Top 10 Theme Songs That Didn't Have to Go THAT Hard
#10: “Yo Home to Bel-Air” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990-96)
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Say what you will about Will Smith, but one thing you have to admit is that when he writes a theme song, he goes hard. He did it in the movies with “Men in Black” and “Wild Wild West,” and he did it back in his Fresh Prince days with the titular theme to his hit ‘90s TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Yes, he was a professional rapper, so a good song would be expected. But this one isn’t just a great theme song - it’s one of the most recognizable rap tracks of all time. Tell us you don’t bust out singing it every time anyone mentions West Philadelphia.
#9: “Save Me” “Smallville” (2001-11)
“Smallville” isn’t just any teen, coming-of-age series. This show depicts the coming-of-age of maybe the greatest superhero of all time. For Superman, you need a super theme song, which is exactly what “Save Me” by Remy Zero gave them. The screams of “save me” throughout the opening credits are yelling out to Clark Kent to embrace his earthly calling and fulfill his Superman destiny. Talk about pressure! You know what they say, “go hard or go home.” And since Krypton exploded, home wasn’t an option, so they didn’t really have any choice but to go hard.
#8: “Happy Days” “Happy Days” (1974-84)
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For the first two seasons, “Happy Days” used a version of “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets as the opening theme song. While it might sound like a bad idea to switch out a classic ‘50s track theme song for an original recording, that’s exactly what the show did. Starting in season three, they switched to the “Happy Days” theme and the gamble paid off. Not only does the song hit hard, but it’s also a great mnemonic device to remember the days of the week. Win win!
#7: “Thank You for Being a Friend” “The Golden Girls” (1985-92)
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“The Golden Girls” is a show about four older ladies living together in Miami - not the most obvious setup for a kicking theme song. You might expect them to throw on some forgettable little ditty over the opening credits and be done with it. But instead, the show went hard with a Cynthia Fee cover of Andrew Gold’s “Thank You for Being a Friend” and gave us one of the most recognizable and sing-alongable sitcom theme songs of all time. If we were to make a mixtape of all the awesome theme songs we know, this one would definitely be on there.
#6: “Call Me, Beep Me!” “Kim Possible” (2002-07)
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Given the popularity and high regard fans have for the show, one might think it impossible for the theme song to match it in stature. But, as we all know, when it comes to “Kim Possible,” nothing is impossible. Performed by Christina Milian, “Call Me, Beep Me!” is a throwback to early-2000s mobile technology as well as the catchy sounds of female-led pop music sweeping the airwaves at the time. More than just a theme song, the track has also been covered by artists around the world, from France to Japan.
#5: “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” (1969-70; 1978)
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If we were handing out Scooby Snacks to theme song writers, the folks who penned the title track for “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” would definitely be getting a nice handful of ‘em. As part of the Saturday morning cartoon, Scooby, Shaggy and the rest of the gang were an important part of many of our childhoods. As kids watching the show, the only thing we looked forward to more than the mask being pulled off the bad guy, was singing - and possibly even dancing - along to that “Scooby-Doo” theme song.
#4: “I Don’t Want to Be” “One Tree Hill” (2003-12)
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The teen drama TV space is chalk full of indie music opening credits. And in this crowded space ruled by the likes of “Dawson’s Creek” and “The O.C.,” it’s easy for the theme songs of other shows of the same mold to blend into each other. But not “One Tree Hill’s.” Using Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Want to Be” from his debut album, the high school basketball drama drove to the basket and dunked hard on the competition. The song wasn’t written specifically for the show, but we certainly can’t imagine those opening credits without it, and we’re pretty sure we aren’t the only ones who missed it when it was dropped as the theme song for Seasons 5, 6 and 7.
#3: “A Beautiful Mine” “Mad Men” (2007-15)
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The opening credits flash on the screen as an anonymous businessman falls through the air, tumbling past skyscrapers covered in advertising from the ‘60s. And as the images fill our eyes, our ears are treated to an edited version of “A Beautiful Mine” by RJD2 - an instrumental track that, like the show’s main character Don Draper, is both unforgettable and mysterious. To paraphrase from Draper’s pitch to Lucky Strike in the first episode, the “Mad Men” theme song lets you know that you’re okay - you’re about to watch an awesome show.
#2: “Succession” Theme “Succession” (2018-)
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While some of the entries on our list go “hard” in more metaphorical ways, the “Succession” theme also hits hard in a very direct and musical way that you feel in your gut right from the opening notes - or shall we say note! Notes that go bang on the first note of a measure - also known as the downbeat - create a powerful feeling for the listener, and the “Succession” theme uses that technique to its full, hard-hitting advantage. Throw in the cascading piano and strings that rise and fall between those hits of bass and you’re ready for the high-powered, back-stabbing, business and family comedy-drama to follow. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Cold Little Heart,” “Big Little Lies” (2017-19) The Truth Is, This Theme Song Deserves a Mention “We Used to Be Friends,” “Veronica Mars” (2004-07; 2019) It’s No Mystery That This Is a Great Theme Song “You’ve Got Time,” “Orange Is the New Black” (2013-19) Going Hard for Women Doing Hard Time “As Days Go By,” “Family Matters” (1989-98) Doesn’t It Make You Want to Do the Urkel Dance? “The Addams Family” Theme, “The Addams Family” (1964-66) Putting This One Here Wasn’t a Snap Decision
#1: “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” “Cheers” (1982-93)
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For eleven seasons between 1982 and 1993, millions of Americans took a break from all our worries to watch “Cheers” on Thursday night at 9 o’clock. And after a funny cold opening scene, we’d be treated to one of the most iconic television theme songs ever. It isn’t a hard-hitting track with a rhythmic drum beat and a cool guitar riff. In fact, it starts off with just a piano and Gary Portnoy singing. But the song he sings is one that always made us glad we came - and maybe one little reason why so many of us keep coming back for 275 episodes.
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