Believe it or not, I'm walking on air...
The best TV theme songs belong to GenX.
In the era of streaming everything and the option to skip right to the start of the show, it dawned on my last night as I was watching The Lincoln Lawyer, (a great show—akin to Magnum PI—charming main character who somehow comes up with a slick way to win in the end…check it out if you’re in the market for a new “program”.)
Truly great theme songs are a thing of the past.
Maybe it’s because we no longer need the warning that our favorite show is about to start ringing out through the TV speakers to let us know if we don’t get our butts on the couch, we are going to miss it.
Some of them so good they were played on the radio-we’re talking top 40 hits!
Now we can start things at our convenience.
But still, it is a piece of pop culture that slowly ebbed away. Honestly, aside from Game of Thrones, is there a theme song from this decade that you could pick out in a game of Name that Tune?
But from the 70s, 80s or 90s? Too many to count, but I’ll do my best here!
The Seventies
Little House on the Prairie-no words, but none needed. That crescendo hit just the right amount of drama to let you know you were going to be in for a wild ride.
The Love Boat-a real crooner. You actually felt like you were sitting on the Lido Deck listening to a lounge singer. And I bet every one of you reading this, sang that one into a hairbrush on a Saturday night.
Facts of Life-the show that made every girl I knew want to go to boarding school.
Welcome Back Kotter and Taxi were both ones that I would rush to turn the down the TV volume—because if my mom heard it, she’d know it was 9pm and my bedtime…
WKRP in Cincinnati—A staple of the XM Yacht Rock station now. When we moved to Cinci, I sang this thing all the time.
The Eighties
Who can ever forget the theme to Greatest American Hero—the greatest American Theme song ever-am I right? I have no recollection whatsoever what that show was even about, but I can sing that song word for word.
Gimme a Break—honoring the legacy of Facts of Life in my opinion.
Family Ties/Growing Pains/Charles in Charge—why were they so angsty? Setting the tone for quirky family drama with that signature end of the bed heart to heart.
Dynasty/Dallas/Knots Landing—like the dramatic version of Little House on the Prairie. But with rich people and sexy time.
The A Team and Miami Vice—CRIME WILL BE SOLVED! These theme songs meant serious business!
Cheers—the song that made us all believe that hanging out in a bar as adults would bring us our closest friends. Maybe that’s why so many of us have drinking problems now?
And of course, each and every soap opera theme song: General Hospital, Young and the Restless and All my Children were among my favorites.
The Nineties
Obviously the one that defined the decade was the theme from Friends. We all wanted to dance in that fountain
Frasier—Jazz? As a TV theme song? For this show? Hell yes! It was perfect.
Full House—the most like it’s 70s and 80s predecessors. Not angsty, sort of a combo of Facts of Life and Charles in Charge.
And then there were the shows whose songs were radio hits: Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Party of Five, Dawson’s Creek. Released as singles that turned those artists in to one hit wonders.
Beverley Hills 90210—another one that required no lyrics, but if you heard those opening bars and you were off getting a snack, you ran to the couch.
I actually loved Melrose Place much more than 90210, but had to look up the theme song, and frankly it may have been where things started to go south. Completely unmemorable…
The end of the Golden Eras of TV theme songs. Man, what a ride.
I’m sure I’m missing some, I KNOW I’m missing some, but I think those are the highlights. At least for me. What was your favorite? Share in the comments!
PS Copyrights and lack of techy knowledge prevented me from posting the actual theme songs, but I encourage you to google a few. It was quite a delight.
Good one, Julie Bird!