Memorable TV Theme Songs From The 60's, 70's and 80's

[David In Indy]

I am borrowing this idea from Clarissa. She started a thread about this in another forum, but I thought it would be interesting to create a poll.

Which TV sitcom theme songs do you find memorable. For me, it is Leave It To Beaver, The Beverly Hillbillies and Sanford and Son. I was never a big fan of Sanford and Son, but the theme song is very familiar to me. And I've always been a big fan of Redd Fox. For those of you who are not familiar with Sanford and Son, it was basically a ripoff of the British TV show "Steptoe and Son". In Sanford and Son, an African American father (played by Redd Fox) and son run a junk business together. The show was quite popular in the 1970's.

Sanford and Son Theme Song (about 40 seconds)

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFMKQx_PDBM[/youtube]



Here is a short clip from Sanford and Son. If I remember correctly, in this episode Fred (Redd Fox) has just announced he intends to marry his long time girlfriend Donna. Lamont (the son) objects and invites the entire family over to ruin the wedding.

(This clip is about 7 minutes)

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob_Yl1p7UMg[/youtube]


Here is the opening theme song to Leave It To Beaver, one of my favorite shows from my childhood! 

This is from the final season 1962-1963.

(This clip is about 30 seconds)

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFTyODb2S94[/youtube]



What are some of your favorite TV theme songs? Feel free to post the videos if you want. Maybe those of you in other countries could post the music and short clips from some of your favorite shows! 

[injest]

wait...favorite or memorable? those are two different things....I voted most memorable...

but my FAVORITES were Gilligan's Island and the Brady Bunch! 

oh and Hawaii 5-O

[Ellemeno]

Okay, I took you at you word - memorable, as in can't get it out of your head.  For that I picked "The Andy Griffith Show" (that whistling), "The Addams Family" (that finger snapping), and then it was tougher, but I picked "The Beverly Hillbillies."

[Kerry]

It's gotta be Dallas, Beverly Hillbillies and Bonanza for me. Though, decades after the fact, I can still hum the themes from My Three Sons, Leave it to Beaver, Addams Family and Munsters. 

[David In Indy]

wait...favorite or memorable? those are two different things....I voted most memorable...

but my FAVORITES were Gilligan's Island and the Brady Bunch! 

oh and Hawaii 5-O

It can be either Jess. Except for LITB, the three I chose are definately NOT my favorites. My favorites are probably M*A*S*H (I always think of my dad when I hear the music from that show. He was a big fan of the series), Dallas and McGyver. 

I like the theme song from LA Law too, I think that's an early 90's show.

[David In Indy]

Here's a short 1:30 minute clip from Leave It To Beaver. This clip features the legendary Burt Mustin as Gus the fireman. Burt Mustin appeared in several LITB episodes and I always loved the chemistry between Beaver and Gus. Beaver clearly idolized Gus, and Gus always imparted a gentle wisdom to Beaver. In this clip, Beaver is trying t sell raffle tickets to his friends and family.

Did you ever notice that even the background music to LITB is memorable and unmistakable?

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weIeasz4vvo[/youtube]

[David In Indy]

Remember this one?

I always loved this show when I was a little kid and I thought Jeannie's bottle was so cool! I always thought her bottle would make a very nice house and I envied her! I'd still like to live in it if I could figure out a way to get down in there!

And Larry Hagman was totally HAWT back then, don't you think? 

This clip is just under one minute (:56 seconds)

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTruoon48MQ[/youtube]


Here is a short clip from one of the episodes! (1:06) 

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EetStzDQ3k8[/youtube]


                  

[David In Indy]

I posted this one for Scott because he likes Batman and I don't! 

But who could EVER forget this music? WHEW!! I know I can't. 

Dad always watched this show when I was a little kid. And I always wondered why we can't see Batman or Robin's eyes in the opening cartoon? Did you ever notice that? There's only skin there! Where are their eyes? I think they have their masks pulled down too low! 

And how many of you also thought Batman and Robin were probably gay? I always wondered about those two even when I was a little kid! 

This clip is about 38 seconds long. 

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQBobrCBTNI[/youtube]

[Wishes]

Dynasty. I could not wait for that show every week.

And Sanford and Son sure brings back memories.

Those were my two votes.

[David In Indy]

Thanks for sharing the clip.  Aw, man.  I love "Sanford and Son."  When I was a kid, my best pals, Larry and Michael, and I would watch it together whenever we had the chance.  6:30 on Channel 31.  We loved Aunt Esther the best.  I wanna be like her when I grow up.  Lawanda Page was just funny.  Every other word out of her mouth was hilarious, just the way she said it, her facial expressions.  She had sassy joi di vire.  "You came here with teeth. . ." 

There were two degrees of separation between Lawanda and me.  The first degree told me that, although Lawanda was in ill health, had lost a leg to diabetes, and was in a wheelchair, she would still talk about getting herself a hot man once she felt better.  She was a hoot. 

I was never a big fan of Lawanda Page. I always felt she portrayed all the negatives of the African American community (I am part African American). She was a loud mouthed, church going, bible thumping, bossy and aggresive ghetto Black woman. She always offended me. Actually Sanford and Son offended me, but I always did love Redd Fox. He was a great comedian, and it was because of him that I watched the show. And, naturally, I thought Lamont was such a hunk! Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against those who loved the show. It was very popular, and it still is. But I sometimes wonder if it's popular for all the wrong reasons. Just like Will and Grace offends me as a gay man. Who is everyone laughing at and why? I liked Sanford and Son much better when it was only Fred and Lamont in the show. The two of them had a great chemistry together. 

But didn't any of ya'll watch the opening clip to Leave It To Beaver? I always thought Tony Dow (Wally) was a hunk, and I had a HUGE crush on him even as an 8 year old child. 

[dot-matrix]

OH man    I just realized I know the words to all the songs with words and the melodies for all the rest!   How sick is that    I think I may have watched too much TV in the 60's and 70's..... The only one not on there is "Laverne and Shirley" ...I know that one  too 

[David In Indy]

Here you go Dottie!! 

Yeah, Laverne and Shirley was a really good show. Great opening theme song too!


[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRmKzxhMzwo[/youtube]

[dot-matrix]

Thanks David 

[David In Indy]

Classic!  My siblings and I were big fans of this one.  Lotsa laffs outta this one.  My brother and I even named our two dogs Laverne and Shirley.  And I LOVED the Big Ragu. 

The big Ragu? You mean Carmine? Yeah, he was cute, wasn't he? Innocent and gullable, and VERY hunky! 

I always thought Lenny was cute too. People were like "Eww. David. You like Lenny??!!!" Yeah, I like Lenny! So shoot me! 

[David In Indy]

LA Law

Remember that one? Okay, it was from the late 1980's and early 1990's but I started this thread so I'm allowed to cheat a little, right? 

[youtube=425,350]http://youtube.com/watch?v=mVhf9zZ5fJI[/youtube]

And Harry Hamlin was DA BOMB!!! That man threatened to blow out my TV set every time I tuned him in!! Remember him in "Making Love" and "Clash of the Titans"?? Wheeeeeeeew! WHEW!! Lord have mercy that man was hot!! 

*David frantically fans himself*

But I digress.

LA Law was a really good show, don't ya think? 


Edit: Oops! Harry Hamlin isn't in this clip! I guess I should go back and find one prior to 1991! I don't sometimes watch these before I post them; the perils of a dial-up connection! 

[David In Indy]

Here he is!!

It's a bit blurry and crappy, but this clip is from Season Three and my man Harry Hamlin is in this one! I checked first!! 

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA8f_TijZQs[/youtube]

Even when he's blurred, he still looks very magnanimous and sexy!!