With the corona virus wiping out the NCAA tournament that was supposed to go into full action today, someone posted the above TV show theme song bracket. Since the world is coming to an end, I figured why not play along and see what the top TV theme song (at least from these selections) is.
Barney Miller (#1) vs. Amen (#16)
This one isn’t even close. The bassline from the Barney Miller theme is a classic and easily surpasses the faux-gospel tune that introduced Amen.
Cheers (#9) vs. Harper Valley PTA (#8)
I’m surprised that the Cheers theme, known pretty much by everyone, is ranked this low. I’m not too familiar with the Harper Valley PTA theme (listening to it now, it sounds vaguely familiar), so I’ll go with the classic 8-9 upset and go with Cheers.
Roc (#5) vs. The Jeffersons (#12)
What the what? I don’t get this matchup at all. Movin’ On Up, performed by the recently departed Ja’net DuBois, was a rollicking good time that introduced The Jeffersons for 11 seasons. The Roc theme just doesn’t match up. It pains me to even call this an upset.
Facts of Life (#4) vs. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (#13)
You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have….. In West Philadelphia, born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days…. This is a tough one. You really can’t go wrong with either one. I even have two versions of both of them in my iTunes library. So, I leave it up to said library and, since Fresh Prince has the most listens, that gets the nod.
Golden Girls (#3) vs. Magnum P.I. (#14)
OK, if I can be honest for a moment, my initial reaction was that I didn’t even know the Magnum theme. A quick trip to YouTube later and I realize that of course I do and it is pretty iconic. That said, there was no doubt in my mind that I knew the Golden Girls theme, so that has to get the nod.
Dukes of Hazzard (#6) vs. Knight Rider (#11)
At first blush, this is a slam dunk in favor of Waylon Jennings and the Duke boys. But there’s something about the Knight Rider theme that just screams 80s. I guess I have to go with my gut, though, and stick with the country stylings from Hazzard County.
Happy Days (#7) vs. Greatest American Hero (#10)
I don’t know how this one is even a contest. Happy Days has a pretty good theme song for a long running, hit show. Greatest American Hero cannot claim to be the show Happy Days was, but Joey Scarbury provided a classic love ballad for its theme song that easily wins this battle.
A Different World (#2) vs. WKRP in Cincinnati (#15)
Both are nearly perfect examples of their time. I probably enjoy WKRP more, but I’m willing to concede that A Different World is the better song.
