TV theme songs!

Angie!!

I always loved the theme song to The Hogan Family!

R1 I loved the Angie theme. It was long, but so enjoyable!

We Got It Made!

You have to admit--the early close-up on Teri Copley's breasts tells you exactly what the show will be about!

Step By Step with DL favs Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers

I've always loved the opening song to Green Acres.

I loved the way they did the intros, with each character vamping for the camera.

One that has no words but is so iconic to me. Love.

R7 I was just thinking of Family Matters!

DL fave Mindy Cohn!

When books are what you're there about

But looks are what you care about!

Thank you R1. That show is and song is such a flashback - Time and place.

When I was a kid I thought life could be just like this:

I love the elegance of the Dynasty theme. So posh.

One of the most iconic theme songs ever... CHEERS

Wonder Woman!

Now I know it's more like this:

One of my personal favorite theme songs

One of the greatest ever.

The show was awful, but no one who saw it can ever forget Phyllis Diller flouncing through her mansion singing "Howcha do, howcha do, howcha do!"

R17 ‘So up on your feet!’ For years I had no idea what she was singing...

It's a Living chorines: "But at least we're yooooooung and HEALTHY!"

Ann Jillian: *looks at floor*

"Hangin' in a chow line!"

Some Like It Hot...err...Bosom Buddies....

I think I can safely that this has been, in the history of Datalounge, generally speaking the single most beloved opening theme song for a sitcom.

R5 Loved that opening tune, and watching it again made me remember that I had a crush on Sasha Mitchell - especially on his short days on Dallas. Googled him to see what it looks like now... oof... harsh.

MARYS!

This theme song is spunk.

R25 to be fair he had a rough life after his then GF or wife lied claiming he was beating her up and got him locked up and fired.

One of my favorites, The OC

I'll bring you the alien, the creature, the being and put him on your table

1 of my favorite songs of all time is the theme to The Greatest American Hero. In the mid-80's at a flea market, I found a tape with the song on it which was 1 of Joey Scarbury's albums. I still have the tape today. I listen to the song online every now and then because it brings back good memories from my childhood. I was around 8 when the show was on.

One Tree Hill. I loved this song

The original Roswell

I direct people back to R15 and R30 — the Cheers and Greatest American Hero themes were perfection in capturing what those shows were about in 60 seconds or less; they've rarely been surpassed.

“Gimme a Break!” had a great, fun 80’s theme song.

I mean, come on!

Petticoat Junction

Love Living Single

There’s a new girl in town! (and a special one with gravitational powers over straws)

A Different World

The theme to Hill Street Blues was revolutionary, because cop shows had never started with a tune that was so minor-key. It captured the show's realistic approach perfectly.

One for my fellow Millennials,

And then there’s...Bea!

The Addams Family

“In Living Color” for sure.

All these great theme songs make me sad. Nowadays the majority of shows don’t have theme songs because Hollywood is too lazy to make them and/or because they’re out of ideas.

"Sank you, Mistah Eddie's Faddah!"

Think of me at WKRP in Cincinnati...

Loved this theme song and it's only a few years old. It's better than the themes for Boy Meets World for sure.

Both of John Williams' theme for "Lost in Space" were brilliant, but my favorite is the second one because of the incredibly dramatic countdown at the beginning. Even though the scripts were too campy once color came in, I loved the third season just for that countdown.

here are both versions, sequentially.

R49 Didn't think the show was that great, and certainly not better than the original, but they hit it out of the park with that theme.

We are living IN IT these days:

I need a hero!

R26, you could at least have included the opening theme that showed her driving to Minneapolis along with the iconic closing shot...

r30=George Costanza

The St. Elsewhere theme is one of my favorites of all time.

It really reflected overworked doctors in a second-rate hospital: Driving, resigned, propulsive, a little grubby and weary — all without lyrics.

And it was catchy enough to hit the Billboard charts.

80s ballad in the...whatever time period they’re in...

r54, I disagree.

After the first season, they could no longer show the Minneapolis skyline as shown in the original credits because the IDS Center was being built--the tallest and most massive building in the city at that time. (The skyline looked nothing like it does in your link after it was built.) So they changed the opening credits, and they also changed the lyrics to Who can turn the world on with her smile...," which is what everyone still associates with the show and with Mary.

Loved the theme, but sad about Rebecca :(

For the 1970s Aussies.

THIS is the great version of the MTM theme song

Even breakfast cereals had back stories and theme songs...

R58, you're pulling that out of your ass.

They changed the lyrics in Season Two to reflect that Mary was, in fact, making it on her own.

This is a fun behind-the-scenes feature on when they went back to Minneapolis to get new shots for the Season Four opening credits:

Here's a fun one.

Dallas...

The radio edit of "Different Worlds" at R1

Maureen McGovern singing Different Worlds live (wearing what looks like one of ONJ's castoff costumes from Xanadu).

But it's fab!

Mr. Belvedere with 1920s piano ivories...

The single version of Cyndi Grecco's "Making Our Dreams Come True" from [italic]Laverne & Shirley[/italic] reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #16 in Canada.

Networks HAVE to bring back theme songs. They were such an avenue for creativity, artistry and joy that we're being denied!

They only killed them in the '90s because they wanted that extra 60 seconds for ads.

Put ads on the bottom as they run, for God's sake, if that's what it takes.

And now that everything's streaming, that '90s business model is hardly relevant. BRING BACK THEME SONGS!

So who knows that the Smiths lyrics to ‘How Soon Is Now’ are, ‘I am the Son, and the Heir...’

Not until recently did I realize that the theme from [italic]Phyllis[/italic] was intended as a deliciously mean riff on "Mame."

Once upon a time, there were three little girls.....

Welcome Back Kotter is now tainted with the Stain of Travolta, but the theme is one of the great story songs, with such an appealing performance by John Sebastian.

[italic]Makin' It[/italic] was a sitcom flop that aired for just nine episodes, but the theme was a disco hit that reached #9.

I loved the first-season theme to [italic]The Waltons.[/italic]

The Golden Girls

Alice - (Season 1)

Primetime soap mashup!

Lulz!

My name is Rhoda Morgenstern

The Family theme song was one of TV's most beautiful instrumentals ever.

To say nothing of the opening credits themselves, which featured Sada Thompson's stately floating through the living room.

One Day at a Time - (Season 2)

I used to try and dance like Julie when I was a little gayling!

One Day at a Time - (Season 2)

I used to try and dance like Julie when I was a little gayling!

I liked how [italic]Knots Landing[/italic] mixed it up from season to season. The Cinemax soft-porny Season 9 version is my favorite.

The first-season [italic]I Dream of Jeannie[/italic] theme

Not the greatest theme song, but I loved the show at the time. Light hearted fun with Richard Dean Anderson.

DL fave Jon Erik Hexum

For a drama, this is my fav. Simply haunting.

A true classic. The Beverly Hillbillies

Crime Story

The Laverne & Shirley theme is such a perfect TV theme song. It's so up and inspiring — "Give us any chance, we'll take it / Give us any rule, we'll break it / We're gonna make our dreams come true / Doing it our way ... Never heard the word impossible"

Who wouldn't want to watch that show, especially in the mid-'70s?

I wondered why the singer, Cyndi Grecco, didn't have any more hits. Then I listened to some of her other stuff on YouTube ... yeesh. They clearly double- or triple-tracked her on the L&S theme (with backup singers) and EQ'd her to the hilt. But at least she made that classic, which is more than most...

[quote]R54 Here's a fun one.

I actually sang that to a 20 something bank teller this week.

She used to be a barista in the coffee house across the street.

Australia's Sons and Daughters. Kerrie Biddell is most remembered for this dreck.

The Rockford Files opening credits- great theme song and James Garner’s handsome mug.

The Bionic Woman

JESUS, that Wonder Woman S3 opening still fucking KICKS. The editing is superb. BTW, I just started watching Welcome Back Kotter as an adult and I think it's hilarious. In fact, I take my after-work, grandma nap to the Antenna TV's weekday line up of ..WBK, What's Happening, Benson and 227. Sometimes they'll through Soap in the rotation. It's comforting.

^^grandpa^^

Skippy.

r7 I always loved Family Matters as well. Even better when Mike Tyson played every character.

I dare you not to LOVE the theme to KIDS INCORPORATED from 1984:

Nightingales starring DL fave Suzanne Phleshette

Horrible show but catchy theme song

Saved by the Bell

Mickey Mouse Club circa 1993 was the one i remember. I was like 5 around this time.

Yabba Dabba Do

A talking horse?

Snippet and theme .

R105, that made me juvenilicidal...

I always loved the instrumental on the intro to Thirtysomething.

Summer in the country.

Lovely music. Mike Post wrote this.

St. Elsewhere. Composer Dave Grusin. Perfect music for a medical show.

Six Feet Under

A classic.

No one has mentioned the most obvious example of a story song from a show that's a DL legend?

Top Cat

Home Fires - British show that ran for only two seasons

Baywatch

Rita - opening song “Don’t Speak Now” by Oh Land

Legend Pamela Anderson made these openings iconic

Hubi, frubiends!

You can imagine the fun that the musicians had while recording this jazzy number.

Sit Ubu, sit.

I have two all-time favorites. The first is “Family,” the wonderful 70s TV show with Kristy MacNicol and Meredith Baxter Birney. I used to want to live in this house. Today I live not far from it, and yes I have done a lookee loo, it’s still lovely.

I would love to find a long-form recording of this piece of music, which was written by cast member John Rubinstein.

Great thread!

R37, that's a good one! I wouldn't have thought of it but deff a face!

R71, giving me life sis.

I got a couple, hang on.

R132, *fave.

My other favorite is “Thirtysomething,” I consider this the greatest tv theme song of all time. I have a full recording of it by the composer, Snuffy something, that I bought off iTunes, it’s simply gorgeous. Still gives me the warm and fuzzies.

The Jetsons!

Rare, but gave me life as a young gayling.

I'll stop here for my fellow Millennials.

Spider-Man!

“go now...go!”

Wow! Did I miss it or has no one brought up That Girl yet? It’s so iconic and you never could have had MTM with out it.

Thank you for this, OP. I've always enjoyed theme songs a lot more than the actual shows.

And, good shows like The Good Wife don't even have theme songs!

Good one, R140! Except that was a later version of the theme song. The original was a gorgeous instrumental. I swear, this show was instrumental in making me want to move to New York City, which I eventually did. Marlo was absolutely adorable. I always got a little thrill when she waved at the mannequin of herself, even though I didn’t quite get it.

Music starts at 20 seconds:

Love American Style - Friday nights, early 1970s

Sung by the Cowsills, R143

I used to dance around the house singing this one. I even used a yardstick and pretended it was a cane.

She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing, Queens...

Catchy theme song and Martin Kove’s bare chest!

Remember when Grant Goodeve, that great American singer, lent his talents to a new opening song to 8 is Enough? I always thought that line about “bright and shiny new dimes” was a way to include Tom and Abbey in the 8. Do you think Willie Ames was jealous he didn’t get to do the theme song and launch a teenybopper music career?

10 year old me wanted Grant to bake me a plate of homemade cookies!

This is just creepy in light of the harassment allegations.

So many good memories. I am sure this has been here already but LA Law had perfect opening. Season 4 was my favorite.

The jazzy theme to Night Caller

Behind the scenes. One of my all time favorite ones.

^Midnight Caller

Mulberry

As a young gayling this musical interlude always got me excited that something really special was going to happen!

To an American loving all things Brit in the 80s this was magic.

I enjoyed the original Hawaii Five O theme music.

Before my time, but I love all the jazz-themed intros of the late 50s/early 60s shows like this one and Peter Gunn.

Police Squad!

For all you minimalists out there.

Fame

The Love Boat theme, of course.

Dukes of Hazzard.

There are so many. First off:

"Buck Rogers in the 25th Century:"

Sorry! Wrong one:

Hawaii 5-O

I like the apartment in the Charles in charge clip. And I wouldn’t mind Charles in charge of me to be honest.

The A-Team

Also Starring Miss Ann Sothern! Follow the bouncing ball, men.

Surfside 6

The Mod Squad theme makes you want to get up and run. I felt sorry for Peggy Lipton being dragged by the others.

Just try and tell me this wasn't the greatest family drama ever.

You're under arrest, sugah!

r6 my fuckin friend barb has the green acres theme song as her ring tone. talk about obnoxious and annoying in the same breath.

Life Goes On with DL fav Patti LuPone

Funkiest TV theme ever

DIVER DAN

just when you think there's nobody around whose carin' . just when you think there's nobody around whose sharin' just when you think you're all alone and can can jack off - you're not.

If we stick to what the OP was asking for, the winners are definitely The Patty Duke Show, Mr. Ed, The Brady Bunch, Green Acres and the underrated The Pruitts Of Southampton.

If we're just doing great theme songs: Perry Mason, Mission:Impossible, Hawaii Five-O and The Big Valley.

She's had style, she had flair.....

Too Many Cooks.

At over ten minutes, the theme song runs a bit long, but it really captures the spirit of the beloved show.

So many repeat postings of Hawaii 5-O, but none thought to include the version with lyrics.

How could we have forgotten this one? Be sure to take the lyrics to " Amazing Grace" and sing it to this melody.

Adventures in Paradise

The Jeffersons

The South Park guys did a sitcom called "That's My Bush," which never took off. It was really funny but I think it came out right around 9/11... anyway the theme song is in the style of classic tv theme songs. It's kind of great.

Fraggle Rock

British TV show Butterflies.

Omg, r105. I loved Kids Inc.! Really bringing back memories now. lol I was about 7 or 8 when it was on. Thanks for posting that 1. I haven't thought about it in years.

Who owns that fabulous face?

I have 3 songs from my childhood stuck in my head. The Morning After, Don’t Cry Out Loud, and theme for The Greatest American Hero. On occasion I sing Costanzas version, then hate myself for doing so.

I always liked the music of the theme to Simon & Simon. Plus Jameson Parker was gorgeous.

Miami Vice had one of the coolest themes. Really went well with the show.

The Unknown Stuntman from The Fall Guy. Always liked that one.

Damn you, R134 I was going to post thirtysomething's fabulous Snuffy Walden's them! Kidding. And thank you, R153, hadn't seen that clip before. One of my all time fave shows, ever.

Loved this.

With Paula Abdul and The Simpson’s!

Jesus, what are we, chopped liver?

Room 222. Love

Land of the Giants Season 2

DL Favorite Deidre Hall.

One of my favorites- Rawhide.

Gil Favor, Rowdy Yates, Pete Nolan...oh my!

Marshall, Will, and Holly.

Deliverance meets proto-Jurassic Park.

Airwolf

JUMP!

Back when Johnny was still hot.

I find myself randomly humming this sometimes. It’s my ultimate earworm

The TIME Tunnel!

This is the first show I remember watching as a three or four year old. Not a great theme- but it sure tells the story of the show.

For the 90’s kids here’s Hey Dude.

BJ and the Bear

BJ and the Bear

I always wanted a Sister Bertrille in my Catholic school...

The first season of Weeds 😍

Mama's Family

Though it’s so easy to skip intros on streaming, especially while bingeing, I feel this really was unique and powerfully done in both words and images.

Starsky & Hutch

Family Guy

The Bradys aka Bradysomething

Thanks, everyone, for these great themes. I'm not sure whether to be embarrassed or delighted at how many of the them I remember.

I miss the 20th century ...

The Restless Years.

Season 5 had majestic opening music but was the weakest season. It was meant to end to the shadow war but was renewed for one more season.

BSG and its counting

She lived here. She loved here, laughed here, and wept here.

She slept here. And she never really left here.

Jennifer slept here.

This one. Especially the first few seconds. Loved it.

And this one brings me right back to the 80’s

Tom Selleck and his ‘stache

Cool beats and melody in this one

Game of Thrones had a good intro.

Sometimes it was better than the show.

This creepy theme set the tone nicely for the show

Just the good ole boys... in some nice tight jeans.

Road Runner.

I watched this on Saturday mornings for cutie Michael Cade. California Dreams. Anyone else remember it?

Used to sneak downstairs and watch this at night when I was like 10. I always wanted to explore this house.

The Avengers (the 1960s British spy show, not the Marvel superheroes).

Dark Shadows

Little I would always run from the room when the "Dark Shadows" theme came on. It's very good.

R239 Another fabulous piece of music, that I had to purchase for my playlist.

R202 My friend and I used to walk the campus of our 70s high school, books in hand, "doo-doo-dooing" that theme.

Creepy!

I don't know why I always watched this when I was alone in the house. The noises I thought I heard.

Loved the first theme from Nurses that had lyrics.

It wouldn't be the 80s without an updated, catchier version of the theme song.

The best Star Trek theme

Very good show with scary opening. You can feel those people will be in trouble.

Bewitched!

Hotel!

The Persuaders

The Protectors!

Twin Peaks

Anyone post "Dallas" yet? That opener seemed so exciting back then, especially the first few bars. Anything Texas was very "in" for a while in those days.

Que Sera Sera

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?

One of my favorites from recent years.

My favorite from recent years:

I miss this on Sunday nights.

If I'm being perfectly honest though my all time favorite theme song is in fact Green Acres. Followed closely by The Jeffersons.

King of the Hill.

The Sopranos intro was good. Jeffersons was probably the catchiest and best. Also liked The Mary Tyler Moore Show and King of the Hill well.

Loved this show as a kid. Mike was my favorite

I was too young to watch this when it aired, but I remember the theme vividly.

Munster Mondays on Nick at Nite were the best

Hey, you guys!

David the gnome!

Voiced by Tom Bosley

And Happy Days starring Tom Bosley!

Speaking of Tom Bosley...

The Brady Brides. Caution: May cause vomiting

Head of the class

Scooby Doobie Doo

When I’m with you, you take me away to Another Worrrrrrrld!

Classic

Oops...

The Saint starring Roger Moore

There is nothing wrong with your TV set. We control the vertical, we control the horizontal...

Weird little Nickelodeon show Pete and Pete. I always loved the theme.

Can anyone find Taxi?

I had such a crush on Tony Danza from Who’s The Boss. I Loved when he’d be shirtless. What a body.

r258=Cockgobbler Aaron Schock

Does anyone else remember this? I think I was 6 when it was on and yet I have vivid memories of it almost 30 years later.

ABC movie of the week intros, including the 4:30 movie

I think this thread demonstrates how desperately we all want fun, imaginative, storytelling show intros…

CBS The Late Show with "Syncopated Clock" theme

Moonlighting

Chiller Theater gave you a pretty good idea of what was upcoming...

Three from Mickey

Up first, the opening theme

Next, meet the original Mouseketeers

"Now it's time to say goodbye..."

Empty Nest

Love Thy Neighbour.

Kath & Kim.

Family’s John Rubinstein also wrote the closing theme to China Beach, a song that perfectly captures the loneliness and melancholy of battling a war thousands of miles from home. Love this instrumental.

Snuffy Walden ruined the west wing. That’s all

I only got to watch during the summer, when I was home from school in the daytime. Maybe that's why it gives me such a warm, happy feeling.

Gimme a Break #1

and Gimme A Break (the original and much better version)

Never cared for the Broadway version of the Gimme A Break theme song. The synth one was WAY better.

The sound of my childhood.

Gives context and a catchy tune...

As does the cartoon version :)

OLTL Opening Titles Montage

I still LOVE peabo's version - far better than the rest of them.

Scarecrow & Mrs. King -- composed by the late, great Arthur B. Rubinstein.

Mannix!!

Feeling like a little kid, again!

Route 66

Mission Impossible

U.F.O.

The Avengers.

... and now for something completely different ...

The Kingdom of Could Be You. The choral arrangement is AMAZING.

Jem

The Archies.

You’re so outrageous

I always liked the opening to ER. I used to watch it in the dark, then turn the lights back on for the show. What a dork.

Middle school me had a crush on Noah Wyle.

WHET him?

This SNICK staple

Paper Dolls! A 2 minute long intro and cast of thousands at the height of 80s glamour and excess!

I stole the TV!

Gumby!

Charlie's Angels - (Season 2)

Farrah Fawcett was gone, replaced by Cheryl Ladd.

227

Little House on the Prairie

Jonny Quest!

Sugar Time!

Sugar Time!

R323, 227 is a good example of this thread's theme, a catchy tune that explains (in its way) the premise of the show

Get ready to match the stars!

I'm so glad match game is back, the Alec Baldwin-hosted version it is a lot of fun, and it's good to see current "stars" with their guards down

Dodo was gay from outer space...

Oscar & Felix

X-MEN

R270, it was a disaster every time they tried it. But the one with Florence Henderson singing is so cringe.

Space 1999. Since we had UFO

Ugh, I HATE Florence's version. The lyrics are the worst. When it aired on CBS they used 2 different instrumental one (the sax version is awesome, the rock guitar version isn't). I think they used Florence's version when it was repackaged for Fox Family.

I pity the producer who had to tell Florence they weren't using her version for CBS.

What style is Florence trying to sing in, it seems like operatic country?

Pretty much anything Flo ever sand sounded like 'operatic country'...

I can imagine the entire cast having to call on their acting chops to tell Flo it sounded great. Barry was probably pissed they didn't ask him to do a duet.

It was just a waste of time. If you saw it once, you saw it, no need to repeat it again and again and again.

Always loved this quirky theme song - perfect since the show itself was so goofy and sweet.

Oops

Another vote for China Beach's opening theme (the Supremes) and closing theme (instrumental by John Rubenstein).

Episodes often left me near tears, and the closing theme was a perfect capper.

MARY!

R342 R343 both excellent openings and series, I just missed Chloe Webb she was excellent on CB.

R343 China Beach was one of those shows that was top notch, unfortunately it got jerked around by network people who kept screwing around with it and putting it on bad nights.

And yes, just about every episode was a tear jerker. I remember being so shocked and heartbroken when they killed off the Donut Dolly Cherry. And then the episode where KC flies home with the body, another good cry.

"Confused? You won't be, after this episode of SOAP."

Were the Beverly Hillbillies and Gilligans Island the only sitcoms to have a different theme song with different lyrics over the closing credits?

𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 !

Nowadays you don't hear closing theme songs when shows are played on their original networks--because the networks want the time for more ads, of course. But you often hear them when they're rerun in syndication.

Don’t know if this was posted earlier, but it is interesting reading and gives some background into some of the themes.

This has been in my head for a week.

oops