What television show/s had the best opening theme song? I liked the theme from Green Acres

[debm55]

[some_of_us_are_sane]

1. Bonanza.

Also 'The Twilight Zone'.

[debm55]

12. Thank you very much __some_of_us_are_sane. Both were great theme songs.

[Ritabert]

2. Hawaii Five-0 by the Ventures

[debm55]

42. Agree, Thank you Ritabert. It was great.

[SheltieLover]

3. I loved Green Acres!

[debm55]

43. the chores/the stores.

[SheltieLover]

54. I loved the talking pig

[debm55]

68. Arnold Ziffle

[SheltieLover]

69. Yuppers!

Couldn't stabd Mr. Haney, but lived Arnold.

[applegrove]

4. Hill Street Blues, Theme from Laverne and Shirley.

Welcome Back Kotter.

https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-bell-ca-rvc3&source=android-browser&q=hill+street+blues+theme+song#ebo=0

https://m.

https://m.

[debm55]

45. Thank you very much applegrove. All three I watched and enjoyed the theme songs. The last two I would sing along with.

[Deep State Witch]

5. Twin Peaks

Dark, moody, and kind of quirky. Just like the show.

[debm55]

46. Thank you very much Deep State Witch. I agree with you. The theme song fit perfectly with the show.

[Lunabell]

6. The Jeffersons

[debm55]

47. Thank you Lunabell. great theme song that I used to sing along with.

[Lunabell]

49. Me too!

I loved that show.

[debm55]

184. Thanks Lunabell

[leftieNanner]

7. The Addams Family! Nt

[debm55]

48. Thank you very much. A spooky but fun theme song.

[Lunabell]

50. Yes.

Definitely this one.

[FM123]

8. Maude was my favorite! I still sing this to myself from time to time....

Lady Godiva was a freedom rider
She didn't care if the whole world looked
Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her
She was a sister who really cooked
Isadora was the first bra-burner
Ain't ya glad she showed up? (Oh yeah!)
And when the country was fallin' apart
Betsy Ross got it all sewed up

(CHORUS):
(And then there's Maude)
And then there's Maude
(And then there's Maude)
And then there's Maude
(And then there's Maude)
And then there's Maude
(And then there's.....)

That uncompromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizin'
Right on Maude!

[debm55]

51. Thank you FM123. Loved that song.

[rsdsharp]

9. Have Gun With Travel by Johnny Western (it's actually the closing theme).

&pp=ygUfaGF2ZSBndW4gd2lsbCB0cmF2ZWwgdGhlbWUgc29uZw%3D%3D

[debm55]

89. Thank you very much rsdsharp. I had a stick horse and I would pretend to ride it when the song played.

[Bobstandard]

10. Route 66

]

[debm55]

96. Thank you very much Bobstandard.

[Dorothy V]

11. In the Heat of the Night.

&ab_channel=DavidGideon

[debm55]

93. Thank you very much Dorothy V. It was really different seeing Carol O'Connor switch roles. It was a gritty theme for a

gritty show.

[FloridaDAR]

13. Peter Gunn

There are many great themes. Hawaii Five-O and Twin Peaks are two more favorites, but Peter Gunn is good music.

[debm55]

94. thank you very much for your themes FloridaDAR. I enjoyed all three of your choices.

[EYESORE 9001]

14. Peter Gunn

Found this nice remake

I was a preteen when the show aired, and its premise didn’t interest me at the time, but that music really stuck with me. Even then, I recognized that it wasn’t just a jingle put together by some hack. It stands alone on its musical merit, although I can’t decide in which genre(s) it belong(s).

[Judi Lynn]

39. I thought it was exciting, too! Also in the preteen group at the time.

After seeing your post, listening to it again, I thought it might be jazz, looked it up.

The composer, Henry Mancini, was quoted in the Wiki for the song:

Mancini stated: The Peter Gunn title theme actually derives more from rock and roll than from jazz.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Music_from_Peter_Gunn

I was impressed by the detective's real self-control, his calm coolness. Thought it was such an exciting show, so different from the more immature other detective programs!

It might be he was the first James Bond!

Thanks for linking the song. It still sounds cool!

[debm55]

97. They would play this on radio station KDKA in the Pittsburgh area as Henry Mancini was from around here.

[Raven123]

15. Gilligan's Island was catchy

[debm55]

98. I agree and thank you Raven123.

[dem4decades]

16. Rockford Files

[debm55]

99. thank you very much, dem4decades. I agree.

[Srkdqltr]

17. Miami Vice had the best music.

[hotellanai1986]

18. Big Valley

I still remember that sweeping theme. Though, I must be aging because Daniel Boone's theme song was an earworm this weekend - and I have only viewed the show once when I was 5.

[debm55]

101. Thank you hotellanai1986 that's funny. I lked the Big Valley theme too. I have never seen the show. I just watched the

opening theme.

[boonecreek]

19. "The Twilight Zone".

Season 1 opening and closing themes composed by Bernard Herrmann.
Man, his music was dark.

[debm55]

103. Thank you very much, boonecreek. I watched when I was very young. It was sort of spooky.

[CanonRay]

20. How The West Was Won

[debm55]

110. Thank you CanonRay. agree.

[Squeaky41]

21. Favorite Theme

Alfred Hitchcock

[debm55]

109. Thank you Squeaky41 , I liked the show and the theme GREAT.

[BOSSHOG]

22. CSI Miami

[debm55]

111. Thank you very much BOSSHOG

[OLDMDDEM]

23. Cheers

[Mad_Dem_X]

40. My choice as well

Great song.

[OLDMDDEM]

41. The song was great as was the show itself.

[arkielib]

67. Agree

I still walk around singing it (in my head) sometimes.

[OLDMDDEM]

116. Good for you. I haven't done that yet.

[debm55]

108. Agree loved the song and show. Thank you OLDMDDEM

[debm55]

128. Thank you OLDMDDEM. I watch every show. My husband is from Boston and we looked all over town for the bar. Didn't find

find it.

[debm55]

187. Thank you OLDMDDEM loved both the song and show.

[Lulu KC]

24. The Simpsons n/t

[debm55]

123. I really liked The Simpsons. Thank you for bringing up the theme.

[Lulu KC]

25. Oh! Brooklyn Nine Nine!

[GPV]

28. Also "Due South." "Downton Abbey."

[debm55]

125. Thank you so much GPV

[debm55]

124. Thank you Lulu KC

[MichMan]

26. All in the Family

[debm55]

126. HAHAHHAHAHAHHHAH. Thank you MichMan

[Mike 03]

27. Welcome Back, Kotter had a nice opening song

I also agree with the person who nominated Twin Peaks' opening theme. I think it's called "Falling."

[debm55]

127. Thank you very much. Mike 03 I really like the show and the song by the Loving Spoonful

[MichMan]

29. Third Rock from the Sun too

[debm55]

138. Thank you again MichMan.

[demosincebirth]

30. Mission Imposible.

[debm55]

130. Thank you demosincebirth. The original version. Watched that every week. Great theme.

[Rastapopoulos]

31. Streets of San Fransisco

Also, Barney Miller

[debm55]

131. Thank you very much Rastapopoulos, Great Theme

[macwriter]

32. west wing

still get chills when I hear it.

[debm55]

133. Agree. Thank you very much. macwriter.

[Cartoonist]

33. This Is It!

Theme to the Bugs Bunny Show.

[debm55]

134. HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH. thank you Cartoonist. Now I have an earworm.

[Ilsa]

34. Ann Hampton Callaway singing perky The Nanny theme

song. Her voice is rich, lush, and she's a wonderful songwriter and pianist. Her sister sang backup.

Don't worry, Fran Drescher isn't heard in this wonderful tune:

?si=EJyUEzGPebF7mWCs

[debm55]

135. HAHAHHAHAhAHAH. Thank you IIsa. I was worried their for a bit.

[Ilsa]

147. I know, I know!!

Isn't everything about her voice divine?

[EarthAbides]

35. Mine are...

Game of Thrones
Murdoch Mysteries

[roscoeroscoe]

36. Game of Thrones

I would add The Crown

[debm55]

140. Thank you roscoeroscoe. I think both are great theme songs.

[debm55]

136. Two very good choices, EarthAbides. Thank you very much.

[KT2000]

37. Peaky Blinders

[debm55]

141. Thank you KT2000

[legallyblondeNYC]

38. Friends.

Although I must add that I never really liked the show itself; I could never get through an episode.

[debm55]

143. thank you legallyblondeNYC. I heard the theme. But I never watched one episode

[Gruenemann]

44. Perry Mason

Also The Mod Squad

[debm55]

144. Both had great themes. Thank you very much, Gruenemann.

[johnp3907]

52. MASH

[debm55]

145. Thank you very much,johnp3907 Though I liked the instrumental bettter then the version from the movie.

[LogDog75]

53. Five O'Clock World from The Drew Carey Show

[debm55]

193. Thank you LogDog75

[sop]

55. 'Then Came Bronson'

'Long Lonesome Highway'

I loved this series when I was a kid. I would watch and dream of taking off on my (future) motorcycle to explore the back roads of America.

[debm55]

199. Thank you sop

[GreenWave]

56. Stargate SG-1

Indeed,

[debm55]

189. Thank you very much GreenWave.

[no_hypocrisy]

57. St Elsewhere

[debm55]

92. Thank you no-hypocrisy. I watched the show every week , Show was gritty drama but humorous too. I did not like the last

episode.

[Upthevibe]

58. debm55............

I'll throw in The Dick Van Dyke Show and Andy Griffith...

[debm55]

88. thank you Upthevibe. Loved those two themes--watched them as a child. Would Dick trip over the hammock or not? that was

biggest worry then. My have times changed

[Codifer]

59. Outlander

Several season's variance of "Skye Boat Song".

I will try to post some in a bit.

[debm55]

87. I love that series. I thought the last half was going to finish in January. Saw no announcements for it. I have read all

of Dianne's books. Love them Thank you for adding this

[malthaussen]

60. "Bonanza," among the classics. "Hill Street Blues" among the more modern...

... although now that I think of it, HSB is hardly a "modern" show, closer in time to "Bonanza" than now. What the heck, anything that was part of my childhood is "classic," and anything that is part of my adulthood is "modern."

-- Mal

[debm55]

86. thank you Mal. I wasn't a big Bonanza show fan. I would just go in and listen and watch the opening theme. HSB , I

Watched all the years it was on. Loved it--very gritty,

[Wiz Imp]

61. Sesame Street

&t=3s

[Wiz Imp]

62. The Greatest American Hero

[debm55]

84. I remember that and the song was on the radio play list.Thank you Wiz Imp

[Brother Buzz]

63. 62 replies and NO Rawhide?

?feature=shared

[debm55]

73. Thank you very much. Great show theme. Is that Clint Eastwood?

[Brother Buzz]

100. Yes, Clint Eastwood was Rowdy Yates before he did the Spaghetti Westerns

Way back then, he making a serious study of the directors and crews; he sat in an unofficial director-in-training chair in the back of the sets, watching and absorbing everything.

[debm55]

196. Thank you. Brother Buzz.

[beemerphill]

64. Have Gun Will Travel

The very best is Paladin Have Gun Will Travel. This is followed closely by number two-Nelson Riddle's Theme from Route 66.

[debm55]

72. Thank you very much for your two excellent choices. beemerphill

[catbyte]

65. Bugs Bunny Show theme

[debm55]

71. Thank you so much catbyte. I loved those cartoons.

[Wiz Imp]

66. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Love Is All Around)

Written & Sung by Sonny Curtis (from Buddy Holly's band The Crickets)

&t=55s

[debm55]

70. Thank you Wiz Imp. I loved the show and the song. I always watched it.

[Lars39]

74. Taxi, Night Court

?si=t7IhN0hIaxjUl9CT

?si=35FgwTfvDYb7Q-BE

[debm55]

83. Thank you Lars39. I enjoyed watching both and the themes included.

[Harker]

75. "The Avengers" and "Perry Mason" were my favorites.

As a wee lad I jilted Shari Lewis for Mrs. Peel.

[debm55]

80. Oh yes Mrs. Peel had it going. Liked both of the songs. Thanks Harker.

[lapfog_1]

207. you know how Diana Rigg was assigned the name Emma Peel

The show runners wanted a partner for Mr. Steed with "male appeal"... or M. Appeal.

[Harker]

217. Yes, I had read that! It's funny how things come about, sometimes. n/t

[murielm99]

76. Car 54 Where Are You?

[debm55]

77. Thank you very much, murielm99

[CrispyQ]

78. I loved "I Dream of Jennie" with the cartoon characters & the music

& at the end of the show how Jennie got sucked back into her bottle.

[debm55]

82. Thank you very much CrispyQ, I liked that too,

[Ninga]

79. The West Wing.....

[debm55]

81. Thank you very much Ninga.

[Mike Nelson]

85. All These and MORE!

[debm55]

90. Thank you very much,Mike Nelson. I missed 3 of the theme songs. That is a great post

Last edited Thu Feb 6, 2025, 01:14 PM - Edit history (1)

[Mosby]

91. Rockford Files.

Every opening was different.

[debm55]

95. Thank you Mosby. I loved that show and theme

[redstatebluegirl]

102. Peter Gunn theme hands down!

[debm55]

104. Thank you very much redstatebluegirl. I and alot of posters on the tread agree.

[iscooterliberally]

105. The Munsters was my favorite.

I used to play it on the bass guitar during sound checks before a gig. There were so many great songs from those days. I had friend that recorded himself playing the Green Acres theme on his guitar for his answering machine back in the late 80s. He said he was too busy practicing to answer the phone.

[debm55]

139. HAHAHAHAHAHAH. Thank you so much iscooterliberally. I remember both songs. Love your post

[sdfernando]

106. There are too many in my opinion to choose just one

For just theme music (no lyrics) my top choices are:

Mission Impossible
Peter Gunn
Hawaii Five-O

For themes with lyrics my top choices are:
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Cheers
Happy Days



.......Yeah, I'm old!

[debm55]

168. Thank you very much. sdfernando. Same here. I remember all of those theme songs.

[AbnerBunny]

107. The Andy Griffith Show!

Or as my parents called it, The Andy and Barney Show 🤗

[debm55]

112. Thank you very much AbnerBunny. I tried whistling to it every week.

[TrunKated]

113. Oshi no Ko, Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Dandadan, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, Joshikousei, Astro Boy

Yeah, I like old-timey shows like Green Acres and Addams Family too. (same composer Vic Mizzy?) And, Lost in Space! (John Williams - also did Star Wars!)

Buuuuut, let me represent some anime shows!


Oshi No Ko ... Idol by YOASOBI

Mashle Season 2 OP Song: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Dandadan - OP by Creepy Nuts

Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, (Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl )

Joshikousei (Wasteful days of High School Girls) OP "Wa! Moon! Dass! Cry!"

Astroy Boy 1963

[DBoon]

159. OMG! I remember that Astro Boy song

and Gigantor, with the calypso beat

[debm55]

170. Thank you very much for sharing those with us, TrunKated.

[LoisB]

114. So many, so many: Golden Girls, Hill Street Blues, Homicide, Law & Order, Peter Gunn....

[debm55]

122. All wonderful . Thank you LoisB

[Basso8vb]

115. Reading Rainbow 🌈

[debm55]

121. Thank you very much. I remember having kids watch it, as I babysat.

[MIButterfly]

117. WKRP in Cincinnati and Good Times

[debm55]

120. Thank you very much MIButterfly. for your two choices. Great.

[MIButterfly]

157. "Ain't we lucky we got 'em - good times!"

[Onthefly]

118. It's About Time...it's about space...

Only lasted one season and one summer of reruns. Imogene Coca was hilarious.

[debm55]

119. Thank you very much Onthefly

[Botany]

129. Hill Street Blues

End of story.

[debm55]

137. It was a great theme . Thank you Botany.

[MIButterfly]

158. I love that theme and I loved that show.

I had the biggest crush on Captain Furillo; I thought he was the perfect man. My friend at work and I used to go around saying "Hey Frankie!" all the time.

[debm55]

171. Thank you MiButterfly, That is funny.

[TheRickles]

132. "Secret Agent Man", by Johnny Rivers

&ab_channel=boybblue|

[debm55]

169. Thank you very much, I remember the song and show. They took away his name and given him a number.

[Kittycatkat]

142. Baretta

[debm55]

178. Thank you sharing, KittycatKat.

[PJMcK]

146. Two of my favorites

The Jetsons had an amazing composition for its theme song. The composer/arranger hides the theme all throughout the song. At the beginning as the camera is zooming in towards Earth, the theme is hinted in the lower brass. The string writing is intense and full of sixteenth-note runs. There’s even a repeated arpeggio by a Wurlitzer electronic piano that gives this 1960s show a futuristic sound. And the lyrics are witty.

Then there’s the brilliant jazz waltz for the detective drama, Mannix. When I played piano gigs, I’d often include this song in the playlist and I’d almost always be asked what that song was.

This theme was composed by Lalo Schifrin who also composed thethemes for The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Mission Impossible, Medical Center, Starsky And Hutch and more.

[debm55]

186. Thank you very much , PJMcK for sharing your knowledge of the themes.

[Wiz Imp]

148. A bunch more I'm surprised haven't been mentioned

The Brady Bunch
Sanford and Son
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
The Muppet Show
All In The Family
Star Trek
One Day At A Time
The Flintstones
Dragnet
The Monkees
The Love Boat

[debm55]

190. Thank you very much, Wiz Imp

[Different Drummer]

149. I always liked the theme from Hill Street Blues.*

[debm55]

194. Thank you very much Different Drummer.

[sakabatou]

150. Cowboy Bebop

Full version:

TV Size:

[debm55]

191. Thank you very much sakabatou.

[returnee]

151. Barney Miller. n/t

[debm55]

195. Thank you returnee. One of my favorite shows and themes.

[wcmagumba]

152. The X-Files was cool...

[debm55]

197. Thank you very much wcmagumba.

[efhmc]

153. Three's company.

[debm55]

198. Thank you efhmc.

[CentralMass]

154. Two come to mind. Peter Gunn and Secret Agent man.

https://g.co/kgs/wq3k7p9
https://g.co/kgs/h5aWwgg

[debm55]

202. Thank you for your choices. CentralMass. Great.

[efhmc]

155. Lavern and Shirley

[debm55]

208. Thank you efhmc.

[Diraven]

156. Knight Rider

That show was so cool as an 80s kid.

[debm55]

209. I remember the show and the theme. Thank you for sharing your favorite.

[DBoon]

160. The Prisoner

[debm55]

206. Thank you very much DBoon.

[Euphoria]

161. Route 66, I Spy, Ironsides, PBS' The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (w/ Jeremy Brett)

... to name a few!

[debm55]

188. Thank you very much. Euphoria. Great choices.

[if..fish..had..wings]

162. The Avengers

[debm55]

185. I really liked the theme and show. thank you

[if..fish..had..wings]

163. Jonny Quest

[debm55]

183. Thank you very much, if..fish..had..wings

[SeattleVet]

164. Monk (original theme)

While I also Liked Randy Newman's 'It's a Jungle Out There', I much preferred Jeff Beal's super-cool jazz theme.

[debm55]

176. Thank you very much for sharing with us, SeattleVet

[Wiz Imp]

165. Another Bunch

The Beverly Hillbillies
Petticoat Junction
S.W.A.T. (1970's Series)
The Partridge Family
Dallas
Dynasty
Moonlighting
Happy Days
Malcolm In The Middle
Psych
The Wonder Years
The Odd Couple
The Dukes of Hazzard
It's Garry Shandling's Show
Married With Children
The Waltons
Batman (1960's series)
The Banana Splits
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Monty Python's Flying Circus
F Troop
The Courtship of Eddie's Father ("Best Friend" by Harry Nilsson)

[debm55]

173. WOW. You have a ton there. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

[LeftInTX]

166. NOT Gilligan's Island!

[debm55]

174. Thank you for sharing with us. LeftinTX

[LeftInTX]

175. Yeah, there are lots of good songs, but hope nobody picks that awful earworm...LOL

I like a lot of them, so couldn't decide on my favorite.

[debm55]

181. Yes, it is an earworm, HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH

[OldBaldy1701E]

167. Well, leaving my bias out of it...

I always loved the theme to Airwolf, Davis Rules, Home Improvement, the Beetlejuice cartoon, Hawaii 5-0, Battlestar Gaactica (either one), and V (the miniseries).

Just to name a few.

[debm55]

172. Thank you very much OldBaldy1701E You have great themes there.

[WhiteTara]

177. I'm going with Gulf War 1

It was the first war that had its own theme music.

[debm55]

179. Thank you WhiteTara.

[Ocelot II]

180. The Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks

[debm55]

182. Thank you very much Ocelot II

[yourout]

192. Grizzly Adams.

https://m.

&list=PLhBoChdN3IDgNmCo3dHWKi9dZkTP91NHI&index=2&pp=iAQB8AUB

[debm55]

200. Thank you very much. yourout.

[dchill]

201. The Patty Duke Show!

[debm55]

204. I watched that show and sang along with the theme . Thank you dchill. But they are cousins, Identical cousins.

[dchill]

211. You can lose your mind...

When cousins are two of a kind!

[debm55]

215. ---------------

[Sneederbunk]

203. Unsolved Mysteries

?si=LwESSR-aG9VDjYri

[Sanity Claws]

205. Car 54, Where are You?

I was a young child when I heard it and loved how it named so many New York neighborhoods.
History buffs might like it because it refers to Khrushchev landing at Idlewild (the old for JFK airport)

[debm55]

212. Thank you very much Sanity Claws.

[global1]

210. Fraiser - Tossed Salad And Scrambled Eggs......

Actually - it's more the closing theme of his show.

[debm55]

214. Thank you very much global1 Great theme.

[Unique Like Everyone]

213. Theme from Mash (Suicide Is Painless)

Through early morning fog, I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see
That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say
Suicide is painless (suicide)
It brings on many changes (changes)
And I can take or leave it if I please
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works it's way on in
The pain grows stronger, watch it grin
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
"Is it to be or not to be?"
And I replied, "Oh, why ask me?"
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
And you can do the same thing if you please

[debm55]

216. Thank you Unique Like Everyone. Welcome to DU

[C0RI0LANUS]

218. Hi debm55. I know you specifically waited for mine.

Runner-up:


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sMS4thYR_xMnjO1wMVoHXngrjs05fWpf7HWwGBMESM6VhV3wWhUiKt8gs0vMY7_83bjdyOpL8m8EIirN=w544-h544-l90-rj

[debm55]

219. Thank you very much, CORIOLANUS, I like the second one best. Thank you very much.

[chowder66]

220. The Young Ones

&t=36s

[debm55]

221. Thank you chowder66. Was that a British show?

[chowder66]

222. It was. Very funny.

I came to it late (in the 90's) when an English boyfriend had me watch it.