TV shows which use existing songs for themes.

Cafe Society
1

Most TV shows have theme songs created for them. Some have had their themes reach the pop charts such as The Rockford Files, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Welcome Back, Kotter, and S.W.A.T.

I was listening to some TV themes on my iPod and noticed that a few of them used already existing songs for their themes. Here are some examples I came up with.

What I Like About You - the Romantics’ “What I Like About You” covered by Lillix

Bosom Buddies - cover of Billy Joel’s “My Life”

Star Trek: Enterprise - Rod Stewart’s “Faith of the Heart” covered by Russell Watson

Happy Days - “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Hailey and the Comets was used as the show’s first theme.

Dirty Jobs - “We Care A Lot” by Faith No More

Married With Children - “Love And Marriage” by Frank Sinatra

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (Johnny’s Theme) - “Toot Sweet” written by Paul Anka and originally recorded by Tutti Camarata in 1959. Anka later added lyrics and it was re-released as “It’s Only Love” by both Anka and Annette Funicello.

The CSI franchise, which used songs by the Who: “Who Are You,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “Baba O’Riley,” and “I Can See For Miles”

The Drew Carey Show had three, “Moon Over Parma,” “Five O’ Clock World,” and “Cleveland Rocks.”

I could come up with more examples. What other TV shows used previously recorded songs for their themes instead of having one specifically created for the show? It could be the original recording or a cover, but the song should have existed before the TV show.

2

The original theme to Ed was Next Year by the Foo Fighters.

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3

The British show Peep Show had its own lovely theme song for a season but then switched to using Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta’” for the rest of its run. Boring.

House used the song “Teardrop” by Massive Attack.

2 Broke Girls uses the song “Second Change” by Peter, Bjorn and John

4

The UK version of The Office used a version (put together by session artists I think) of Handbags and Gladrags.

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5

That 70’s Show used a version of “In the Street”, originally by Big Star.

6

UK sitcom The Royle Family used Half The World Away by Oasis.

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7

The George Lopez Show used “Low Rider” by War.

Thought of another: Get A Life starring Chris Elliott, used “Stand” by REM.

8

The UK comedy Knowing Me, Knowng You… With Alan Partridge used a version of the ABBA song as the theme tune.

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9

Parenthood used Forever Young

10

The hilarious Chris Eliot sit-com Get A Life used the R.E.M. song “Stand” as it’s theme song, but when the show ran in reruns they used some incidental music in place of “Stand” since, I guess, they didn’t get the rights. Not sure if it was restored for the DVD.

11

Absolutely Fabulous used a cover of Dylan’s “Wheel’s on Fire.”

12

House of the King by Focus was used as the theme to UK comedy Saxondale.

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13

It has become a tradition in the UK for coverage of Formula 1 motor racing to be introduced with The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.

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14

Nostalgic 1970s set UK comedy The Grimleys used Bye Bye Baby by the Bay City Rollers as the opening theme and several Slade songs over the end credits. It was a great show.

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15

Looking through this list I spotted a few:

China Beach - “Reflections” by Diana Ross
Chuck - “Long Skirt, Short Jacket” by Cake
Dave’s World - “You May Be Right” by Billy Joel
Las Vegas - “A Little Less Conversation” by Elvis Presley
Life Goes On - “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da” by The Beatles
Tour of Duty - “Paint it Black” by The Rolling Stones

I’m sure there are others in the mix that I don’t recognize.

Also “The Liberty Bell March” for Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

16

I don’t have the DVDs, but producer David Mirkin said the reason they took so long to be released was they wanted to secure the rights to all of the music used on the show. Presumably this includes Stand.

17

Sexy young witches TV show Charmed used a version of **How Soon Is Now? **originally by The Smiths.

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18

I thought F1 gave up chain drives around 1928.

19

I think I am finished. One more though: The Sopranos used Woke Up This Morning by Alabama 3.

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20

The short-lived The Texas Wheelers - starring Jack Elam, Gary Buddy, and a pre-Star Wars Mark Hamill - used John Prine’s “Illegal Smile,” probably the oddest choice ever for a TV theme song. Why a light-hearted comedy about a Texas family used a song about marijuana use seems inexplicable.

Here are the opening credits.