Iconic TV theme tunes that are instantly recognisable

The Addams Family theme - Vic Mizzy

Most notable for the 1991 film, The Addams family is a classic dark comedy. The theme tune The Addams family theme was actually created for the 1964 TV series, starring Carolyn Jones and John Astin. The theme was written by Hollywood film and television composer Vic Mizzy who started out composing music for Shirley Temple, creating the song which was dominated by a harpsichord featuring the well known finger snapping. The theme tune has continued to be used in the 90s film adaptation, as well as being used in the UK and US national tour stage production. Although the theme is well known and popular, it did fail to make the national charts in the 60s.

The Big Bang Theory theme - Barenaked Ladies

The American TV sitcom, The Big Bang theory, created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, has another fantastic and clever theme tune. The show follows a group of geeky physicist friends and their waitress friend who moves in next door. The Big bang theory theme has been used ever since the pilot and appeared across all twelve seasons. The theme was written and performed by the Canadian alternative rock band Barenaked Ladies. Producers of the show attended a performance of the band where they rapped a song about the origins of the universe, they were then asked to write a fun tune for the opening of the show. Some of The Big Bang theory lyrics are:

Our whole universe was in a hot, dense state Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started, wait The earth began to cool, the autotrophs began to drool Neanderthals developed tools We built a wall (we built the pyramids) Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries That all started with the big bang! Hey!

The Simpson's theme - Danny Elfman

Who hasn’t seen The Simpsons? The cartoon sitcom following the lives of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie is set in the fictional town of Springfield. The show is the longest running American sitcom and since its debut in December 1989, 702 episodes have aired. The Simpson’s theme composed by Danny Elfman in 1989, was written in his car on the way back from a meeting. He wanted the opening tune to be something retro since the opening titles had such a classic feel. There has been several versions of Lisa’s iconic solo saxophone riff recorded throughout the different seasons.

I'll be there for you - The Rembrandts

I can't leave out what I think is the most icon theme tune of all time. The Friends theme tune I’ll be there for you recorded by the American singer duo The Rembrandts. The song itself is co-written by the shows producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman and songwriter Allee Willis, along with Rembrandts members Phil Solem and Danny Wilde. The music was composed by Michael Skloff.

The original theme tune was actually meant to be Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. However, they declined the job. I’ll be there for you reached the number one single spot on the American pop charts and also topped number one on the US Mainstream Top 40 Billboard. It also took a weekly number one spot in Scotland and Canada, and hit the charts in almost 10 countries. The clapping part of the song was also not the duo’s idea, the four iconic claps in the song are actually recordings of the producers! Interestingly, Jenifer Anniston has since claimed that most of the cast members didn’t initially like the opening theme.

Edited by Hannah Youds