Summary

The author, a member of Generation X, shares their favorite television theme songs from the past, including those from The Greatest American Hero, The Jeffersons, Growing Pains, Family Ties, Moonlighting, Gimme A Break, Baywatch, and Welcome Back Kotter.

Abstract

The author, a self-proclaimed television enthusiast, reminisces about their favorite television theme songs from their youth. They mention that they were inspired by another article written by Thea English, which prompted them to share their own list

Best TV Theme Songs Ever

According To Me

As a member of Generation X, I was pretty much born and raised on TV. Good or bad, it was the way it was. And to be honest, back in the day, TV was good. No, it was great! But sometimes, the theme songs were even better than the shows.

Full disclosure, I didn’t come up with this topic. I read a story by Thea English about her favourite television theme songs and it took me right back to my heyday of brilliant shows and brilliant theme songs. Here’s Thea’s story, do check it out. Enjoy her trip down memory lane, it’s pretty cool:

My Top 20 Favorite TV Intros And Theme Songs

Attention, all Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials! If you grew up between the 1960s and 1990s, then you’re…

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Now that you’ve checked out her list, it’s time for mine.

Greatest American Hero (1981–83): This comedy-drama featured William Katz (a cutie pie) as an unlikely superhero. It also starred Connie Sellecca and Robert Culp. It was pretty much pure cheese. I loved it as a 10-year-old. I can’t stand to watch even 10 minutes now. But the theme song was awesome. I’d even go out on a limb as saying it was one of the best!

The Jeffersons (1975–95): Who didn’t want to move on up to the East Side to a deee-lux apartment in the sky? The Jeffersons was quintessential 70s and it was awesome. The show holds up today and the theme song is as great as the show:

Growing Pains (1885–92): Ah, the Seavers, led by the late Alan Thicke, a Canadian, if you please. The show was cute. I liked that they had a neurotic, over-achieving brainiac daughter, kinda like me. And Kirk Cameron was kinda cute, although he never really lit my fire. To be honest, I thought Daddy Seaver was pretty hot for an old guy. The show was good. The theme song was better.

Family Ties (1982–89): Come on, who didn’t love themselves some Alex P. Keaton? Family sitcoms were the thing in the 80s and Family Ties was a good one. I still bawl when I see the episode when Ellen dumps Alex and still have At This Moment (by Billy Vera and the Beaters) on my playlist.

But I digress. The theme song was almost as good as the show.

Moonlighting (1985–89): Not gonna lie, I had a mad crush on Brucie back in the day. He was cute. He had swagger. The show was, well, it was shit. But the theme song was killer:

Gimme A Break (1981–87): Oh, Nell! Lord, she was cute. She was a tiny little blast of dynamite and talent. She had more talent in her teeny tiny self than anyone I can honestly say I’ve ever seen. She could sing like an angel, dance to the tune and act to boot! The woman had her issues and died from them, but you can’t deny her gifts.

The show was great and the theme song, sung by her was equally impressive:

Baywatch (1989–2001) If I’m being totally honest, I didn’t give a hoot about David Hasselhoff by this time. I was over him before Night Rider ended. And I wasn’t all that keen on watching people way, way hotter than me running on the beach. I hated the show. But the theme song was killer. Of course, I may be a bit biased, but Jimi Jamison could have sung the damn phone book and made it hot. Also, he was cute as hell. But here’s the theme song:

Welcome Back Kotter (1975–79): Gabe Kaplan starred as a teacher for a bunch of Brooklyn kids that weren’t, well, they weren’t the best scholars in the world. Loved the show. Loved the theme song:

I could go on forever, but I won’t. These are the ones that stand out to me on a cursory glance. But I’d love to know what TV theme songs you thought were the best. Jimmy Misner Jr., KL Simmons, Lisa Gerard Braun, Carl Parker I’m looking at you for some great nostalgia here. :)