The brilliant, short-lived WB satirical comedy “Grosse Pointe” used Tom Jones’s “Sex Bomb.” — Grosse Pointe - Intro - YouTube
In the mid-70s, The CBS Sports Spectacular used part of ELO’s “Fire On High” as their intro. After that, they used a version of Aaron Copeland’s “Fanfare For The Common Man.” (I remembered the ELO song. Thanks to Wikipedia for reminding me of the Aaron Copeland song.)
Another one: Chris Elliott’s short-lived Fox show Get A Life used R.E.M.'s “Stand” for its theme song.
I can’t believe that hasn’t been mentioned already!
Yeah, I really suck.
I hadn’t seen Bosom Buddies in over a decade or so, but had remembered they used a cover version of “My Life” as the theme.
(here’s that cover version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2gCfwILUVc )
Okay, it’s not Joel but it was tolerable.
So, a few years ago METV ran Bosom Buddies reruns in their summer season.
When I watched it for the first time I noticed that they no longer used the cover version of “My Life” and instead had this really insipid, generic song for the theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW1PqGsuXPM
I can understand on losing the rights to an original song after a period of years and not being able to afford to continue, just for syndication, but to lose the rights for a cover version? How much could that cost?
There are two copyrights in a musical recording—(1) musical composition (held by the composer/songwriter or a music publishing company) and (2) sound recording (held by the recording artist or record label). To get rights to use a recording in a TV show (synchronization rights), you need to get both sets of permissions.
The composer of “My Life” (Billy Joel) is the same whether or not you’re using Billy Joel’s recording or Gary Bennett’s recording, so you still are likely going to have to pay Billy Joel rates.
I suspect the same is true of Wynonna Earp’s theme song “Tell That Devil” by Jill Andrews given the date on the single’s release and the premiere of the show are both 4.1.2016.
Anyway, “Bad Things” by Jace Everett was used for True Blood’s theme song.
The extremely short-lived Glory Days used Tricky’s “Excess” as its theme.
Robert Duncan’s “Gunfight Epiphany” was the theme for “Terriers,” but I don’t know whether it was originally written for the show. Rob Duncan - Gunfight Epiphany (Terriers Theme Song) - FULL - YouTube
“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.
Leslie Nielsen’s*** Police Squad!*** recycled the theme music from Lee Marvin’s M Squad.
In the early '60s there was a show called “The Roaring '20s” and I believe they used the Charleston as their theme music.
Oh, I just remembered another show.
The Good Life, with Larry Hagman and Donna Mills as a couple who decide to use domestic service as their entree into the affluent lifestyle they couldn’t manage to achieve as middle-class drones. The series aired in 1971, and used a Tony Orlando cover of a pop song recorded in 1963 by Tony Bennett.
A few more notable ones that I can’t believe haven’t been added yet:
Freaks and Geeks used “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett.
Hell’s Kitchen uses “Fire” by the Ohio Players (and it kicks ass).
Crime Story used “Runaway” by Del Shannon, although IIRC, he recorded a new version for use on the show some twenty-odd years after the original.
Don’t think so…
… And David Wayne, I think, was their employer. All three went on to do Dallas.
I’m not sure if the new version has it but Top Gear used a cover of the Allman Brothers tune Jessica.
That '80s Show used “Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads as its theme.
The Curb Your Enthusiam theme song was taken from a stock music catalog. It’s called “Frolic”. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty sure it’s days as anything other than accompanying awkward moments is over though.
I’d actually challenge this statement and say that it appears fewer TV programs have dedicated songs than those that adopt previously published songs.