Tune into It: A Look at Popular Television Theme Songs

There is just something about your favorite television show's theme song that grows on you. Be it a cartoon, serious drama, or nightly news program, you know the song when you hear it. It probably wouldn't be too much to ask of anyone to have them recite the first few lines of the Flintstones theme song. Say the word "Batman" in a certain tone, and you're bound to get a delightful chorus of "na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na . . ." (or some variation thereof). What follows here is a list of my personal picks for the top ten television theme songs of all time.

"Now this is the story all about how my life got twist-turned upside down . . ." Thus starts the theme at spot ten on this list. The theme to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is not particularly remarkable . . . only memorable. In Elementary School and Junior High, there were arguments over the precise lyrics to the classic rap theme by Will Smith. My freshman year of college, we were charged to run around campus on a scavenger hunt, chanting the words to this song as we went. During one of my college years I lived next door to a fraternity house in Philadelphia, and not a Thursday night party went by without the playing of this song; about half-way through, the D.J. would cut out the music, leaving party-goers to continue without help screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs. The great thing about all this is that most people don't know the full theme, which only played for the first three episodes; after that, two verses were cut out. For those of you who may feel robbed of full-knowledge of one of your favorite shows, here they are:

I begged and pleaded with her day after day

But she packed my suitcase and sent me on my way

She gave me a kiss and she gave me my ticket

I put my walkman on and said I might as well kick it

First class, yo, this is bad,

Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass

Is this what the people of Bel-Air live like

Hmm this might be alright

"Believe it or not," the number nine spot on this list goes to the theme to The Greatest American Hero. Even if you don't know the words to the verses, chances are you know at least a sample of the chorus: "Believe it or not, I'm walkin' on air / I never thought I could feel so free-he-he / Flying away on a wing and a prayer / Who could it be / Believe it or not, it's just me." To tell the truth, I don't even remember what this show was about, except that a regular Joe gets superpowers and becomes-you guessed it-the greatest American hero. Yet for some reason, I love this song. Maybe it's the "Cheesy" factor: "This is too good to be true / Look at me, fallin' for you" is about as cheesy as it gets. Maybe it's the fact that George on Seinfeld used the song as his answering machine message . . . Yet whatever it is that makes this song beloved, it couldn't be denied a spot on this list!

The first instrumental track on this list is the theme to The Cosby Show. With all its variations-I've heard at least four, but there are a total of seven-the theme remains a classic in any form. Let's face it; when the Cosby theme starts playing, at least of a few of us out there still go running to the television set! As if the song isn't enough, we get to watch the entire beloved Huxtable family dance us through it!

The next theme song is also instrumental; this one, however, has captivated audiences both on the small and big screen. The Mission Impossible theme has always been-and probably always will-be a classic on either screen. Though I'd never seen the original television program before seeing the Tom Cruise film, I knew the theme song already. It's one of the classic spy themes; when it starts playing, the feeling is instantly marked as one of suspense and adventure. The rhythm for this song is unbelievable, particularly for the level of excitement implicated by the meter (which is, in case you're wondering, 5/4).

Though the lyrics to this song are a bit . . . er, morose, the instrumental theme for MASH proves itself as yet another classic. Actually titled "Suicide is Painless", it probably isn't hard to imagine why an instrumental track would be somewhat more appropriate for the ever-humorous television program. Yet as the series progressed, and episodes took on less humorous and more dramatic tones and tendencies, the theme remained well-suited to the series. For eleven seasons, this song sounded the start of each beloved episode of this classic program.

The number five track brings us back to songs with lyrics, and reminds us of "Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away," taking us on our way "to where the air is sweet." This song is just too sweet for words; warm and loveable, it has brought joy to children for years. The theme for Sesame Street has gone through several relatively small changes over the years-instrumental versions, different instruments, et cetera-but its heartwarming melody and message have always heralded the same joy. Though it never actually answers its own question-"Can you tell me how to get / How to get to Sesame Street?"-by the time it ends, there we are on the very street we've been "looking" for! This song has been featured in both vocal and instrumental renditions, either of which would always belong somewhere on this list.

"Space . . . the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission [or, "It's five year mission"]: to explore strange, new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before." If you know this little monologue, then you know the theme that has earned the number four spot on this list. The instrumental theme to the original Star Trek has taken viewers into the futuristic realm of space for years. It has, at one time or another, been featured in several of the Star Trek series. Calling the theme "instrumental", for a large part of the series' duration, is a bit of a misnomer; for much of the series, the theme actually featured vocals, even if no actual words were used!

Go ahead, I dare you to finish these lyrics: "Boy the way Glenn Miller played / Songs that made the Hit Parade . . ." If you know them-which you should-then you know that the number three song on this list of amazing television themes is the theme to All in the Family. This song is simply amazing. Who else but Archie Bunker could get away with singing his own theme? Who else but Edith could get away with singing in such a strained, nasally voice that comes screeching through the television set every time this show begins? This theme song never ceases to amuse, and it is my humble opinion that it's because of one small line: "And you knew who you were then!" Thank you, Edith.

Returning to the instrumental title tracks, we hit number two on the list, and finally pay some homage to the great Henry Mancini. Even if you've never seen Peter Gunn in your life, you probably know the theme song; it just screams "detective." Its punchy jazz melody, accented by blaring trumpets and horns, plus a piano base line that won't quit, are enough to have emblazoned this song into the memories of most members of the nation. It's been redone several times, all with equal fervor, by artists including the Blues Brothers and Aerosmith. The song earned Mancini two Grammy's . . . that's on top of the Emmy. It was used in a video game. Basically, all of this goes to say: this song is cool.

And so we come to number one. Despite the many songs that could have filled this slot, and the number I would have preferred to put here had I been self-indulgent, I had to give due credit. Despite how much this song annoys me-and believe me, it does-I can't help but admit that this song . . . well, it dominates when it comes to television theme songs. It's not the man. It's not the scenery that plays during the opening credits. It's nothing more than that simple, catchy, easily-gets-stuck-in-your-brain . . . whistle. Yes, the number one theme song on this list is none other than the theme to The Andy Griffith Show. Who would have thought that a simple whistled tune could so brutally emblazon itself into the minds and memories of television viewers? Yet there it is, lingering always at the top of the television theme song food chain; its upbeat catchiness devours all and any who try to overtake it. Let's face it; if any theme has even come close, this theme has always managed to, as Barney might have put it, nipped it in the bud!

So there you have it: the top ten television themes of-perhaps-all time! Yet just because these are the top ten doesn't mean they dominate on any list. There are many other things to consider, such as how fun they are to sing along to, or the fact that none of these spots were given to cartoons. That's something worth examining . . . but that's coming up later! For now, just sit back and enjoy reminiscing about your favorite television themes, and look forward to the themes yet to come that are bound to have you humming along in no time!