Anyone of a certain age can be counted on to hum the theme songs to popular TV shows from previous decades: Hawaii 5-0, Bonanza, Rockford Files, Brady Bunch, and the like.
I’m wondering what TV tunes from the '80s, '90s, and '00s are going to last and become part of our collective cultural heritage. (And before you suggest ‘ER’, try humming a few bars: not too catchy, but definitely panic-inducing, for what that’s worth.)
So, what are we all going to sing or hum twenty years from now that will be immediately familiar and nostalgia-invoking?
*o/` You take the good
You take the bad
You take 'em both and there you have
the Facts of Life!
The Facts of Life!
Charles in charge, of our days and our nights!
Fish don’t fry in the kitchen!
Beans don’t burn on the grill!
Took a whole lotta tryin’
just to get up that hill!
What would we do, baby, without us?
And of course…
He worked for Gizmonic Institute,
just a regular guy in an orange jumpsuit.
He did a good job cleaning up the place,
but his bosses didn’t like him so they shot him into space!o/`*
Before it started going up against The West Wing I watched the Drew Carey Show weekly and they had a great theme song, “Cleveland Rocks” by Presidents of the U.S.A.
All this energy callin’ me,
Back where it comes from
It’s such a crude attitude,
It’s back where it belongs.
All the little chicks with the crimson lips go
Cleveland rocks! Cleveland rocks!
Livin’ in sin with a safety pin goin’
Cleveland rocks! Cleveland rocks!
Cleveland rocks! Cleveland rocks!
Cleveland rocks! Cleveland rocks!
Cleveland rocks! Cleveland rocks!
Cleveland rocks…
OHIO!!
It’s been a long road
Gettin’ from there to here
It’s been a long time
But my time is finally near
…(second verse)
…chorus: 'Cause I’ve got faith of the heart
I’m going where my heart will take me
I’ve got faith to believe
I can do anything
I’ve got strength of the soul
and no one’s gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I’ve got faith, I’ve got faith, faith of the heart
(etc.)
(other verses)
–the theme to Enterprise , sung by Russell Watson for the show, but Rod Stewart does one too; written by Diane Warren
Hanging out down the street.
Same old thing we did last week.
Not a thing to do but talk to you.
We’re all all right. We’re all all right.
We’re all all right. (Hello Wisconsin).
Actually most tv theme songs are being phased out due to the need to have more time for commericals on some networks and its a needless expense ( to them anyways )
Although it the show is a hit or older they seem to keep some or all of it …
What about the openings to Full House, Family Matters, The Nanny and any other of those fucking TGIF shows that went on WAY too long, yet we all watched for some god foresaken reason.
The theme to Passions (or is that just my lame ass?)
The theme to Pokemon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs…real quick, do cartoons count?
Definitely the theme to St. Elsewhere. I can still whistle it after all these years.
That was one of the last shows with a real theme, IMO; around 1990 the new shows started getting theme music with no melody, completely impossible to remember or, of course, to whistle.
I loved the Hill Street Blues theme. Now that it’s on Bravo all the time, I can hear it whenever I want. I’d say the Law & Order instrumental theme is pretty okay, but what’ll stick from that show is the prison cell door-clanging-shut sound that accompanies the intertitles. The MASH theme is pretty recognizable, although I’ve come across people who don’t know it actually had lyrics in the movie. I think my gold standard for tv theme recognition is whether it’s been used on the Simpsons.
To echo nightshadea, T.V. theme songs are generally being phased out in favor of a very short glimpse of a logo with a few bars of music (see Frasier or Crossing Jordan).
A few years ago, the Emmy Awards acknowledged this new phenomenon by having a theme song tribute in which Jason Alexander sang many of the favorites. Other than the Friends song, I don’t think there are many from this era that will be remembered.
brondicon - I bought the Hill Street Blues theme song when the show was still on the air. I can’t remember what format it originally came in, but I now have it on a cassette along with the theme from Chariots of Fire. I still listen to it occasionally.
