Theme songs of the 70’s TV, back in a time were television still had the innocence about it. These are some of my favorite theme songs from the 70’s. I hope this article brings back plenty of happy memories for you.
1.) Duke of hazards theme was written and sung as written by Waylon Jennings. Waylon who was and still is a country super star, wrote a song everyone knew the words too. I am sure I was not the only teenager who sang the theme with him, or drooled over Bo Duke. This was the story of three cousins Bo, Luke and Daisy who lived with Uncle Jesse, and the boys most of the time were in trouble with the law. The boys didn’t have to do anything wrong to get Roscoe or the JD Hogg after them, JD just wanted the farm the Dukes lived on so JD invented trouble.
2.) All in the Family The show opens with Archie and Edith sitting at the piano with Edith playing and the both of them singing along. ‘Those were the days’, was written by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse, sung by none other then Archie and Edith. How many of us sang with these two? I remember watching this show and it was one of my first memories of television. I loved to listen to Archie give his brand of attitude to everyone.
3.) Happy days this song was written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. Happy Days told the story of the Cunningham’s, Marion and Howard and their children Ritchie and Joanie. It was set in the 1950, and the theme song was something all kids sang. Ritchie was one boy that every teen-age girl could fall in love with 30 minutes a week. This was the family everyone wished they could live with, or at least close by.
4.) Good times Music by Dave Grusin lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn and sung by James Gilstrap and Blinky William. The theme show was one that everyone knew and when you heard it, you gathered around the television to see what JJ would do next. Who can forget the wise cracking JJ, and his sister Thelma, whom he picked on endlessly. She would give it right back to him thought. This was the story about an afro-American family growing up and surviving in the Chicago projects.
5.) Facts of life theme song by Alan Thicke, Gloria Loring and Al Burton, Theme song performed by Gloria Loring. This theme song reminded us all that the facts of life are about us, we are individuals. This was the show about a boarding home for girls who went to a private high school. Mrs. Garret who the girls lived with also ran a bakery, and sometimes the girls helped her there. The facts of life showed us that even thought these were mostly well to do girls; they still lived like the rest of us. Blaire, Tootie, Natalie, and Jo were the best friends that no of us ever had.
6.) Alice Theme song: “There’s A New Girl in Town”-lyrics and music by David Shire with Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Theme sung by Linda Lavin. Who can ever forget the crew who worked at Mel’s diner? Alice was a single mom of a son named Tommy; they came to this town looking to start over. Alice gets a job as a waitress in Mel’s diner. Mel is a wisecracking boss who is the fry cook. Mel picks on the women who work at his diner, but they stay anyways. Flo another waitress is always telling someone to kiss her grits, and her favorite other saying was when pigs fly. The cast was rounded out by the often funny and always air headed Vera, who was very lovable indeed.
7.) Eight is enough music written by Lee Holdridge and Molly Ann Leikin was another theme song and show I enjoyed. The father Tom was a reporter and his wife died, leaving him with eight children to rise, to adulthood. He was remarried and his new wife Abby helped to raise the youngest two who were still at home.
8.) Wkrp in Cincinnati was written by Tom Wells, and this was the story of a radio station owner Mr., Carlson and his assorted employees. There was Dr, Johnny Fever, Bailey Quarters, Andy, Venus flytrap, and Herb with his outlandish suits, Les Nussbaum, and the unforgettable secretary Jennifer. Most of us still remember this one theme song. How many of us actually searched for that radio station?
9.) Walton’s theme song was written by Jerry Goldsmith and even thought this song has no words, it still was comforting song. Who can ever forget John and Olivia and their seven children, Elizabeth, Jim Bob, Jason, Erin, Ben, Mary Ellen, and John Boy. Grandma Easter and lovable Grandpa round out the Walton family. A trip to Walton’s Mountain was in many ways like going home. and brings back happy memories of a simpler time.
10.) Mash this theme song is suicide is painless and was written by Altman Mandel. The theme itself is comforting and easily recognized even if you dislike the topic of the song. The show was about the Korean War, and for some of us, it was the first look into the lives of soldiers, be they fictional or not. We laughed with Hawkeye, Honey-cut and Klinger. The Frank and hot lips were star-crossed lovers, or were they really just lonely, we will never know. Either way this show has a theme song many people recognize
Thought the 70s are gone, the theme songs and the shows characters will forever stay in our hearts and on our tongues as we sing those 70’s theme show songs.
