Top 5 TV Theme Songs That Are Better Than The Shows

Growing up, I watched a lot of TV – especially cartoons and sitcoms. I had my favourites and this could act as another nostalgia trip. But one thing I’ve never seen fellow TV and film bloggers talk about, are the rare times when the theme songs are actually better than the TV shows.

This is a short list of shows where all the best writing and composition seems to have gone into the theme tunes, which still kick ass today and I regularly find myself listening to when I’m not in the mood for something evil or speculative. It’s a short glimpse into the deep and dark world of my cynicism about the entertainment I grew up with.

So without further ado, here are the Top 5 TV Theme Songs That Are Better Than The Shows:

5. “Where I Find My Heaven” from Game On.

I’ve included this awesome power pop number at the top of this list because I’ve already talked about it on my Top 20 90s list. And because the sitcom, portraying the lad culture of the 90s in its most misogynistic never once achieved to deliver a good laugh. Game On my have turned off for me but Gigolo Aunts will remain as one of my all time favourite One Hit Wonders.

Here’s the show:

And more importantly, the song:

4. “I’ll Be There For You” from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Yes indeed, I fucking hated this show growing up. Sorry to all you keen Friends fans reading this, but I cannot ever recall finding a single joke in this hugely overrated pile of TV shite amusing.

Oddly enough, this song also qualifies as a One Hit Wonder, and I would love to see the awesome Todd In The Shadows do a video about The Rembrandts. As far as I’m aware, this was their only hit to get onto the Billboard 100 and it will remain a keen favourite of mine forever more. Interestingly if you want to see Matt LeBlanc at his funniest, I suggest you watch Episodes.

3. Every Pokemon Theme Beyond The “Orange League” Season & Every Power Rangers Theme Beyond “Mighty Morphin” Season.

Once again a tie. Not between two songs, but between two shows – both of whom had excellent first seasons but then descended into poorly written, over complicated mythologies I just couldn’t keep up with.

And with those poorly written seasons, all the effort seems to have gone into the theme songs, hoping to pull the purists back into the swing of things – only to remind us we’ve been away too long so we don’t have a clue of the characters, what’s going on or where the hell the story is taking place.

And thankfully a fellow YouTube blogger, whose band were supported by my friends on the London metal circuit, has made up a fantastic medley of every one of these themes. Thank you PelleK, keep up the good work. (Please subscribe to his channel, it is awesome even if you don’t listen to metal).

Pokemon:

And Power Rangers:

2. The Gummi Bears Theme.

This show had a few funny moments, but it really is nothing to write home about. I did grow up with Disney, but this show never got me hooked the same way classics like Recess, Hercules, Buzz Lightyear and Chip N Dale did. 

But this is a classic example of a time when theme songs were big business in the music industry. Whoever wrote and performed this piece must have been a professional composer with a full backup of musicians, as it sounds like Jim Steinman playing kid friendly Power Metal.

Here’s to the Gummi Bears. Awful show; awesome theme.

And The Number One Best Theme Song That’s Better Than The Show Is:

“Run With Us” from The Raccoons.

There was a running theme in late 80s/early 90s cartoons about environmentalism. What kids didn’t know, was they were watching shows peddled by multi millionaires like Ted Danson (Captain Planet, etc). In order to save the planet and human race from extinction, we had to watch shows of poorly written anthropomorphic animals and buy overpriced, sweat-shop produced merchandise. 

And among that canon of pseudo-eco warrior bollocks, came this poor show about a bunch of raccoons trying to save their home from a money hungry business alien. And with it came the catchiest, spine tingling piece of 80s New Wave since Toto’s Africa.

The Raccoons was never anything to write home about, and I always waited for the end credits as “Run With Us” always made me feel empowered. Now there’s something that could have held a better message: music, not corporate TV. I use this song every now and again to remember that I have passion for the things I love and I’m not alone. The New Wave years are pretty much epitomised in this four minute gem. Let’s hope this song lives on forever and the show and its creators just rot to oblivion.

Alt-Fest: The Festival That Never Was

As many people may have seen around the internet by now, the brand new music festival Alt-Fest has been cancelled. I for one am very disappointed in this decision because it was my choice of summer festival, and I bought tickets for my girlfriend for her birthday.

But even though there are a lot worse off people than me, (festival goers from as far and wide as the USA and Russia were booked to fly in. I sure hope they can refund their fights), I’m feeling pretty optimistic about the future of Alt-Fest.

The reason for this is in the turnout of support people pledged for such an awesome sounding event and how crowdfunding has proved itself to be one of the best forms of event organising in the social media age.

The Beauty of Crowdfunding

Having amassed £60,000 to put the festival together, I would think a second attempt, albeit with a slightly higher goal, would be a success. I didn’t contribute to the crowdfunding campaign but my friends who did were handsomely rewarded with full weekend tickets and discounts on drinks and trinket prices. If they set up a new one again soon, I would easily contribute. Crowdfunding from fans is the best way for independent organisers to get things together and seeing how the festival died only a week before it was meant to happen, the next step will definitely prove worthy.

Start Small

However, I do have my opinions regarding the amazing line-up. This most certainly led to the festival running out of money and cancelling at the last minute. It was a fantastic line-up and it wasn’t just music on offer – circus acts and an exhibition of Steampunk art were things I certainly wanted to experience – but it did seem a little too much in hindsight.

My advice to the organisers would be this: start small, then work your way up. Nearly every major festival in Europe has its modest origins, and beginning with an impressive, yet small number of stages, would in my opinion prove a good start. Eventually the festival could then expand into an even bigger and better event. Hell, for all we know Alt-Fest could one day become the alternative scene’s Glastonbury if it is successful several times round. 

I’m no financial expert, but I have learnt that starting small and amassing a certain level of profit can help in securing a foreseeable future if you want your event to remain regular.

Don’t Blame The Organisers

Finally, all I have to add is don’t blame all this on the organisers. I was very disappointed and am in the midst of getting a refund on my tickets, but I cannot blame the breakdown of the festival entirely on the people who organised it. 

According to the statement of cancellation, the festival did not have enough money to support all the outlets for the full weekend. Sounds like a pretty bad move, but let’s remind ourselves that this was the first festival organised by a group of music fans who, to my knowledge, had never put on a festival before. They might have been experienced in putting on gigs, etc. but something as big as this takes a lot of effort which the organisers might not have been fully aware of.

But look on the positive side: we got as far as the penultimate week and if we can get that far we can certainly put the festival into action next time round.

Here’s to Alt-Fest. I wish you guys a safe return with a line-up as awesome as the one you promised. I’ll certainly keep record of your posters and promotions and tell my descendants about you in the future. Maybe I’ll turn you into an urban legend of music and say that you were the vanishing festival. But overall, I know you guys will do it one day and I congratulate you again for coming this far.

Pretentious Moi? one of the bands i really wanted to see.