# TV Shows Whose Theme Song Changed During The Show's Run **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308 "2015-01-19T19:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/121 "2015-01-26T11:33:49Z")
No love for the Grohl? Comedy Drama Hour-Long TV series Ed (Big City Lawyer hits job and marital problems so returns to his Small Home Town to run a bowling alley) swopped between theme tunes by (The mighty) Foo Fighters (at their most poppy with “Next Year”) and Clem Snide’s “Moment In The Sun”. Apparently Foo Fighters were the favoured choice but there were “legal issues” which cropped up from time to time between seasons and with international sales and DVDs… TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/122 "2015-01-27T12:46:21Z")
National Geographic TV specials. What a compelling fanfare (Elmer Bernstein!) with a fantastic buildup and that _Bum Bum_. I don’t know how many times it changed. Since I can’t find the original 1960’s theme, this made me [laugh](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5prOQgGlDNo). ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/123 "2015-01-27T14:07:41Z")
Wanna see something _really_ scary? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/124 "2015-01-27T17:11:47Z")
The Italian cartoon Winx has changed theme songs every year or two years since its inception. Each grouping of Enchantrix or Believix has its own theme, as well as the original theme from season 1 to season 2. Source: have 4 year old daughter who watches them nonstop and it eats into my brain. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/125 "2015-01-27T22:13:05Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > **The Cosby Show** incorporated true variations of a theme with each season featuring a different version of the basic melodic structure of their opening song. Its spinoff _A Different World_ (Lisa Bonet’s character goes off to college) changed its theme music too. IIRC the lyrics stayed the same, but the arrangement changed from a very old-fashioned folk blues to a much more contemporary urban/R&B feel. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/126 "2015-01-27T23:00:53Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > 1. _The Brady Bunch_ - More mature voices in the later seasons. Did the actual kids sing either version of the theme song? The first season, at least, didn’t have kids singing at all. [The theme was sung by a dude](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLGG5AWJf7M). ---
**Author:** ![soterink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@soterink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soterink)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/127 "2017-03-20T19:07:15Z")
Daniel Boone (NBC, 1964-1970) changed the orchestration and the singing of the theme for each of its six seasons. Ironside (1967-1975) changed the orchestration of its Quincy Jones theme three times in its eight-season run. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/128 "2017-03-20T19:14:25Z")
In the first season of “Baretta,” "the theme music had no vocals. Later, they added lyrics sung by Sammy Davis Jr. (Keep your eyyyyyyye on the sparrow…). ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/129 "2017-03-20T19:41:11Z")
Can’t believe I missed this thread when it first appeared… Here are two I can think of: _Eight is Enough_ - the theme switched from an instrumental to an entirely different song with lyrics sung by Grant Goodeve. Also, I think the earliest episodes (with Diana Hyland as Tom’s wife Joan, before Hyland died) had the instrumental in a slightly different key. _Doc_ - an old Barnard Hughes sitcom; at first, it was a vocal, then it switched to a (different) instrumental. _Caroline in the City_ - at first, its “theme song” was about 3-4 seconds long (just long enough to display the title), then it added longer opening credits. _New Girl_ - at first, Zooey Deschanel sings the theme (which she sang _during_ the pilot), but after a few seasons, it was replaced with a shortened, instrumental version, made even shorter for the 2016-17 season. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/130 "2017-03-20T21:49:27Z")
Starsky & Hutch - [Season 1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkxmKFKov3c) - [Season 2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_vNyn5jpTo) - [Season 3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNooCI1HfZU) - [Season 4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD6R7EXpCUw) ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/131 "2017-03-21T00:16:41Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Mary Tyler Moore–changed in the second season from “How will you make it on your own” to “Who can turn the world on with her smile” That was my very first thought. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/132 "2017-03-21T00:36:17Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > That was my very first thought. Ever? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![soterink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@soterink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soterink)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/133 "2017-03-21T13:35:40Z")
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. had different orchestrations of the Jerry Goldsmith theme for each of its four seasons (Lalo Schifrin worked on the second season theme; I believe it was Gerald Fried for the third season, and maybe Richard Shores for the fourth). The Wild Wild West had its theme re-orchestrated for its second season. Get Smart’s theme was re-orchestrated (adding a prologue) for its final season (moving from NBC to CBS). Perry Mason had its theme re-orchestrated for its third or fourth season. Have Gun Will Travel had a vocal added to its end credits, starting in its second season. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/134 "2017-03-22T01:48:17Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Mary Tyler Moore–changed in the second season from “How will you make it on your own” to “Who can turn the world on with her smile” Actually I think it changed from “How will you make it on your own” to “You’re gonna make it on your own”. (or maybe “You might just make it…”?) mmm ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/135 "2017-03-22T02:27:47Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Actually I think it changed from “How will you make it on your own” to “You’re gonna make it on your own”. > > (or maybe “You might just make it…”?) > mmm The last line went from “you just might make it after all” to “you’re gonna make it after all.” Peedin was talking about the difference in the first line from Season 1 to subsequent seasons. He got it right. All the lines are different except for “Love is all around, no need to waste it. You can never tell, why don’t you take it.” ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/136 "2017-03-22T02:52:29Z")
There were multiple versions of [the Barney Miller theme.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II71tmVsKrE) ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/137 "2017-03-22T02:59:49Z")
Appropriately for a zombie thread, the recent summer show _Braindead_ had a different opening song for every episode - it served as the “previously on” recap. If you don’t mind being spoiled, you can hear them all here: [Jonathan Coulton ♫ ALL Braindead Recap Songs ♪ SUPERCUT (spoilers) - YouTube](https://youtu.be/snr_CTQuKbQ) ---
**Author:** ![Lafayette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/47e85d/32.png) [@Lafayette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lafayette)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/138 "2017-03-29T17:21:22Z")
Gimme a Break had 2 versions, I am pretty sure. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/139 "2017-03-29T18:08:33Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Can’t believe I missed this thread when it first appeared… > > Here are two I can think of: > > … > > _Doc_ - an old Barnard Hughes sitcom; at first, it was a vocal, then it switched to a (different) instrumental. > > _Caroline in the City_ - at first, its “theme song” was about 3-4 seconds long (just long enough to display the title), then it added longer opening credits. You didn’t miss it! > [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > A couple of others: > > _Doc_ (starring Barnard Hughes) originally had a song with lyrics, before switching to an different instrumental > > _Caroline in the City_ originally had a very brief opening of Caroline the comic strip character before changing to a montage of various strips 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308/140 "2017-03-29T18:11:04Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > In the first season of “Baretta,” "the theme music had no vocals. > > Later, they added lyrics sung by Sammy Davis Jr. (Keep your eyyyyyyye on the sparrow…). You were here before, too! > [@astorian](#): > > Well, the theme music to Baretta never changed, but in the first season, “Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow” was an instrumental. Starting in Season 2, the song had lyrics sung by Sammy Davis Jr. (\*And who knew more about the mean, crime-ridden streets than Sammy?) I only point this out because I almost reposted about Castle.:smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-whose-theme-song-changed-during-the-shows-run/710308.md?page=8)