# TV shows which use existing songs for themes. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205 "2016-08-18T20:21:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/101 "2016-08-24T13:54:07Z")
> [@jrbor76](#): > > _Hell’s Kitchen_ uses “Fire” by the Ohio Players (and it kicks _ass_). Ah, that reminds me: “For the Love of Money”, by the O’Jays, used for The Apprentice. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/102 "2016-08-24T15:28:15Z")
HBO’s _Not Necessarily The News_ originally used the opening guitar riff from Eric Clapton’s “Motherless Children” for its theme. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/103 "2016-08-24T17:04:11Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > I’d actually challenge this statement and say that it appears fewer TV programs have dedicated songs than those that adopt previously published songs. Or they get rights for a song that has been written independently of the show but just has not received wide release. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/104 "2016-08-24T17:08:42Z")
The Netflix animated comedy “F is for Family” uses Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love.” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/105 "2016-08-24T17:29:11Z")
_Last Week Tonight with John Oliver_ uses [Valley Lodge’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_Lodge) “Go”. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/106 "2016-08-24T17:43:55Z")
_Freaks and Geeks_, which used Pat Benatar’s [Bad Reputation](https://youtu.be/wdUCGiF-yaA), which was a perfect fit. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/107 "2016-08-24T17:50:01Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > HBO’s _Not Necessarily The News_ originally used the opening guitar riff from Eric Clapton’s “Motherless Children” for its theme. I remember them using music from The Dregs a lot too. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/108 "2016-08-24T18:58:06Z")
The British TV series _Coupling_ uses a cover of “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” which was originally recorded (in English) by Desi Arnaz in 1948. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/109 "2016-08-24T19:21:01Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > _Freaks and Geeks_, which used Pat Benatar’s [Bad Reputation](https://youtu.be/wdUCGiF-yaA), which was a perfect fit. Pat Benatar?! How the hell did that happen? It’s of course Joan Jett ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/110 "2016-08-24T19:25:56Z")
Two short-lived shows: _Primrose Lane_ was the theme of Henry Fonda’s _The Smith Family_, and _Easy Street_ was the theme of the Loni Anderson/Jack Elam sitcom of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/111 "2016-08-25T05:32:27Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > That 70’s Show used a version of “In the Street”, originally by Big Star. They used at least two versions, I think they changed after season 1. edit > [@Karen\_X2](#): > > “In The Street” - theme to “That 70’s Show” > > Written and performed by Big Star first season, then covered by Cheap Trick from 2nd season on. Sorry didn’t see your post. > [@Folacin](#): > > **Parenthood** used _Forever Young_ You might want to narrow that down a bit, as there are quite a few songs by that name (and even some lawsuits between versions). > [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Sexy young witches TV show **Charmed** used a version of \*\*How Soon Is Now? \*\*originally by **The Smiths**. The Charmed version is by Love Spit Love. The same version had been made for The Craft and featured heavily in the marketing for that movie. Oddly, even though the song starts with “I am the _son_” both Charmed and the Craft are about _females_ practicing witchcraft. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205/112 "2016-08-25T05:44:06Z")
WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event, the original 80’s version used “Obsession” by Animotion as it’s theme, but it was used in such a way they never got to any of the lyrics when it played. I didn’t even know it was a real song until a few years ago when it came on the radio. Sadly, they’ve replaced it with a later, WWE owned SNME theme in the versions they’ve put on the WWE Network. Monday Night Raw has used a lot of different themes, a few WWE made, most pre-existing, but the ones most known outside of use as a Raw theme would have to be “Burn It To The Ground” by Nickleback and “Beautiful People” by Marilyn Manson. “Beautiful People” was also used for Smackdown’s theme, and for a lot longer than it was used for Raw’s theme (which I believe was only a few weeks). Raw’s precursor, Prime Time Wrestling used “Jump” by Van Halen as it’s closing theme for a while. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-which-use-existing-songs-for-themes/763205.md?page=5)