You woke up this morning Got yourself a BEST TV THEME TUNES POLL NOMINATIONS AND DISCUSSION gun (End date - 12/11/12

Welcome to the ILX TV theme tunes poll.

Hopefully it should provide us all something a little more different and light hearted to talk about and enjoy while shit goes crazy with elections and storms and overpolling and everything else.

Nominate as many tv theme tunes as you'd like. I'll collect the list and start a voting thread after next Monday. Feel free to choose any piece of music associated with a TV show i.e. just because a band has also released that theme as a song elsewhere doesn't mean it shouldn't be allowed here. No remixes or anything though, what made the show only.

Youtubes welcome.

My Three Sons

Crazy non MM/DD/YYYY date schemes!

Knight Rider
Barney Miller
The A-Team
The Simpsons
The Equalizer
Sanford & Son
Welcome Back Kotter

Spider-Man (1967)
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
The Spectacular Spider-Man

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The Streets of San Francisco
SWAT
I Spy
The Mod Squad
It's a Living
One Day at a Time
The Love Boat
Sesame Street
The Twilight Zone

Yeah, a hoy hoy. Do you mean November 12 or December 11?

The Jeffersons

Batman
Hawaii 5-0

Hopefully those will fight it out for 1-2

Underdog
Taxi
Fish
The Tracey Ullman Show

Have Gun – Will Travel

Can we nominate each iteration of The Cosby Show's theme? Because it changed every season.

Also, Fat Albert. HEY HEY HEY

Doctor Who
The Rockford Files

Oh crap I forgot Americans do things in that silly backwards way. I mean the 12th November.

Star Trek

But this is def going to be my ballot #1. So the bizness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgPZ81xA_Ao

If you want to vote for something that isn't the general theme or if it changes please specify i.e.

Sienfeld bassline
The Wire Season 2 theme
Some show w/ a different end theme End Theme

So Whine-dawg is that a vote for The Nanny?

WKRP in Cincinnati opening theme
WKRP in Cincinnati end theme

WMC - There have been many Batman shows over the years. Can you be more specific? I presume you mean the NANANANANANABATMAN one but hey

The Price is Right?

The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Alice
Silver Spoons
Saved By the Bell
Little House on the Prairie

The Facts of Life

Starsky & Hutch

Thunderbirds
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads
The Avengers
This Is Your Life (UK)
Twin Peaks
Crossroads
White Horses
The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
Man in a Suitcase
Mission Impossible
Z-Cars

Should I maybe do a corresponding youtube thread?

Greatest American Hero

X-Files
Underdog
Salute Your Shorts
Hey Dude
Clarissa Explains It All
Rugrats
Rocko's Modern Life

The Clothes Show (In the Night by The Pet Shop Boys)

Brideshead Revisited

I presume you mean the NANANANANANABATMAN one but hey

That's the one.

Also

"For Pete's Sake" - the Monkees 2nd season closing credits song. Probably my favorite Monkees track.

Not really feeling kosher about nominating repurposed songs, but both The Golden Girls and Portlandia would get my votes if I weren't so skittish.

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

I thought the robot voice "More than meets the eye" was so cool when I was a kid.

xpost (I guess that IS admittedly a new recording in the case of TGG.)

Roobarb & Custard

I don't think most people know the song from The Golden Girls for anything other than being The Golden Girls theme.

BBC Cricket/Test Match Special (Soul limbo)
Black Beauty
Father Ted

"Get Stuffed"

The theme song for the late-night 5 min cookery programme, "Get Stuffed"

I thought the robot voice "More than meets the eye" was so cool when I was a kid.

*brain fart* the robot sings "robots in disguise"

Full House
Friends
Tiny Toon Adventures
Batman: The Animated Series
Deadman Wonderland

World In Action

Batman Animated Series

every villain on that show has a theme and most of them are amazing (Freeze, Clayface, Two-Face, Scarecrow, Joker, Penguin) but I'm not sure if those count

xp sorry, missed it

Tomorrow's World

Family Matters gets my obligatory Jesse Frederick vote: "There must be some magic clue inside these gentle walls."

the bill cosby show - the orig show

60 Minutes

every villain on that show has a theme and most of them are amazing (Freeze, Clayface, Two-Face, Scarecrow, Joker, Penguin) but I'm not sure if those count

― g simmel, Friday, 2 November 2012 14:21 (30 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i think that they do if you name them. I know im nomming and voting for the Ultimate Warrior and Dusty Rhodes themes, don't see why cartoon character themes are any different.

I think there's a strong case for separate results roll outs by jurisdiction of voter here.

Friends

I will ceaselessly mock anyone who votes for this. I love the show, but the song makes me want to DIE.

nah everyone loves a pointless brit/american divide over something that comes 47th in a poll or whatever

Rawhide
Champion the Wonder Horse

Do British shows have theme songs?

We have tunes, expertly crafted by library musicians and/or the Radiophonic Workshop!

Six Million Dollar Man

The White Horses

M*A*S*H

BEST TV THEME TUNE POLL YOUTUBE COMPANION THREAD

"Fruity flute" - Farmhouse Kitchen
Magpie
Whole lotta love - CCS (Top of the pops, obviously)
Doctor Who theme (70s version)

Tomorrow's World
― Albert Crampus (NickB), Friday, 2 November 2012

For avoidance of doubt, we'd better make that:

Tomorrow's World (1966-1979, John Dankworth)
Tomorrow's World (1980 onwards, Denton & Cook)

The Prisoner - Ron Grainer (iirc)

in that case

Mr. Freeze Theme (Heart of Ice episode)
Clayface theme (Feat of Clay episode)

those two are essential

The Prisoner
University Challenge (OG version)

The Prisoner (1967-8) obvs

fresh prince of bel air

"Different Worlds" from Angie, the short-lived Robert Hays/Donna Pescow sitcom
Both "Newhart" and "The Bob Newhart Show"

What's Happening!

mostly sport:

Channel 4 Tour de France theme (by Pete Shelley!)
Radio 2 - Sport On 2 (technically not tv, but you'll allow this one)
Grange Hill
Grandstand
BBC Snooker theme
Miami Vice - Crockett's Theme
Formula One (i.e. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain)
Sopranos

Was just about to mention Miami Vice

Can we include the Open University theme?

The Magic Roundabout

do commercial jingles count? probably not. but just know that you're missing out on the Big Red and Juicy Fruit jingles

NBA on NBC theme (composed and performed by John Tesh)

Dave Allen at large

The Great Egg Race

I think there's a strong case for separate results roll outs by jurisdiction of voter here.

Not interested in seperate roll outs but an addendum with country specific votes would be cool.

DuckTales (mentioned it before, but this song was so good that it literally almost killed me)

321 Contact
Seinfeld
Perfect Strangers
Night Court
Northern Exposure
Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers

Z_S I think commercials would take us too far down the rabbit hole.

Mr. Belvedere

Darkwing Duck ("better watch out you bad guys")
Tail Spin ("think of all the trouble we get in...")
Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers

Billy I'll try to collect a) a youtube clip of the theme b) date & country of production for the countdown.

Fraggle Rock

fresh prince of bel air

― Mordy, Friday, 2 November 2012 14:43 (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Our Alice can do this theme with every word, precisely.

What's Happening!

― C-3PO Sharkey (Phil D.), Friday, November 2, 2012 10:44 AM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

YESSSSS

Was tempted to nominate The Brady Bunch theme, but the incidental music in that show is far FAR superior (particularly the recurring fuzz guitar line when comic danger was afoot).

The theme to Picture Box

fraggle rock is great. also:

the muppet show
sesame street

321 Contact

Maybe the best PBS disco ever!

xxxxxpost

I was thinking more along the lines of voters countries rather than production but that'd be good too.

Original 3-2-1 closing credits are kind of monstrous:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnTVfkc8hX4

oh well maybe if people can say when they vote where they are from/maybe anything else ilxors want to know i can work on that data too.

QUANTUM LEAP

321 Contact

Oh HELL yes!

law and order

Bewitched

The Raccoons - Run With Us
Unsolved Mysteries
Rainbow
Reading Rainbow

The Tomorrow People

LOL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190169/faq

What are the lyrics to the theme song?

(disco music)
3-2-1!
Contact is secret; is the moment when everything happens!
Contact is the answer; is the reason that everything happens!
Contact! Let's make contact!
(disco music)
3-2-1 Contact!
(disco music ends)

Beverly Hills 90210
Clarissa Explains it All
Space Ghost Coast 2 Coast

Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law

The People's Court

Dragnet

Peter Gunn

(disco music ends)

;_;

HIMYM
Game of Thrones
All That ("the show is all that and yes we do it. all. the. time.")

Columbo

http://youtu.be/uxOEhc960Bc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxOEhc960Bc

The Banana Splits
The Monkees

The Flashing Blade

Captain Pugwash
Emmerdale Farm
'Left Bank Two' (the gallery theme from Vision On)

The Flintstones
The Jetsons
The Andy Griffith Show
Bonanza
Happy Days
Lavern and Shirley
Mary Tyler Moore
Friends

TERRIERS
http://youtu.be/BVHOn-S82ms

Hockey Night in Canada

...by Randy Crawford

Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
U.F.O.

The High Chaparral

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

Muppet Babies

Jeopardy!

The State
Late Night With Conan O'Brien

Oh fuck:

Kids in the Hall

Late Night with David Letterman
(original early-80s arrangement, with Steve Jordan on drums)

The Persuaders

frasier
Dr Katz

The Groovie Goolies

Josie and the Pussycats

Scooby-Doo (original non-Scrappy version)
Old Grey Whistle Test

The Tripods

Louie

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! end theme ("Do the Mario")

Doug

Bod
Bagpuss

- HILL STREET MOTHERFUCKING BLUES
- Speed Racer ffs
- LA Law
- Cagney & Lacey
- Golden Girls (maybe already mentioned)
- Baretta (maybe mentioned already)
- The Heights
- Buffy The Vampire Slayer
- Spongebob Squarepants
- The Littlest Hobo (Canadian tv show, aired in Australia)

Britishers, you get a HUGE fail for not nomming:
- MINDER!!!!!!

And I will nom my favorite Australian tv theme song
- Kingswood Country

Minder, Crossroads and Kids In The Hall seconded. Some more UK ones...
Grandstand (BBC, 1970s)
Grange Hill (BBC, 1970s-early 80s - the one with the sausage on the fork, not the one that nicks a riff from Lover To Fall by Scritti Politti, although that's pretty good too)
Alter Image (Channel 4, 1980s, by Mick Karn)
In The Night Garden (CBeebies, 2000s, future classic)

Louie

That's the Stories' "Brother Louie" from 1973. What's the rule on this? Would R.E.M.'s "Stand" also be eligible (from Get A Life)?

Yes, per the OP

Feel free to choose any piece of music associated with a TV show i.e. just because a band has also released that theme as a song elsewhere doesn't mean it shouldn't be allowed here. No remixes or anything though, what made the show only.

oh shit you guys

has anyone nommed

CHARLES IN CHARGE

VG you're pretty fired up about TV themes

Growing Pains
Who's the Boss
Wild World of Animals (opening)
Wild World of Animals (closing)

I'm super passionate about the songcraft of those 70's and 80's theme songs. Back when they told a story about the show and were sooooooo rooted in your fandom of the show itself, it's a lost art.

Anyway back to my noms:

JOANIE LOVES CHACHI - plz to check the youtube thread if you scoff, it's supercheese and awesome

This poll would be woefully incomplete without Jan Hammer's

MIAMI VICE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K91gFHJERt0

Terrahawks
Bod
Mr Benn
Monkey

yeah the Who's the Boss theme is p good

MONKEY

omg yes

xp: I suppose I missed the prior nom.

xxxxp I know, I totally agree, I just lol'd at how you barged in screaming. :)

Also, another nom:
H.R. Pufnstuf

Yes, per the OP

Aha. Next time I'll read everything.

btw sorry if I came across as a dick there (using the word "per" tends to do that)...

Not at all, I didn't take it like that.

OK cool :)

Robin Of Sherwood
Ski Sunday
hmm, Match Of The Day?

I nommed Bagpuss but I think I ought to be more specific and say...

Uncle Feedle (from Bagpuss)

CHiPs you guys
Airwolf
Simon & Simon

Sifl and Olly

Tales of the Riverbank
Rag, Tag & Bobtail

COUNT DUCKULA

Whoa, great poll idea.

Lars Von Triers' Riget (The Kingdom)
MPD-Psycho - Strange New World (Lucy Monostone)
Maid Marian and Her Merry Men
Knightmare
Round the Twist

we need to get more oldies in before I forget and cry

Bonanza
Peter Gunn
Perry Mason
Dragnet
Munsters
Davy Crockett
Daniel Boone
Mod Squad

Get Smart has to have been nommed already, right?

original Star Trek theme

Police Squad!
Barnaby Jones

Danger Mouse
The Famous Five
The Goodies

The Goodies

ha! xp

When The Boat Comes In

Munsters will make my ballot most likely.

In my wee youth I used to watch Felony Squad (Howard Duff, Dennis Cole -- one of the late 60s missing links between churned out crap like Highway Patrol and churned out slightly-less-crap like Hill Street Blues) so I checked out the theme and it's sub-Lalo Schiffren crap so I'm not nominating it after all.

crap crap crap crap crap

The Two Ronnies (I forgot what a jam it was!)

The Beverly Hillbillies
Green Acres
The Addams Family
Gilligan's Island
I Love Lucy
F Troop
Ironside
Monty Python's Flying Circus
The Green Hornet
The Saint
Inspector Gadget
Cheers
Magnum, P.I.
Masterpiece Theatre
The Incredible Hulk - Lonely Man Theme
NYPD Blue
Sledge Hammer!
Liquid Television

Magnum PI
Dallas
Moonlighting

Banana Splits

Sealab 2021
Captain Planet
Big Bad Beetleborgs

Charlie's Angels
Diff'rent Strokes

omg thank you MarkoP for Sledge Hammer!

Why Don't You...?

Are you Being Served! (v funky)

Alf
Misfits of Science
Whiz Kids
Family Ties

Cosmos

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Metalocalypse

- Children of the Stones

My god, that is one hell of a theme tune.

- The Changes

Holy blimey, Paddy Kingsland is a god.

Yeah I had been browsing through stuff featured on these compilations and selecting ones I really liked:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television%27s_Greatest_Hits

Happy Days (the theme song, not Rock Around The Clock)

Camp Cariboo
X-Men (90's series)

The Brady Bunch (I don't think it was officially nominated yet)

Red Dwarf!!

Tha 'A' Team

The Sweeney

Blake's 7

Top Cat

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Sweeney
Sorry! (find, if you can, Matt Berry covering it)
Blake's 7
Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
It's A Knockout
Are You Being Served?
The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin
The LWT music (aka "here they come now, Morecambe and Wise")

(haha, xposted on 3 while typing)

Mickey Mouse Club

Home Improvement
COPS (Inner Circle - Bad Boys)

Ask The Family ("Acka Raga" by Joe Harriott & John Mayer)
Weekend World ("Nantucket Sleighride")

The New Zoo Revue, mostly because I had the hots for Emily Peden and her miniskirts.

MST3K Love theme (end credits song)

Chappelle's Show

Brit kids show nostalgia section:

Fingerbobs
Here Come the Double Deckers
Animal Magic

Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre
Kung Fu
Mastermind
Randall and Hopkirk Deceased (1969 version)
The Persuaders!
The Protectors
The Film Programme aka Film 72,73 etc (I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free by Billy Taylor)

The Daily Show ("Dog On Fire," written by Bob Mould, performed by They Might Be Giants)
The Colbert Report ("Baby Muggles," written and performed by Cheap Trick)

The Great Space Coaster

The Bill!

Tales of the Crashingly ObviousUnexpected

Jem
Beverly Hills Teens (this outdoes Jem imo)

The Mysterious Cities of Gold

Wonder Woman
The Fall Guy

I never knew Colbert's theme had a name, and that it is "Baby Muggles".

beverly hills teens is definitely in the "way better than the show" category, but no way does it beat Jem!

MacGuyver

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

Damn Doc, you may be right. Her theme IS truly outrageous. xp

Six Feet Under
Pee-Wee's Playhouse

"Linus and Lucy"
Transformers

Bucky O Hare

Does Linus and Lucy count?

Yeah, not sure that's really a "theme." This, maybe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pao_SasEs1k

oops, this is the one i was thinking of:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta3YGbD75Lo

OH GOD WAIT THE BUGS BUNNY/ROADRUNNER HOUR!!!!

"Overture, curtain, lights! This is it, we'll hit the heights . . ."

yeeeeeeeeessssss

is it just from a charlie brown christmas or was it used on just the normal cartoon?

hmm, Match Of The Day?
if you're in two minds, I'd say don't nominate. However...

The Big Match

(I forever sequentially associate the LWT jingle and 'The Big Match' theme tune. Ah, 70s nostalgia.)

Phil D, you read my mind. Was just about to post that.

ON WITH THE SHOW, THIS IS IIIIIIIIT!

Dexter

are we just voting for the song itself or also the video that goes along with it? Because that makes a pretty big difference for the Dexter theme song

I would nominate Firefly if its opening theme was the Band's "Ain't No More Cane" (and it is whenever I watch it; cumbersome, but worth it).

yah, great opening credits on Dexter
xp

Callan

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em

So, Road Runner has his own theme right? "Road Runner! The coyote's after you!" Or is that just a part of the "On with the show this is it" theme of the Bugs Bunny Road Runner hour?

I think that was a separate song/theme.

There were several incarnations:

The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour
The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show
The Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes Comedy Hour
The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show

ABC began re-running The Bugs Bunny Show on Saturday mornings in August 1962. The series was rerun in color beginning in 1965, and remained on ABC until September 1968. At this point, the series switched to CBS, where it was combined with The Road Runner Show (which had aired on CBS since 1966) to create The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour.[5] The standard Bugs Bunny Show opening and the announcer's introduction of Bugs Bunny ("that Oscar winning rabbit!") were directly followed by the rabbit's saying, "...and also starring my fast feathered friend, the Road Runner", after which The Road Runner Show's theme was played.

I believed "Linus and Lucy" appeared in some of the various Peanuts specials, but I'm not sure about the cartoon series. And I wasn't entirely sure if we were counting things like Television specials.

Cowboy Bebop "Tank!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6jCJZEFIto

There have been enough Charlie Brown specials over the years for it count, I'd think.

So re the Looney Tunes, er, tunes, in order to give each character their due, is it cool to nom this way:

The Bugs Bunny Show
The Road Runner Show

cos I totally think of them as distinct without having one contained in the other the way the Bugs Bunny/Road Runner hour/show does.

Can I vote for the Law And Order "DUN DUN" noise as well as the theme tune?

petticoat junction

Mad Men

thank god no-one has nommed the benny hill show yet

- Children of the Stones

My god, that is one hell of a theme tune

It really is, would be astonishing in any context and even more amazing to think that it's from a kid's TV show.

I'd forgotten Children of the Stones completely, but the moment the intro started it brought back all these foggy memories of trying to watch that show without my parents knowing.

I don't know enough about the Peanuts canon, i'll let you guys sort yourselves out.

Def counting MotD.

Lost in Space (seasons 1 & 2 only!)
Match Game
Emergency!
The Electric Company

Forget what I said about splitting the BB RR tunes; how often do you a get a 2-for-1 on a tv theme? Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour should stand.

Yeah Electric Company's a great one! "We're gonna turn it onnnnn, we're gonna give you the power!"

Robin's Nest

^ good one if you like a spot of moog with your easy listening

This is basically the result of me looking up themes written by Mike Post:

Hunter
Toma
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Blossom
The Commish
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Hardcastle & McCormick
Hooperman
NewsRadio
Renegade
Riptide
Silk Stalkings
Stingray (80s series)
Tales of the Gold Monkey
Tenspeed and Brown Shoe
The White Shadow
Wiseguy
the BBC series Roughnecks

love the White Shadow theme

Germany's Tatort is a fave:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0pV2faxne4

That just made me think of The Shadow Knows - Link Wray. Think it was an old radio series, but it is a great theme tune.

Kojak
Space: 1999

CSI ("Who Are You")
CSI: Miami ("Won't Get Fooled Again")
CSI: New York ("Baba O' Riley")

Neither of these turned up on search, unless YouTubes were posted without comment: The Partridge Family and Room 222.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxRbqiQfr9I

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

Murder She Wrote
Stingray (60s series)
Sister Sister
Lambchop's Playalong - The Song That Doesn't End

Battle of the Planets
Dukes of Hazzard
Three's Company
$25,000 Pyramid
I Dream of Jeannie
All in the Family
Amazing Stories
Otherworld
Super Chicken

How big will our ballots be? Because I'm already trying to cram about 70 things into my top 20.

Well I wasn't expecting this enthusiasm so I was just going to say top 20. But now...

The Incredible Hulk - Lonely Man Theme

Glad someone mentioned this. I just reacquainted myself with it on youtube. That was some heavy and sad shit for little JF.

"Doc Bruce Banner ... pelted by gamma rays"?

Mr Veg is obsessed with the Hulk lonely man theme

Not the opening theme, the closing theme where he's always walking off into the sunset.

xp

Ooh, that's very nice.

Also, the "Doctor Banner ... pelted by gamma rays" theme was the theme to the Animated cartoons from the 60s, not the live action tv show.

Freakazoid
Earthworm Jim
Samurai Pizza Cats
Sailor Moon
Matlock

"Doctor Banner ... pelted by gamma rays" theme - Incredible Hulk

On the topic of Bill Bixby...

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

The Mighty Hercules

Round the Twist

haven't had time to post or brainstorm but i am excited about this

Medical Center. Seriously underrated Lalo Schifrin joint.

Hong Kong Phooey

Teen Titans
Outlaw Star
Azumanga Daioh
Paranoia Agent
Daria

Oz
Homicide: Life on the Street
Millennium

I love Homicide as a TV show, but I kind of feel that it has one of the weaker theme songs out there.

Here's some more I dig:

Swedish children’s TV show “Alfons Aberg”, or what a TV theme song written by Henry Cow would sound like

All those old TV songs with singing in them:
Fireball XL-5 (once heard a great straight version of this by a local free jazz combo)
Branded (as not sung by Jeff Bridges)
Bourbon Street Beat
77 Sunset Strip
I Married Joan
Hawaiian Eye
The Rebel (come on, JOHNNY CASH)
The version of the Bonanza theme song sung by Lorne Greene ("We chased Lady Luck till we finally struck BONANZA...")

Funk and more funk:
Barney Miller
Benson
Supertrain (any version of the theme)
The Bill Cosby Show (Not the Cosby Show- I mean the one with “Hikky Burr” as the theme tune)

Daktari
The ‘60s Iron Man cartoon
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
Sealab 2021
Gumby (one of the only actual “rock” TV theme songs ever?)
Except for maybe Hardcastle and McCormick- sublimely perfect ‘80s rock cheese
Lost in Space- but only the John Williams version
I’ve always had a soft spot for “WKRP in Cincinnati”.
The Spiderman theme song, particularly the French version for the Quebecois market

And of course all the obvious classics (half the output of Mike Post, etc.) as well.

THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY THE NANNY 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― Mr. Zone A (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, November 2, 2012 9:02 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Pee-Wee's Playhouse

(why did it take 274 posts for someone to nom Pee-Wee's Playhouse wtf is wrong w/ u ppl)

Have Gun Will Travel (The Ballad of Paladin)

animaniacs

http://nothingsgonnastopmenow.com/

All That
Living Single ("keep ya head up WHAT? keep ya head up THAT'S RIGHT!")
Moesha

In Living Color

Pee-Wee's Playhouse

― MarkoP, Friday, November 2, 2012 1:58 PM Bookmark

oh i ctrl+f'd and didn't see it. hmm.

Bill Nye The Science Guy

late 80's-early 90's disney toonage...Darkwing Duck theme Vs. The ducktales theme

^^^ some food for thought maybe

Beauty and The Beast
Gummi Bears
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Sharky and George
Zorro
Mannix

Cheers
Mission Impossible
Hawaii 5-0
SWAT
Rockford Files
Happy Days
Hill Street Blues
Sanford & Son
Andy Griffith
Greatest American Hero
Jeffersons
All In The Family
Monkees
Partridge Family
Sesame Street
Magnum PI
Barnaby Jones
Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Denver the Last Dinosaur

Camberwick Green
Harry's Game
Rockliffe's babies
The Tomorrow People
Bagpuss (main theme)
Cheggers Plays Pop
Box of Delights

I don't envy a hoy hoy sifting through all these duplicates to put together a single alphabetical list.

Just seconding or thirding something suggested above: the Road Runner theme should be a separate entity.

ACTION NEWS THEME

thank you for remembering Gummi Bears xxxp, also

Adventure Time

Chicago motherfuckers had that shit down: http://youtu.be/qsSEX-Em0mE

xp

Scrubs
Firefly

xp that was the channel 10 theme in Philly

stand as an REM song is pretty mediocre but as theme song to GET A LIFE, it takes on an unreproducible grandeur.

Sealab 2021 theme makes me so happy.

Is South Park a good theme song? I always imagined if I heard it as a young child that it would scare me.

Can this thread be used to discuss theme songs that we hate?

This thread can be used any way you want.

Was gonna start compiling the master list after the football later maybe.

Is it worth your time? There's been such a huge instant response that I'd be tempted to throw up the voting thread already, allow long ballots, and simply link to this thread for reference.

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Jim'll Fix It

Just throwing it into the mix

New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Venture Bros
Clone High
Bobby's World
Dexter's Lab
Tazmania
Melrose Place
Lois and Clark
Tales From the Crypt
Malcolm in the Middle
In The Heat of The Night
Different Strokes
Flight of the Conchords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dy553E_oa0

Given that there shitloads of American shows that none of us over here have ever seen or heard and vice versa, there's something a bit bogus about this particular poll

Samurai Jack (despite having been written by Will.i.am)

Given that there shitloads of American shows that none of us over here have ever seen or heard and vice versa, there's something a bit bogus about this particular poll

― Named locally as Tom D (Tom D.), Saturday, November 3, 2012 1:17 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Not sure I'd say there's anything "bogus" about it, that sort of cultural difference arises pretty much all the time. It's why we have lobbying and a breakdown analysis of ballots at the end, so the lesser-known (i.e. not American) stuff gets a chance. Also, if we Brits sort a Radiophonic bloc out we can jerrymander the results to at least a certain degree.

yeah "bogus" wtf

Sometimes a lot of the fun of these for an American is getting your first glimpse of Brit-popular stuff - like the Spectrum games in the video games poll a few years back. Seems like with TV themes the geographic effects are overlaid onto already huge generational gaps, especially with the kids's shows - I am overwhelmingly more likely to vote for shows from the 80s and early 90s than any other period, because that's when I was a kid and watched the most TV. It'll all come out fine.

60s/70s/80s was the tv theme song golden era, but I don't know if that an objective statement or just because I was watching tv as a kid in the late 70s and into the 80s. But if you put CHiPs up against Burn Notice or something, CHiPs wins.

back then TV themes seem to exist as its own world divorced from popular music or any genre. now most shows are either some pre-existing song from a major label artist edited down or some half-assed instrumental doodle.

or a single chord (cf. "Lost")

I like the half-assed instrumental doodle that opens Breaking Bad, but I don't think it stands up on its own as a piece of music enough to nominate.

tbf, if you put CHiPs up against most anything, CHiPs wins.

Yeah, I think the demographic age-range of ilx is likely to twist the results a bit more than the geographical one. Or at least in terms of US vs UK (and maybe Australia too? We definitely got/get a fair few Oz programmes over here). I suppose one thing that irks a little is that I still think of ilx as a British board but there are actually way more Americans, so it seems somewhat unfair that Brit programmes will come off worse. But, y'know, we'd all find it a bit odd if Tuomas came on and complained about a lack of Finnish programmes, so not sure why us little islanders should complain either...

Oh no, it's the Americanization of Emil.y

(sorry if that joke has been made before)

haha

I think a lot of what made 60s/70s tv themes great was that many were written and/or arranged by former big-band musicians/composers/arrangers (Johnny Mandel, Quincy Jones and Frank DeVol are three that immediately spring to mind). By the 80s, fewer working arrangers knew how to get the best from large groups, or rather, they'd grown up in an era where you didn't need (or necessarily want) to write for horns and strings. Mike Post was the most effective bridge between the two eras, but his later themes (Law & Order) dispensed with large orchestras completely.

xxp or something

I agree with that analysis complete, especially about Post being the bridge.

what about some of the mancini ones? does the pink panther count?

The Pink Panther was developed as a show after appearing in the opening credits of the films, and brought the theme over with him, so I'd say yes.

When looking up the CHiPs theme, I noticed bop-era trombonist J.J. Johnson's name among the series' composers. Had no idea he'd done any tv work:

n 1970, Quincy Jones convinced Johnson to move from New York to California to compose for cinema and television, where he eventually scored movies such as Across 110th Street, Cleopatra Jones, Top of the Heap and Willie Dynamite, as well as TV series such as Starsky & Hutch, Mike Hammer and The Six Million Dollar Man. Despite his small level of success, Johnson acknowledged that racism and other prejudices kept a black jazz musician such as himself from securing the amount and quality of work he was qualified to perform.

xp

I still think of ilx as a British board but there are actually way more Americans, so it seems somewhat unfair that Brit programmes will come off worse.

if it's any consolation, em, i am American and two of my three favorite tv themes are British, and the third is the American theme for a British show?

also, we should distinguish between the old Doctor Who theme, and the new one(s), which merit a "defend the indefensible" thread

As you'd expect, I'd ask which old Doctor Who theme you mean.

please post as many as there are, aldo!

this thread got ridiculously far without mentioning the likely winners

Baywatch theme song ("I'm Always Here")
Walker, Texas Ranger Theme Song ("Eyes Of The Ranger")

home and away
neighbours

the latter in particular is such an indefatigable earworm, or used to be; i don't know if they still use the same.

Angel
Pokemon

I love old 70s TV crime drama themes, that was like the peak of that kind of studio music.

So by that, I nominate a couple I love that haven't been mentioned

Baretta's Theme (sung by Sammy Davis Jr.) - "keep your eye on the sparrow, when the going gets narrow"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRa9uhiAPBs

The Rookies- This one and genre of intro/music especially this one an influence on the Sabotage video by the Beastie Boys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUAPktt3-Xs

Police Woman - This one is also smoothe and funky too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xns7UBjYqc&feature=related

Apparently, there was a time when you could make a living as a studio tympanist.

for Police Woman is the crude edit at 1:11 part of the song? i'm into it.

Oh, and the Bikers take Belfast theme - er, the Sons of Anarchy theme from the latter part of Season 3
The regular Sons of Anarchy theme is also a-ok

xp i assumed Fat Albert existed in multiple countries.

also, we should distinguish between the old Doctor Who theme, and the new one(s), which merit a "defend the indefensible" thread

― sarahell

The basic 'ooo-EEEEEEE-ooo' is brilliant enough to survive any amount of over-orchestration. As long as a Doctor Who theme includes it I'll love it.

Anyway a few kids' TV omissions:

Thundercats
Ulysses 31

Bergerac

I like the closing theme of R&S, but they're both good!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQQOjNJ7zuU

The League of Gentlemen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6r1S8a1In0

"two of my three favorite tv themes are British, and the third is the American theme for a British show?"
is this the inexplicable replacement of peep show theme with harvey danger? travesty!

Futurama
King of the Hill

No one say H0meland.

xp - no, in the UK "Secret Agent" was called "Danger Man" and had a different theme tune

I kinda like the Homeland theme - sorry.

Another "defend the indefensible" - the 2000s Battlestar Galactica theme

no-one say Justified, yuk

:/

Futurama theme is an homage to Pierre Henry's "Psyche Rock": http://youtu.be/AOqfWj0HqNE

The show couldn't get the rights to the original, so they came up with something that sounds similar.

Red Dwarf Closing Theme

Oh yes I'm aware of that. And I would have probably still mentioned it if it actually was Pierre Henry's "Psyche Rock".

I never knew that about the Futurama theme (also it's the first time I've ever heard "Space Rock"), but that's neat.

The theme from Mr. Show sounds an awful lot like Blondie's "A Shark in Jet's Clothing" (so much that it has to be intentional).

lol Homeland and Justified are the worst themes on TV right now probably

runners-up are Copper and Rizzoli & Isles for both transparently trying to copy the Dropkick Murphys song used in The Departed in similar crappy ways

what is wrong with the Homeland theme?

unless they have a different theme for Season 2, which I haven't seen?

tbf it's about the awkwardly intercut dialogue from the show and cheesy visuals more than the music itself

i mean, has ANY other show's theme song featured clips of dialogue excerpted from episodes, and if so was it ever a good idea?

i like the awkwardness, i think it adds to the musical tension in the composition

468 Nominations so far:

$25,000 Pyramid
321 Contact
60 Minutes
77 Sunset Strip
ACTION NEWS THEME
Adventure Time
Airwolf
Alf
Alice
All In The Family
All That
Alter Image (Channel 4, 1980s, by Mick Karn)
Amazing Stories
Andy Griffith
Angel
Animal Magic
animaniacs
Are you Being Served!
Ask The Family ("Acka Raga" by Joe Harriott & John Mayer)
Azumanga Daioh
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Bagpuss (main theme)
Banana Splits
Baretta
Barnaby Jones
Barney Miller
Batman
Batman Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Battle of the Planets
Baywatch
BBC Cricket/Test Match Special (Soul limbo)
BBC Snooker theme
Beauty and The Beast
Benson
Bergerac
Beverly Hills 90210
Beverly Hills Teens
Bewitched
Big Bad Beetleborgs
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Black Beauty
Blake's 7
Blossom
Bobby's World
Bod
Bonanza
Bonanza theme song sung by Lorne Greene
Bourbon Street Beat
Box of Delights
Branded
Brideshead Revisited
Bucky O Hare
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Cagney & Lacey
Callan
Camberwick Green
Camp Cariboo
Captain Planet
Captain Pugwash
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Champion the Wonder Horse
Channel 4 Tour de France theme (by Pete Shelley!)
Chappelle's Show
CHARLES IN CHARGE
Charlie's Angels
Cheers
Cheggers Plays Pop
Children of the Stones
Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers
CHiPs you guys
Clarissa Explains It All
Clayface theme (Feat of Clay episode)
Clone High
Columbo
COPS (Inner Circle - Bad Boys)
Cosmos
COUNT DUCKULA
Cowboy Bebop "Tank!"
Crossroads
CSI ("Who Are You")
CSI: Miami ("Won't Get Fooled Again")
CSI: New York ("Baba O' Riley")
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Daktari
Dallas
Danger Mouse
Daniel Boone
Daria
Darkwing Duck
Dave Allen at large
Davy Crockett
Deadman Wonderland
Denver the Last Dinosaur
Dexter
Dexter's Lab
Different Strokes
Different Worlds" from Angie, the short-lived Robert Hays/Donna Pescow sitcom
Diff'rent Strokes
Doctor Banner ... pelted by gamma rays" theme - Incredible Hulk
Doctor Who theme (70s version)
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Doug
Dr Katz
Dragnet
DuckTales
Dukes of Hazzard
Earthworm Jim
Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre
Emergency!
Emmerdale Farm
F Troop
Family Ties
Fat Albert. HEY HEY HEY
Father Ted
Fingerbobs
Fireball XL-5
Firefly
Fish
Flight of the Conchords
For Pete's Sake" - the Monkees 2nd season closing credits song.
Formula One (i.e. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain)
Fraggle Rock
frasier
Freakazoid
fresh prince of bel air
Friends
Fruity flute" - Farmhouse Kitchen
Full House
Futurama
Game of Thrones
Germany's Tatort
Get Smart
Get Stuffed
Gilligan's Island
Golden Girls
Grandstand
Grange Hill (BBC, 1970s-early 80s)
Greatest American Hero
Green Acres
Growing Pains
Gumby
Gummi Bears
H.R. Pufnstuf
Happy Days
Hardcastle & McCormick
Harry's Game
Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law
Have Gun – Will Travel
Have Gun Will Travel (The Ballad of Paladin)
Hawaii 5-0
Hawaiian Eye
Here Come the Double Deckers
Hey Dude
HILL STREET BLUES
Hill Street Blues
HIMYM
Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
Hockey Night in Canada
home and away
Home Improvement
Homicide: Life on the Street
Hong Kong Phooey
Hooperman
Hunter
I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
I Married Joan
I Spy
In Living Color
In The Heat of The Night
In The Night Garden
Inspector Gadget
Ironside
It's A Knockout
It's a Living
Jeffersons
Jem
Jeopardy!
Jim'll Fix It
JOANIE LOVES CHACHI
Josie and the Pussycats
Kids in the Hall
King of the Hill
Kingswood Country
Knight Rider
Knightmare
Kojak
Kung Fu
LA Law
Lambchop's Playalong - The Song That Doesn't End
Lars Von Triers' Riget (The Kingdom)
Late Night With Conan O'Brien
Late Night with David Letterman
Lavern and Shirley
law and order
Law And Order "DUN DUN"
'Left Bank Two' (the gallery theme from Vision On)
Linus and Lucy
Liquid Television
Little House on the Prairie
Living Single
Lois and Clark
Lost in Space (seasons 1 & 2 only!)
Lost in Space- but only the John Williams version
Louie
M*A*S*H
MacGuyver
Mad Men
Magnum, P.I.
Magpie
Maid Marian and Her Merry Men
Malcolm in the Middle
Man in a Suitcase
Mannix
Mary Tyler Moore
Mastermind
Masterpiece Theatre
Match Game
Match Of The Day
Matlock
Medical Center
Melrose Place
Metalocalypse
MIAMI VICE
Miami Vice - Crockett's Theme
Mickey Mouse Club
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers
MINDER
Misfits of Science
Mission Impossible
Mod Squad
Moesha
Monkees
Monkey
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Moonlighting
MPD-Psycho - Strange New World (Lucy Monostone)
Mr Benn
Mr. Belvedere
Mr. Freeze Theme (Heart of Ice episode)
MST3K Love theme (end credits song)
Munsters
Muppet Babies
Murder She Wrote
My Three Sons
NBA on NBC theme (composed and performed by John Tesh)
neighbours
New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Newhart
NewsRadio
Night Court
Northern Exposure
NYPD Blue
Old Grey Whistle Test
One Day at a Time
Open University theme
Otherworld
Outlaw Star
Oz
Paranoia Agent
Partridge Family
Pee-Wee's Playhouse
Perfect Strangers
Perry Mason
Peter Gunn
petticoat junction
Picture Box
Pokemon
Police Squad!
Police Woman
QUANTUM LEAP
Rag, Tag & Bobtail
Rainbow
Randall and Hopkirk Deceased (1969 version)
Rawhide
Reading Rainbow
Red Dwarf Closing Theme
Red Dwarf!!
Renegade
Riptide
Robin Of Sherwood
Robin's Nest
Rockford Files
Rockliffe's babies
Rocko's Modern Life
Roobarb & Custard
Room 222
Round the Twist
Rugrats
Sailor Moon
Salute Your Shorts
Samurai Jack
Samurai Pizza Cats
Sanford & Son
Saved By the Bell
Scooby-Doo (original non-Scrappy version)
Scrubs
Sealab 2021
SECRET AGENT
Seinfeld
Sesame Street
Sharky and George
Sifl and Olly
Silk Stalkings
Silver Spoons
Simon & Simon
Sister Sister
Six Feet Under
Six Million Dollar Man
Ski Sunday
Sledge Hammer!
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Sopranos
Sorry!
Space Ghost Coast 2 Coast
Space: 1999
Speed Racer
Spider-Man (1967)
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spongebob Squarepants
Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Starsky & Hutch
Stingray (60s series)
Stingray (80s series)
Super Chicken
Supertrain (any version of the theme)
SWAT
Swedish children’s TV show “Alfons Aberg”
Tail Spin
Tales From the Crypt
Tales of the Gold Monkey
Tales of the Riverbank
Tales of the Unexpected
Taxi
Tazmania
Teen Titans
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tenspeed and Brown Shoe
Terrahawks
TERRIERS
The ‘60s Iron Man cartoon
The Addams Family
The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
The Andy Griffith Show
The A-Team
The Avengers
The Banana Splits
the BBC series Roughnecks
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Big Match
the Bikers take Belfast theme - the Sons of Anarchy theme from the latter part of Season 3
the bill cosby show - the orig show
The Bill Cosby Show (Not the Cosby Show- I mean the one with “Hikky Burr” as the theme tune)
The Bill!
The Bob Newhart Show
The Brady Bunch
The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes Comedy Hour
The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour
The Changes
The Clothes Show (In the Night by The Pet Shop Boys)
The Colbert Report
The Commish
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
The Daily Show
The Electric Company
The Equalizer
The Facts of Life
The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin
The Fall Guy
The Famous Five
The Film Programme aka Film 72,73 etc
The Flashing Blade
The Flintstones
The Goodies
The Great Egg Race
The Great Space Coaster
The Green Hornet
The Groovie Goolies
The Heights
The High Chaparral
The Incredible Hulk - Lonely Man Theme
The Jeffersons
The Jetsons
The League of Gentlemen
The Littlest Hobo
The Love Boat
The LWT music (aka "here they come now, Morecambe and Wise")
The Magic Roundabout
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mighty Hercules
The Mod Squad
The Monkees
the muppet show
The Mysterious Cities of Gold
THE NANNY
The New Zoo Revue
The Partridge Family
The People's Court
The Persuaders
The Pink Panther
The Price is Right?
The Prisoner - Ron Grainer
The Prisoner (1967-8)
The Protectors
The Raccoons - Run With Us
The Rebel
The Road Runner Show
The Rockford Files
The Rookies
The Saint
The Simpsons
The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spiderman theme song, particularly the French version for the Quebecois market
The State
The Streets of San Francisco
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! end theme ("Do the Mario")
The Sweeney
The Tomorrow People
The Tracey Ullman Show
The Tripods
The Twilight Zone
The Two Ronnies
The White Horses
The White Shadow
This Is Your Life (UK)
Three's Company
Thunderbirds
Thundercats
Tiny Toon Adventures
Toma
Tomorrow's World (1966-1979, John Dankworth)
Tomorrow's World (1980 onwards, Denton & Cook)
Top Cat
Top of the Pops
Transformers
Twin Peaks
U.F.O.
Ulysses 31
Uncle Feedle (from Bagpuss)
Underdog
University Challenge (OG version)
Unsolved Mysteries
Venture Bros
Walker, Texas Ranger
Weekend World ("Nantucket Sleighride")
Welcome Back Kotter
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads
When The Boat Comes In
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
White Horses
Whiz Kids
Who's the Boss
Why Don't You...?
Wild World of Animals (closing)
Wild World of Animals (opening)
Wiseguy
WKRP in Cincinnati end theme
WKRP in Cincinnati opening theme
Wonder Woman
World In Action
X-Files
X-Men (90's series)
Z-Cars
Zorro

You forgot Homeland!

And might as well throw in nu-Who Doctor Who theme

And Sons of Anarchy

And The Wire (5 nominations - one for each season)

noone had actually said they were nominating Homeland

Well, I am now!

Homeland discussion was happening while I compiled

i am kinda curious if we end up w/ different nominations for any shows that changed theme songs during their run -- like Boy Meets World had 2 different themes but they basically went from bad to worse. The Wire just had different recordings of the same song, probably doesn't need much of a distinction made between who likes which best.

Here's The Wire list:

The Wire Season 2(Tom Waits)
The Wire Season 4 (kids version)
The Wire Season 1 (blind boys of alabama)
The Wire Season 3 (neville bros)
The Wire Season 5 (Steve Earle)

oh and Treme has a good theme song.

probably doesn't need much of a distinction made between who likes which best.

the versions of the song are pretty different though, as opposed to the variations on the Doctor Who theme from the past 7 years

though i guess "strategically" it would be best if it was just one option as opposed to 5.

Are "Mary Tyler Moore" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" the same thing? I nominated the latter.

I'm kind of for leaving 'Doctor Who' as a single entry, even though the more recent versions have been godawful arrangements of the classic. Mainly because it changed multiple times throughout its run, so either we have ALL of them as separate entries (risking vote-splitting or simply redundant entries b/c people only want to vote for the original) or we should just have one.

Also, I believe "The Prisoner - Ron Grainer" and "The Prisoner (1967-8)" are the same thing. Unless there was another show produced at exactly the same time with exactly the same name.

The Adventures of Pete & Pete

xp - it's the same w/the variations a la Doctor Who.

I was expecting some shows nommed twice, one with a The, to get duplicates on the list. Cheers for pointing out MTM

btw i had been thinking lately about shows that have distinct end themes that run over the final credits that aren't the same thing as the opening theme song -- maybe it wouldn't make sense to include them here but i could collect ideas for a quickie poll thread in one of these threads? The Wire and The Incredible Hulk come to mind

The Adventures of Pete & Pete

― some dude, Saturday, November 3, 2012 6:32 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

This is Mark Mulcahy, isn't it? Never actually saw the show, but <3

Sons of Anarchy has this as well, but the end theme isn't all that interesting

I nommed both the opening and closing themes from WKRP, seeing as how I was the star of the show and all.

I believe Monk retained its original theme music as an end theme when it switched to 'It's a Jungle Out There' for the main theme...

yeah good call but it is just kinda boring. also feels tonally inappropriate like 90% of the time considering how often awful things happen at the end of episodes of Sons of Anarchy.

maybe Sons of Anarchy should only be listed once, and not have the Irish version as a separate option?

http://youtu.be/K2Tke7OA27k

xp - this season is just ... just ... wow, up there with "omg they've stolen the baby!"

lol i forgot about all of that

this season has been good so far imo!

to avoid confusion with the character specific theme songs

Batman Animated Series: Mr. Freeze theme (Heart of Ice episode)
Batman Animated Series: Clayface (Feat of Clay episode)

xp - yes it has! even though the scenes that are supposed to be in Oakland aren't shot there.

ah i thought you were saying upthread that this season was as goofy as the irish babynapping season

The Adventures of Pete & Pete

― some dude, Saturday, November 3, 2012 6:32 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

This is Mark Mulcahy, isn't it? Never actually saw the show, but <3

― emil.y, Saturday, November 3, 2012 2:36 PM Bookmark

Yup - with the show's private band, Polaris. One entire episode revolves around the younger Pete overhearing the band practicing one day, and becoming obsessed with recreating the one song ("Summerbaby" - it's great) from memory, when the band disappears and no one knows what he's talking about. It was a really good show.

only theme song that i got a cassingle of by mailing in a cereal boxtop.

i used to softly jam out to picket fences

All in The Family

It's a theme that is deliciously horrid. Its something you love to hate. And of course, has been parodied to death (most noticeably/notably by Family Guy).

nm I just noticed its been nommed. sorry.

As far as Americans only voting for American TV themes and other bullshit nonsense, I'm the one who nominated Tales from the Riverbank FFS! I'm an unusual case, possibly, but I have a feeling that UK shows will not be underrepresented.

I like having a general "Doctor Who Theme" nomination because then you can vote for whichever version is your favorite and it will eliminate vote splitting. I mean the one from the first series (aka season 1 of the classic show) is my favorite cause its the spookiest but I can see why others might like the later ones like the Pertwee/Baker era one cause it's more crisp and sounds a bit more like actual music.

The Powerpuff Girls

Merrie Melodies
Looney Tunes
(I don't know what the themes were for the "Bugs Bunny Show" versions; I'm talking about the classic intro music for each cartoon.)

The Tonight Show theme (Johnny Carson era; written by Paul Anka)

Can I request a wording change for one of my nominations? I'd like the 1st Batman in the list to be

Batman (Neal Hefti, 1966)

Also want to nominate another Hefti theme, for The Odd Couple

i think if "Yakety Sax" gets nommed that'll have a healthy chance at some American votes lol

nobody has nominated Yakety Sax aka the Benny Hill theme?

I totally am.

I was just talking to a noise "bro" last night about going to a Bee Mask show and proclaiming that Yakety Sax was 100000000X better

Twin Peaks - Laura Palmer's Theme
Robot Chicken End Theme

Dynasty
The Adventures of Robin Hood
American Band Stand
Punky Brewster
Solid Gold
Kolchak the Night Stalker

Damn, there were a lot of Soul Train themes.

Just nominating one:
TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) - Soul Train theme '73-'75

Sanford and Son. Lock thread. Now

Love Boat

Good Times

The Champions
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
Power Rangers Mystic Force
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
Animal Kwackers
The Fantastic Journey
The Time Tunnel
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Chorlton and the Wheelies
Willow the Wisp
Jamie and the Magic Torch
Defenders of the Earth
The Munsters
The Money Programme
On the Air
Scarecrow and Mrs King
Bring 'em Back Alive
Automan
Rhoda

ship to shore

I don't think we can have just one "Top of the Pops" in there,
cos there are 5 different tunes I can think of off the top of me head.
brassy zep
bill linett
bill fartcastle
andi peters era synthy thing
drum n bass zep

and a cursory look on teh yutube says ther's a bunch different earlier ones too.
what to do?
what to do?
oh me oh my !

Street Hawk
It Ain't Half Hot Mum

University Challenge
Jeeves & Wooster
Casualty

Inspector Morse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo3lTbYFK6A

Untalkative Bunny
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Button Moon
Party of Five
The Dick Van Dyke Show
30 Rock

Dick Van Dyke and Man from UNCLE otm!

oh dear how could I have forgotten about the Dynasty theme?! its so great!

Just remembered the masterful theme to Raumpatrouille ('60s German sci-fi TV series) by Peter Thomas. That's gotta be in there.

You've just reminded me of:

Silas

German, early 80s, accompanied many a bored morning in the summer holidays

Countdown

not yet, we're still nominating!!

lol @ Whiney

Mama's Family

Maude!

Canadians of a certain age will surely recall the themes from these shows:

The Beachcombers
King of Kensington
Mr. Dress-Up
The Friendly Giant
Polka-Dot Door
Seeing Things

Oh and of course

Degrassi Jr. High

Maude!

― Kent Burt, Sunday, November 4, 2012 4:47 PM (1 hour ago)

yes, good one

The Pruitts of Southampton
It's About Time
Sneak Previews (Siskel & Ebert on PBS)

BATFINK

I'm not Canadian but I remember Polka-Dot Door's theme - it had real staying power

Battlestar Galactica (1978 series)

Nominating some Mexican TV classics:

El Chavo del 8

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

La Carabina de Ambrosio (which is mostly an instrumental remake of Black is Black by the Bravos)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROyC_VxW6VA

the sonic the hedgehog cartoon with the demented peer gynt music

Yes Minister
The Office ("Handbags and Gladrags")
Dinnerladies
Prisoner / Cell Block H / Caged Women ("On The Inside")

I assume this isn't eligible, but a most excellent 8 seconds all the same:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuN5QiUk00E

<i>the sonic the hedgehog cartoon with the demented peer gynt music</i>

This one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCaWI8_3VLU

The Sooty Show
Trapdoor
Duckula

SUPERTED

Heads And Tails
Pot Black
Sportsnight (aka Sportsnight with Coleman)

The Pink Panther Show (the theme song by Doug Goodwin)

i.e.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bii-PIGprv8

I watched one of the other intros linked after that video, and I'd forgotten all about the Blue Aardvark. I think that might be one of the underlying reasons I like Jackie Mason so much.

Can we have the opening to Red Dwarf I & II as a separate entry? Quite a haunting piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00powkXPhDg

Almost forgot, one of my favorites of the last 20 years or so:

The Drew Carey Show (starting w/ season 2) - "Cleveland Rocks," The Presidents of the United States of America
(oddly, it's way better than Ian Hunter's lugubrious original)

I loved the S1 intro when they danced around the office to "5 O'Clock World" by The Vogues.

Trapdoor

Yes!

Forgot about that one! Love that opening! Just looked it up: "Moon Over Parma" was S1 and part of S2; "Five O'Clock World" was most of S2; and "Cleveland Rocks" was S3 thru S7.

xp

German Sesame Street. The lyrics indicate they didn't get the show at all (and the dubbing of the Muppets' songs was also excrutiating) but the tune rocks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlng8RSxm-4

5 O'Clock World was by faaaaar the best Drew Carey opening credits imo

xp I'd forgotten about the Moon Over Parma intro altogether.

The best German kids' show -- Die Sendung mit der Maus -- also has a pretty bitchin' theme.

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

ABC's Wide World of Sports

I watched one of the other intros linked after that video, and I'd forgotten all about the Blue Aardvark. I think that might be one of the underlying reasons I like Jackie Mason so much.

― Johnny Fever,

That actually wasn't Jackie Mason - it was John Byner doing a Jackie Mason imitation! (Something I only learned myself a coupla years ago)

The Strange World of Gurney Slade
Mr Rossi
Van Der Valk (Simon Park Orchestra - Eye Level)

3 from childhood

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ("On the Other Side")
Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood -- written by Rogers himself
The Little Vampire

Blackadder

hey everyone please listen to the Little Vampire song if you haven't heard it. it may be your only chance to hear a fake leonard cohen sing a song about vampires and friendship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLVe1NkQA78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiB4dMwDFtg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9veEk2GUw_8

Ooh, I do like that Little Vampire song. I'm not entirely convinced by the Leonard Cohen comparison, mind.

animal hospital

Man Alive
Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home

Screen Test

John Craven's Newsround (closing sting: "New Worlds by John Baker)

The Raccoons theme is great. Thanks for the full version.

btw I found out recently that the singing voice of Jem was Britta Phillips of Dean & Britta. kind of blew my mind.

John Craven's Newsround (closing sting: "New Worlds by John Baker)

Oh yes, that's a keeper. Sampled very sweetly here, skip to 5'06 for full Craven.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVRpSyj5-_w&hd=1

re Racoons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTDOrZy4dj4

always thought this would've been a good theme tune for 24 ... those 'dun-dun-dun' bits could be 'twent-y-four'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjRnyyJLNy0

Girl from Tomorrow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJtWlVK8Eqk&feature=related

You've just reminded me of:
Silas
German, early 80s, accompanied many a bored morning in the summer holidays

Composed by Christian Bruhn, who also did the rad theme tune for another German late-70s/early-80s kids' drama, Timm Thaler aka Tim Tyler, the boy who sold his smile (not the more recent cartoon version of the same story)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQjrQ89YUYI

(I sort of assume nobody else would vote for the above, but what the hell, may as well nominate it)

someone on ILX somewhere once said that the Raccoons soundtrack basically invents the whole chillwave/Altered Zones aesthetic, which seemed OTM - a combined hazy VHS-warped memory of that plus the collected works of Shuki Levy (80s kids scroll down)

(sorry, loading all the youtubes on this thread would kill my laptop, so apologies if his work is already all over the 360 hidden posts)

Pinky and the Brain

curb your enthusiasm always reminds me of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5udJCWvqKNM

larry david's escapades are very paddington-esque

Car 54, Where Are You

Mainly for "Khrushchev's due at Idlewild!" as one of the countless tasks for which Car 54 is needed.

the paddington bear theme has been getting stuck in my head every couple of months for the last twenty five years

The Young and the Restless

I was gonna post Tim Tyler!

A couple of classic TV themes by Johnny Pearson:

Owen, M.D. ("Sleepy Shores")
All Creatures Great and Small

people we have a youtube thread and im now not sure if you wanted to nominate that stuff or not.

Barbapapa!

...great in any language (see youtube).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN1bmTI5qjg

animal hospital

surely you jest? i was always struck by the irony of a show concerned with animal welfare having a theme with the sound of a poor saxophone being grotesquely tortured and mutilated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMWSh6kZxGc

and now i've got a tortured saxophone in my head ;_;

Catweazle

tim tyler! why does none of my pals appear to remember this?

I spent ages trying to find it on Youtube once, before it was on there - I was convinced I mustve imagined it.

he had a nun and a chef trying to rescue him if memory serves. patrick packard was the follow up to it on bbc1, but crapper.the credits were a shot of a fjord intercut with pineapples, beyond that it was unmemorable.

I could only remember one bit with a basket of apples falling down some steps. But that could've been another show.

Star Trek: Voyager. Best of the treks. Serenely optimistic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_RJJey0888

class in a glass

Saw an episode of "Good Times" last night on a channel called "Antenna". Good theme song. Followed up by an episode of "Sanford and Son" which is the all time greatest theme song.

Blankety Blank, Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank, Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank, Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank

Surprised you Dexy's fan have stumped up for Brush Strokes yet

whatever happened to Karl whatsisface anyway?

Karl has recently been working as a voiceover artist on UK digital television station Nuts TV.

He is well known for his recurring role in the commercials for the Flash brand of cleaning products.

He supports Charlton Athletic F.C..[1]

Oi Jacko

oh no, no jest w/ animal hospital, the sublime contrast twixt the halting emoto-quiver of a kenny g and the fiery overblown brotzmannesque eye-bleeder wounded bleat-howl of a distressed animal in need of veterinary assistance, atop the most artfully banal breezy workaday daytime ditty is nothing short of jaw dropping. the sheer inoffensiveness of it is so titillatingly offensive that I love it, and i think they knew exactly what they were up to with this.
better than cagney and lacey anyhow.

Dad's Army

big blue marble
chico and the man

Bots Master
Reboot
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Star Trek: Deep Space 9

so have we named all the tv themes yet then

A quick control-f for Lancelot Link Secret Chimp reveals that the answer to your question is "No"

Lancelot Link Secret Chimp

also:

Man About The House
Whodunnit
Butterflies
Angling Today ("The Mugwump")
Crown Court

Soap

Lancelot Link Secret Chimp

Fuck, how did I forget this??? I was just talking about it last week...

I'll do the second tally tomorrow. Need to throw these in though:

WWE Ultimate Warrior Theme
WWE/WCW Dusty Rhodes Theme
WWE Stone Cold Steve Austin Theme
WCW Monday Nitro Theme
WCW nWo Theme

Wait if we can do individual wrestlers' themes this is gonna get crazy.

Blankety Blank, Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank, Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank, Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank
Blankety Blank

nah man, it's had a remix

I have had wine and seen fireworks and had more wine, which is the perfect condition to have a sudden fit of remembering childhood tv themes and posting six billion of them on this thread. back in a bit

(after reading whole thread) NickB, Billy Dods, aldo OTM. and "an addendum with country specific votes would be cool." -- yes!

Think you guys have covered most things I like but here's a couple more:
Danger Man
Hart Beat (Tony Hart, not the crappy Nick Berry Heartbeat)

and two from the "ok, you don't have to like the show" category:
Third Rock from the Sun
Galaxy High

(I really hate the Eagles but if Galaxy High and HGTTG both make it that's two Eagles-related themes I'll be voting for - the redeeming power of synths I guess)

A wee bit of Australiana...

Rod & Val Taylor's Inner Space [Sven Libaek]:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1SkOAtYT08

Four Corners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXM5rNop3cA

Er, RON & Val Taylor's INNER SPACE, that is.

Thank you for the Blankety Blank remix spacecadet! Makes me think of v/vm's mix of Snooker Loopy

Kids Incorporated

duck tales
gummy bears
chip and dales rescue rangers

gummy bears

thank you. I was hesitant to go there.

im super ill and not in the mood for 15 mins of c&p so either i'll sort this tomorrow morning or wednesday.

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

Raggy Dolls
Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds

Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Alvin & The Chipmunks

Hey guys hey guys - I haven't had time to read any of this thread bcz it's been growing too fast but can I push against the thread title and suggest that only actual theme tunes should be in the final noms list, not old songs reused?

also everyone listen to the theme from Bob Spiers-directed 90s Australian sitcom The Adventures Of Lano & Woodley and enjoy it popping into your head for the next few years:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP0A9TxOciI

Doctor Who theme (70s version)

Why you hurt Delia in her haert

(I agree it’s probably easiest to put down either a generic “Dr Who Theme” entry, or lump all nommed versions (Ron/Delia, Letts edit of Delia 1, Letts edit of Delia 2, Letts edit of Delia 3, Hodgson/Kingsland “Delaware” version, Murray [shudder] Gold 1, Murray Gold 2, Murray Gold 3, Murray Gold 4 into one. [Or make sarahel pick just one out of the last four, since she’s not specified.])

Our Alice can do this theme with every word, precisely.

Full song or TV version?

Britishers, you get a HUGE fail for not nomming:
- MINDER!!!!!!

This song is called I Could Be So Good For You btw fyi a hoy hoy, but was indeed written to be the theme (and reached #3!)

I assume this isn't eligible, but a most excellent 8 seconds all the same:

I’d vote for the Thames ident tbh

If ppl don’t know, the Cheers theme (Where Everybody Knows Your Name by Gary Portnoy is another one with a full-length version that came out as a 7” but was never used in the show until once, eight years in:

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

Looking through the nominations, I'm assuming the theme to "60 Minutes" means this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvWL0EdoVko

Yes. And I was (only kind of) joking.

Bruce Forsyth and The Generation Game
On The Move

Match of the day

i always disliked the cheers song since childhood.

it's like, too sappy sounding for a sitcom. i want all my sitcom themes to sound like "whats happening."

this is probably a tougher question that i wouldn't be able to answer without thinking really hard, but which shows had the best 5-second transitional music between scenes? and which cartoons had the best music playing in the background while the story was taking place?

i don't remember which shows did this, but there were a couple 80's cartoons that straight-up stole the background music from heathcliff and inspector gadget.

they were prolly in other shows produced by DIC but still.. the budget must have been so low that they couldn't throw together something new, figuring no one would notice.

I just remembered Pepper Ann! And Fillmore! Is it too late to nom those now? And the Kim Possible theme by Christina Milian (hey, I liked it).

weeds - I liked the conceit of having it performed by a different artist week to week.

One more? Bizarre Japanese children's show with a ten second theme, not one note wasted:

Kure Kure Takora (aka Gimme Gimme Octopus)

Chocky

one more rep for Mysterious Cities Of Gold. no kids show should have a theme this melancholy.

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

and this MONSTER too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o6yJLCPFFE&feature=related

i still really really want to go in the Fun House

one more rep for Mysterious Cities Of Gold. no kids show should have a theme this melancholy.

i suppose not, but this is kind of the best song ever.

i still really really want to go in the Fun House

― Jamie_ATP, Tuesday, November 13, 2012 2:20 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark

in many ways I've never left

y'all can carry on nominating until tomorrow morning, when i will finally get around to the tallying and voting thread. until then argh illness and dark room.

stoked that there is a wider base for 'mysterious cities of gold'! Absolutely haunted my memory from age 6/7 until I rediscovered the show in my late teens.

ok you've got until i make a cup of tea to sort out how you want yr doctor who themes or whatever and then i'll make the next thread.

ILM BEST EVER TV THEME TUNES VOTING THREAD - VOTING ENDS 28th November 2012