Alright then, which TV show theme songs do you consider to be the best?

It was difficult for me to pare down my choices and so I am leaving off many theme songs which I believe also qualify as being great, but here is my list:

Rawhide
The Addams Family
The Greatest American Hero
Mission: Impossible
Hill Street Blues
Perhaps not "the best", but still my all-time favourite: the theme to It's Garry Shandling's Show

Special acknowledgement for best theme song to which to sing bad karaoke: The Love Boat!

Perry Mason

http://www.youtube.com/wa...1wJP-yDdUk


Barney Miller

http://www.youtube.com/wa...SCXbHmg2m0


Get Smart

http://www.youtube.com/wa...scedJQ3PFU


The Munsters

http://www.youtube.com/wa...fREAy8JLVE


SWAT (the cheesiness of the credits just makes it that much better lol)

http://www.youtube.com/wa...Iwp1d7eKbA


Hill Street Blues

http://www.youtube.com/wa...b2V9OAhM40


Dick Van Dyke Show

http://www.barbneal.com/w...vdsong.wav


Welcome Back, Kotter

http://www.barbneal.com/w...kotter.wav


Bullwinkle

http://www.barbneal.com/w...cky&b1.wav


Sanford & Son

http://www.barbneal.com/w...anford.wav


WKRP In Cincinnati

http://www.barbneal.com/w...s/wkrp.wav


Superchicken

http://www.barbneal.com/w...hicken.wav

The Dukes of Hazzard
The Facts of Life
The Brady Bunch

But the greatest would have to be Charles in Charge.

the golden girls!! all the way bitches!!

baroque said:

Good choice!

I was always fond of the Persuaders theme. It had that typical John Barry-style to it that's so classy and cool. Unfortunately I couldn't find a clip with good sound quality so this'll have to do:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...gLEdvRKAYI

Here's actually a pretty cool remixed version too:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...HcUJs1oWWs
[Edited 11/7/07 17:58pm]

I really love the charlie and lola theme at the moment

http://www.youtube.com/wa...gwvmc1uIhw

I cannot NOT whistle along

Byron said:

Great choices! I'd forgotten about the Dick Van Dyke Show theme. Love that one.

And, of course, the wonderful Twin Peaks theme:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...oDuGN6K3VQ

Forgot one...

http://www.youtube.com/wa...1A_dcMdrwc

JuliePurplehead said:

So many times on threads of this subject I see that theme song mentioned, but I can never recall how it goes and I even used to watch the show.

I'd better check into it and refresh my memory. I don't want to be missing out on anything good!

Oooh, and the Miami Vice theme. How could I forget that one?

http://www.youtube.com/wa...GkurWAXgZs

retina said:

That is good. I like it. Not familiar with the show though.

Byron said:

I almost included that one on my list.

Who can hear that song and not cheer up? Well, I know some are resistent to its charms, but not me.

WillyWonka said:

I'm glad you like it. It's one that brings back memories for me.

The show was pretty lighthearted. It's about two rich playboys (Roger Moore and Tony Curtis) who get into all kinds of adventures, solve crimes etc. The casting was perfect and there were plenty of funny and snappy one-liners.

WillyWonka said:

Exactly lol ...I even love the seagull noises at the very end .

Cheers. I will be able to sing that song until I die.

I love the Start Trek: TNG theme song too.

"Maude"
"The Jeffersons"
"Sanford and Son"
"Gimme a Break"
"It's Garry Shandling's Show"
"The Munsters"
"What's Happenin'"

WillyWonka said:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...eE8x--PeII

I like Law & Order, Special Victim's Unit. Not the music, but the statement they make beforehand. Like the fucking weirdo I am, I recite it along with the dude, especially this part: "These crimes are considered especially HEINOUS". Just cuz I love that word.
Heinous.
Heinous.
Heinous.

Ok, I'll stop now!!

CarrieAnn said:

oh god, we don't watch that show, but it's right after something we do watch, and we ALWAYS say "heinous anus"

ZombieKitten said:

OMG, so do I, except I say, "heinous IN THE anus"! What does this say about us?!?

I was gonna tell that, but then I thought, "whoa, girl, you just got back to the Org today, take it easy on the freakiness".

CarrieAnn said:

OK I am gonna say it like that too now, makes more sense
thanks!

The Flintstones

ZombieKitten said:

You know that now when I recite this, I'm gonna think "Oh, ZombieKitten and her husband are saying it, too!"

the jeffersons

"One Day at a Time" had a rockin' theme song.

at the risk of having a brick thrown at me or a hammer on my head..I will say I LOVE the theme to Sex in the City.

With the exception of Miami Ink, all of mine have been listed already. Miami Ink uses a "Funky Kingston". It's Toots from Toots & the Maytals with The Roots & Bootsy Collins. Nip/Tuck's theme is pretty cool too. I like Fresh Prince's old theme too. What else?