# "Monk" theme songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023 "2017-05-19T18:52:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/1 "2017-05-19T18:52:36Z")
Pretty straightforward questions: 1. Which “Monk” theme song do you enjoy listening to more [Jeff Beal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZZm1Zqo_Ns) or [Randy Newman’s “It’s a Jungle Out There”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhKlBH2_dVY) 1. Which version do you think is a better tv theme song and more importantly why? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/2 "2017-05-19T19:07:42Z")
1. Personally, I prefer the original theme song, Jeff Beal’s jazzy guitar thing. 2. They are both perfectly fine as TV theme songs, but in historical terms, Randy Newman’s would seem to fit better in that mold. It’s not quite the on-the-nose exposition of the themes to old sitcoms like _Gilligan’s Island_ or _The Beverly Hillbillies_, but it’s descriptive, and while Monk is definitely not a sitcom, there’s a strong element of humor. . ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/3 "2017-05-19T19:12:55Z")
Interestingly, **Monk** is the only TV show to win the Emmy for Main Title Theme Music twice, for both Beal’s and Newman’s versions. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/4 "2017-05-19T19:32:57Z")
Original flavor for me. We even have it in iTunes. In this one instance I agree with Marcie Maven: If you ever get a show, don’t change the theme song. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/5 "2017-05-20T17:49:24Z")
I used to prefer the first one, but I can’t even remember what it sounds like now. The second one is the one I associate with it in my head, so I’ll have to go with that one. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/6 "2017-05-20T18:01:49Z")
I actually like the second one better. But I also like Natalie better than Sharona. Maybe I should post that under the “unpopular opinions” thread. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/7 "2017-05-20T22:27:46Z")
I like Randy Newman’s better. It applies to the actual show, whereas Beal’s could be the theme song for just about any other show. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monk-theme-songs/787023/8 "2017-05-20T22:34:44Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I actually like the second one better. But I also like Natalie better than Sharona. Maybe I should post that under the “unpopular opinions” thread. I’ll join you in the Natalie preference (but on the themes, I like them both more or less equally.)