Here are some wild stories behind some beloved TV theme songs.
[This was my weekly column for GlobalNews.ca. – AC]
Back when television meant three American networks and two Canadian ones, virtually everyone was aware of everything on TV. Even if you didn’t like or watch a particular show, chances are you knew about it. And one of the things that may have seeped into your mind was a show’s theme song.
Even when the number of channels and programs expanded, TV theme songs were ubiquitous, with many of them becoming top 40 hits (Theme from SWAT, The Rockford Files, Greatest American Hero, Peter Gunn, Hawaii Five-O, Miami Vice, etc.) that generated additional awareness and cash.
There’s a subgenre of music fans who love the subject of TV themes, the kind who were delighted when multi-volume collections like the Television’s Greatest Hits series (via the Tee-Vee Toons label) started appearing in 1985. I wonder if those aficionados know these stories.
Let’s start with The Twilight Zone.
