Top 5 TV Theme Songs

This was a pretty rough list to assemble. For one thing, I don't watch much TV. There's 3 or 4 shows that I watch religiously, and beyond that I don't care at all. Secondly, how do you determine what a good theme song is? For this list, I decided that the songs had to be good then and good now. So sorry Friends. So here is the list I've come up with. There are probably better songs out there, but until I hear them, they don't really matter.

#5: Yo Gabba Gabba! - In case you're unacquainted, Yo Gabba Gabba is a brand new show on Nick Jr. that features 5 Teletubbies-esque characters and a flamboyantly homosexual host. It's also the single greatest kids show since Eureka's Castle! The show is all about singing and dancing and each episode features guest performers like the Shins or Smoosh as well as celebrity drop-ins like Maya or Elijah Wood. It's one of the most insane shows I've ever watched! The them song just sucks you in, with the flamboyantly gay DJ Lance waving his arms wildly, shouting "Yo Gabba Gabba! Yo Gabba Gabba!" It's awesome! If you get the chance, watch it. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.


#4: Grey's Anatomy - Would anyone have heard of Psapp if their song "Cosy in the Rocket" had not been selected to be the theme song for ABC's uber-popular Grey's Anatomy? Maybe like two people, I guess. Now, I have to admit that I'm a huge fan of Grey's Anatomy, even if the third season sucked hugely. The rest of the show is incredibly witty and endearing despite it's reliance on tried and true formulas. The theme song is just the icing on the cake. Psapp's unique style of electro pop is perfectly suited for the show, and the song's subtle sexiness mirrors that of the entire cast. Big ups to Shonda Rhimes for that one.


#3: The Adventures of Pete and Pete - I don't think any band captures the one-hit wonder nature of 90s alternative music better than Polaris, the band behind the theme song to Nickelodeon's brilliantly twisted mid-90s TV show, The Adventures of Pete and Pete. Maybe the Presidents of the United States of America, but not really. The band not only did the theme song for the show, but all the music for the show too. Yes, that includes the episode in which little Pete hears a band playing a song that he loves so much that he forms a band in order to just play that song. Hell, Polaris even released an album with all their Pete and Pete songs on it! Still, the theme song is the one that will always stand out, primarily because the lyrics are entirely indistinguishable. It sound's like he's saying "He shouldn't be. Catch a dog. Bayayaya!" In reality it's, "Hey Sandy, don't you talk back (ya ya ya)!" It's awesome. So awesome that I decided to cover it a little over a year ago. You can download that HERE.


#2: Freaks and Geeks - I'm just now getting into this short-lived but totally awesome show, but I can safely say that the decision to make "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts the theme song was a good one. It's perfectly suited for the show's main characters, both the freaks and the geeks. Every time a new episode starts up and I hear the theme song play, I just want to rock out with my (socks) out. To my knowledge, the only time the song has been more perfectlty suited for something is when Julia Stiles' character is introduced in 10 Things I Hate About You. Other than that, though, this one takes the cake!


#1: Welcome Back, Kotter - Ha! You know I couldn't make a list about totally awesome theme songs without giving props to Kotter and the Sweathogs. Although I guess the real credit is due to John Sebastian, the guy who actually wrote and recorded the song. It's one of the few theme songs that have stood the test of time. It was a #1 hit back when it was released (no, literally), and it's still awesome today. Oh sure, there may be more memorable theme songs out there, like The Brady Bunch or The Addams Family, but those aren't good songs, just catchy jingles. This one is actually a pretty decent song, even if it is terribly dated. So sue me if I have this thing for the Welcom Back, Kotter theme song! You know what? Up your nose with a rubber hose! Yeah I went there.