# TV theme songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031 "2006-08-17T00:57:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jeffr062](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Jeffr062](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeffr062)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/1 "2006-08-17T00:57:42Z")
How many TV theme songs have made the top 40 pop charts? Rockford Files theme peaked at #10 on 5/17/75 Hill Street Blues theme peaked at #10 on 8/22/81 What others?? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/2 "2006-08-17T01:07:24Z")
The theme from The Greatest American Hero (“Believe it or not, I’m walking on air…”) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/3 "2006-08-17T01:12:16Z")
“Hawaii Five-0,” by the Ventures, #4 in 1969. “Long Lonesome Highway” [theme from Then Came Bronson], by Michael Parks, #20 in 1970. “Welcome Back” [Kotter], by John Sebastian, #1 in 1976. In addition to Rockford Files and Hill Street Blues, Mike Post also took “Theme from Magnum P.I.” to the charts (#25, 1982). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/4 "2006-08-17T01:15:03Z")
Hawaii Five-0 – The Ventures. #4 Welcom Back (from “Welcome Back, Kotter”) – John Sebastian, #1 S.W.A.T. – Rhythm Heritage, #1 Zorro – The Chordettes, #17 Dragnet – Ray Anthony Orchestra, #3 Peter Gunn – Ray Anthony Orchestra, #8, Duane Eddy, #27 Mission: Impossible – Lalo Schriffin, #41 Here Come the Brides (“Seattle”) – Perry Como, # 38 Laverne and Shirley (“Making Our Dreams Come True”) – Cyndi Greco, #25 Happy Days – Pratt and McClain, #5 I Love Lucy (Disco version) – Wilton Place Street Band, #24 Secret Agent (“Secret Agent Man”) – Johnny Rivers, #3 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/5 "2006-08-17T01:38:14Z")
I would imagine the _Friends_ & _Miami Vice_ themes might qualify… ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/6 "2006-08-17T02:15:31Z")
There’s a complete list in _The Complete Directory to Prime-Time and Cable TV Shows 1947-Present_ by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, also listing cover versions and some that didn’t make it to the top 40. Here’s the whole list of themes that made the top 40, including covers. The word “by” is used here to represent artist, not songwriter. _Addams Family_ (_Addams Groove_ by Hammer), #7 1991 _Ally McBeal_ (_Searchin’ My Soul_ by Vonda Shepard) #16 on airplay chart (not single chart) 1998 _Angie_ (_Different Worlds_ by Maureen McGovern) #18 1979 _Baretta_ (_Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow_ by Rhythm Heritage)#20 1976 _Batman_ (_Batman_ by The Marketts) #17 1966 _Batman_ (_Batman_ by Neal Hefti Orchestra) #35 1966 _Ben Casey_ (_Ben Casey_ by Valjean) #38 1962 _Bonanza_ (_Bonanza_ by Al Caiola) #19 1961 _Cops_ (_Bad Boys_ by Inner Circle) #8 1993 _Dr. Kildare_ (_Three Stars Will Shine Tonight_ by Richard Chamberlain) #10 1962 _Dragnet_ (_Dragnet_ by Ray Anthony Orchestra) #3 1953 _The Dukes of Hazzard_ (_The Dukes of Hazzard_ by Waylon Jennings) #21 1980 _Friends_ (_I’ll Be There for You_ by the Rembrandts) #17 1995 _The Greatest American Hero_ (_Believe It or Not_ by Joey Scarbury) #2 1981 _Happy Days_ (_Happy Days_ by Pratt & McClain) #5 1976 _Have Gun Will Travel_ (_The Ballad of Paladin_ by Duane Eddy) #33 1962 _Hawaii Five-O_ (_Hawaii Five-0_ by the Ventures) #4 1969 _The Heights_ (_How Do You Talk to an Angel_ by the Heights) #1 1992 _Here Come The Brides_ (_Seattle_ by Perry Como) #38 1969 _Hill Street Blues_ (_Hill Street Blues_ by Mike Post) #10 1981 _I Love Lucy_ (\*Disco Lucy by Wilton Place Street Band) #24 1977 _Laverne and Shirley_ (_Making Our Dreams Come True_ by Cyndi Grecco) #25 1976 _Magnum, P.I._ (_Magnum, P.I._ by Mike Post)#25 1982 _Makin’ It_ (_Makin’ It_ by David Naughton) #5 1979 _Medic_ (_Blue Star_ by Felicia Sanders) #29 1955 _The Men_ (_The Men_ by Issac Hayes) #38 1972 _Miami Vice_ (_Miami Vice_ by Jan Hammer) #1 1985 _Mission Impossible_ (_Mission Impossible_ by Lalo Schifrin) #41 1968 _Mission Impossible_ (_Mission Impossible_ by U2) #7 1996 _Mr. Lucky_ (_Mr. Lucky_ by Henry Mancini) #21 1960 _Moonlighting_ (_Moonlighting_ by Al Jarreau) #23 1987 _Peter Gunn_ (_Peter Gunn_ by Ray Anthony Orchestra) #8 1959 _Peter Gunn_ (_Peter Gunn_ by Duane Eddy) #27 1960 _The Rockford Files_ (_The Rockford Files_ by Mike Post) #10 1975 _Route 66_ (_Route 66_ by Nelson Riddle) #30 1962 _SWAT_ (_SWAT_ by Rhythm Heritage) #1 1975 _Secret Agent_ (_Secret Agent Man_ by Johnny Rivers) #3 1966 _Then Came Bronson_ (_Long Lonesome Highway_ by Michael Parks) #20 1970 _Welcome Back Kotter_ (_Welcome Back_ by John Sebastian) #1 1976 _Zorro_ (_Zorro_ by the Chordettes) #17 1958 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/7 "2006-08-17T02:39:05Z")
Considering it was on the radio enough to make me want to vomit, I’m going to have to figure that the _Sopranos_ theme must’ve charted a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/8 "2006-08-17T04:05:39Z")
No X-Files? No Twin Peaks? Surely they made some kind of easy listening chart… ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/9 "2006-08-17T16:25:37Z")
How about _My Life_, by Billy Joel, which was used as the theme song for _Bosom Buddies_? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/10 "2006-08-17T17:01:44Z")
> [@](#): > > No X-Files? No Twin Peaks? Surely they made some kind of easy listening chart… The X-Files as Easy Listening? For who? UFO fans? This is a good opportunity for me to air the comment that got me on the SDMB in the first place– Nobody seems to notice that the theme for **The X-Files** is the same as the theme for the 1960s Eve Arden/Kaye Ballard NBC sitcom **The Mothers-inLaw** , just slowed down and played more spookily. AFAIK, “The Mothers-in-Law” theme didn’t make any charts, either. ---
**Author:** ![Jeffr062](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Jeffr062](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeffr062)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/11 "2006-08-17T17:42:50Z")
I suppose we should have a sub catagory for movie theme songs to hit the top 40 like the Theme from A Summer Place and thats gonna play in my head all day :smack: ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/12 "2006-08-17T17:45:44Z")
In 1955, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” was the #1 song for quite a while. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/13 "2006-08-17T18:12:28Z")
Didn’t the _Cheers_ theme make the charts? ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/14 "2006-08-17T18:12:57Z")
**Married with Children** used Frank Sinatra’s _Love and Marriage_ , I’m sure that was on the charts, though probably decades before the show was on. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/15 "2006-08-17T19:26:34Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] “Hawaii Five-0,” by the Ventures, #4 in 1969. “Long Lonesome Highway” [theme from Then Came Bronson], by Michael Parks, #20 in 1970. “Welcome Back” [Kotter], by John Sebastian, #1 in 1976. In addition to Rockford Files and Hill Street Blues, Mike Post also took “Theme from Magnum P.I.” to the charts (#25, 1982). [/QUOTE] On youtube is Sammy Davis Jr. singing: Hawaii 5 0 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/16 "2006-08-17T20:46:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena] Didn’t the _Cheers_ theme make the charts? [/QUOTE] It peaked at number 83 in 1983. ---
**Author:** ![Cherry\_Garcia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@Cherry\_Garcia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cherry_Garcia)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/369031/17 "2006-08-18T01:08:31Z")
These are a bit of a reach, as these were original songs later adapted into TV themes. “Faith Of The Heart,” written by Diane Warren for the **Patch Adams** soundtrack, was recorded by Rod Stewart and released as a single, but I don’t know if it charted. This song was later re-recorded by Russell Watson and used as the theme to **Star Trek: Enterprise**. “Cleveland Rocks,” the Drew Carey theme recorded by The Presidents of the United States Of America originally was recorded by Ian Hunter on the album **You’re Never Alone With A Schizophrenic**. Hunter’s album charted at #35 in 1979. If those are too much of a reach, how about “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers? #3 in 1966. It was the theme from the British TV show originally known as **Danger Man** , but retitled to **Secret Agent Man** when it was shown on U.S. television.