The 40 Best TV Theme Songs of All Time

Paste Magazine ^ | November 17 2008 | Josh Jackson

[kik5150]

It's fashionable to lament the state of the TV theme song. Gone are the days when a show's whole premise was summed up in musical verse before every episode. Now we have Lost and it's single chord. And though I actually like Lost's simple spooky chime and have recently highlighted the 12 Best TV Theme Songs From Current Shows, there's no denying we're past the golden age of the TV show theme song. Take a look at the following list, and let me know where I'm wrong. I've included music without words, but I skipped over shows that used already popularized tunes like "The William Tell Overture" from The Lone Ranger and "Stand" from Get a Life.

[Clemenza]

1. Baretta (Keep your EYE-YEE-AYE on the Sparrow!).

2. Charlies Angels.

3. Miami Vice.

4. S.W.A.T.

[aruanan]

I think one of the worst was the theme for Three's Company.

[Funee Kat]

I personally like the Nelson Riddle (he was Frank Sinatra's arranger for a long time) tune for the show "Route 66"

Honorable mention for "77 Sunset Strip"

Some mention should be made of the original TV "Batman" theme... it was so retarded you wanted to listen to it.

Also the "Perry Mason" theme - very 50's TV noir and atmospheric.

[Carl LaFong]

No contest.
Nelson Riddle’s Original ‘Untouchables’ theme.
Some of those on the list were putrid.

[Right Wing Assault]

The Theme from Mr. Lucky! Another Mancini theme.

Guy who won and ran a classy gambling ship and met up with bad guys. Good series until they screwed it up.

http://www.deezer.com/track/mr-lucky-T125429

“The most excellent theme was another sleek, warm, sophisticated melody, instantly recognisable as a Mancini piece.” From a website.

[Fiji Hill]

Two of my favorite TV theme songs are "If I Could Tell You," from The Voice of Firestone, a weekly program that was discontinued in 1959, and "Avant de Quitter ces Lieux" (When I Quit These Parts), from Charles Gounod's opera Faust, which was used as the theme of Lassie in 1958.

[Clemenza]

Peter Gunn

The Wire (First Season)

[mikrofon]

I think one of the worst was the theme for Three's Company

Totally agree! Insipid, to say the least...

Some other faves not noted:

Alfred Hitchcock
Stat Trek (Original)
Jetsons

[buccaneer81]

I think one of the worst was the theme for Three's Company.

Alan Thicke wrote that monstrosity.

[fhayek]

Secret Agent

[Inyo-Mono]

Where is The Fugitive?

[Clemenza]

He also wrote the theme song from Diffr’nt Strokes.

[TruthHound]

What? No “George of the Jungle?”

How ‘bout “Scooby Doo,” “Lost in Space (1 or 2)”, “Daktari”, “Route 66”, “Stranded”, “Wild, Wild West”, “Pink Panther,” “Tonight Show,” “DRAGNET” for God’s sake!

[BluH2o]

Bonanza ... early on & one of the best.

[Ozarkie]

The theme for I Dream Of Jeannie. I used to have it as the start up on my ICQ. LOL. Drove my wife nuts.

[Question_Assumptions]

Surprised that the original Star Trek theme is missing. The closing theme for The Incredible Hulk was also quite memorable.

[Fu-fu2]

“Have Gun Will Travel

Wire Palladin

San Francisco”

Woo-woo—One of the best tv shows ever. They were showing it here until recently on Me-Tv, replaced it with Newhart or some tripe. I emailed and called to put HGWT back on, no luck.

Another good theme from the HGWT era—opening theme to “Twilight Zone.” Didn’t know it at the time, but it was way cool beatnik music....

[buccaneer81]

He also wrote the theme song from Diffr’nt Strokes.

Every bit as bad.

[buccaneer81]

Lost in Space (1 or 2)”

Third season theme was good.

[Right Wing Assault]

Site that has a lot of themes:

http://www.deezer.com/#music/radio/28