# Top TV Tunes #1-Westerns **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156 "2009-05-12T13:35:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/1 "2009-05-12T13:35:41Z")
As an avid collector of television theme music, I’ve got my favorites-_Cimmeron Strip_, _Bat Masterson_, and of course _Maverick_, but my #1 pick would be _The High Chapparal_. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/2 "2009-05-12T14:05:57Z")
\*We chased lady luck, 'til we finally struck **Bonanza**. With a gun and a rope and a hat full of hope, planted a family tree. We got hold of a pot of gold, Bonanza. With a horse and a saddle, and a range full of cattle, how rich can a fellow be? On this land we put our brand, Cartwright is the name, fortune smiled, the day we filed the Ponderosa claim. Here in the West, we’re livin’ the best, Bonanza, if anyone fights any one of us, he’s go a fight with me, Bonanza.\* ---
**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:** [May 12, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/3 "2009-05-12T14:18:14Z")
\*Daniel Boone was a man! Yes, a big man! If he frowned at a river In July all the water would freeze! But a peaceable, pioneer fella was Dan When he smiled all the ice would thaw! The singin’est, laughin’est, happiest man The frontier ever saw! Daniel Boone was a man! Yes, a big man! With a dream of a country that’d Always forever be free! What a Boone! What a do-er! What a dream-come-er-true-er was he!\* ---
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/4 "2009-05-12T14:20:59Z")
_Rollin’, rollin’, rollin_ ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/5 "2009-05-12T18:26:08Z")
Yeah, I’d say _Rawhide_ wins it–it was written by Dmitri Tiomkin, who also wrote the film music for such westerns as _High Noon, Red River_ and _The Gunfight at the O.K.Corral_. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/6 "2009-05-12T19:16:34Z")
No lyrics, but the theme for **The Wild Wild West** was a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/7 "2009-05-12T19:19:06Z")
In a different vein, but still western… \*The end of the Civil War was near When quite accidentally, A hero who sneezed abruptly seized Retreat and reversed it to victory. His medal of honor pleased and thrilled his proud little family group. While pinning it on some blood was spilled And so it was planned he’d command F Troop. Where Indian fights are colorful sights and nobody takes a lickin’ Where pale face and redskin Both turn chicken. When killing and fighting get them down, They know their morale can’t droop. As long as they all relax in town Before they resume with a bang and a boom F Troop. \* ---
**Author:** ![Floppy\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3bc359/32.png) [@Floppy\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floppy_Joe)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/8 "2009-05-12T19:41:26Z")
ROFL! I had forgotten about F-Troop. One of my faves, f’sure. The theme to _Branded_ was a good one, too. And, in a Chuck Conners theme, _The Rifleman_ was always one I tuned in for. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/9 "2009-05-12T20:09:19Z")
The lyrics to the best Western TV show you never saw: [The Ballad of Palindrome](http://cowboyfrank.net/real/albums/Riders_In_The_Sky/Great_Big_Western_Howdy/Palindrome.htm). ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/10 "2009-05-13T02:50:48Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > \*We chased lady luck, 'til we finally struck **Bonanza**. > With a gun and a rope and a hat full of hope, planted a family tree. > We got hold of a pot of gold, Bonanza. > With a horse and a saddle, and a range full of cattle, how rich can a fellow be? > > On this land we put our brand, Cartwright is the name, fortune smiled, the day we filed the Ponderosa claim. > Here in the West, we’re livin’ the best, Bonanza, if anyone fights any one of us, he’s go a fight with me, Bonanza.\* I always knew it as: (thanks to watching _Cheers!_) We got a right to pick a little fight - Bonanza! If anyone fights anyone of us he’s gotta fight with me! We’re not a one to saddle up and run: Bonanza! Anyone of us who starts a little fuss knows he can count on me. One for four. Four for one: This we guarantee. We got a right to pick a little fight: Bonanza! If anyone fights anyone of us he’s gotta fight with me! ---
**Author:** ![Floppy\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3bc359/32.png) [@Floppy\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floppy_Joe)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-tv-tunes-1-westerns/496156/11 "2009-05-13T14:50:19Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > I always knew it as: (thanks to watching _Cheers!_) > > We got a right to pick a little fight - Bonanza! > If anyone fights anyone of us he’s gotta fight with me!.. I’ve got the sheet music of the Bonanza theme around here somewhere, and those are the lyrics used.