http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004511.html?categoryId=3640&cs=1

Whatever happened to TV theme music?
Main-title melodies were once cultural touchstones

By JON BURLINGAME

Nearly 35 years ago, producers Thomas Miller and Edward Milkis put together a 20-minute presentation to convince ABC that two guest stars on "Happy Days" could be spun off into their own series.
They shot just a few new scenes of Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams as "Laverne & Shirley" but, recalls composer Charles Fox, they insisted on a 75-second main-title sequence with a fully produced song, "so, right from the beginning, people would know what it was about."

Fox and lyricist Norman Gimbel came up with "Making Our Dreams Come True." It became a top-25 hit -- one of many TV theme hits for Fox, who won an Emmy for "Love, American Style" and wrote themes for "Happy Days," "The Love Boat," "Angie" and others.

Today a composer is happy to get 10 seconds on a broadcast skein, and hit TV themes are rare.

Over the past 15 years, the broadcast networks have demanded shorter main-title sequences, preferring to jump into the action faster and thus reduce the chance that viewers will flip to another channel. Emmy's Main Title Theme Music category, however, disallows themes under 15 seconds, so many network shows are ineligible.

Last year's theme-music Emmy winner, Russ Landau ("Pirate Master"), says, "It's getting tougher and tougher to convince (decisionmakers) to spend the time that they would normally be making on advertising dollars.

But some producers like music -- Mark Burnett ("Survivor") likes a good, long-line theme. It sets the tone for the show."

Jeff Beal, who scores ABC's "Ugly Betty," gets 12 seconds -- so short a time that the music can't really be called a theme.

"It's a little sonic signature that says a lot about the style of the show and who the character is," he explains, its prominent marimba suggesting Betty's Mexican heritage.

For USA's "Monk," Beal got 45 seconds (and won one of his three Emmys), and for HBO's "Rome" he got a minute and a half. Longer openings offer a chance "to tell more of a musical story," he says.

"Heroes," by contrast, gave composers Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin just 10 seconds. "You have to think in terms of 'stings,'" says Coleman, referring to the film-music tradition of brief but impactful musical statements. "We knew it had to be big and somewhat supernatural sounding. It didn't need to be terribly melodic, just atmospheric."

This year, PBS producer David Horn wanted to reinvigorate the opening sequence of "Great Performances" for the high-def era and called five-time Oscar winner John Williams to compose new theme music. Williams' piece debuted March 25 and is only his third primetime series signature in 25 years.

"It is elegant, and it sneaks up on you," says Horn, who previously had commissioned Oscar winners John Corigliano and Maurice Jarre to write "Great Performances" themes.

"I wanted to use a full symphonic orchestra, to invite the viewer to come in to a series that we like to think is classy," says Horn -- "one week the Metropolitan Opera, next week Carnegie Hall, then a musical theater piece, Shakespearean drama, a lot of different things."

In contrast, say many observers, the commercial networks are missing a bet by ignoring the power of a good theme.

"Quickening the pace, getting into storylines faster, all conspire against the theme," says Cleveland Plain Dealer TV critic Mark Dawidziak. "But on cable, the name of the game is people knowing who you are -- FX viewers, USA viewers, HBO viewers -- and this is where that old-fashioned network thinking comes into play. They hear that music and they remember that opening."

"Eighty years from now," he adds, "today's kids, sitting in their wheelchairs in the nursing home, will be humming the 'SpongeBob SquarePants' theme in much the same way that we know the theme songs of our youth. It's more than just a TV theme. It becomes a communal thing, a shared cultural point among your friends, your community."

Unfortunately it's all about the bucks. The shorter the theme, the more time for commercials. This is unfortunate because a good theme song can help people who have never seen an episode of a series understand exactly what's going on. For example the "Gilligan's Island" theme explains how this diverse group of people got marooned on an uncharted isle together. Or the "Brady Bunch" theme which explains how two families became one. TV theme songs used to be an art form. Unfortunately it's a dying art.

It's really sad, I think it's two things: Money and time constraints. A show BARELY runs 21 minutes now, and that includes everything including the opening and closing credits. That there's so many commercials now(and it slowly gets worse each year, shows ran nearly 25 minutes 15 years ago) is what's even sadder. I miss theme songs. I listen to old ones all the time just to be listening to them. :(

I miss theme songs. I listen to old ones all the time just to be listening to them. :(

You're not the only one-- I do that myself. There are certain opening themes that I strongly believe are the cream of the crop, such as those from:

"Hawaii Five-O"
"Trapper John, M.D."
"Hardcastle and McCormick"
"Dallas"
"Mary Tyler Moore"
"Hart to Hart"
"What's Happening!!"
"CHiPs"
"St. Elsewhere"
"Hill Street Blues"
"Hotel"

Those are some of my favorites. What about yours?

You're not the only one-- I do that myself. There are certain opening themes that I strongly believe are the cream of the crop, such as those from:

"Hawaii Five-O"
"Trapper John, M.D."
"Hardcastle and McCormick"
"Dallas"
"Mary Tyler Moore"
"Hart to Hart"
"What's Happening!!"
"CHiPs"
"St. Elsewhere"
"Hill Street Blues"
"Hotel"

Those are some of my favorites. What about yours?

Most of the themes you just said are right up my alley! ;)

Here are some of my other faves:

"Dragnet" - Those DUN-DUN-DUN-DUNN! DUN-DUN-DUN-DUNN! DUNNNNNNNN! notes already will tell you that you're about to hear that true story.
"Mission: Impossible"
"Mannix"
"The Flintstones" (both versions were pretty nifty!)
"The Jetsons"
"S.W.A.T."
"The Rockford Files"
"The A-Team"
"Night Court"
"Barney Miller"
"Ducktales"
"Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers"
"Gummi Bears"
"Sledge Hammer!"
"The Sopranos" - IMO, it's one of my favorite themes to come from this decade.

It just sucks nowadays that any TV themes that emerge from this decade on regular network TV last at most 30 seconds and sometimes you can't help but even wonder if it's even a TV theme at all.

And even reruns of some older shows' TV themes get sped-up faster than Alvin and the Chipmunks, which also takes the joy out of enjoying a show's TV theme.

That's part of what makes classic shows so good were the catchy themes. Unfortunatley the greedy networks care more about money than a quality show which includes a good theme.

"Dragnet" - Those DUN-DUN-DUN-DUNN! DUN-DUN-DUN-DUNN! DUNNNNNNNN! notes already will tell you that you're about to hear that true story.
"Mission: Impossible"
"Mannix"
"The Flintstones" (both versions were pretty nifty!)
"The Jetsons"
"S.W.A.T."
"The Rockford Files"
"The A-Team"
"Night Court"
"Barney Miller"
"Ducktales"
"Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers"
"Gummi Bears"
"Sledge Hammer!"
"The Sopranos" - IMO, it's one of my favorite themes to come from this decade.

Don't forget Cheers' (by Gary Portnoy & Judy Hart Angelo), Mr. Belvedere's (also by Gary and Judy), The Jefferson's (Movin' On Up), and MTM's theme songs (Love is All Around). Without Cheers' theme song, how would you ever know that it was about a bar where everyone there knows your name, without Belvey's theme song, how would you ever know that it was about an American family who needs all the help that they can get from one of their new arrivals, without The Jefferson's theme, how would you ever know that it was about an African-American family moving to a new apartment, and without MTM's theme song, how would you ever know that it was about an independent woman starting a new life in Minneapolis?

Don't forget Cheers' (by Gary Portnoy & Judy Hart Angelo), Mr. Belvedere's (also by Gary and Judy), The Jefferson's (Movin' On Up), and MTM's theme songs (Love is All Around). Without Cheers' theme song, how would you ever know that it was about a bar where everyone there knows your name, without Belvey's theme song, how would you ever know that it was about an American family who needs all the help that they can get from one of their new arrivals, without The Jefferson's theme, how would you ever know that it was about an African-American family moving to a new apartment, and without MTM's theme song, how would you ever know that it was about an independent woman starting a new life in Minneapolis?

Exactly.

Heck or even the theme song from WKRP in Cincinnatti, which was about a radio guy finally settling into his new radio station after moving from station to station to turn around a struggling radio station.

My favourite theme songs are (in no particular order)

Wonder Years (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CZRudxD-NQ)
Diff'rent Strokes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQMfN0UFqms&feature=related)
Growing Pains (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIcXDo82S_Y)
Family Ties (
Taxi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzhwx8aOO0A&feature=related)
Bosom Buddies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORKyyHBy6JQ)

probably forgetting some but Bosom Buddies and Growing Pains are definitely some of my all-time favs, ALF too!

That's part of what makes classic shows so good were the catchy themes. Unfortunatley the greedy networks care more about money than a quality show which includes a good theme.
You hit the nail right on the head. Sad but true. ohno: :mad:

Those are some of my favorites. What about yours?
A few of my favorite TV theme songs...

- Star Trek (original series)
- Bewitched
- Bonanza
- Starsky & Hutch
- The Munsters
- I Love Lucy
- The Honeymooners
- The Flintstones
- Adam-12

The Monkees was a good one

mine favorites are:
Family ties my all time favorite theme song
the gloden girls
sanford and son
the jerffersons
step by step
boy meets world
the wonderyears
early edition
Quatam leap

I think Gilligan's Iland's theme is the most popular. I've heard sing-alongs of Gilligan in bars, on camping trips, car rides, bus rides, and boat rides. Others The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, The Flintstones, The Brady Bunch. I miss tv themes so much!

My favorite non-lyric themes are Dynasty and The Colbys. I used to love watching those intros as they introduce who's currently on the show, and top it off with.....and Joan Collins as Alexis!

Who all thinks shows like Gilligan's Island, The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and The Addams Family, would have become such cult phenomenons without their theme songs, that told their stories? Maybe thats why a clever show like Samantha Who?, in 2009 didn't draw the viewership the network wanted. Maybe they need to bring back the tv theme, even if they only show it occasionally, to draw more attention to it.

You make a great point. A catchy and informative theme song is something that is missing from today's TV shows.

A few shows in the 2000s still kept theme songs. Reba had a theme song to introduce the cast and set the scene for the show. Hope & Faith also did this. But Hope & Faith's theme song was reduced to a five second theme that just showed the title over a black background in season 3 and credited the cast during scenes. Reba also nearly lost it's theme song, in the beginning of season two it was shortened from a 30 second theme to a 12 second theme that didnt credit the cast, but that only lasted for the first 10 episodes until they reintroduced the full version.

The real reason why I enjoyed the theme from "Hart to Hart" (composed by Mark Snow) was because of Max's (Lionel Stander's) opening narration.

Two parts, however, were changed in it-- in #1, Max says just before the title display, "I take care of them, which ain't easy, 'cause their hobby is murder!" From #2 through the end of the series, it was changed to "I take care of both of them, which ain't easy, 'cause when they met, it was murder!"

The other thing that changed was Jennifer's (Stefanie Powers') intro. In #1, Max said of her, "She's gorgeous-- what a terrific lady." For #2, the "She's gorgeous" part was retained, but it was at that point said of her, "She's one lady who knows how to take care of herself." This continued through the end of the series.

There was at least one visual change-- in #1, Max was shown driving a right-wheel drive car toward the screen (this was the viewer's left-hand side). From #2 through the end of the series, he was shown on the viewer's right-hand side driving a left-wheel-drive car.

Each of Sony's two DVD releases (all they've released so far) has one version of all three of the abovementioned parts, I thought I might add.

All in all, despite the changes in Max's intro, and the visual change from #1 to #2, the theme music still remains (in my strong and humble opinion) one of the classics of television's opening themes.

I just love theme songs. Some of my favorites are Beverly Hillbillies, Dallas, SWAT, Baretta, Barnaby Jones, A-Team, Three's Company, Happy Days.

I remember when I was in 7th grade Chorus. One of the songs we sang was the Happy Days-Laverne and Shirley theme song. That was one of the songs we sang when we went to the different Elementary schools trying to recruit the following year's chorus class. :lol:

It's sad what today's tv has become. The theme song sets the mood. When I used to hear the themes I would get excited because I knew I was in for a good time. It's too bad that TV executives nowadays only think of the bottom line. They aren't right either. People don't change channels because the theme song is on. They change it when the commercials come on. I don't hear them talk about shortening them. :lol:

One more of mine is most definitely from "Crazy Like A Fox," the 1984-86 CBS detective series starring Jack Warden and John Rubinstein; though the series might have been quite short-lived, it still had (in my opinion) a great opening theme.

One of my favorite themes is still "The Rockford Files". I love that song!

i miss theme songs too! i also really miss OPENING SEQUENCES with cast pictures, scenes from the show and credits! i MISS THAT!

of all-time my favorite theme songs are:

"Cheers"
"Who's The Boss?"
"Family Ties" (second version)
"Growing Pains"
"The Facts Of Life" (second version)
"Ally McBeal"
"Beverly Hills, 90210"
"Sisters"
"Sister, Sister"
"ER"
"Laverne & Shirley" (shemel, shamazell...)
"The Hogan Family"
"Full House"
"Step By Step"
"Just The Ten Of Us"
"Blossom"
"Empty Nest"
"The Golden Girls"
"Cybill"
"Suddenly Susan"

One of my favorite themes is still "The Rockford Files". I love that song!
True story - I was in line at the post office once and the guy behind me had a cell phone that had The Rockford Files theme as it's ringtone. The REAL song, not the usual cell ringtones. I thought that was kind of cool, actually. :lol:

I dont have to miss my favorite theme songs-- I have them all on DVD

I own 4 CD's of TV theme music and I have two websites of theme misic on my favorites list so I can always get a "fix" when I need one.

I dont have to miss my favorite theme songs-- I have them all on DVD
Same here - except all mine are ripped onto my computer & iTunes. :cool: :D

Yeah, I wish they still had longer opening sequences.

True story - I was in line at the post office once and the guy behind me had a cell phone that had The Rockford Files theme as it's ringtone. The REAL song, not the usual cell ringtones. I thought that was kind of cool, actually. :lol:

Another similar story. One time I dialed the wrong number while trying to call a friend and the person's answering machine message was the one from Seinfeld that was making fun of Greatest American Hero - so random. lol

Same here - except all mine are ripped onto my computer & iTunes. :cool: :D

Yeah, I did the same thing. Downloaded all my favorites off the Internet. Then I labelled the author as "theme" and then made a playlist.

Another similar story. One time I dialed the wrong number while trying to call a friend and the person's answering machine message was the one from Seinfeld that was making fun of Greatest American Hero - so random. lol
:brent That's awesome.

Yeah, I did the same thing. Downloaded all my favorites off the Internet. Then I labelled the author as "theme" and then made a playlist.
Yeah, that's how I labeled mine, too. :D

One more of mine is most definitely from "Crazy Like A Fox," the 1984-86 CBS detective series starring Jack Warden and John Rubinstein; though the series might have been quite short-lived, it still had (in my opinion) a great opening theme.
John Rubenstein, who also co-starred in Family, wrote the theme music for that show. Did he write the theme for Crazy Like a Fox, too?

John Rubenstein, who also co-starred in Family, wrote the theme music for that show. Did he write the theme for Crazy Like a Fox, too?

No. It was Arthur B. Rubinstein that wrote the theme song for that series, according to Wikipedia.

No. It was Arthur B. Rubinstein that wrote the theme song for that series, according to Wikipedia.
OK, thanks.

One more of mine is most definitely from "Crazy Like A Fox," the 1984-86 CBS detective series starring Jack Warden and John Rubinstein; though the series might have been quite short-lived, it still had (in my opinion) a great opening theme.
I loved that theme song and I loved the show. CBS didn't treat it right. It was a top 10 hit during it's first season when it followed Murder She Wrote but in the second season it was moved to a bad timeslot to make way for the CBS Sunday movie. Jack Warden was great in that show. I like another one of his short lived shows too. ...The Bad News Bears which also had a great theme song. :)

I loved that theme song and I loved the show. CBS didn't treat it right. It was a top 10 hit during it's first season when it followed Murder She Wrote but in the second season it was moved to a bad timeslot to make way for the CBS Sunday movie. Jack Warden was great in that show. I like another one of his short lived shows too. ...The Bad News Bears which also had a great theme song. :)
Jack Warden was such a cool guy - loved him in the movie While You Were Sleeping, and his turn as a "dog" on a first season ep of Bewitched. :cool:

I loved that theme song and I loved the show. CBS didn't treat it right. It was a top 10 hit during it's first season when it followed Murder She Wrote but in the second season it was moved to a bad timeslot to make way for the CBS Sunday movie. Jack Warden was great in that show. I like another one of his short lived shows too. ...The Bad News Bears which also had a great theme song. :)

I recall reading that CBS, early in the run, would promote "Crazy" as part of a Sunday trio that included it, "Murder, She Wrote," and "Trapper John, M.D." (all this following "60 Minutes" and a lot of times even NFL coverage [at the time that "Crazy" aired, CBS was the NFC rights holder]).

Some faves:

- All in the Family (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=31)
- Baretta (w/ lyrics)
- Batman (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=363)
- The Beverly Hillbillies (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=50)
- Gilligan's Island (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=39) (2nd version)
- Good Times (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=68)
- Happy Days (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=12)
- Hawaii Five-O (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=444)
- Hogan's Heroes (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=71)
- Laverne & Shirley (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=80)
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=85)
- The Mighty Hercules
- Mission: Impossible (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=577)
- The Monkees (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=145)
- Spider-Man (1967)
- Starsky & Hutch (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=556)
- SWAT (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=584)

I just love theme songs. Some of my favorites are Beverly Hillbillies, Dallas, SWAT, Baretta, Barnaby Jones, A-Team, Three's Company, Happy Days.

I remember when I was in 7th grade Chorus. One of the songs we sang was the Happy Days-Laverne and Shirley theme song. That was one of the songs we sang when we went to the different Elementary schools trying to recruit the following year's chorus class. :lol:

This morning I got to hear the retro "American Top 40" from June 19, 1976, and that day's "Top 40" included the theme songs to Baretta, Happy Days, and Laverne and Shirley! :cool:

This morning I got to hear the retro "American Top 40" from June 19, 1976, and that day's "Top 40" included the theme songs to Baretta, Happy Days, and Laverne and Shirley! :cool:
Those are 3 great theme songs too. :cool:

If you really want to find theme songs anymore, look to cable... Psych has a great theme song, and they use it all the time. Burn Notice has an opening sequence, but I don't think there's any music...

My favorite is the Family Guy theme song.

If you really want to find theme songs anymore, look to cable... Psych has a great theme song, and they use it all the time. Burn Notice has an opening sequence, but I don't think there's any music...
Monk has a great theme song too. And if you go to HBO and Showtime, both Dexter and True Blood have great theme songs.

I liked how in Bewitched Jack Warden's character name was Mr Barker hahahaha :eek:

Jack Warden was such a cool guy - loved him in the movie While You Were Sleeping, and his turn as a "dog" on a first season ep of Bewitched. :cool:

I liked how in Bewitched Jack Warden's character name was Mr Barker hahahaha :eek:
Yes, he was Rex Barker. He was a lech, all right!! :eek: :lol:

My favorite theme songs are
Three's Company
Perfect strangers
Matlock
The facts of life
Gimmie a Break
The Jeffersons
Gilligans Island
What's Happening
Andy Griffith
Kenan and kel
Laverne and Shirley
All in the Family
My Brother and me

I miss when shows had memorable theme songs. But no they have to make more room for stupid tv commercials.

:) Loved so many theme songs--Adam-12, Get Smart, Benson, The Love Boat, The Golden Girls, Chips, Trapper John MD, Dynasty, Dallas...and many more...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k38aQDa6lXk

Chicago Story, a short-lived 1982 NBC series that, IMO, had an excellent title track (this is the German version, BTW)

The only one of today's sitcoms that even follows the old model of what themes used to be like is "The Big Bang Theory". For all the others, the catchy opening themes have all but disappeared and its very sad. In looking back at the old days, when everyone had their favorites and there were always many to choose from, I like to put them in 4 basic groups. I'll only list a few shows from each group to give you a general idea of how I feel about them and then you can make your own lists:



Group 1: I love both the theme and the series


The most common of the 4 groups and the easiest to choose from. My picks include:

Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Monkees, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Green Acres, Gilligan's Island, Andy Griffith, Beverly Hillbillies, Addams Family, Mr Ed, Three's Company, One Day At A Time, and more.

In other words, my usual binge-watching group! :)


Group 2: Love the show, dislike the theme

Dobie Gillis, Alice, Love Boat, Night Court, WKRP (closing credits), All In The Family, Donna Reed Show, Simpsons

Group 3: Love the theme, dislike the show

Dallas, Bonanza, Family Guy, Full House, Who's The Boss?, Growing Pains

Group 4: I hate them both!

Patty Duke Show (worst theme ever!!), Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The Drew Carey Show, Saved By The Bell

The only one of today's sitcoms that even follows the old model of what themes used to be like is "The Big Bang Theory". For all the others, the catchy opening themes have all but disappeared and its very sad. In looking back at the old days, when everyone had their favorites and there were always many to choose from, I like to put them in 4 basic groups. I'll only list a few shows from each group to give you a general idea of how I feel about them and then you can make your own lists:



Group 1: I love both the theme and the series


The most common of the 4 groups and the easiest to choose from. My picks include:

Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Monkees, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Green Acres, Gilligan's Island, Andy Griffith, Beverly Hillbillies, Addams Family, Mr Ed, Three's Company, One Day At A Time, and more.

In other words, my usual binge-watching group! :)


Group 2: Love the show, dislike the theme

Dobie Gillis, Alice, Love Boat, Night Court, WKRP (closing credits), All In The Family, Donna Reed Show, Simpsons

Group 3: Love the theme, dislike the show

Dallas, Bonanza, Family Guy, Full House, Who's The Boss?, Growing Pains

Group 4: I hate them both!

Patty Duke Show (worst theme ever!!), Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, The Drew Carey Show, Saved By The Bell

I have quite a few in that first group: Barney Miller, The Bob Newhart Show, M Squad, Perry Mason, and Hart to Hart.

In the third one: Dallas, of course, but also Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, and Hunter.

And in the final one: Friends, Seinfeld, Two and a Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory.