# Best TV Theme song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2001, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168 "2001-08-31T18:27:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/41 "2001-09-01T03:21:09Z")
It used to be _One Day At A Time_ Well this is it _(this is it)_ This is life The one you get So go and have a ball… But lately I’m much more into Movin’ on up _(movin’ on up)_ To-oo the tah-ah-ah-ah-op To a deluxe apartment In the sky-i-i… ---
**Author:** ![Ferggie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@Ferggie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferggie)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/42 "2001-09-01T03:37:59Z")
Red Dwarf: \*It’s cold outside, there’s no kind of atmosphere I’m all alone, more or less Goldfish shoals nibblin’ at your toes Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun I want to lie shipwrecked and comatose Drinking fresh mango juice Let me fly far away from here Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun\* ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/43 "2001-09-01T03:43:58Z")
_Red Dwarf Quatermass and the Pit_ (1950s BBC Serial later made into a Hammer film) _Kolchak: The Nightstalker_ (Heck, the rest of the incidental music on that show was good too.) _M_A_S_H Cheers The Twilight Zone Monty Python’s Flying Circus\* (Souza’s only decent work not played at patriotic gatherings I can think of) _The Prisoner Blackadder_ (All the various incarnations) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/44 "2001-09-01T05:36:02Z")
The best theme songs are those that set up the plot and characters in 30 seconds or so…like the Beverly Hillbillys and such. And the absolute classic of this genre is MST3K. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/45 "2001-09-01T06:08:47Z")
I agree with most of the ones above that I’m familiar with… To add (all cartoons…): Robotech (Don’t know why, but I love it) Astroboy (‘Soaring high in the sky, he may be small, but only in size, Astroboy, Astroboy, he is brave and gentle and wise!’) Speed Racer (‘Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer, he’s a demon on wheels, he’s a demon and he’s gonna be chacing after someone!’) Samurai Pizza Cats (‘Samurai Pizza Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaats’) 3 Friends and Jerry (Just…fits.) ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/46 "2001-09-01T08:50:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xanadu \* > \*\*Here we go: > “Greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Acres is the place to beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm living is the life for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!” > \*\* Wow, I totally didn’t see that, and a search of Green turned up nothing! But I am so there with you. ---
**Author:** ![warmgun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@warmgun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/warmgun)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/47 "2001-09-01T09:33:50Z")
The Loony Tunes theme -duh! For just plain fun - Peewee’s Playhouse Superchicken - “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Bkawk!” Underdog Peter Gunn Branded Have Gun will travel And you Green Acres fans, While noodling around on the guitar one day (and watching TV) I ended up singing GA to the tune of Henrix’s 'Purple Haze". Try it, you’ll like it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/48 "2001-09-01T17:07:11Z")
OK, I guess I’ll be the first to admit it…Ireally like _Just to good ol’ boys Never meanin’ no harm Beats all you ever saw Been in trouble with the law Since the day they were born._ I’ll go ahead and list Knight Rider and Speed Racer to complete my car trifecta. Also, loved Babylon5, and the way that it subtly changed each season. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/49 "2001-09-01T17:33:12Z")
These were some I really loved, also in no particular order: The original Batman That Girl Friends The A-Team Knight Rider Hawaii Five-O Cheers M_A_S\*H Miami Vice Baretta Starsky & Hutch The Munsters Ok, I’m quitting now…I could go on for days with this list. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bitterdrunk\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@The\_Bitterdrunk\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bitterdrunk_Kid)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/50 "2001-09-01T20:29:17Z")
The Tonight Show, with Johny Carson Dallas Magnum, P.I. The Simpsons (have you ever thought about how complicated that song really is?) The Odd Couple Mission: Impossible ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/51 "2001-09-01T23:15:46Z")
Another vote for [Hawaii Five-0](http://www.mjq.net/fiveo/50theme.wav). (Done by The Ventures, in 5/4 time.) ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/52 "2001-09-02T01:10:01Z")
The Simpsons! ---
**Author:** ![Lionors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c37758/32.png) [@Lionors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionors)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/53 "2001-09-02T01:42:10Z")
What? Nobody’s mentioned Hill Street Blues or Taxi yet? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/54 "2001-09-02T02:15:04Z")
Caaaawwwl for Super Chicken! Bok Bok Bok Bok Spiderman (1960’s) CHiPs L.A. Law ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/55 "2001-09-02T02:17:24Z")
May I add: George of the Jungle Hennessey Harrigan and Son Crime Story And may I echo: Rawhide The Lone Ranger Peter Gunn Secret Agent The Muppet Show and – Greatest American Hero ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/56 "2001-09-02T02:26:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*Sorry. Route 66 wasn’t instrumentals only. :o \*\* The song Route 66 Bobby Troupe had lyrics, but to my knowledge the theme from the Route 66 series (an entirely different song) was a pure instrumental one, and a nifty piece of late-50s jazz. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/57 "2001-09-02T02:31:25Z")
The Incredible Hulk… “Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” Also: Monday Night Football (pre-Hank) Match Game ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/58 "2001-09-02T02:59:14Z")
MST3K is hard to beat here. I am not ashamed to say that I know the words to every version of it, and often sing them at random times. The “Mr. Show with Bob and David” theme is one that I go around humming all day. Now if only HBO and Dakota North would release the DVDs so I can have all the episodes. Rumor has it (straight from David Cross himself!) that they’ll be out in time for “Run Ronnie Run”'s release next spring. The Iron Chef theme is pretty cool too. I think it’s actually from Backdraft, though. -Brianjedi ---
**Author:** ![Im\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Im\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Im_Dave)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/59 "2001-09-02T03:04:52Z")
I’d have to say The Daily Show. ---
**Author:** ![Skijumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2001, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168/60 "2001-09-02T04:42:51Z")
Another vote for Hawaii Five-O Also - M_A_S\*H Taxi Miami Vice Twin Peaks Northern Exposure Chicago Hope The X-Files The Sopranos [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-theme-song/79168.md?page=4)