Review: Television Greatest Hits

A look at the more notable themes on the first volume of TV theme song collections.

Ever since TV shows existed, there was the TV theme song. The whole point of opening a TV show with music was to set the mood for the program and what it was all about.

In many cases, the TV theme was simply an instrumental score. In other cases, the theme featured lyrics, often describing the premise of the show to viewers and, thus, setting the stage for what was to come next.

Many TV themes became noteworthy, even iconic. By the 1980s, there had been thousands of programs that hit the airwaves, from national networks to syndication, and when cable TV came along, there was now a place to get even more programs on the air.

Back in 1985, the TeeVee Toons record label launched and presented Television's Greatest Hits as one of its first releases. The new record featured 65 different themes from television shows in the 1950s and 1960s — a time in which in TV was relatively new but gaining in popularity.

I sat down this past week and listened to the first volume of Television's Greatest Hits, to refresh my memory about the theme songs. Some stick in my mind more than others. A few of the themes are noteworthy for who composed the theme, while a few had chart success, even if the TV show itself didn't last.

I have the first volume on record, which includes the theme songs in full (some were cut short on the CD version released several years later). The collection includes Don Pardo providing announcements for multiple bits to close out each record, along with one to open the collection. Those bits include:

* Peer Gynt Morning Suite: Back when TV studios first existed, they did not air program 24 hours a day. Thus, they would sign on early in the morning with music to greet viewers who happened to turn on their sets, to announce the start of the broadcast day. Here's a longer sample of the song, though in the case of the record, there’s birds chirping and roosters crowing, to the point that someone is heard shouting "cut the birds," the music is abruptly stopped (like when somebody unplugs a record player in the middle of the song) and Pardo then delivers his morning greeting.

* Test of the Emergency Broadcast System: Pardo is back to inform you of a test of the warning system the U.S. government required stations to perform, followed by "Duck and Cover," a song issued by the U.S. civil defense about what to do in case of a nuclear attack. (Here’s the song and civil defense explainer.) As I wrote the last time, this is why you should raise your eyebrows when people talk about the "good old days," because some things were, in fact, not so good.

* Please Stand By: Pardo with a message that the studio is experiencing technical difficulties.

* We Interrupt This Program... News Medley: Pardo informs you that they have important news to share, and that's followed by clips of news broadcasters giving reports, concluded by Pardo reminding you to watch the news at 11 (as in, your nighttime news broadcast that followed prime time on the east coast).

* WTV Toons Sign Off / Our National Anthem: Pardo is here to conclude the broadcast day and the national anthem follows, complete with fireworks, then you hear the faint sound that signals the studio is off the air.

But let's get to the theme songs themselves. Some of the theme songs were lifted directly from the TV show's recording, meaning you hear the sound effects or announcer's voice while an instrumental plays. In other cases, the themes are recorded specifically for the collection and, in plenty of cases, include the person who sang the lyrics for the original theme.

I won't go into detail about every single theme in the collection, but we'll go with the most notable themes, which would include the most iconic themes, a theme composed by a noteworthy name or a theme song that became so popular, it ranked high on the Billboard charts. I'll include links to the themes as much as possible, though in some cases, what's on the collection will differ because the theme was specifically recorded for it.

The Flintstones: Taken from the original TV recordings, though with a slight edit, the theme song describes the premise of the show, even going as far as to describe Fred's challenge of making sure the cat will stay out for the night. The slight edit to the theme accounts for the two variations the original recordings had, in which the "pull the tail of the bird to signal the end of the work day" bit either had the sound effect of a bird's cawing or a horn.

The Jetsons: A simpler theme which merely introduces to you to the family. While this show didn't stay on the air as long as The Flintstones in its original run, it became popular in syndication and even got new episodes released in 1984. There would even be a theatrical movie released. Interestingly, the show was set in the 21st century, but in many cases, we have yet to reach the technological advancements featured and we sure haven't figured out how to do a three-hour work day, three days a week.

Howdy Doody: One of the earliest children's variety shows released, the main star was the puppet that shared the show's name, along with the human host Buffalo Bob Smith. This is another theme that was lifted directly from a recording. In this case, the kids who were in the studio during the recording would sing the theme song along with Howdy and Smith. It's hard to make out the lyrics with so many kids singing, but on this recording, you can hear more than one kid saying hi to their parents at home as the camera pans over the crowd. (Here’s a clip of the theme, though this doesn’t include the kids singing along.)

The Beverly Hillbillies: One of several theme songs from a show with a rural premise, the type of show that proved popular at the time. In this case, the theme song is a version recorded for the collection but it explains the premise of Jed Clampett and his family, who discover oil on his property, become rich and then move to Beverly Hills, where they clash with the elites.

Mr. Ed: This show may have been forgotten by some, but once you hear the theme song, it's hard to get it out of your head. ("A horse is a horse, of course, of course...") The show only lasted four seasons and was never among the most popular, but holds the rare distinction of a show that started in syndication, then went to network prime time. The premise is that Mr. Ed is a talking horse, but the only person he'll ever talk to is Wilbur, the man who kept him in the stable.

The Munsters: A sitcom that focused on a family of ghouls, this show didn't last long but the theme song from the show’s second season held up over time. It's been sampled by multiple artists, including Dane Dane in the song "Nightmares" and Fall Out Boy in the song "Uma Thurman." The liner notes from the collection's CD say that Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster, later redid the theme song with a rock beat, title "Whatever Happened to Eddie?"

The Addams Family: Here's another sitcom that focused on a family of ghouls, though more people likely remember this one. Not only did the show last longer on the air, it was later turned into multiple theatrical releases. More importantly, the theme song gets plenty of airplay at sports events, because it's the perfect music to play to get the audience to clap — though on the theme song itself, it's finger snapping instead of clapping.

Dennis the Menace: Several comic strips got TV adaptations back in the 1950 and 1960s. For those who know the comic strip, Dennis Mitchell was known for getting into mischief and the theme music sets the mood for such mischief. It's worth noting the comic strip got a second adaptation in the 1980s, though as an animated series.

Leave It to Beaver: Theodore Cleaver was "The Beaver," as that was the nickname given to the youngest member of the Cleaver family. The CD liner notes state that the theme song, titled "The Toy Parade," weren't even recorded specifically for the show. However, it's become associated with it and is another theme song that sets the mood.

The Dick Van Dyke Show: The opening credits for the show were brief, but almost always featured the same premise: Rob Petrie (portrayed by Dick Van Dyke) is home from a day's work, his family there to greet him, but on the way, he trips over a hassock. The theme's musical notes play in time with this premise, in which the trip over the hassock would get people to say "whoops, boom!" There were times, though, when Petrie would notice the hassock and avoid it, which likely kept the audience wondering when he would or wouldn't trip.

Gilligan's Island: Perhaps the most iconic theme song among 1960s sitcoms, the show only lasted three years but enjoyed popularity in syndication. The theme song explains the show's premise and is so well remembered, you might still hear it being played somewhere whenever there's an island theme involved. Sherwood Schwartz, who had a talent for explaining a show's premise in a theme song, wrote the lyrics. I'll let you listen to the theme to be reminded about the show.

Star Trek: A case of a TV show that never caught on viewers, but gained a cult following that finally got episodes aired frequently in syndication. From there, its popularity grew, to the point that it warranted multiple theatrical releases and additional TV shows starting in the late 1980s. The theme song on the collection was recorded specifically for it but still includes William Shatner reciting the words that explain the premise of the show.

Lost in Space: The TV show may not be remembered as much, but its theme composer is one of the most notable when it comes to producing iconic movie themes: John Williams. He created two different versions for the show and the second version — the version recorded for the collection sounds like it could work as a movie theme — is the one included here. Williams, of course, would go on to be associated with multiple science fiction films, notably the Star Wars franchise.

The Twilight Zone: A theme song that perfectly sets the mood for Rod Serling's stories of the supernatural. Serling, of course, used the show to explore a host of topics, perhaps in hopes of getting viewers as much as to be entertained. The theme song is one of the most iconic themes of all time, to the point that a person doesn't have to watch an episode to know the opening notes of the theme.

Batman: The version of the theme was specifically recorded for the collection and includes dialogue from Adam West and Burt Ward. The theme that actually aired, though, didn't include such dialogue. Still, while the TV show didn't last long, the Batman character has stood the test of time and comic book fans know the show's theme all too well.

Bonanza: Westerns frequently aired on TV networks in the 1950s and 1960s, with Bonanza one of those that had the longest airtime — 14 seasons, with Gunsmoke the only other Western show airing for more. The show focused on the Cartwrights while the theme song charted at #19 in 1961. It's a theme song that people will likely recognize even if they never saw the show.

Branded: The show itself didn't last long but the theme song is noteworthy. It explains the premise well enough, in that the only survivor of the Battle of Bitter Creek during the Civil War is expelled from the army, accused of cowardice and must search for proof of his innocence.

The Lone Ranger: The theme song wasn't recorded specifically for the show, but I would imagine most people would know the William Tell Overture when they hear it. And that song does set the mood for when the show's main character would be off to the rescue to perform whatever good deed was before him.

Mission: Impossible: People today may be more familiar with the Tom Cruise movies but it all started with this spy genre TV show, which does a great job of setting the mood. Composed by Lalo Schifrin, the show's theme song made it to #41 on the pop charts.

Get Smart: The theme here is lifted from a TV show recording, to include the sound effects as Maxwell Smart makes his way to the secret headquarters of the spy network C.O.N.T.R.O.L. (the letters don't stand for anything). This sitcom hit the airwaves when the James Bond films were popular and served to spoof those movies. Mel Brooks and Buck Henry were the writers and developers of the show.

Secret Agent: The show originated in Great Britain and lasted just two seasons on U.S. airwaves. But the theme song, as performed by Johnny Rivers, made it to #3 on the Billboard charts. It's the perfect example of a TV theme song that caught on big even as the show itself didn't generate a lot of viewers.

Dragnet: One of the longest-running TV shows in history, people are likely to recognize the opening notes of the march, even if they have never seen the show itself. And, yes, the premise of the show featured actual police cases, with only the names of those involved changed. The CD liner notes state that the opening notes weren't even recorded specifically for the show — they were incidental music notes for a 1947 film called "The Killers."

Perry Mason: Originally a radio show created by attorney Eric Stanley Gardner, it was brought to television in 1957 and its popularity remained. Raymond Burr played the title character and will be forever associated with the role, though he did find other work (we'll get to another show of his later). The show focused on a defense attorney who sought to prove the innocence of his clients and find the real culprit, while the jazzy theme song is one that's hard to get out of your head. Interestingly, the show enjoyed a brief revival in the 1980s with Burr back in the title role.

Hawaii Five-O: Filmed entirely on location in Hawaii, the original version premiered in 1968 and featured one of the best examples of theme music that sets the mood. The show focused on the Hawaiian State Police and their investigations into the activities of the criminal underworld in Hawaii. The theme song, as performed by The Ventures, made it to #4 on the Billboard charts.

Ironside: While the show might not be remembered as well as others, it featured Burr in his second notable role. In this case, he was a former detective who was left paralyzed after a bullet grazed his spinal cord, but still went about performing investigations. The theme song (recorded specifically for the collection but cut short on the CD) was composed by Quincy Jones, who has won multiple Grammy awards for his work, which includes producing several albums for Michael Jackson.