If the picture above doesn't ring a bell, maybe you should just scroll to the next post.I've whined and moaned a lot here at retrospace about how much better television used to be (Think I'm just wallowing in nostalgia? I point you to the 1980 Fall Season TV Schedule - that about says it all). Anyway, one thing I've really missed are the theme songs. Sure, many were quite bad and are simply fun for the sake of reminiscing; theme songs for The Brady Bunch, The Jeffersons, Laverne & Shirley, Gilligan's Island and The Beverly Hillbillies come to mind.
However, some of those theme songs were quite good in their own right. Here's a few off the top of my head that I still enjoy: WKRP in Cincinnati, One Day at a Time, The Bob Newhart Show,
Cheers... and call me crazy, but one of my favorites has always been the theme song for The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Other great ones deserving a mention: The theme to Rockford Files was actually a popular hit, and I like anything by Waylon Jennings, so the theme to The Dukes of Hazzard is a favorite. Hell, I even liked the song for Love, American Style by the Cowsills. The instrumental version of "Suicide Is Painless" for M*A*S*H* is fantastic, as are the instrumental openings for Barney Miller, Taxi and The Waltons . I Dream of Jeannie had a great lounge music vibe and Jack Jones actually does a good job with the Love Boat theme. This list could go on and on ad nauseum.
I've tried to think of some contemporary television shows with good theme music, but have come up completely empty. I like the opening song to BBC's The Office, but that's not original to the show. The theme song to Friends was okay, but that show is over 10 years old and not exactly contemporary (man, I'm getting old!).
I guess I should blame Seinfeld. That stupid popping noise somehow sufficed for theme music, and I think a lot of other sitcoms got on the "less is better" bandwagon. Of course, I don't watch much contemporary television, and so there could be a TV show playing nowadays with a song better than "Stairway to Heaven" and I'd be oblivious.... or, should I say "blissfully ignorant".
However, some of those theme songs were quite good in their own right. Here's a few off the top of my head that I still enjoy: WKRP in Cincinnati, One Day at a Time, The Bob Newhart Show,
Cheers... and call me crazy, but one of my favorites has always been the theme song for The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Other great ones deserving a mention: The theme to Rockford Files was actually a popular hit, and I like anything by Waylon Jennings, so the theme to The Dukes of Hazzard is a favorite. Hell, I even liked the song for Love, American Style by the Cowsills. The instrumental version of "Suicide Is Painless" for M*A*S*H* is fantastic, as are the instrumental openings for Barney Miller, Taxi and The Waltons . I Dream of Jeannie had a great lounge music vibe and Jack Jones actually does a good job with the Love Boat theme. This list could go on and on ad nauseum.
I've tried to think of some contemporary television shows with good theme music, but have come up completely empty. I like the opening song to BBC's The Office, but that's not original to the show. The theme song to Friends was okay, but that show is over 10 years old and not exactly contemporary (man, I'm getting old!).I guess I should blame Seinfeld. That stupid popping noise somehow sufficed for theme music, and I think a lot of other sitcoms got on the "less is better" bandwagon. Of course, I don't watch much contemporary television, and so there could be a TV show playing nowadays with a song better than "Stairway to Heaven" and I'd be oblivious.... or, should I say "blissfully ignorant".
