Not sure if this goes here or in IMHO, but since it’s about entertainment, I’ll try here first.
What TV/Movie theme songs are so distinctive to you, or have become so engrained, in our cultural psyche that you recognize them from the first couple of notes?
I’ll start by saying the Jeopardy theme, and the theme to the Pink Panther movies.
How about you?
James Bond Theme?
The Law and Order theme. Da da da da DA DA bum bum…
The Perry Mason and Alfred Hitchcock Presents themes.
And, God help me, Gilligan’s Island.
You could probably list off a half dozen John Williams tunes here- however, probably the most instantly recognizable, the theme from…
Jaws
I’d say the Chariots of Fire theme, by Vangelis.
For me, the theme from the 1960s Batman TV show.
Peter Gunn. It’s also my ring tone.
VCNJ~
The Addams Family
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
The Bugs Bunny Show
Angel
The Munsters
Hockey Night in Canada / La soirée du hockey
Star Wars (Main Theme)
The Flintstones
Barney Miller
Night Court
Cheers
The A-team
Greatest American Hero
a lot more , but at work…
Secret Asian Man (I was a kid and that’s what I heard)
Oh, and the X-Files
I’m using the Duane Eddy version as mine !
You can recognize the opening trill of Mission: Impossible before it even starts on the first full note.
I have to jump on the Star Wars bandwagon as well but some others that get me everytime,
Cowboy Bebop
Star Trek TNG
Star Wars
Indiana Jones
Superman
I can hear Back to the Future from a mile away
Hogan’s Heroes
Twilight Zone
The love theme from Romeo and Juliet. Even people who don’t recognize it as being from Romeo and Juliet, recognize it. I heard people go, “I know that. What is it? I know it!”
The Lone Ranger. Yes, it existed before, but people really know it from the television show and see the masked man riding on to the screen and Silver rearing up with the first couple of notes from the William Tell Overture.
Groucho’s theme music from “You Bet Your Life”. I am pretty sure the music predated the television show, probably from a movie of his and his brothers (which no doubt someone will quickly name). Anyway, two notes of that and you think of Groucho.
Dum-dah-Dum-Dum.
Dum-dah-Dum-Dum
Dum-dah-Dum-Dum-Daaaaaaah!
Dragnet