First of all, I'm not a huge television fan (the box not the band - love them) that said, I'm not one of those insufferable people who go around pompously bragging about how they never watch TV either. With two major TV staples, Lost and Law and Order, having come to an end, I thought it might be time to make a list of the best TV theme songs of all time. We now present them to you with no commercial interruption.
10. Magnum PI
Nothing says 80's action and mustachioed adventures like the theme to Magnum PI!
9. Mash
The actual name of this song is "Suicide is Painless," seriously. While it might be the most misleading intro of all time for a series that was basically a comedy, it is one of the most recognizable one's ever, and also probably the inspiration for the beginning of this song.
8. Malcolm in the Middle
Dude! It's They Might Be Giants! How is that not awesome?!
7. That 70's Show
Dude! It's Big Star! How is that not awesome?!
6. Fresh Prince of Bel Air
This is a story all about how a character's life got flipped, turned upside down. Had a rap song ever been the intro to a sitcom? Has it since?
5. The Jeffersons
This show put soul on the screen, and this song sounds like it could have been sung by Aretha herself.
4. King of the Hill
The most underrated TV series ever has a theme song written by a great underrated band.
3. Twin Peaks
This song, beautiful and eerie, perfectly captures the melancholy and mystery of a show that would eventually pave the way for head-scratchers like The X Files and Lost.
2. Friday Night Lights
If Friday Night Lights wasn't the absolute best show on TV right now, I would just want this song by Austin, Texas epic noisemakers Explosions in the Sky to keep playing and playing.
1. The Wonder Years
I'm a child of the 80's and 90's and nothing makes me more nostalgic than Joe Cocker's craggy voice singing those opening lines (never mind that the show was actually set in the 60's). Oh Winnie Cooper, how I loved you.
10. Magnum PI
Nothing says 80's action and mustachioed adventures like the theme to Magnum PI!
9. Mash
The actual name of this song is "Suicide is Painless," seriously. While it might be the most misleading intro of all time for a series that was basically a comedy, it is one of the most recognizable one's ever, and also probably the inspiration for the beginning of this song.
8. Malcolm in the Middle
Dude! It's They Might Be Giants! How is that not awesome?!
7. That 70's Show
Dude! It's Big Star! How is that not awesome?!
6. Fresh Prince of Bel Air
This is a story all about how a character's life got flipped, turned upside down. Had a rap song ever been the intro to a sitcom? Has it since?
5. The Jeffersons
This show put soul on the screen, and this song sounds like it could have been sung by Aretha herself.
4. King of the Hill
The most underrated TV series ever has a theme song written by a great underrated band.
3. Twin Peaks
This song, beautiful and eerie, perfectly captures the melancholy and mystery of a show that would eventually pave the way for head-scratchers like The X Files and Lost.
2. Friday Night Lights
If Friday Night Lights wasn't the absolute best show on TV right now, I would just want this song by Austin, Texas epic noisemakers Explosions in the Sky to keep playing and playing.
1. The Wonder Years
I'm a child of the 80's and 90's and nothing makes me more nostalgic than Joe Cocker's craggy voice singing those opening lines (never mind that the show was actually set in the 60's). Oh Winnie Cooper, how I loved you.
I loved this post. My favorites were The Jeffersons and King of the Hill. But I have to make a correction - I'm pretty sure that's Joe Cocker singing on the Wonder Years. Gotta love Joe Cocker man... that crazy bastard.
ReplyDelete-Jeremy
Actually Bob Seeger invented the persona of Joe Cocker ala Garth Brooks-Chris Gaines.
ReplyDeleteWhoops! Thanks Jeremy, you're totally right. I have spent this week in a head cold funk and as a result, have mixed up my craggy voiced 70's white soul singers. Will correct!
Absolutely LOVED this post! And will admit I started singing (well, rapping) the Fresh Prince of Bel Air song as soon as I saw it on the list. Definitely one of those songs that most people from our generation know ALMOST all the words to! Thanks for a great read and reminiscence!!!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post as well, and being a huge tv fan (the box not the band), appreciated the theme in general. Here's a post request (since I know how much the blogmaster loves requests): how about best reality show theme songs...no?
ReplyDelete