# Which TV theme songs have changed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898 "2003-09-11T03:06:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/21 "2003-09-11T11:57:05Z")
Nobody mentioned “Happy Days?” The original theme song was “Rock Around the Clock.” ---
**Author:** ![Monkeypants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Monkeypants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkeypants)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/22 "2003-09-11T12:06:00Z")
According to Jump the Shark, “Walker, Texas Ranger” kept its original theme song but switched to having CHUCK NORRIS sing it instead of the original singer. I am dying to hear the second version, though I have never been able to sit through that pitiful show. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/23 "2003-09-11T12:43:36Z")
Leave it to Beaver changed themes about halfway through the run, going to a more jazzy, syncopated version for the later years. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/24 "2003-09-11T12:45:22Z")
And of course, Gilligan’s Island changed themes, upgrading the Professor and Mary Ann from “and the rest” to actually mentioning them. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/25 "2003-09-11T13:00:54Z")
TV shows switching themes is really pretty common, especially if the theme was written specifically for that show. They do this to generate more royalty money. “M_A_S\*H” is another show that had a small change in the theme, it was jazzed up a bit around the time that Gary Burghoff left the cast. ---
**Author:** ![AV8R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@AV8R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AV8R)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/26 "2003-09-11T13:51:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\ ***I was going to mention the Gilligan’s Island change from … “and the rest” to 'The Professor and Mary Ann** , but **wolf\_meister** beat me to it. It always bothered me that “and the rest” consisted of only two people. I’ll bet Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells were pissed off about it too. It strikes me as lazy songwriting. \*\* I think I read somewhere (probably in TV Guide, my only source of enlightenment outside of the SDMB), that Tina Louise’s contract specifically required that her character get special placement by being the last one identified in the song. After her contract was established, but before they started filming, the producers decided they wanted two more castaways on the island. So to get them into the song, and to keep Tina somewhat happy, they were referred to “and the rest” in the song. Contracts were renegotiated for the second season, and the song was redone to make everything right with the universe. (Ya know, someday I’ll participate in one of those Great Debate threads about the ramifications of quantum mechanic space foam fluctuaions and how it conflicts with General Relativity.) ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/27 "2003-09-11T14:33:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by commasense \* > \*\*_Ed_ on NBC had a popular song (sorry I don’t remember what it was called) as its theme in its first season, but apparently didn’t have the rights for more than that, and got a new theme in the second season. I liked the first one better. > \*\* It was the Foo Fighters’ _Next Year_ on the first season on Ed. Then Clem Snide’s _Moment in the Sun_ for the second season. Then back to Foo Fighters for the third season. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/28 "2003-09-11T14:53:56Z")
_Monk_ has now completely dumped the cute little tune it had for its opening/closing credits in the first season, in favor of a Randy Newman song. For the second-season opener, they played Randy Newman to open and the old tune on closing, which I thought was a nice compromise, but now Randy gets both slots. Mind you, I am a huge Randy Newman fan, and I like the new song, but couldn’t they have kept the old one for the closing credits? \ ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/29 "2003-09-11T14:56:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Petey \* > \*\*It was the Foo Fighters’ _Next Year_ on the first season on Ed. Then Clem Snide’s _Moment in the Sun_ for the second season. Then back to Foo Fighters for the third season. \*\* I think you have that backwards. They just ran the last episode of the last season last night, and it had the _Next Year_ theme. _Moment in the Sun_ was the first year. And AFAIK, _Ed_ is starting its third season this fall. (It’s possible they used _Next Year_ for the pilot, didn’t have the rights, got _Moment in the Sun_ for season one, and then went back to _Next Year_. I’ve been watching since the beginning, but I may have missed the pilot.) ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/30 "2003-09-11T14:58:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monkeypants \* > \*\*According to Jump the Shark, “Walker, Texas Ranger” kept its original theme song but switched to having CHUCK NORRIS sing it instead of the original singer. I am dying to hear the second version, though I have never been able to sit through that pitiful show. \*\* [SoundAmerica.com](http://soundamerica.com/sounds/themes/Television/T-Z/) I think the one you are looking for is **walkr96b.wav**. Glad to be of service, Pash ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/31 "2003-09-11T14:58:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AV8R \* > **I think I read somewhere (probably in TV Guide, my only source of enlightenment outside of the SDMB), that Tina Louise’s contract specifically required that her character get special placement by being the last one identified in the song. After her contract was established, but before they started filming, the producers decided they wanted two more castaways on the island. So to get them into the song, and to keep Tina somewhat happy, they were referred to “and the rest” in the song. Contracts were renegotiated for the second season, and the song was redone to make everything right with the universe.** Not according to Sherwood Schwartz. He composed both versions of the theme and said in TV Land’s “Top 40 TV Themes” special that it simply hadn’t occurred to him the Professor and Mary Ann would turn into prominent characters. ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/32 "2003-09-11T15:33:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by commasense \* > \*\*I think you have that backwards. They just ran the last episode of the last season last night, and it had the _Next Year_ theme. _Moment in the Sun_ was the first year. And AFAIK, _Ed_ is starting its third season this fall. > \*\* No, _Ed_ starts it’s fourth season this fall. The theme song question is answered in this [FAQ](http://stuckeyville.com/show/faq.asp) > [@](#): > > 5.1 What’s the theme song? > Here is the long and windy road that comprises the story behind ED’s theme song - > The first year’s theme song was “Next Year” by the Foo Fighters. It’s off their “There is Nothing Left to Lose” CD.- > > The producers had to change the song for the second season because Paramount/Viacom did not own the rights to “Next Year” and they have a policy that all their shows have theme songs that are owned by them. That song was “Moment in the Sun” by Clem Snide, off their “The Ghost of Fashion” CD. You can download it for free from [MP3.com](http://MP3.com). - > > Chapter 3; After insistence by the producers ( and many fans) Viacom allowed an exception to be made and “Next Year” by the Foo Fighters was returned as the theme song at the beginning of season 3 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/33 "2003-09-11T16:15:16Z")
I don’t know why I know this, but that Brooke Shields sitcom, “Suddenly Susan”, had at least two different themes. The first was an electric guitar version of “Ode to Joy”, and the second was some awful whiny “on my own, no stopping me” kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/34 "2003-09-11T16:18:51Z")
“Alice” changed lyrics and styles, becoming a little more sultry in later seasons. “The Brady Bunch” didn’t change lyrics but re-recorded the song with the kids singing it. ---
**Author:** ![alimarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@alimarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alimarx)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/35 "2003-09-11T16:52:46Z")
_Miami Vice_ used Phil Collins’ _In The Air Tonight_ for it’s first 3 or 4 shows, then switched to the Jan Hammer composed theme. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/36 "2003-09-11T17:30:44Z")
The initial season of “The Flintstones” had an instrumental theme. The “Flintstones, meet the Flinstones” theme didn’t begin until the second or third season. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/37 "2003-09-11T17:31:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Petey \* > \*\*No, _Ed_ starts it’s fourth season this fall. > > The theme song question is answered in this [FAQ](http://stuckeyville.com/show/faq.asp) \*\* Thanks, **Petey** for straightening me out. I would have _sworn_ it had only been on two years. This is what happens when you get old and senile, children. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/38 "2003-09-11T17:40:27Z")
Dunno if it counts for this thread, but “The Daily Show” changed its opening music shortly after I mentioned to a friend how similar it sounded to the theme song for “Kids in the Hall”. I’m not sure, but I _think_ it might have only been a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/39 "2003-09-11T17:40:29Z")
Babylon 5 had 5 different themes, one for each of its five seasons. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898/40 "2003-09-11T17:53:00Z")
“That 70’s show” has changed their opening song at least once, as well. It’s the same song recorded differently. (We’re all alright! We’re all alright!") [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-tv-theme-songs-have-changed/200898.md?page=3)