BARRY LEVINE: TV theme songs vital part of classic shows

Anyone who grew up watching 1960s television knows that a show’s theme song was as important as the actors or the script because it was usually the first and last thing the audience heard.

Here are eight of the more memorable TV themes in chronological order.

“Bonanza” (1959-73)

“Bonanza” featured a theme song composed by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans that was orchestrated by David Rose and arranged by Billy May for the series.

The second-longest running TV Western of all-time, the “Bonanza” theme song opened with a blazing Ponderosa map and the saddlebound Cartwrights, patriarch Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene) and his three sons, Adam (Pernell Roberts), Hoss (Dan Blocker) and Little Joe (Michael Landon). The melodic intro, emulating galloping horses, is one of the most recognized television themes.

After using two sets of lyrics in its early seasons, the producers eventually settled on an instrumental version.

“Andy Griffith Show” (1960-68)

Earle Hagen and Herbert Spencer wrote the theme for “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Hagen, who also composed themes for “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “I Spy,” “The Mod Squad” and “That Girl,” felt it needed a simple theme to go along with Mayberry’s laid-back style.

That’s why he whistled “The Fishin’ Hole” theme with Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) walking to a nearby lake with his young son Opie (Ronnie Howard) with their fishing poles in hand.

“The Odd Couple” (1970-75)

The TV show starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger, a neat-freak studio photographer, and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison, a sloppy sports columnist, and was based on the play of the same name by Neil Simon.

The unique opening theme consisted of veteran actor Bill Woodson reciting the words with the well-known “Odd Couple” music in the background.

Woodson’s reading set the stage for the show. Here’s the beginning of the opening segment. “On Nov. 13, Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence. That request came from his wife. Deep down, he knew she was right.”

“All in the Family (1971-79)”

Lee Adams and Charles Strouse wrote “Those Were The Days,” the opening theme song for “All in the Family.” It was presented with Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) and his wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton), seated at a piano and singing the tune together.

What made the tune more interesting was Stapleton’s shrill singing voice.

“All in the Family” producers Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin opted to employ different versions of the song throughout the series.

“Sanford and Son” (1972-77)

Quincy Jones wrote the instrumental theme song for “Sanford & Son,” which starred Red Foxx as the cantankerous junkyard dealer Fred Sanford and his grown son and co-worker, Lamont, played by Demond Wilson.

The multiGrammy-winning composer, who had worked with Foxx at The Apollo theater in New York during the 1940s, has said that he wrote the theme song in 20 minutes. He then grabbed four musicians and recorded it in approximately 20 minutes.

“M*A*S*H” (1972-83)

The M*A*S*H theme song, “Suicide Is Painless,” was written by Johnny Mandel, who composed the music, and Mike Altman, who wrote the lyrics. It was the theme song for both the 1970 movie and the long-running TV series.

Altman is the son of the original film’s director, Robert Altman, and was 14 when he wrote the song’s lyrics.

The elder Altman admitted in an interview on the “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” that he made $70,000 for directing the movie, while his son had earned more than $1 million for having co-written the song.

Several instrumental versions of the song were used as the theme for the TV series.

“Happy Days” (1974-84)

Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox wrote the theme song for “Happy Days,” which was heard during the show’s opening and closing credits.

The song was first recorded in 1974 by Jim Haas with a group of other session singers for the first two seasons.

The song was released as a single in 1976 and quickly became a Top 10 hit.

“Cheers” (1982-93)

“Where Everybody Knows Your Name” is the theme song from the 1980s sitcom “Cheers.” Julian A. Williams, Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo wrote the song and Portnoy performed it.

Shortly after “Cheers” premiered, Portnoy returned to the studio to record a version of the song that made the pop charts.

Portnoy and Angelo wrote and submitted two potential themes for “Cheers” producers Glen and Les Charles. One of the submissions, entitled “Another Day,” contained a lyric line why people might want to go to a place like “Cheers” — a place “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.”

The songwriters recorded a simple demo of the new song for the Cheers’ producers. Upon hearing it, the Charles brothers gave their stamp of approval. “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” was officially designated the “Theme from Cheers.”

This week in rock history: Albany’s Ray Charles reached the top of the R&B chart for the first time on May 7, 1955, with “I Got A Woman.” … Also on this date in 1966, Simon & Garfunkel’s “I Am a Rock” entered the charts. It peaked at No. 3. … Wayne Newton, 16, made his Las Vegas debut at the Freemont Hotel on May 9, 1959. That first booking was scheduled to last two weeks, but stretched into three years. Newton became the king of the Vegas showrooms, earning close to $20 million a year. … The Rolling Stones produced their first recordings in London on May 10, 1963, but Decca Records rejected them all, calling them “dreadful.”

Buddy Holly & The Crickets auditioned for “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” program on May 11, 1957, but were rejected. … The Everly Brothers had their second chart-topper with “All I Have To Do Is Dream” on May 12, 1958. … Also on this date in 1960, “Frank Sinatra’s Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley” was broadcast on ABC-TV. For a fee of $125,000, Elvis sang his current releases, “Stuck On You” and “Fame And Fortune” and later traded hits with Sinatra, with Elvis singing “Witchcraft” and Sinatra belting out “Love Me Tender.”

Barry “The Old Rocker” Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].