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The Television Theme song of yesterday has been dead for awhile now. Pretty much since 1990. You very rarely have a hit show on TV nowadays with a song with actual words in it as a theme song. The only one in the 90s I can think of is Friends. Back in a glorious era called the 80s sitcoms had theme songs with words in it that became bigger than the shows sometimes. ......think of the Cheers theme song. In the 60s you had the Partridge family, Brady Bunch and Monkees singing their own theme songs.
In the 70s and 80s there were a lot of them I just can't think of many right now.
I know the Fall Guy=Lee Majors and Growing Pains-Alan Thicke come to mind......what else?
Also think about how much more iconic a show became if it had a theme song with words in it as opposed to one with just music.
Themes for the Love Boat, Gilligan's Island, Diff'rent Strokes, Who's The Boss and the Facts of Life are still in my head on an almost daily basis.
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Kelsey Grammar sang the Frasier theme.
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Also think about how much more iconic a show became if it had a theme song with words in it as opposed to one with just music.
Themes for the Love Boat, Gilligan's Island, Diff'rent Strokes, Who's The Boss and the Facts of Life are still in my head on an almost daily basis.
except for MASH, "Suicide Is Painless" is much better without the lyrics, at least for a theme song... also Andy Griffith!
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Minder
ROY will understand!
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Minder? I barely knew her! 
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Also think about how much more iconic a show became if it had a theme song with words in it as opposed to one with just music.
the Young Ones entire cast sang the theme! great show and great song!
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except for MASH, "Suicide Is Painless" is much better without the lyrics, at least for a theme song... Yes, absolutely, completely correct. And on the DVDs you can skip to track two to eliminate the laugh track...
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Norman Beaton sang the theme to Desmonds as well!
ROY will understand!
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British shows count!
Did the guy in Mr. Belvedere sing the theme song? Did Benson have a theme song I can't remember? How about Webster?
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Benson, from memory, did not have any lyrics!
Norman Beaton, of Desmonds fame appeared in the Cosby show btw.
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except for MASH, "Suicide Is Painless" is much better without the lyrics, at least for a theme song... Yes, absolutely, completely correct. this goes without saying!
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Oh, and of course another prime example is the Fresh Prince of Bel Air!
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I dunno who sung it, but I used to like the themes to Big John, Little John and The Littlest Hobo!
I even have the Littlest Hobo theme on my MP3 player!
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Oh, and back on British shows, there was also Rentaghost and The Goodies!
Rentaghost was sung by Michael Stanforth, who played Timothy Claypole (the recent jester avatar I had was him).
The Goodies was mostly sung by Bill Oddie, but the other two probably did backing vocals!
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Rob Kamphausen sang the theme to Queer as folk!
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Oh, and of course another prime example is the Fresh Prince of Bel Air! definitely. I know everyone who wathced that show knows the song by heart.
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Bob Denver didnt sing the theme to Gilligans Island but he once got go high and thought he did.
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Ok, another classic song, but not sung by a star of the show was The Dukes of Hazzard!
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And who can forget the theme to Wonder Woman? What a classic
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Ok, another classic song, but not sung by a star of the show was The Dukes of Hazzard! awesome....I loved Willie's version in the movie that came out 2 years ago.
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Willie's was good, but the original by Waylon Jennings was unquestionably the best.
Of course, I'm sure Waylon would have been proud to have his best friend doing the remake.
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A (Not So) Complete History of TV Theme Songs Sung By Cast MembersI can't believe I didn't think of "All in the Family" and "Walker Texas Ranger" before looking at that list.
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You do tend to find though, that action and sci fi shows tend to work better with instrumental themes.
Just take the likes of the A-Team, Knight Rider, Magnum PI, Quantum Leap, Starsky and Hutch, Dr Who, Six Million Dollar Man, The Hulk, Star Trek, X-Files, Buffy and Batman as examples of tv shows from those genres that have instantly recognisable themes! (and before anyone says anything, there are no words in the Batman theme, its actually an instrument making those noises that sound like a woman saying Batman)
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No. It was the same woman who did the voice of the teacher in all the Peanuts specials.
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"Batman Theme", the title theme to the 1966 Batman TV series was composed by Neal Hefti. The song is built around a guitar hook reminiscent of spy film scores and surf music. It has a twelve bar blues progression using only three chords until the coda. The lyrics to the theme consist of ten cries of "Batman!", which were originally thought to be sung by a female chorus; however, Adam West's book Back to the Batcave reveals the "voices" to actually be instrumental, rather than vocal. These ten repetitions of "Batman!" were then followed by a coda of "Na na na na Na na na na BATMAN!"
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You don't know what the voice of teacher in Peanuts sounded like, do you?
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Its just your joke was not funny!
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And Batman would kick your arse!
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I should have known Alice and 227 as well I was a fan of both.
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I dunno who sung it, but I used to like the themes to Big John, Little John and The Littlest Hobo!
I even have the Littlest Hobo theme on my MP3 player! Heh. I have Monkey Magic on mine. Another song just as famous as the show - the one from Only Fools and Horses. I still remember all the words from Button Moon as well; prolly because I was a teenager when I watched it.
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Another song just as famous as the show - the one from Only Fools and Horses.
Two! Only Fools and Horses, and Hooky street! Hooky street is just as recognisable!
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I should have known Alice and 227 as well I was a fan of both. Vic Tayback was a real role model for you, wasn't he?
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Ok, another classic song, but not sung by a star of the show was The Dukes of Hazzard! Technically, it was sang by one of the stars. Waylon Jennings was the narrator for the show, and even appeared as himself a time or two.
Knutreturns said: Spoken like the true Greatest RDCW Champ!
All hail King Snarf!
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So was he one of the stars or was he the narrator?
Make up your fucking mind!
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Yacko, Wacko and Dot sang the Animaniacs theme song.
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I should have known Alice and 227 as well I was a fan of both. Vic Tayback was a real role model for you, wasn't he? I loved that guy. Great actor. Is he still alive/
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