# TV theme songs
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 26, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072 "2016-11-26T19:19:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/1 "2016-11-26T19:19:29Z")
This was probably done before, but I don’t remember anything recent. What are your favorite or what shows do you think had/have the best theme songs? In no particular order, I would say:
Psych
Gilmore Girls
Hawaii 5 0
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/2 "2016-11-26T19:43:13Z")
**Hawaii 5 0** is a great one.
For whimsy, I always liked the theme to **It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.**
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/3 "2016-11-26T19:47:00Z")
(In before the forum move.)
I also love the Psych theme (the full version, of course, not the shortened one.)
A couple of months ago this same subject came up on a different forum. Skim through the comments [here](http://file770.com/?p=30596&cpage=1#comments) for lots of suggestions (including many Youtube links.)
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/4 "2016-11-26T19:52:53Z")
I like the second theme from _Monk_, “It’s a Jungle Out There” by Randy Newman.
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### Author:  [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/5 "2016-11-26T22:34:01Z")
[Twin Peaks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7d0Lm_31BE)
[Airwolf](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dwmf-wx8VQ)
[Knight Rider](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBP7xH348cI)
[Batman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSaDPc1Cs5U)
[Peter Gunn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK-b5PLhrEI)
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### Author:  [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/6 "2016-11-26T22:39:26Z")
I’ve never watched an episode, but my favorite theme is the [Peter Gunn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oysMt8iL9UE) theme by Henry Mancini.
And I’ve always liked the [Doctor Who](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkcHgI_TIYQ) theme.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/7 "2016-11-26T23:36:21Z")
[Jonny Quest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0kg_tzQvf4)
[Mission: Impossible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGSUjuSBt1A)
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### Author:  [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/8 "2016-11-27T00:04:47Z")
Do you mean theme songs? Or title music (lacking words)?
As for songs, I doubt anyone’s theme song beats that of The Addams Family.
As for title music, _M_A_S_H\* is up there (it’s borderline, because it WAS a song, but was instrumental for the TV show). At the time, the _Miami Vice_ theme was quite popular. The intro music to _Star Trek: The Next Generation_ was quite good.
God there’s so many. How do you pick?
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### Author:  [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/9 "2016-11-27T00:13:13Z")
I don’t this one has ever come up in these threads before:
[Then Came Bronson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYKQ3fwNb0c)
The song came at the end of each show, instead of the beginning. Michael Parks, the star of the show, was the singer. It was a minor pop success, hitting #20 on the Billboard charts. The show lasted only one season.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/10 "2016-11-27T00:19:47Z")
Me and my aunt were not big S.W.A.T fans but we tuned in once a week to [listen to the theme song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHDg96-ZN_U)
And even before then, as a besotted 10 year old Baretta could do no wrong. [Especially in his theme song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jes-iZzy_Tk)
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### Author:  [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/11 "2016-11-27T00:39:18Z")
I like the theme song from\* Shameless\* (U.S. version) and the one from _Boardwalk Empire_. I looked up the one from _Shameless_ on YouTube and was surprised the singer was a guy.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/12 "2016-11-27T01:20:48Z")
There are hundreds I could list. Here are some off the top of my head.
[Terriers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD8Kh7Pmzho)
[The Incredible Hulk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d4C1ZQKmw4)
[The Littlest Hobo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p8oeiVDcx4)
[Jamie and the Magic Torch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZAFOkQ9v7Y)
[Grange Hill](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SlvZF6k5bE)
[The Borrowers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta3MTUqTEs0)
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### Author:  [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/13 "2016-11-27T01:30:33Z")
Everyone knows the words to \*\*‘The Golden Girls’ \*\*theme, it would be pointless to link to it.
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### Author:  [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/14 "2016-11-27T02:07:27Z")
Very fond of the opening to The Prisoner. The music is spiffing. Of course, it’s the catechism that really stands out… “Where am I?”
2nd Jonny Quest.
The Jetsons and The Simpsons – strangely similar – are goodies.
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### Author:  [@GinoC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GinoC)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/15 "2016-11-27T02:08:51Z")
St Elsewhere
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### Author:  [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/16 "2016-11-27T02:21:24Z")
For some fresher entries, I’ll suggest…
[Attack on Titan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmdMzAHyl6w&t=0m42s)
[Game of Thrones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7L2PVdrb_8)
And the [other way around](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tauj8aXpRGY), of [course](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUv3N0u8iTw). 😃
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### Author:  [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/17 "2016-11-27T02:52:06Z")
Lots of good ones mentioned already. A few of my favorites are:
FLCL closing credits - [Ride on Shooting Star](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh3lmE52GVc)
Cowboy Bebop opening credits - [Tank!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6jCJZEFIto) (Yeah, that’s the long version. The show just had an edit of that.)
[Squidbillies Theme Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYakrSp9DqM) don’t like [country](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aCk8qPp7t4)? [There’s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v20dUss14Ow) [literally](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DLrYHtEJkQ) [dozens](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tifpXP5cRq8) [of](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA0PiDxQFL0) [different](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e8A4oyyt7I) [versions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzAWbQysxsg), [in](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8hvIL7hmI0) [totally](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syZ45PEGHxA) [different](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X78Gq6grjNA) [styles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIDHpmjoogs). Yes, even [Shatner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDc5mJjR4p4) did a version of the alternate lyrics.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/18 "2016-11-27T02:56:57Z")
Gilligan’s Island is the archetype for explanatory theme songs. Gary Shandling Show completely deconstructed the form.
ETA: Sorry, I have disrespected the true archetype, The Beverly Hillbillies.
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### Author:  [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/19 "2016-11-27T03:02:30Z")
Greatest American Hero
Justified
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### Author:  [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2016, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-theme-songs/773072/20 "2016-11-27T05:37:38Z")
My favorite “Deep cut” theme song that few others remember is the theme to the 90s Syndicated series the [Untouchables](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAuPcLQ9x5g&ab_channel=Paladin1776). I haven’t seen the show in two decades but I still hum the theme sometimes.
I’m also a big fan of the theme of the show [Alien Nation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKNc1nORBz0&ab_channel=SlayerMatt69) but that one is probably better known.
Another one I enjoy is [My So Called Life](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnlY9qx2sDw&ab_channel=MasiB%27sMusic-Gasm).
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