songs become irrelevant.

Memorable TV Theme Songs

Fast forwarding through the opening sequence of a show might save some time, but thinking of some of the classic TV theme songs from the past may have you harkening back to the good old days. See if you can remember the lyrics to the theme songs from these shows (in no particular order):

• Gilligan’s Island
• The Patty Duke Show
• The Beverly Hillbillies
• All in the Family
• Alice
• Good Times
• The Jeffersons (fun fact - was written and performed by Ja’net DuBois, who played Thelma on Good Times)
• Different Strokes
• The Facts of Life
• Golden Girls
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
• Gimme a Break
• Happy Days
• The Monkees
• Cheers
• Frasier
• The Brady Bunch
• Laverne and Shirley
• Welcome Back, Kotter
• Green Acres
• Scooby Doo
• The Addams Family
• The Dukes of Hazzard

There have also been some great instrumental TV theme songs. Remember these?:

• The Andy Griffith Show
• MASH
• Sanford and Son (fun fact - written and performed by Quincy Jones)
• Bonanza
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents
• The Twilight Zone
• Hill Street Blues

Your Favorite Television Theme Songs

This list of great TV theme songs could go on and on and no two people are likely to have the same list. What are your favorite TV theme songs? Which great songs have we left off our list? You can nominate your favorite theme song by leaving us a comment.