Best Theme Songs

It's time for the telecast brought to you by

the Geekcast Radio Network Hello, as he said,

I am your host, Optimus Solo, and I'd like to

thank you all for joining me for another special

edition supplemental episode of The Telecast.

Today, we're giving you the fourth of our six

supplemental episodes, and for those of you that

haven't been paying attention to supplemental

episodes, basically give us a chance to take

a relaxed look at the... Season one genre without

having to talk about any specific show in detail

and the topic for this supplemental episode is

the top theme songs from kids live -action programming

So the only criteria here is basically that it

had to be a kids live -action program that we

grew up with which basically means an 80s or

90s show and to help me go through the top theme

songs of all time for this genre is none other

than the fucking great one tfd you and mike jesus

you're definitely getting something put in there

um no no no so hello sir yes hello um now i need

to clarify again we didn't discuss this beforehand

uh... As of this time, you just came out of a

thunderstorm and stuff. No, it wasn't just a

thunderstorm apparently. Tornadoes. Not the kind

that hit Missouri and killed everybody, but yes,

it threw trees around. It left me with no power

for six hours yesterday something like that Yeah,

and I now have a pine tree in my backyard that

I did not have before So we didn't get a chance

to talk before we recorded this. So I basically

just took it as pick your ten favorites or your

ten best from season one of Telecast. As did

I, so that's good. So all of mine are just from

season, like you're not going to hear the Nick

Arcade song. You're not going to hear anything

about Mighty Morphin' Power. Anyway. Why does

that have to, well... Because they made an appearance

in one of our other self -medal episodes. Oh,

yeah, well that's all JT's fault. Exactly, JT.

Never do that again, even though you already

told me he was going to do it again at some point.

I do want to make clear, though, that we have

independently come up with our list and we don't

know each other's lists. That's what I just said.

We haven't talked in like seven and a half hours.

We made our list separately. For those of you

that have not listened to supplemental episodes

before, basically how this is going to work is

we're just going to ... bounce back and forth,

he's gonna give his number ten, I'll give my

ten, and we will work our way to our number one.

So, I think that's enough rambling. Do we need

to say anything else before we get right into

it? Nope. Alright, then why don't you hit us

with your tenth best theme song. I'm scared.

I'm already scared. I'm so glad I don't have

a metal plate in my head. You know. The Adventures

of Pete and Pete. Boo. Shut up. The song was

good. The intro visual was kind of weird, but

I really liked Hey Sandy. I thought that was

a really cool song. It was a interesting song.

I just don't picture it as a theme song. Well,

for that show, I mean... Maybe it's my Pete and

Pete hate that's coming out. Yeah, it is. Alright,

so you started with Pete and Pete and I'll start

with one that you probably won't like. Salute

your shorts. No, my number 10 is a, let's just

call it a lost theme song. Oh god. The theme

song from today's special. It's just so great.

It makes me want to sing it right now and I'm

not going to. That, you know. Shout it loud and

clear, anyway. Before you found the lost episode,

we weren't sure if you were going to be able

to get Christopher Stapleton from Chicken Pot

Pot. I said, well, if it worst comes to worst,

when episode 12 at the time, because that's what

today's special is supposed to be episode 12,

if worst comes to worst, I can join in or whatever

and just kind of go off what I've seen. Before

you linked it to me. I had never seen this show

in my entire life, and I'm so freaking glad This

is why Canadians scare me. It's a great show

If you don't know what today's special is Please

go back and listen to the last episode of the

telecast and you will love it anyway You'll learn

lots of cool things about it, but that's my number

10. So what's your number nine? You know the

science guy I so thought about putting that one

on my list only because of that line Besides

that the only reason why I put it on my list

is because of the singer in one of the last episodes

of Hannah Montana made mention of Bill Nye and

she sung it in that Nice in that tone of what

theme song is well to me like that line is one

of the best lines of a theme song But to me the

rest of the theme song is lacking Just my personal

opinion like I don't care about any of the rest

of it The only part I like is the bill neither

sign that's the only part I like yeah My number

nine is another educational guy good old mr.

Rogers How can you not like Mr. Rogers and the

neighborhood song. I mean that's just classic

I mean I can't put it too much higher because

it's one of those To piggyback on what you always

go off on it is one of those educational preschool

ish type shows Which doesn't take away from the

theme song, but it's not like a it's not something

like it's it's not like a kick -ass theme song

It's see a good nostalgic theme song This list

I like for me I didn't rank them like ten is

worst one is best Even though my number ten is

probably in some people's opinions the worst

of my number one could be the best but for me

when I was making my list I Went by what I liked

more So it's kind of making it one one is the

best and tennis. Well one is your favorite Right,

but what you'll see is as my list go down, it's

like what I like more. So it's starting with

Pete and Pete, Bill and I, and then whatever

my number eight is, it's me telling you what

theme songs I like better and better and better.

Oh yeah, it's basically the same with me with

a little inkling of also a little bit of quality

control as far as it has to be a kick -ass song

for me to have it at the very top. But Mr. Rogers

is like, it's one of the most unforgettable songs.

It's one of the most nostalgic, like everybody

remembers it. I just can't put it above some

of the ones, I can't put it above any of the

ones I have yet to come and hopefully people

will agree with me. Where are we going next?

My number eight is Sesame Street. Can you tell

me how to make it? Anyway, this is like the same

as Mr. Rogers basically. It's one of those nostalgic,

good, everybody knows it. I actually did not

put it on my list. I feel wrong. It was number

11. It just didn't make the cut for me. It's

just too... I don't know. The kids drive me nuts

every once in a while. The kids and their singing.

But my number eight is kind of in the same...

Ballpark my number eight is down at Fraggle Rock

down Fraggle Rock Another ensign creation here

and the reason Fraggle Rock made it for me over

Sesame Street You know is because to me Fraggle

Rock is the least not the least the less annoying

of the two songs I think both songs are good,

but I could only listen to Sesame Street once

every great while You know, I'm by no means like

put me putting in a number eight am I? By no

means saying I could listen to this theme song

over and over and over again No, where's the

rock I can listen to every once in a while. Yeah

But I don't know I for me Fraggle Rocks just

a little bit better in Sesame Street. Where do

you go next? My number seven is Fraggle Rocks

great minds think somewhat alike You're in agreement

with me on this one, yes Cash cares away. I mean

come on Yeah, but it's more so, like, Sesame

Street, I like the theme tune to it. But the

kids singing. Well, right, but I like the actual

song of Sesame Street, but the visual was, the

visual was okay, but it wasn't like... the best

ever. Fraggle Rock, you have a story being told

between Sprocket and, what's his, what's the

stupid human's name? Sprocket, oh boy. What's

the old guy's name? Just call him the old guy.

Yeah. Go back and listen to it. I know, yeah.

Go back and listen to Telecast episode 14, right.

Thanks, Rain Man. Exactly. But, you know... It

told a story through and through. It started

with them. It went to Gobo. It went to the Fraggles.

You had the Doosers. You had Ogre... I think

the Ogre Things. And then I forget what they're

called. Grumbles or Grambles? I don't know. Brownlings?

I don't know. You had the big giant Ogres. And

then you had the actual title of the title card.

And it just told a story of you knew what could

happen in each episode. It was a complete theme

song. Yeah. And what I mean by complete, like

when I think about it, if I'm really going to

break down a theme song, first of all, is the

music. part good. Second of all, is there actually

like verses and somewhat of a chorus? Like does

it actually follow somewhat of a song instead

of just being a couple words? And third, does

it introduce you to the show to the point where

you're ready to watch even if you've never seen

another show, the theme song does everything

it needs to do so that you can pick right up.

And Fragile Rock does all those things. Yes,

I think the Henson love fest should continue.

So for my number seven, I'm gonna go with the

Muppet show So we've had Sesame Street two Fragile

Rocks and now the Muppet show So apparently Henson's

do somewhat decent job when they pick their theme

songs. Yeah the Muppet show it's just To me just

a touch better than the Fragile Rock song Out

of the three out of the trifecta Muppets is the

best. Yes So we're in agreement. Sesame Street,

then Fragile Rock, then Muppets for not only

show quality, but for also theme song quality.

So yeah, I don't want to go into too much detail

about it. It's just classic Muppets. Everybody

should be familiar with this song. Again, it's

a good song that sets a good stage for the show.

That's all I can say about it. Number six. The

Muppets. Again, we did not coordinate our list.

This is random. I originally had these three

shows differently placed in my list, but I had

to place them where they are now because of other

things that are coming up. The Muppet Show to

me, the Muppet Show theme, again, like with Fraggle

Rock. It tells you a story. It gives you the

two funniest old guys in television history as

far as puppetry. It gives you redonkulous gonzo

at the end with a horn or a chicken or tuba or

whatever he's got. Something blowing up. Yeah.

I don't want to get into green with Envy. No.

I cannot talk about that without laughing. The

music was great, the visuals were great, and

again, that's why it's my number six. So what's

your number six? My number six is something,

this is probably the one I debated about the

most. My one through five was easy as pie. My

number six, I really thought of almost not even

including it on my countdown at all, but somehow

it made it in at number six. It's still another

kind of preschool elementary show, and I went

with a reading rainbow. Like I said, part of

me says it shouldn't be on my list and part of

me says it should be number six. There's no in

between here. But something about the catchiness

of this theme song did it for me. Now, I could

see some people saying it's kind of annoying

in a way like Sesame Street is annoying because

it's kind of that high pitch or whatever. Know

something about the way they like I just I don't

know it was reading rainbow. I was ready. I was

ready to read I Know most people probably won't

agree that that's one of the top ten theme songs

from this season But I put it at number six so

deal with it people. So basically the first half

of our countdowns has been Henson Shows with

a little reading rainbow and mr. Rogers today

special with me and with you you had Bill Nye

and Pete and Pete so Don't know we kind of had

a theme going there with the younger shows, you

know, where are we going with our second half?

My number five is mr. Rogers. Alrighty simply

for its Its iconography because everybody knows

this you don't even have to hear his voice. You

just hear that Yeah, that very first note of

the music and then you see the visual and you

see him and he's talking to you like you're in

his house. It's very comforting. Yeah. And that's

something that was good about that whole show

and it started with the theme song. From there

to the end, you were comforted, you were comfortable,

you were ready to go. It's warm and fuzzy. You're

not going to like my number five either, I don't

think, but this to me is just one of those songs

that is always in my head and I could just bust

out randomly singing this song and you will never

know when it's going to happen. I could be at

work, like when I used to work at Target and

once the store closed, this might be the one

I start singing. I might start singing DuckTales,

but I might start singing Hey Dude. It's just

something about this song and I love westerns

and I know you don't like this show that much

but It's coming out on DVD and I'm happy so I

had to put the theme song at number five Yeah,

hey, dude Number four I thought about this one

My number four is Clarissa explains it all thought

about it I think my top three are gonna actually

throw you for a loop. Well, my top three, number

three and number two might throw you for a loop,

but yeah. Just that tune, that's all you needed

for that show. I mean, yes, she says something

at the end, but it's very simple and sometimes,

you know... Simple as best. It was one of those

at the time you heard that you knew exactly what

was coming on. Oh, yeah first note Just like

boom. Oh, it's Clarissa time You're gonna see

a theme that begins now I guess with uh, oh god

My number four has something to do with I'm standing

at the edge of tomorrow Say by the bell of college

years Okay, I I don't know why because it's very

like distorted It's very music heavy. It's almost

a rock tune. Yeah, but just something about that

show. I loved that theme song. This is one of

the first theme songs I ever downloaded when

I was in college downloading music. It was one

of the first theme songs that popped into my

head that I was like, I need that song on my

computer. It's just, I don't know, something

about it. Like you said, that rock feel, but

yet still... Saved by the bell ish. Mm -hmm.

I don't know Agree with me disagree. Whatever.

What's your number three? The classic the original

saved by the bell, which is hard to be It's hard

to beat that everybody knows that song that's

one of the most known songs in the world. Yeah

Just again a theme song that told a story Yeah,

and it fit with the visual introduction to the

show Bell and this was before they had the whole

thing of oh We have to show you a prologue and

then we can show you the show intro and then

we can go into the action This is like Like okay

Best example I can give you is after a Disney

Channel show ends They have that Disney Channel

original thing pop up, you know that you know

some sort of production Logo, okay. Yeah. So

at the end of one show You have that production

logo, and instead of the next show, maybe there'd

be a few commercials, whatever, instead of the

next show starting with a prologue, you would

always get right into it. The next show's theme,

the next show's opening. And I miss that. As

much as I don't mind the prologue type of the

way television is going these days, I miss just

starting a show with a theme song. And hearing

that bell ring, to start the thing off, you're

like, yes! Saved by the bell time. Yeah. Oh,

I love this. Number three. California dreams,

don't wake me up if I'm dreaming. I mean, come

on, the whole show was about a rock band. The

California Dreams. We never got into that show.

The California Dreams were a rock band, a teen

rock band. Their theme song, Better Be Good.

Yeah, exactly. And it was good. It was great.

It's one of my favorite theme songs of all time.

It's almost good enough to be a standalone song

that could have been played on the radio. I mean,

disagree with me if you want, but I think that

song could have been a hit without the show.

All right, we're down to the top two. What do

you got for me? The college years? We think so

much alike. Just because... I'm gonna go shoot

myself. We don't want to give people the wrong

idea. I'm gonna go shoot myself. No, but seriously,

I... Like... I'm gonna get off. The edge of tomorrow.

When... Sorry. It had been, like, how much time

passed between... Very long. Would you say one,

two years, maybe? I think it was something close

to that. We'll get to that here in a couple episodes.

right noble i know i know that what i'm saying

is like i'm trying to remember how much time

passed between bell classic and college years

because i'd like after if it wasn't a couple

years it had to at least have been six months

because after the whole zack and kelly get married

at the end of bell uh... I went on to other things.

I was like, okay, they've got their happy ending.

You know, that's it. It's the same year. It started

the same year. Oh, did it? Really? Huh. Save

By The Bell The Classic was original run until

May of 93. And Save By The Bell The College Year

started in May of 93. Really? Wow. So they immediately

went into it, apparently. I must have called

it. My information's wrong. It basically started

at the same time. Must have caught it in syndication

then when it was like maybe in reruns because

I I don't remember in 1993 I do not remember

after Zack and Kelly's wedding. Yeah, the Hawaiian

special whatever the fuck that was I Pilot happened

in May. I guess the see the actual series didn't

start until September that year. Okay. See yeah

That's that's what it is then the pilot must

have happened, but I know I don't think I ever

caught the pilot that's what happened then because

After the wedding stuff happened, I moved on.

I didn't know anything about it. Sometime later

that year, October, November, whatever, I turned

on whatever, I think it was NBC or whatever channel

had Saved by the Bell, I turned it on and I'm

like, what the fuck? What's Zach doing with Screech

in this dorm? Then I heard the theme song and

I was hooked. That theme song is great. There

is only, and in my opinion out of season one,

there is only one theme song that can top that

theme song. Well, I can see your point and I'm

going to disagree with you because I have California

Dreams obviously ahead of it and two more songs

ahead of it. But what I'm saying is like for

my list there's only one theme like I'm saying.

Outside of California dreams and outside of whatever

else I'm saying that Save By The Bell The College

Years, there's only one other show in the entirety

of season one that can beat it. And I already

know which one you're talking about. My number

two is the classic Save By The Bell. So we just

have ours flip -flops kind of. But to me it's

something, like I like the song, I like the College

Years song better. Just by itself, but the the

feelings and the original conjures up in me you

know of that show and And just knowing every

single word of that song Instantly like everybody

knows it's not you don't just know the song You

know the words like and the bell ringing at the

beginning and it's just like yes. I love this

show I don't know what else to say except for

saved by the bells awesome and Say, by the Bellacollege

years, it's also awesome, and both of their theme

songs are awesome. For a second there, I thought

you said, you know, it's where everybody knows

your name, like, whoa, whoa, wait, that's a completely

different season of Telecast. Anyway. But I think

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and I'm going

to predict that we both have the exact same number

one. And so what we're going to do is we're going

to give you a little drum roll here, followed

by... the the number one theme song from season

one. Carmen Sandiego. Steal that stolen spot

to Rio, make it look like a triumph from the

Red Sea to the free land in the East. Sing in

the blues. Well, they never are, you saw her

steal the Mekong from the jungle county. And

where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? She goes

by Nashville to Norway, by the end, to Zimbabwe,

Chicago, to Czechoslovakia, and back, well, she'll

rent that bracket. Where in the world is Carmen

Sandiego? Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?

So I did a little risk taking there. I took a

chance because I actually have no idea what Mike's

number one is. But you got to take risks sometimes.

And I'm guessing your number one is the song

that just played, which is hopefully you're not

going to throw me under the bus here in a second.

Hopefully I'm not wrong. Where in the world is

Carmen Sandiego? Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

Yes. Alright, so I apparently do know you too

well. I'll let you start. Why number one? Uh,

Rockabella. I mean, seriously. These guys, for

it only being a game show, I'm sorry, between

them and Lynn Thigpen, those are the two main

things I remember from that game show, was the

song, the band, and just the way that it is.

I agree. This is something about Rakapella that

is just epic. Yes, epic. And this song is awesome.

The reason this is the number one song is because

I guarantee, unlike any of these other songs

that we've talked about, some people somewhere

tuned into this show only to hear them sing.

Yup. Now, you cannot say that about any of these

other shows. As good as the Saved by the Belt

theme songs were, you tuned in to watch the show.

This, you tuned in to hear Rockapella. And the

show was good too, but Rockapella trumped the

show. Rockapella stamped the show as, this is

really our show. We're just letting you parade

it around like a game show. Exactly. And I don't

know if that's the only way I can put it. That's

the best way to put it. This theme song not only

is the best game show theme song of all time,

it's not only the best kids live action theme

song of all time. Like I said, all time, not

just from what we grew up in. I've never heard

a kids show with a better theme song of any decade.

No, I have to agree. We're not talking about

cartoons. Right cartoons are different and we

could have some arguments with cartoons. Yeah,

but as far as like a live -action kids show I

don't care if you're talking about 70s 80s 90s

2000s, whatever. This is the best theme song

in that genre And I don't want people to be thinking

that that was the only one we were going to play

for you. You just got to hear the number one

theme song. You are going to hear a mashup at

the end though of the other songs that we mentioned.

So don't think that you're done hearing some

epic... music in this episode. We can't have

a theme song supplemental episode without more

theme songs being heard. But before we get to

that, what are your thoughts kind of on theme

songs in general, the theme songs from season

one, your list, my list, whatever? I mean, like

I said back then, I mean, I really don't count

the game shows because like, okay, Carmen's great.

Carmen is, as we just said, the best. As far

as kids live action television with what we're

dealing with here in Season 1 of Telecast, I'm

not counting the game show themes. I'm counting

the actual television show themes where I can

say that, you know, it's what got you into the

show. Yeah. You didn't need a prologue. You didn't

need a funny prologue gag or you didn't need

a funny opening skit gag and then go into it.

I know that's the norm of today with television

and that's fine. It works for today's standards.

But back then in the 90s, late 80s, early 90s,

everybody wanted to hear that theme song or whatever

it is. Doesn't matter what show it is. Everybody

wanted to see. Oh, God, it's funny. No, it's

funny because I thought of another puppet show.

Oh, geez. Well, I know you don't care. Thank

God you don't care about this as much. In season

five of Angel, there's an episode called Smile

Time, and it's a kids' television show much like

Muppets, Sesame Street, but... Puppet angel because

he's so excitable as soon as he hears the theme

song He goes nuts and just just runs right over

to the TV and just puts his face right up here

to the center of the TV That's what theme songs

did back then. Yeah, they got us into the show

if you Didn't like a theme song. Okay, great

if You know if you didn't hear the theme song

chances are you probably wouldn't watch that

show, right? Well, and for me, what makes a good

theme song and what I thought about when I was

creating my list, number one, do you know what

the show is from the first one or two notes?

If you instantly know what show we're talking

about by just hearing those first couple bars

of a theme song, then it had a chance to make

my list, which most of these you know instantly.

You know, it can't be something where you're

having to listen for 10, 15 seconds before you

realize what show you're listening to. Exactly.

Number two, you know, some of these songs made

my list because they stand alone. Like I said

to the California Dream song, and there's other

ones you could say that for, the song almost

doesn't need the show to be a song that people

enjoy. And like I said with Carmen San Diego,

if you tuned in because of the theme song, that's

the ultimate as far as making a good theme song.

And in Rockefeller, we're genius. So I love all

these theme songs. I'm such a nerd because I

actually have a playlist on my iTunes that is

TV theme songs. And I think maybe once every

couple of weeks, I just put it on shuffle and

start listening to theme songs. That's how much

I love these things. But I don't know. Theme

songs are great when they're done right. Unfortunately,

they're not always done right. But these shows

that we mentioned, most of them, at least the

ones I picked, were done right. The ones I picked

were done right for what show was. I'm just kidding.

Alright, I think that does it for this supplemental

episode of the Telecast. I'd like to thank Mr.

TFG1Mike for being on with me today. The fucking

great one, yes, you're welcome. And I'd like

to thank everybody else for tuning in and listening

to us here on the Telecast. If you want to leave

feedback for the show, this is what you need

to do. Go listen to one of the regular Telecast

episodes and find out how. I like doing that.

For now, we hope we succeeded in entertaining

you, informing you, and most importantly, unleashing

the geek in you on this special episode of The

Telecast. And we hope that you will tune in for

our next episode when we start a brand new block

of episodes with Good Morning Miss Bliss. For

now, I'm your host, Optimus Solo, with TFJ and

Mike. Thank you for saying that right. And we

will see you in 10 days for another episode of

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