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October 25, 2020 5:50 pm  #1


The Stories Behind The Greatest TV Theme Songs In History

You know most of them by heart, but you probably don't know who wrote or sang them all. This series of articles from TVLine.com runs down a brief history of the songs that introduced some of the greatest television shows of all time every week, including the original themes that were sometimes replaced by others later in the series. 

In an era where TV theme songs have all but disappeared, I found many of the stories fascinating. (But no "Green Acres," "The Green Hornet" or "Car 54 Where Are You?" Sacrilege!)

Top TV Theme Songs: 2000-2009 Edition

Top TV Theme Songs: 1990s Edition

Top TV Theme Songs: 1980s Edition

Top TV Theme Songs: 1970s Edition

Top TV Theme Songs: 1950s/’60s Edition

And then, just to finish it off, here's their list of the best animated TV theme songs. (Why "Top Cat," "Bullwinkle" or "Quick Draw McGraw" aren't on there, I'll never know.) 

The Top TV Theme Songs of All Time: Animated Series

 

October 25, 2020 8:40 pm  #2


Re: The Stories Behind The Greatest TV Theme Songs In History

No Hogan's Heroes?

Well at there was one Vic Mizzy theme in there.

The problem with any of these lists is there will always omissions and errors and this definitely is no exception.

The Petticoat Junction theme was written by Paul Henning and Curt Massey.  Massey not only sang the Theme, but wrote all the show's music and performed all the instruments.  Flat and Scruggs did record a version of the theme for an LP but none of their music was used in the show.  Some of Massey's music was even used in The Beverly Hillbillies.  He even appeared in a season 2 episode (the garden party) as himself.

...But I digress...


 

 

October 25, 2020 8:57 pm  #3


Re: The Stories Behind The Greatest TV Theme Songs In History

Yes, I agree. These lists run the risk of leaving out potentially great themes, although I believe they did a pretty good job of representing many of the best ones. (But no "I Love Lucy," perhaps one of the most iconic of themes if not of shows? For shame, I say!) 

Vic Mizzy was a legend, with his Addams Family and Green Acres themes. He's also responsible for one of the most remarkable opening tunes of a show absolutely no one remembers but me. It was called The Pruitts of Southampton and starred Phyllis Diller, around 1966 or so. The theme song (which you can hear here thanks to YouTube), summed up the premise of a wealthy family that went broke but tried to pretend they were still rich. It was sung by the cast and even though the show didn't last long, it's still one of my all time favourite intros.  

Mike Post once told me in an interview I did with him a few decades ago that he wrote the theme for Hill St. Blues in about 10 minutes. They told him what they wanted, he thought about it, sat down at the piano and out it came. He's since done so many TV theme songs, I've lost count.

Although I doubt he has as much work as he once did. The era of the TV theme is fading, if not completely done. There are still a few shows that use them (This Is Us, Law & Order S.V.U. and The Conners are three that come to mind) but many now put the opening credits over a scene instead of over an intro and get right into the show to discourage tune-out. 

It's probably a much better idea, but I do miss those classic 30 second songs that defined a generation of TV programs and are often more memorable than the shows themselves. 

     Thread Starter
 

October 26, 2020 12:45 am  #4


Re: The Stories Behind The Greatest TV Theme Songs In History

In my personal opinion, two of the best theme songs of all time were Henry Mancini's version of Peter Gunn and Count Basie's rendition of M-Squad.