Greatest TV Theme Songs

[Pryderi]

Odd Couple, Taxi, Barney Miller, Mash, Hawaii 5-0, Mary Tyler Moore, Andy Griffith...what else?

[MrScorpio]

1. Mission: Impossible

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Mission_Impossible.html

UFO

http://www.televisiontunes.com/UFO.html


The Beverly Hillbillies

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Beverly_Hillbillies.html


More:

I Spy

http://www.televisiontunes.com/I_Spy.html

Mannix

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Mannix.html

[grannylib]

71. I LOVE the Mission: Impossible theme...it was just so exciting!

And it meant daddy was letting me stay up late to watch it with him :-) 'Cos Mom was at the golf club for Ladies' Night *lol*

[grannylib]

72. I love the music for "House"

[peekaloo]

2. Rockford Files, All in the Family, Sanford & Son and (current) Boston Legal

[CBGLuthier]

3. Kolchak, Mission Impossible, Peter Gunn

And one that most don't know,

The Persuaders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykLCAfVa410

[mainegreen]

4. The Mr Ed song.

A horse is a horse, of course, of course,
And no one can talk to a horse of course
That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed.

Go right to the source and ask the horse
He'll give you the answer that you'll endorse.
He's always on a steady course.
Talk to Mister Ed.

People yakkity yak a streak and waste your time of day
But Mr. Ed will never speak unless he has something to say

A horse is a horse, of course, of course,
And this one'll talk 'til his voice is hoarse.
You never heard of a talking horse?

Well listen to this: "I'm Mister Ed."

[MassLiberal]

58. Yeah baby!

LOVE Mr. Ed!!

[Art_from_Ark]

65. Willlll-bur

Is that you?

[Pryderi]

5. Addams Family, Cheers

[MrScorpio]

6. The Avengers

The Avengers

[mwooldri]

55. Which one? The Avengers has had more than one theme music.

ABC changed the theme music at least once...

Please don't get me started here, because I'm extremely nostalgic over 1960's-1980's UK ITV output and the companies and what they stood for. ABC (later on as part of Thames), ATV (later on as Central) and LWT put out some damn fine programming in their time. If the guys responsible for ABC and if Lew Grade could be resurrected and put in charge of TV in the USA, people would definitely be watching, because there would be stuff on that people will definitely want to watch.

Mark.

[MrScorpio]

69. The Emma Peels fersher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0YOlU3SMgs
Color

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvmgrnsaE1U
B&W

[edhopper]

7. NBC

Mystery Movie

http://www.televisiontunes.com/NBC_Mystery_Movie.html

The Prisoner

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Prisoner.html

[MrScorpio]

8. The Theme from S.W.A.T.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjbUF-UJBDQ

[Pryderi]

24. Adam 12 and CHiPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z1LK4HU6t4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mykg83C-GJs

[Sequoia]

28. ....with chains and knives....

I always like the fake TV cops better than real ones. I like Streets of San Francisco, but theme song isn't so great. But yes, Adam-12 is one of my favorite shows. Gotta request Channel 20 (SF) to play that on Retro Night.

[Sequoia]

30. Get Smart, Rawhide

[Pryderi]

9. X-Files?

[Dr. Strange]

10. Chuck

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Chuck.html

It's quirky. Like Chuck.

[Lincolngirl]

11. Hawaii Five O

How is this not here yet???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AepyGm9Me6w

Perhaps I'm just old.....

[applegrove]

34. Yup. Hawaii Five-O is the greatest theme song. I was too young & not allowed to watch

TV and I still love that theme song.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. Peter Gunn

http://www.youtube.com/v/_Zz583_r3es&hl=en&fs=1

[Bertha Venation]

13. The West Wing, Cagney & Lacey (at least the first few bars)

[MrScorpio]

14. The Samurai Jack End Theme

Samurai Jack

[philosophie_en_rose]

15. ooh we oooh

Doctor Who, The X-Files, Futurama, the Jeffersons

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. I always liked Northern Exposure Theme song too:

http://www.youtube.com/v/5-w-inT91AI&hl=en&fs=1value=

[Tuesday Afternoon]

17. ER has/had a good theme song too

http://www.youtube.com/v/4NK6G_kY8Js&hl=en&fs=1

[Pryderi]

18. Laverne and Shirley.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

19. Bonanza

[Pryderi]

20. Greatest American Hero, Twilight Zone

[RFKHumphreyObama]

21. The West Wing, Unsolved Mysteries, Rescue 911, I Dream of Jeannie

Perfect Strangers, Family Ties, Get Smart, Greatest American Hero

[Pryderi]

25. Spiderman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o29VoxtsFk

[Gidney N Cloyd]

22. Dick Van Dyke Show (original, circa 1960)

[Pryderi]

23. Green Acres! Here are some video links

Dick Van Dyke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqIyjLxwk-s

Green Acres
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2WlYgDe1Vs

[meegbear]

26. BATMAN!

Nah nah nah nah, Nah nah nah nah!

[Art_from_Ark]

66. During the theme song

I loved to see the bad guys get Zapped! Powed! Oofed!

[ogneopasno]

27. The Prisoner

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

41. That was a great theme

very bold and brassy. Ron Grainer was obviously influenced by John Barry's Bond themes of the era.

Best show ever on television, too.

[rug]

29. Rawhide.

[Auggie]

31. Mannix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHwv91NiiCs&feature=related

[IntravenousDemilo]

48. Agreed! n/m

[auntAgonist]

32. Hockey Night In Canada (original) theme song.

:cry: they changed it now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByKu8BwT5K4

[kwassa]

33. Happy Trails to You ! (until we meet again ..... Roy Rogers)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVq9-GtlvLU&feature=related

[dysfunctional press]

35. true blood.

[Inspired]

57. You took my answer! Isn't Bad Things a great song?!!!

[Lincolngirl]

36. John from Cincinnati

Just looking for an excuse to post Joe Strummer!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pYwPc6UNmo

[trueblue2007]

37. I vote for MAVERICK

sigh.....just remembering Bret Maverick makes me tingle. James Garner....sigh

[guitar man]

38. there can be only one

Quincy Jones is da man! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjDjWvR2pnU

[Lucian]

39. The X-Files, of course.

[Pryderi]

40. Embedding video in the lounge would be nice...n/t

[YankeyMCC]

42. Battlestar Galactica

[XemaSab]

43. Dukes of Hazzard

:D

[KansDem]

44. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Man_From_U.N.C.L.E..html

There are several versions on this site, but I like the use of the bass trombone on this one...

[Midlodemocrat]

45. Dear God!!! It's true!!! You people know nothing. 'Greatest American Hero' by far, folks.

:eyes:

[RandomThoughts]

49. Greatest American Hero, yup thats a good one.

Figured I would post the intro clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzEb5IzdcrU

I always liked that show too. Great song

[bullwinkle428]

63. Believe it or not, George isn't at home!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caoYdiq3kak

[monmouth]

46. Theme song for the Sopranos...n/t

[RandomThoughts]

47. Rawhide

Sung by the Blues Brothers of coarse :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0iDk_SRKcU

[DarkTirade]

50. Enterprise!

... crap. I panicked. Sorry.

[Dr. Strange]

73. Dead to the Lounge.

Consider yourself exiled.

[ACTION BASTARD]

51. Theme from Cowboy Bebop

Yeah, it's an anime series. So? Wanna fight about it?

[terrya]

52. 2 animated ones..."The Jetsons" and "Jonny Quest"

[kentauros]

77. Definitely Jonny Quest!

I used it as the opening theme music when I did I late-late-night radio show way back when :D

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV_-u9sxYZM

And that begets the equally fun The Venture Brothers theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK6pbLKbpQI

[underpants]

53. Barney Miller had a really cool bassline intro

Bawm
BabaaBawm

etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94GM5zQGax0

[Richard Steele]

54. "This is the theme to Gary's show, the theme to Gary's show..."

"Gary called me up and asked if I would write his theme song..."

Not necessarily the best piece of music, to be sure...
but considering the show it was the theme for, it was
just absolutely brilliant.

[harmonicon]

56. Benson

Seriously. The theme song for Benson is awesome.

I would also say that the song for Cheers was fantastic.... the Three's Company one is probably not good, but gets stuck in my head.... the song for Night Court was nice and catchy - I can still remember it at least.

Oh! and you forgot the obvious: Mission Impossible - one of the best.

edited to add:

This shouldn't need mentioning, because they're more like religion than theme song: Doctor Who, and Star Trek. Both are beyond being theme songs.... they are the foundations of my life.

[csziggy]

59. Secret Agent Man

I always figured John Drake became The Prisoner.

[Political Tiger]

60. Wonder Woman!

Wonder Woman!
Wonder Woman!

All the world is waiting for you
and the power you possess
In your satin tights
fighting for your rights
And the old red white and blue

Wonder Woman!
Wonder Woman!

Now the world is ready for you
and the wonders you can do
Make a hawk a dove
stop a war with love
Make a liar tell the truth

Wonder Woman!
Get us out from under, Wonder Woman

All our hopes are pinned upon you
and the magic that you do
Stop a bullet cold
make the axis fold
change their minds and change the world

Wonder Woman!
Wonder Woman!

You're a wonder, Wonder Woman!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

61. The Wire - Tom Waits' "Way Down in the Hole"

Each season had a different performer:

Season 1 - Blind Boys of Alabama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3t6io0vW-c

Season 2 - Tom Waits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipaV4k2n__I&feature=related

Season 3 - Neville Brothers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFonvrSee1A

Season 4 - DoMaJe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9kf1FeADYc

Season 5 - Steve Earle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnkBD37fggg

[NanceGreggs]

62. Oh, those eighties prime-time soaps ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypZT4lQHoK8
Falcon Crest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R8WS-j7SKA&feature=related
Dallas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0s7CsjcIrE&feature=related
Dynasty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TwXyNx4nxk
Knots Landing

And the BEST TV theme of 'em all ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yevI8xCAKuc
Hill Street Blues

[Starbucks Anarchist]

70. I remember the "Hill Street Blues" theme from when I was a kid.

Also, "St. Elsewhere."

[NanceGreggs]

74. Ah, yes, forgot St Elsewhere ...

... another great one!

[4_Legs_Good]

64. "Movin' On Up" - The Jeffersons

The Jeffersons is the only show I can ever remember my dad really busting a gut over growing up, so it's got a special place in my heart, and I always loved the theme song.

We finally got a piece of the pie.

David

[Oeditpus Rex]

67. 'Night Court'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxvsoA_TyMY



And one that probably gets overlooked: http://www.televisiontunes.com/Charlie_Rose.html

[MilesColtrane]

68. The first Bob Newhart show. ("Home to Emily" by Patrick Williams)

The only one up on YouTube is from a later season. They rerecorded it for some reason and it's not as good as the original version. (The first version starts with him answering a ringing telephone.)

[Rhythm]

75. The Munsters! X-Files, The West Wing, original Battlestar Galactica

[tilsammans]

76. "Moonlighting"

Wasn't wild 'bout the show, tho'.

:shrug:

[JeffR]

78. For the love of God! 77 responses, and nobody says TWIN PEAKS

What the hell kind of Bizarro World is this?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111111111111111111111111?????????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oDuGN6K3VQ&feature=related