#13

Fame

“You’ve got big dreams? You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying… in sweat”.

Composed: Michael Gore

Lyrics: Erica Gimpel

Performed: Erica Gimpel

The song was originally from the movie Fame, that the TV show was based upon and the song from the film was performed by Irene Cara. That version won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for best Song in 1980.

#14

Golden Girls

Title: “Thank You for Being a Friend”

Written: Andrew Gold

Performed: Cynthia “Cindy” Fee

Originally released as a single by Andrew Gold, the song was re-recorded by Cynthia “Cindy” Fee for the series. This theme was also used for the Golden Girls’ spin off, The Golden Palace.

#15

Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

Title: “Fight as One”

Composed: Guy Michelmore

Performed by Bad City

One of the best superhero theme songs around. The tagline “Avengers… Assemble” really worked in the middle of the song.

This show was too short as it was really a great adaptation of the Avengers into animation.

#16

The Weird Al Show

Written: Al Yankovic

Performed: Al Yankovic

Appeared: Running With Scissors album

Weird Al wound up with a Saturday morning program on CBS and this was the theme song he wrote for the show. The theme has been used by Al to kick off his concerts since the ending of his TV show.

#17

F Troop

Composed: William Lava

Lyrics: Irving Taylor

The opening of F Troop was funny and set the slapstick tone for the series as a whole.

#18

Friends

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Title: “I’ll Be There For You”

Written: Michael Skloff (music), Allee Willis (lyrics), and show creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman.

Performed: The Rembrandts

The Friends theme started the show with high energy and a lot of fun. Seeing the cast dance around in a fountain, set the tone for the show.

#19

Big Bang Theory

Title: “The History of Everything”

Written: Ed Robertson

Composed: Barenaked Ladies

Performed: Barenaked Ladies

Bazinga!

CBS’s long-running show had this frenetic theme song that followed every cold open of the show (except the finale, which had an accustic version recorded).

#20

Gilligan’s Island

The Professor and Mary Ann get their credit in this version. They are no longer just “AND THE REST.”

We enter the Top 20 of the Top 100 with one of the most famous sitcoms of all time.

Title: “The Ballad of Gilligan’s Island”

Written:  Sherwood Schwartz and George Wyle

Performed: The Wellingtons (season one); The Eligibles (season two and on)

Fact: The original theme that was replaced was a calypso version composed by EYG Hall of Famer John Williams.

Fact: Bob Denver (Gilligan) went to the studio and requested that “..the Professor and Mary Ann” was added to the theme song, and that Denver was willing to move his own credit to the end in order to accomplish this.

#21

Cheers

Title: “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”

Written: Judy Hart-Angelo and Gary Portnoy

Performed: Gary Portnoy

The theme song from Cheers is one of those that everybody knows. It is welcoming and familiar and has that lovely “come on in” vibe.

This show lasted from 1982-1993, and this theme was basically the same the entire time.

#22

X-Men ’97

Originally composed: Haim Saban and Shuki Levy (with work by Ron Wasserman)

New version composed by : The Newton Brothers

Guitar by: Nili Brosh

Originally releasd inthe 90s, this updated version of the theme was something that had to br any part of a return.

The Disney + series was highly regarded by fans of the original as well as new fans. The theme song is one of those that you NEVER SKIP. I always laugh at the “SKIP THEME” button when it comes up on Disney +.

It is so iconic of a theme, the Disney + series used a bit of the theme when they revealed that Kamala Khan was a mutant.

#23

Laverne & Shirley

Title: “Making Our Dreams Come True”

Composed: Charles Fox

Lyrics: Norman Gimbel

Performed: Cyndi Grecco

Backup: The Ron Hicklin Singers.

“Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!”

Laverne & Shirley was one of my favorite shows in the early 1980s and it kicked off every week with those Yiddish words. Of course, I had no idea what they meant… or what the words were. I would just sing along making it as close to the sounds as I could.

#24

Monk

Title: “It’s a Jungle Out There”

Written: Randy Newman

Performed: Randy Newman

Fact: Won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

This song by Randy Newman was quirky and odd, much like our title character, Adrian Monk. This theme replaced an instrumental theme from season and ran for seasons 2-8.

Season one theme:

#25

The Addams Family

*snap, snap*

Composed: Vic Mizzy

Written: Vic Mizzy

Performed: Vic Mizzy

Additional voice: Ted Cassidy (Lurch)

The Addmas Family theme is known by everybody, even if you are not a longtime viewer of the series. The iconic snapping fingers is a whimiscal addition to the harpsicord-driven theme.

#26

Twin Peaks

Title: “Twin Peaks Theme” also associated with “Falling”

Composed: Angelo Badalamenti.

“Falling” Lyrics: David Lynch

Instruments: piano, synthesizer, and saxophone

The eerie, moody theme fits Twin Peaks’s mysterious tone to a tee. “Falling,” which is the version of the theme song with lyrics, was performed by Julee Cruise.

#27

Green Acres

Composed: Vic Mizzy

Performed: Eddie Albert & Eva Gabor

Instrumentation: harpsichord, fuzz guitar, and bass harmonica

I used to love watching the reruns of this show when I was younger, and the theme song was one of the reasons I loved it. I could sing this one at any time.

Green Acres is the first of the shows appearing on the TV Theme Songs banner to find its place in the Top 100.