General Gregory N. Pigott: Late Night Music Part 78......."TV Theme Songs"

I have to admit I've been waiting to finish this list all day! How many awesome theme songs do we hear on TV shows and then not know who sings it? Theme songs have become almost as big as the shows themselves, and as we'll see in some cases, bigger.

This list was a little bit tricky. In order to be considered, the song had to be used at some point during the opening credits of the show. Also, the song had to be previously recorded or later recorded in a longer "single version" by a non-studio musician. This would disqualify classics like "The Jeffersons", "Growing Pains", "Who's The Boss?", and "Perfect Strangers". Also, the same version or the same artist had to sing the theme song that recorded it. This would disqualify one of my favorites "My Life" by Billy Joel, as it was used for the TV Show "Bosom Buddies" only to not be the version Joel recorded. Also receiving votes in this category was "I'll Be Ready" by Jimi Jamison, the theme from "Baywatch", "Welcome Back" by John Sebastian, the theme from "Welcome Back, Kotter", and "The Theme From Miami Vice" by Jan Hammer.

"I Don't Want To Wait"- Paula Cole (Theme From "Dawson's Creek"). Well, as expected, we start off the list with a show that really sucked. I remember I was once told by several of my female classmates that I reminded them of Pacey because I was such a teacher's pet. James Van Der Beek not only has the stupidest hair and stupidest name in TV, he was a terrible actor. I vomit just thinking about how much he sucked in "Varsity Blues". At least the show had the very beautiful Katie Holmes. Thankfully, in 2003, the WB finally pulled the plug on the creek. In 1997, Paula Cole was making splashes with her album "This Fire", and released this ballad as the follow up single to "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?". This song still has one of the longest runs in Billboard chart history without cracking the top 10, peaking at #11. Longer version of the song here, as the official video on youtube sounds like crap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raGFI8pUau0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJGLJY0NTRs

"I'll Be There For You"- The Rembrandts (Theme from "Friends"). Unlike most of my family, I never got into "Friends". I thought it was funny, and I really loved Monica and Rachel and I thought Ross was one of the funnier characters on TV, but I had other things in mind in high school and I didn't have my tivo yet. Nonetheless, the show was still one of the most popular sitcoms ever televised. Also unlike most people, I had actually heard of the Rembrandts prior to their success with this theme song. I actually purchased their 1995 album to accompany the single "LP" and was very pleased with it's quality as it also featured the song "This House Is Not A Home". I also don't think it's fair they are compared to the Monkees. The sound may be similar, but come on, the talent gap is immeasurable on this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJlWVRYWqI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzQWmAwNNCw

"Without Us"- Deniece Williams and Johnny Mathis (Theme from "Family Ties"). One of my favorite shows ever! I still remember growing up watching "Family Ties" and "The Cosby Show" back to back on Tuesday nights on NBC in the mid 80's when I was 4-5 years old. Still two of the best shows on TV. "Family Ties" put Michael J. Fox on the map as the hilarious Alex P. Keaton and his hippy parents and his goofy friend Skippy and his sister Mallory played by the very underrated but hot Justine Bateman (Jason Bateman's older sister). In 1978, superstar Johnny Mathis (who I did not know until now was gay- does he look the part, Devon?) took up and coming R & B singer Deniece Williams (a few years prior to her "Let's Hear It For The Boy" fame) under his wing and recorded a few duets including the #1 hit "Too Much Too Little Too Late" which went to #1 in the US and #3 in the UK. The song, which was never released as a single found life with "Family Ties" and helped catapult the career of Deniece Williams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iliLnQmaEOA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq4_nw6Cegw

"Next Year"- The Foo Fighters (Theme from "Ed"). Yes! My favorite TV show ever! While it is still pretty much a "cult following" show in TV history, "Ed" lasted 5 seasons, and became a show I would never miss and still will watch on occasion in my many recordings. (Last I checked, I have every episode but 7 on VHS). The show, about a man (Tom Cavanagh) who moves back to his hometown of Stuckeyville, Ohio to woo his high school crush (Julie Bowen- now on "Modern Family") and in the process opens his law practice in the bowling alley that he purchases. The show also featured Michael Ian Black, and a young Justin Long (from "Dodgeball"). The song and the DVD have actually hit release hell, and the only video I could find is actually a short clip from the pilot. Fast forward to about 2:50 to get it on the TV show clip. The song was the last single on the Foo Fighters 1999 album "There Is Nothing To Left To Lose", and as you can see from the video, kept up their light mood in videos, despite being a slight change in sound (some say this is to the change in drummers, as Taylor Hawkins aka WWE Superstar Edge made his debut with the band on this album).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF8-PejzkIs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1qQuSuQaHY

"God Only Knows"- The Beach Boys (Theme from "Big Love"). HBO's "Big Love" is a series about modern day Mormon Fundamentalists (commonly known as FLDS) living in Utah practicing polygamy with the lead character, Bill Henrickson played by Bill Paxton and his three wives and their children. I plan on watching it during it's fifth and final season, as it has definitely caught my attention. Great theme song here by the Beach Boys off of their widely popular and milestone a1966 album "Pet Sounds". The song was the first ever in the history of rock music to feature "God" in the title, and was a far more complex and technical song than anything the Beach Boys had ever written, and broke from their "beaches and surfing" persona in a huge way. Still one of the greatest songs in rock music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y9c2Sfo1hM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDfH_J4MAUQ

"Searching My Soul"- Vonda Shepard (Theme from "Ally McBeal"). I was never a HUGE fan of this show, but I did watch just because I kinda have a thing for Lucy Liu and I was always enthralled at the size of Lisa Nicole Carson's rack. Sorry, I had to say it. Anyway, Vonda Shepard has the producers of this show to thank for putting her career in limelight, as she appeared as a regular on the show as a performer at the bar where the characters relaxed after work. She became such a fixture that she released FOUR albums of songs performed on the show starting with 1998's "Songs From Ally McBeal" which featured the theme song "Searching My Soul" which peaked at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfeRb9_Ymmk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Kktmzk8us

"Cleveland Rocks"- The Presidents of The United States of America (Theme from "The Drew Carey Show"). For some reason, I always thought Cheap Trick sang this song. As all of us knew during the 1995 baseball playoff trailers for the show, it was painfully obvious that Drew Carey was from Cleveland and his new show would be featured in the city. In what has to be the longest TV show theme sequence ever, we saw the silliness of the show and the spastic Carey. My grandparents always thought this show was really funny, but I never got into it. The song actually is a cover by the artist Ian Hunter. Still weird that the band is from Seattle, but want us all to know that Cleveland rocks. Never been there, so I couldn't tell you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU0JpyH1gC8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ3plaSowWc

"California Dreaming"- The California Dreams (Theme from "California Dreams"). I know I'm super lame for this show, but this show was the precursor for shows like "Glee" and was created by the same people that brought us "Saved By The Bell" about a rock band formed by high school kids. I made a special exception for this one because while the song wasn't released as a single, the song was played and recorded by the actual cast and not studio musicians. I was surprised the show never released a soundtrack album despite using the actual cast for the music on the show. This was before ITunes. Always had a thing for Jenny Kwan, and of course the pre-"Baywatch" version of Kelly Packard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm_hk77o1nA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vrumo9Eddg

"Believe It Or Not"- Joey Scarbury (Theme from "The Greatest American Hero"). Ok, double cheezy on this one, first of all, how goofy was the show "The Greatest American Hero" where the innocent school teacher finds the alien super hero suit and then struggles with "super powers". Funny, yes, but still one of the goofiest shows in TV history. Still can't believe it lasted 4 seasons. Joey Scarbury was just so plain jane it's almost sad. Seriously, look how the guy looks on freaking "Solid Gold"! Despite it, this song was always pretty catchy, and has been used in other movies and commercials, and we all remember George's answering machine on "Seinfeld". He's still getting paid from this one, several years after it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Q3orQhEcA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cB1K27v1o

"Where Everybody Knows Your Name"- Gary Portnoy (Theme from "Cheers"). This another show I remember watching alot from a very young age. However, I had NEVER heard the full (and very hilarious) version until recently, as Gary Portnoy's version was edited perfectly for television. Also on NBC in the early 80's,"Cheers" overcame a slow start as a series to become one of the top 5 shows on TV much of it's 11 season run. It also helped jumpstart the career of Woody Harrelson. Bonus points for seeing John Ratzenberger (Cliff the Mailman) a few months ago in Applebee's. Most people also forget that Kelsey Grammar's character Frasier Crane (and his wife Lilith Sternin played by Babe Neuwirth) was on "Cheers", and the show "Frasier" was a continuation of that character after the show's cancellation in 1993.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD8ljNobUys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEq5M1wA4hk

"Who Are You"- The Who (Theme from "CSI"). This song doesn't need much introduction, as the Who was already a worldwide household name when "CSI" became the most popular show on TV a few years ago. I like this show, but I always worry because it shows criminals what they need to do to get away with crime. Come on, do they have to give us ALL the secrets? This song was on The Who's last original lineup album self titled album in 1978 just prior to drummer Keith Moon's death. While The Who always had more success in their native UK on the charts, this song peaked at #14 in the US.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WseRJMQf1U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdLIerfXuZ4

"California"- Phantom Planet (Theme from "The O.C."). Another show I have no intention ever of watching, as I was already past my teenage years when this "teen drama" hit Fox's primetime lineup in 2003. Actually, in its first season, "The O.C." was without a doubt the most popular show in its demographic averaging nearly 10 million viewers a week. Mercifully, Fox pulled the plug on the show after just 4 seasons though. However, the song rocks for days. Off of their 2002 album "The Guest", Phantom Planet paid homage to their home state with this song and video that became a fixture on MTV2 in 2002 which also cracked the top 40.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9paPT4iuC4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq-S8CIU7VA

"How Do You Talk To An Angel?"- Jamie Walters (Theme from "The Heights"). This song has the distinction of being one of only 4 TV theme songs to ever reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it also the only one to reach #1 AFTER THE SHOW WAS CANCELLED, which this theme song to Fox's "The Heights" did one week after the show's cancellation. The show is also the only show of Aaron Spelling's to not be a worldwide hit. I almost didn't include this song just because the band isn't really playing. However, Jamie Walters is actually singing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS9UcW-7HGA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqkWrgpDO-E

"Makin' It"- David Naughton (Theme from "Makin' It"). I try to forget how much this show and song sucked, but David Naughton was actually a pretty talented guy and his disco hit was the one bright spot for this 8 episode sitcom that ran in 1979 on ABC. This is another song that reached the top 5 after the show's cancellation. This song was also used in the movie "Meatballs".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtvaTdc_qIc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtHXzmXlwhw

"I Don't Want To Be"- Gavin DeGraw (Theme from "One Tree Hill"). Yet another teen drama that fortunately never had the opportunity to waste my time on. Somehow, this CW teen drama is actually still on the air. Ok, I'm done scratching my head. Even this show is too cheezy for me. Gavin DeGraw used the show to springboard into the top 10 on the Billboard charts in 2005. The song from his 2003 album "Chariot" is still his most popular song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfzMyHy6LG4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gFCW3PHBws

"Video To Radio"- Kidd Video (Theme from "Kidd Video"). Best Saturday morning cartoon ever- right Makeba?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YzChZTqxDU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqhhM6YsGS4

BONUS VIDEOS- "I'm a Pepper"- David Naughton Dr. Pepper commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQPN3UKQM-U

"Just The Way It Is Baby"- The Rembrandts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmjQVoHrXe0

"More Than Anyone"- Gavin DeGraw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX0VCNgddMo

"Our House"- Phantom Planet. COVER SONG ALERT!