# Worst theme song for a TV show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382 "2010-07-12T12:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/1 "2010-07-12T12:58:59Z")
Just like the title says: What’s the worst theme song for a TV show in your opinion? I just finished the first season of **Weeds** last night and the theme song for the show (“Little boxes”) is possibly the worst I have ever heard for a relatively recent TV show. The one (imo) that exceeds it in sheer awfulness is the theme song for the 60’s cartoon **The Incredible Hulk** , the one that starts with “Doc Bruce Banner… belted by Gamma Rays… turned into the Hulk…” _That_ piece of shit gave me the worst earworm I ever had in my life - two fuggin weeks of it. I was in tears at times. Completely, utterly sucked. Thinking about it makes me want to hear “Little Boxes” again. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/2 "2010-07-12T13:03:39Z")
I thought the opening song for the _original_ Smothers Brothers show (the sit-com they had prior to their controversial variety show) was pretty awful. I can’t find it on YouTube, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/3 "2010-07-12T13:04:57Z")
Maybe you already knew this, but “Little Boxes” was a famous song from the 1960s satirizing conformity. Whether it was good or bad is a matter of opinion, but it was famous and not just something thrown together for this show. Personally, the ones I can’t stand are the Alan Thicke-type themes from the 80s with “meaningful” lyrics. In particular the ones from Family Ties, Facts of Life and of course Growing Pains. You wonder how the TV business went from the greatness of the “Sanford and Son” and “Barney Miller” themes to the dreck of the 1980s in such a short time. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/4 "2010-07-12T13:14:30Z")
The worst theme that leaps to mind was the one for _Star Trek: Enterprise_. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/5 "2010-07-12T13:15:53Z")
Curse you, **GuanoLad**! You beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/6 "2010-07-12T13:22:45Z")
Maybe not the worst, but among the most annoying is “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?” which follows _Jeopardy!_ in these parts – immediately – no break. If we can’t mute or switch channels in a microsecond, I start screaming! ---
**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:** [July 12, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/7 "2010-07-12T13:30:31Z")
“Little Boxes” was the perfect theme song for **Weeds**. It set the scene, and was, of course, a classic long before the show came out. I also liked the fact they played the Mavina Reynolds version (in the first season – they had others record it the second year). I think that John Prine is a great singer-songwriter, and his song “Illegal Smile” a great song by any measure. But why it was used for **The Texas Wheelers** cannot be explained. I can’t fathom the reason why a TV show about a shiftless father and his responsible kids living in Texas and making ends meet would have a song talking about marijuana use (actually, it would have been a nice fit for **Weeds** ) The theme for the original **Star Trek** is OK, but if that’s because the lyrics were never sung. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/8 "2010-07-12T13:32:33Z")
> [@](#): > > The theme for the original Star Trek is OK, but if that’s because the lyrics were never sung. You could say the same thing about the theme for **Bonanza** – except that they _did_ sing it once. (shudder) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/9 "2010-07-12T13:35:51Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Curse you, **GuanoLad**! You beat me to it. That’s the first thing that came to mind for me, too. The _Three’s Company_ theme was pretty annoying. An of course there’s this: _Is he strong? Listen bub He’s got radioactive blood!_ ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/10 "2010-07-12T13:40:05Z")
**King of Queens** isn’t the best show out there, but it has some pretty funny moments. The theme song, however, sucks bee wang. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/11 "2010-07-12T13:42:10Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The theme for the original **Star Trek** is OK, but if that’s because the lyrics were never sung. They were never meant to be. The story I heard is that Roddenberry wrote them for the sole reason of getting a co-authorship credit and a share of the royalties for the theme music. I believe Glen A. Larson was notorious for claiming co-authorship credits for the music written for his shows without even doing that much. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/12 "2010-07-12T13:46:07Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > Personally, the ones I can’t stand are the Alan Thicke-type themes from the 80s with “meaningful” lyrics. In particular the ones from Family Ties, Facts of Life and of course Growing Pains. God, Yes. Late eighties - early nineties power ballads are so damn corny. One exception tho: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vbnLYROCj8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vbnLYROCj8) You gotta respect Standing Tall. Personally, I’ve always felt that the use of “We used to be friends” for Veronica Mars’ intro was all wrong. The song was too heavy for a short intro, which made the cut really awkward, and the tie the lyrics had with the story was too obvious. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6jL3t-ibRG4/hqdefault.jpg "veronica mars season 1 opening credits") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jL3t-ibRG4) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/13 "2010-07-12T14:20:49Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > Maybe you already knew this, but “Little Boxes” was a famous song from the 1960s satirizing conformity. Whether it was good or bad is a matter of opinion, but it was famous and not just something thrown together for this show. Yeah, I knew that. The theme was hypocritical back then, too - it’s not like there’s a wide variety of folk fashions out there. I love it when a member of one group with similar traits looks at another group with different traits and says “They’re all the same!” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/14 "2010-07-12T14:36:08Z")
Seinfeld’s goofy bass blurb gets my vote since the worst offenders of the 80s have been covered. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/15 "2010-07-12T14:38:31Z")
Here’s the story…of a man named Brady… Complete with vomit-inducing visuals of eight people looking lovingly at each other. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/16 "2010-07-12T14:41:35Z")
[She’s a Small Wonder…a child unlike other girls!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukSvjqwJixw) ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/17 "2010-07-12T14:42:57Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > The worst theme that leaps to mind was the one for _Star Trek: Enterprise_. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/18 "2010-07-12T15:02:30Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That’s the first thing that came to mind for me, too. > > The _Three’s Company_ theme was pretty annoying. > > An of course there’s this: > > _Is he strong? Listen bub > He’s got radioactive blood!_ You Kidding? That’s one of the all time great theme songs BYW I think the word is bud. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4o29VoxtsFk/hqdefault.jpg "Spider-man Original Cartoon Theme Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o29VoxtsFk) but agree the hulk one sucks [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dj26N10Ymlg/hqdefault.jpg "The Hulk - Cartoon Theme Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj26N10Ymlg) ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/19 "2010-07-12T15:10:58Z")
I think the opening music for \*\*Nurse Jackie \*\*is godawful. It just got an Emmy nomination for best theme music too, which baffles me. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382/20 "2010-07-12T15:17:31Z")
_Happy Days_, anyone? The custom-made one, not the original (“Rock Around the Clock”)… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-theme-song-for-a-tv-show/546382.md?page=2)