Very few network television series these days have theme songs.
As programming competition got more fierce in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, producers and networks realized they needed to grab viewers’ attention as quickly as possibly. (Plus there’s the matter of having to pay global royalties to songwriters and artists.)
Not all TV shows did away with themes, of course. One example is The Big Bang Theory, which had a memorable song written and performed by Canada's Barenaked Ladies – even though few viewers can probably spit out the lyrics like Ed Robertson can.
Thanks to reruns, we are still welcomed to Cheers with “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” and inspired by Laverne & Shirley’s “Making Our Dreams Come True” – and we can sing along to “Movin’ On Up” before The Jeffersons or “Come and Knock on Our Door” ahead of Three’s Company.
On this throwback Thursday, let’s look at some of the most memorable TV theme songs.
Two now-classic TV sitcoms reminded us every week of the value of friends through their theme songs.
Friends - “I’ll Be There for You”
Friends premiered in 1994 with a minute-long theme song titled “I’ll Be There for You,” performed by The Rembrandts. When the show became a hit, the band recorded a longer version for its third studio album, which was released in May 1995. It peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Canadian singles chart.
The Golden Girls - “Thank You for Being a Friend”
The sitcom, which ran from 1985 to 1992, used a version of “Thank You for Being a Friend” performed by commercial jingle singer Cynthia Fee as its theme. The song was written and recorded by Andrew Gold for his 1978 album All This and Heaven Too and went to No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to No. 7 in Canada.
Before PVRs and online streaming, there was a time when the premise of a TV show had to be summarized in the theme song in case someone was tuning in for the first time. Here are five of the best:
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - “Yo Home to Bel Air”
Will Smith’s breakthrough sitcom debuted in 1990 and its theme became an instant classic. Penned by Smith with music by Quincy Jones and produced by Smith’s musical partner Jazzy Jeff (aka Jeffrey Townes), it explained why a kid born and raised in west Philadelphia was living in a Bel-Air mansion. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-creator Andy Borowitz talked to EW in 2017 about the song’s legacy. “There’s no way to measure this,” he said, “but is there a hip-hop song that more people around the world know all the words to? Probably not.”
The Beverly Hillbillies - “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”
This rags-to-riches comedy, which ran from 1962 to 1971, had a theme song that provided the backstory. Jed Clampett, a poor mountaineer, was shooting at some food when up through the ground came a bubblin’ crude. (Oil, that is. Black gold. Texas tea.) The song was written by Paul Henning and performed by Jerry Scoggins with bluegrass musicians Flatt and Scruggs. “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” was so popular, it topped the Billboard Hot Country chart and made it to No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Gilligan’s Island - “The Ballad Of Gilligan’s Isle”
“Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip…” The theme song for this series, which ran for three season beginning in 1964, made it clear what the show was all about (although it didn’t explain why Ginger packed so many gowns for a three-hour tour). For Season 1, the theme was performed by The Wellingtons and then it was recorded by the Eligibles.
The Nanny - “The Nanny Named Fran”
The reason Fran Drescher was living with a British man and his three American kids was spelled out quite effectively in the show’s theme song, “The Nanny Named Fran.” A bridal shop employee, she was crushed when her boyfriend kicked her out of their home. “What was she to do? Where was she to go? She was out on her fanny.” Written by Ann Hampton Callaway, the theme was sung by she and sister Liz Callaway.
The Brady Bunch - “The Brady Bunch”
If viewers were curious about how “a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls” ended up with “a man named Brady who was busy with three boys of his own,” they only needed to pay attention to the show’s catchy theme. Penned by Frank Devol and series creator Sherwood Schwartz, the song perfectly summarized how this group must somehow form a family.
Lest viewers forget what they tuned in to watch, many popular series had theme songs that mentioned the name of the show. Here are 5 of the most memorable:
Happy Days - “Happy Days”
Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox wrote the theme song for Seasons 3 through 11 of this sitcom, which ended in 1984. It was performed by Jim Haas (and by Bobby Arvon for the final season). A version by Pratt & McClain was released as a single in 1976 and became a Top 5 hit in both the U.S. and Canada.
The Love Boat - “Love Boat”
Charles Fox composed this now-iconic theme song and Paul Williams wrote the lyrics. “Love Boat soon will be making another run,” Jack Jones belted out. “The Love Boat promises something for everyone.” (A version by Dionne Warwick was used for the show’s final season.)
Diff’rent Strokes - “It Takes Diff'rent Strokes”
The theme to this popular late-‘70s/early-‘80s sitcom was performed by Canada’s Alan Thicke, who wrote it with his then-wife Gloria Loring. The chorus mentions the show’s name three times: “But they got Diff'rent Strokes / It takes Diff'rent Strokes / It takes Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.”
The Facts Of Life - “The Facts Of Life”
Thicke and Loring – along with Al Burton – also co-wrote the theme to this Diff’rent Strokes spinoff. “You take the good / You take the bad / You take them both and there you have / the facts of life.” Pretty simple, but the show’s name is right there.
Good Times - “Good Times”
This sitcom, which ran from 1974 to 1979 and featured Janet Jackson as Penny in its final two seasons, had its own gospel theme performed by Jim Gilstrap and Blinky Williams. Composed by Dave Grusin with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, the theme mentions the show’s title eight times.