Whether you loved or hated these shows, their theme songs are unforgettable. Here’s a list of some of the most memorable TV theme songs, ranked for your nostalgic enjoyment:
- “All in the Family” This one might tug at your nostalgia-filled heartstrings, but Edith Bunker’s high notes are enough to crack even a modern-day TV screen (and your eardrums). No wonder Archie was so grumpy.
- “The Andy Griffith Show” If Andy really wanted to punish Mayberry’s most wanted, he should’ve just played this song on repeat. The show’s producers didn’t bother with lyrics, going with the theory that a whistle is worth a thousand words.
- “The Beverly Hillbillies” Leave it to Flatt & Scruggs to write an unforgettable tune to a song that rhymes “food” and “crude” and “be” and “Beverly.” Its evil genius.
- “The Facts of Life” Awkward, embarrassing, and painful at times, this tune actually doesn’t do a bad job of describing the life of a teenager. Which may be why it’s taking up precious brain cells.
- “The Cosby Show” Okay, you might not remember the song so much, but you can’t forget the Cosbys dancing over the top of it. Especially Bill’s strange slow-mo pigeon walk thing. What’s up with that?
- “Small Wonder” It’s a small wonder that anyone wanted to watch this show badly enough to suffer through that song. If only DVRs were invented a few decades sooner.
- “Mr. Ed” “A horse is a horse, of course, of course”…did Mr. Ed write his own rhymes, too?
- “Gilligan’s Island” Perhaps the best “tell the story of what the show is about” theme song ever written. They may have been stranded on an uncharted desert isle, but at least the Minnow’s passengers didn’t have to listen to this song every week.
- “The Brady Bunch” Boy meets girl, two families become one, we get it! Are these backup instrumentals making anyone else reach for the Advil? And why do they look like they’re playing a game of “Hollywood Squares?”
- “Cheers” A song that makes you believe any problem in life can be solved at your local watering hole.
- “Growing Pains” Grab some hairspray and your favorite pair of leg warmers, because this king of corny duets is what ‘80s dreams were made of.
- “The Nanny” It’s cute, it’s clever, it’s catchy. But we asked for a theme song, not a life story. “The Nanny” tells us so much in the intro, we don’t even need to watch the show! Then again, Fran Drescher wasn’t exactly a “less is more” type of gal.
- “Silver Spoons” Ricky’s a little rich kid with perfect hair, but he has problems too. The whole idea behind this show is almost as eye-roll-inducing as its theme song… almost. So why can’t we stop humming it?