Saturday, January 2nd, 2010...11:43 pm
Saturday Night Special
Once upon a time, which we fondly call “The Other Millennium” (as opposed to “The Other OTHER Millennium”, but few of us were even alive to remember that one), television shows had theme songs. That kids, was a short number, written specifically FOR the show, during which the opening credits played. A few shows have them still, though they are either instrumental only or clips of songs that already exist. Most shows seem to get right to it, and run the credits over the action taking place onscreen. Barf. I NEED MONTAGE! I NEED TURN AND SMILE!
Growing up, Alice was one of my favorite tv shows. The theme is still a winner and I love to belt it out at random, much to the dismay of my friends and family. I do a dead-on Linda Lavin. Seriously, if I stood behind a curtain and sang, this you would be like “Oh, wow, is Linda Lavin still alive?” and you’d hear “Um, I’m not sure, you’d really have to wikipedia it or maybe IMDB because wiki can be unreliable and updated by weirdos. Anyway, I’m rambling, long story short, that wasn’t Linda Lavin, that was…(dramatic pause to draw back curtain) ME!!”
Seriously, one of the greatest tv theme songs ever. Followed closely by this one. Too bad it was later revealed that one of the cast members was, at the time, having a consensual sexual relationship with their father. Poor Pat Harrington.
Other theme songs you might have forgotten about, but I’ll bet you loved.
And, even though they don’t have the words which I so dearly love, these are still favorites.
This is what I do on Saturday nights, folks. Deal.
10 Comments
January 3rd, 2010 at 1:02 am
okay, you set the stage with the dolly parton no show … i guess it’s way too much to expect to actually hear TCG sing. it’s kind of like some kind of poetic rollercoaster that ends in a pit of leftover children’s toys.
but then after thinking about it for a minute, i actually began to imagine exactly how it sounded. it was nice, rich, and sounded exactly like linda lavin being muffled by a curtain. so yeah, you got me there. i’m impressed. maybe it’s just the long anticipated acid flashback, but it sounds pretty cool.
January 3rd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
I still break into the Muppet Babies song now and then and no one ever seems to know what I’m talking about. I LOVED that show. Full House gets you with the drums at the beginning. Family Matters’ song is also really good. Whatever happened to all those young actors? “Real love bursting out of every seaaam”
I forgot how star-studded Ally McBeal was. How come there are never re-runs of that show on?
You forgot West Wing. That’s powerful music. Law & Order I think is the most memorable. My mom used to watch East Enders, and I adored that theme song. She’d let me stay up just until the song was over and then make me go to bed.
These are all so great. Thanks for that walk down memory lane.
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Ahhh, Eastenders!
How about the instrumental themes of X-Files and Medium being so similar, but still great? And do you remember the cello-heavy cool theme from the WB’s Angel? Loved that one!
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:43 pm
WKRP in Cincinnati
Twitter: suzinrva
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:58 pm
This is my all time favorite show theme song. Perhaps one of my fav shows….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTdKh6vYTPE&feature=related
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:17 pm
linlah-
several of my favorites were left out because youtube didn’t have good video of their opening credits. I SCOURED for WKRP. also, the standards that everybody loved, and still sing, seemed so overdone. oh, you love “The Facts Of Life” theme? well, so does everyone else!
suzinrva-
I am TOTALLY Lauren Hutchinson. Always never quite right.
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:23 pm
lester-
well, I have a few podcasts posted, so you can hear me there. but, yeah, the linda lavin muffled slightly by a heavy velvet curtain is pretty right on.
H to the Izzo-
Ally McBeal, I hate to admit, was a favorite for the first few seasons. Billy was diagnosed with cancer and it got all kinds of weird. I rarely see any of David E. Kelley’s hits in reruns. Doogie Howser, MD, LA Law, and Chicago Hope being big big favorites of mine but Picket Fences running away with my heart. Man, that was a great show.
Isaspacey-
X-Files did have a great theme song. Another classic instrumental is Law & Order. I love the slight variations on it for the L&O spin-offs.
Twitter: homesliceva
January 3rd, 2010 at 7:59 pm
whoa, my head is spinning from memory lane. someone close to me likes to tell me i’m vera from alice because i’m such a clutz.
January 4th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
i think i’ll stick with the voice i have in my head. thanks for the suggestion.
January 7th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
it may be just me, but the lack of montage leaves me wondering which actors are which. i need them to show me the picture with the name under it. and my wife wonders why i have no idea who anyone is. also, i live under a large rock.
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