There was nothing quite like the TV theme songs of the ‘60s and ‘70s. These introductions played like pop songs and even got stuck in our brains where they bounced around and around all day long. The theme songs for classic shows like The Brady Bunch and The Addams Family were more than just signifiers that a new program was starting, they created an atmosphere that put the audience into a specific vibe.
The theme song for The Brady Bunch is the perfect template for the theme songs that followed. It’s a cheerful tune that catches the audience up on the blended family’s backstory with easy to follow lyrics. More than just an opening to a TV show, this instantly recognizable, wholesome song helped set the tone for the show’s feel-good, all-American family vibe, making it a classic in TV history.
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You’re singing it right now, aren’t you? Featuring a harpsichord and finger snaps, the spooky yet playful theme to The Addams Family puts the audience in the perfect headspace to dig into this quirky, macabre show. With the lyrics, “They’re creepy and they’re kooky/Mysterious and spooky/They’re all together ooky” audiences were immediately keyed into what they were watching and how to enjoy it. This is another example of a memorable TV theme that teaches the audience how to watch the show. Pure genius.
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The theme song to Gilligan’s Island is a catchy, narrative-driven that breaks down the premise of the show and introduces the viewers to the shipwrecked castaways on a deserted island. The 1960s were filled with sitcoms that had a slightly heightened premise (A group of people trapped on a desert island, a family full of Universal Monsters, a rock band that gets up to non-stop shenanigans), and the best way to ease an audience into the premise proved to be the Gilligan format – write a catchy tune and just tell the audience what they’re about to see.
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From 1972 to 1983, the opening notes of “Suicide is Painless” allowed audiences to drift into the world of MASH. The song is an instrumental version of a track from the original film, and its melancholic melody sets the tone for the show’s blend of comedy and drama. Something about this song feels like it belongs at the beginning of MASH. Even without lyrics, this iconic theme song forces you to take stock of the absurdity and tragedy of war.
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Are you playing the drum solo on your legs right now? Because we are. This rollicking instrumental theme, with its powerful brass and drumline throws you right into the action and exotic locale of Hawaii Five-O. The energetic, surf-rock styled theme song set the series apart of other shows at the time, and really helped establish this island-based detective series as something wholly unique.
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The Mission: Impossible theme is one of the most instantly recognizable pieces of music to this day. Composed by Lalo Schifrin, this fast-paced, suspenseful instrumental is synonymous with intrigue and espionage. If you’re like us, you hum the theme song any time you’re doing something a little sneaky. Thanks to the popularity of the Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible films, this song lives on.
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There are some TV themes that tell you exactly what’s happening and provide all the backstory you need to watch an episode, and then there are songs like “Love Is All Around” by Sonny Curtis that seek to encapsulate the theme of a program. This upbeat track reminds us that Mary (and therefore, the viewer) is “gonna make it after all,” which is perfectly in line with the optimistic view of this beloved series.
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All we can say is wow. The theme for Star Trek is unlike anything else from the era. Composed by Alexander Courage, the song features a distinctive, ethereal melody with theremin-like vocals that capture the futuristic spirit of the show. The song may sound weird on first listen, but it’s essentially putting the viewer in a space where they can prepare themselves to go where no one has gone before.
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It’s honestly cuckoo that the super fun theme song to The Monkees (Hey hey we’re The Monkees!) is simply called “(Theme from) The Monkees.” The track introduces the TV band’s carefree and fun-loving vibe while giving us a swinging tune that everyone can sing along to. Blurring the lines between fantasy and reality even more, the song became a radio hit and turned the TV characters into real-life rock stars and a cultural phenomenon.
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Is there a theme song that’s more instantly recognizable than the eerie surf guitar arpeggiations of The Twilight Zone? This minimalist introduction by Marius Constant unsettles the audience, bringing them into the off-kilter atmosphere of Rod Serling’s creepy little world full of gloomy stories. There’s a genuine sense of unease that creeps in whenever we hear this song, and that’s why it’s one of the greatest theme songs in television history.
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