TV Theme Songs

I thought it was time for another top ten post, this time the subject is TV Theme Songs. This became harder than I thought it would be. First, there are a lot of songs to choose from, do I break down the category to cartoons and real people. Some of the best are from cartoons, The Flintstones and The Jetsons just to name two. The second problem was the breakdown of songs into categories. I think that there are three types of theme songs, one, the instrumental. Two, the narrative, and three the lyrical.
So let's start with the instrumental. What songs quickly bring back memories of a time in your life or just a great TV show.
Hawaii 50
Miami Vice
Bonanza
The Munsters
Peter Gunn
Mission Imposable
You see my problem, off the top of my head here are six great theme songs and that's just from the instrumental list.
The narrative, this is the one that everyone remembers, and can sing along with. I can give you the first line and you can name the show.
"Let me tell a story 'bout a man named Jed"
"Their creepy and their kooky"
"There's a hold up in the Bronx, Brooklyn broken out in fights"
"Here's a story of a lovely lady"
"Now this is the story all about how, My life got flipped, turned upside down"
"She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing Queens"
(Answers in the comments section)
Six more, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The lyrical theme, it has words but doesn't tell the story of the show.
The number one has to be Cheers, when you hear it you know what show is on, so let's try the quiz again.
"Boy the way Glenn Miller played"
"Hey Baby I hear the blues a calling"
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, Sclemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated"
"Who can turn the world on with her smile"
Then there are the ones that have lyrics but don't use them, M*A*S*H, you know the tune and if you saw the movie you would know the lyrics to the song, Suicide is Painless.
Some shows used a combination like The Odd Couple it started with a narrative but ended with just music.
There are shows that used popular songs as the theme (this could be a chicken or egg situation)
Friends used I'll be there for you by the Rembrandt's
Happy Days started with Rock Around the Clock by Bill Halley and the Comets
Keeping with the 50's icons who else but the King, Elvis Presley for the theme to Las Vegas.
So these are just a few of the theme songs that rattle around in my head all day, I hope they bring back fond memories for you, so let's end this post singing,
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful ship.
That started from this tropic port,
Aboard this tiny ship........