We’re not saying that a theme song can make or break a series, but sometimes it’s the fanfare at the beginning of each show that gets us running to the TV set. It’s hard to think about the impact of a theme song these days when every streaming service has a “skip intro” feature, because it’s the theme song that sets the mood, and gets you in the mood to watch what’s about to unfold.
In this article, you will see how it only takes a few chords, or a simple melody or lyric to take you to another world in the form of a cartoon or sitcom. Sure, these shows could stand on their own without a musical introduction, and some shows do quite well with just a title card and a quick bumper before jumping into the exposition, but we’re here to talk about the theme songs that have legendary status, and are now synonymous with the show they represented.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
11 The Adventures of Pete & Pete - “Hey Sandy,” by Polaris
Paramount Home Entertainment
If you were an early Nickelodeon fan, then you surely remember this upbeat garage indie rock anthem. The opening lyric, “Hey smilin’ strange, you’re lookin’ happily deranged” sums up the awkwardness of teenage relationships. While The Adventures of Pete & Pete was mostly a show about two brothers navigating through their crazy family life, the theme song by Polaris talks about platonic relationships in which the narrator wants to be more than just friends. It’s also worth noting that Polaris is an offshoot of Connecticut-based band Miracle Legion, and they still perform “Hey Sandy” to this day.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
10 Malcolm in the Middle - “Boss of Me,” by They Might be Giants
20th Television
They Might be Giants single-handedly put “nerd rock” on the map with quirky songs such as “Particle Man”, and “Constantinople”, but they saw the height of their success with the Malcolm in the Middle theme song, “Boss of Me”. Malcolm in the Middle is a true fish-out-of-water adventure in which the title character has superior intellect, and feels trapped in his lower middle class family. It’s only fitting that They Might be Giants were featured for the show’s intro, because their entire catalog seems like something that would come straight from Malcolm’s mind anyway.
9 Seinfeld - Synth Modeled Slap Bass
Sony Pictures Television
This Jonathan Wolff arrangement isn’t just a theme song, but also a series of bumpers throughout the series that match the tempo and energy of Seinfeld. Many aspiring bass players try to master the Seinfeld theme once they have a solid grasp on slapping and popping, but to their disappointment, find out that all that well-placed syncopation actually comes from a synthesizer, and not a bass guitar. Regardless of instrument of origin, Seinfeld simply would not be the same without the iconic bassline that could be heard between every single scene for nine seasons.
8 King of the Hill - “King of the Hill Theme” by The Refreshments
20th Television
The King of the Hill theme is a blistering instrumental country jam that sets the tone for Arlen, Texas. But the best part of all? The band goes into a full-on groove after the sound of a beer can tab being pulled open, which is a running theme throughout the series. There’s nothing quite like the twang of a fender telecaster shredding over a cowbell beat to let the audience know what they’re about to get into, and all it takes to kick off is a simple E-Major chord.
7 X-Files - “X-Files Theme Song” by Mark Snow
20th Century Fox Television Distribution
How many of you have creeped yourselves out while walking alone at night and thinking of the X-Files theme song by Mark Snow? We’d venture to guess that it’s quite a few of you! When it comes to supernatural synth sounds, the X-Files theme crawls under your skin in just the right kind of way. It’s catchy, it’s memorable, and it’s creepy but not too creepy. In other words, the X-Files theme lets the viewer know that the next hour of their life is about to get weird.
6 The Big Bang Theory - “Big Bang Theory Theme,” by Barenaked Ladies
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Circling back to “nerd rock,” it’s only natural that we’d eventually have to address the banger that is known as the “Big Bang Theory Theme”. Leave it to the Barenaked ladies to sum up the entirety of human existence in just a couple short verses. Unlike Sheldon’s long-winded diatribes about literally anything and everything, The Big Bang Theory theme song is concise as it is clever.
5 Sanford and Son - “Sanford and Son Theme (The Streetbeater),” by Quincy Jones
“The Streetbeater” features an iconic sax line and a Hammond organ groove that is rivaled by none. There is something about the simple melody and rhythm section that just makes you want to strut, and the Sanford and Son theme can even stand on its own if it were on a random mixtape. When you have top-notch musicianship, and a memorable electric blues and funk vibe, it’s hard not to feel good and take a scenic walk.
4 Home Improvement - “Iron John’s Rock,” by Dan Foliart
Buena Vista Television
It’s not often that a theme song features a prominent jazz flute melody, but Home Improvement pulls it off. But it’s the sum of its parts that makes the “Iron John’s Rock” have more power. There’s an industrial beat that even Trent Reznor would envy, a hot blues guitar solo, and plenty of Tim Allen grunts to set the scene in case you forgot what show you were watching. When “Iron John’s Rock” is audible, everybody knows that it’s Tool Time!
3 South Park - “South Park Theme Song,” by Primus/Les Claypool
Paramount Global Distribution Group
Leave it to Matt Stone and Trey Parker to recruit oddball Les Claypool to compose the South Park theme. Les Claypool and Primus have always been known to feature strange Americana in their lyrical storytelling, and it just works perfectly for the residents of South Park, Colorado. This theme song has evolved throughout the seasons. The lyrics and composition remain generally the same, but whamola jams and intense ride cymbal patterns have been added throughout the years to make the song more bombastic and in-your-face as the series evolved similarly throughout its run.
2 Daria - “You’re Standing On My Neck,” by Splendora
MTV Networks
We’re starting to think that Mike Judge knows a thing or two about making great theme songs for his properties. Think about how much of a banger the Beavis & Butthead theme was, and how that same energy translated over to King of the Hill. The Daria theme is no different, and serves as a teenage anthem for Gen-X high schoolers when it says “I’ve got to be direct, If I’m wrong, please correct, You’re standing on my neck.” When you combine a ’90s alternative rock song with tongue-in-cheek malaise, you get the Daria theme.
1 Friends - “I’ll Be There for You,” by The Rembrandts
If you’re a fan of Friends, then you are obviously familiar with the work of the Rembrandts. Studies have been done, and it’s been proven physically impossible to not clap along with this theme song. Lyrically, the verse sets the tone for the whole series. The protagonists in Friends all have their ups and downs, but they all express the sentiment “I’ll be there for you.” It’s short and sweet, and it gets the job done.
