Theme me up Scotty

April 22, 3:53 PMPittsburgh TV ExaminerSean Farren

Previous Next

7 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Pittsburgh TV Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

When Jay Leno performed stand up years ago, he used to joke about thinking you're in an elevator alone and doing something to completely embarrass yourself before realizing that someone else was in there with you.

The horror begins and ends with singing the following out loud...

"Ohhh...come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed..."

We've all had that experience at one time or another. Sadly, with modern day television, the disappearance of the TV theme has forced us to discover new ways of embarrassing ourselves in public.

Unfortunately, most all of today's television shows are bereft of exciting, innovative and even cheesy themes that stick in our heads and won't let go. I've had days where I can't seem to shake certain lines as they play out a sadistic loop inside my brain. One moment, I'll be toiling away at something important that requires complete focus when the words "Phoebe Figalily is a silly name and so many silly things keep happening..." drift through the depths of my mind and latch on like a barnacle to a ship's hull.

And I haven't seen Nanny and the Professor in well over 20 years!

The TV theme is a lost art in the medium. It set the tone for what you were about to see and songwriters and musicians had to be really creative to not only come up with something catchy but also informative to provide the audience with an overall "feel" for the content ahead.

Can you imagine the blank stares in the room when lyricists and musicians were assigned a show about a boy and his magic flute being transported to a fantastical land inhabited by strange creatures which included an oversized dragon, talking mushrooms and an evil witch?

But they did it!

At one point, people were actually revered for their TV theme contributions. Great composers like Henry Mancini were responsible for creating some of the best  themes of all time like (arguably my favorite) Peter Gunn. Singers like Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams lent their voices to Family Ties.

Then it all came crashing down.

Ad revenues became a more important focus and, with the already diminishing running times of shows, something had to go. Now, you might get a few seconds of music or nothing at all!

So I want to devote this column to the thrilling days of yesteryear and honor some of the best themes of all time. Below are just a few of my favorites (in no particular order). I've even separated them into purely instrumental, vocal, and even those goofy ones that I enjoyed! Feel free to add your favorites and don't feel bad about humming or singing them out loud. You never know who might be listening...or who might just join in!

Instrumental

• Hawaii Five-0
• The Mod Squad
• Peter Gunn
• Dr. Who
• Wild, Wild West
• Twilight Zone
• Dexter
• Mission: Impossible
• Twin Peaks
• S.W.A.T

Vocals

• Maverick
• Cheers
• M*A*S*H (vocals version unavailable)
• The Addams Family
• The Fall Guy
• Baretta
• Top Cat
• Have Gun Will Travel
• Mary Tyler Moore
• Greatest American Hero

Purely Cheesy

• Perfect Strangers
• Charles In Charge
• Eight Is Enough
• Love, American Style
• Courtship of Eddie's Father
• Petticoat Junction
• Makin It
• Banana Splits
• Mr. Belvedere
• Nanny and the Professor

Now try and get those out of your head!