The 1990s were a fun decade for television. It also was a fun decade for TV-show theme songs. Here are the top 10 TV-show theme songs of the ’90s.
#10. Everybody Loves Raymond Theme Song: What theme song?Everybody Loves Raymond actually never had an official theme song. It did have opening montages (for most of the episodes) which I found as funny as the show itself. I loved season 1 where the family goes by on a conveyor belt ending with Roberts saying in a very exasperated way “Everybody Loves Raymond”. My other favorite was season 3 where Ray, Debra and the Kids realize Roberts parents are coming. Beethoven’s 9th Symphony plays in the background while they hide any signs of life in the house, and Ray locks the door just before Marie gets to it. She then puts her hand in the mailbox slot touches Rays head.
#9. Theme Song from Married… with Children: The TV show married with children debuted in spring of 1987 and ran until June of 1997. The theme song was “Love and Marriage” sang by Frank Sinatra. While the theme song was not specially made for the show, I know of few people who hear it and don’t immediately think of the very popular, irreverent Fox TV Show.
#8. America’s Funniest Videos Theme Song: Also known as AFV, This series started in 1989 with Bog Saget who hosted the show until 1997. Daisy Fuentes and John Fugelsang took over the show for three years, and it is still running with Tom Begeron. There is no sign of it ending. Jill Colucci who sang the song live in several Bob Saget episodes originally recorded “The Funny Things You Do”, the theme song. The song has been revamped over the years, but the song is still catchy and fun to sing.
#7. Nanny Theme Song: The song from the TV show The Nanny is almost as distinctive as the laugh of the main character, Fran Fine played by Fran Drescher. The opening theme was called “The Nanny named Fran”, and was written and recorded by Ann Hampton Callaway, a singer/ songwriter also known for starring in the Broadway musical “Swing!”.
#6. Full House Theme Song: The late 1987 sitcom that overlapped into the 1990s and still runs strong in sitcoms, Everywhere You Look; the theme song to Full House was as touching family song to go along with a touching family show. Jesse Federick who also co-wrote it with Bennet Salvay performed the song. The full version of the song was seldom played, but and even shorter versions are played in re-runs. Here is the complete first stanza much of which as often truncated: What ever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, evening TV. How did I get to livin’ here? Somebody tell me, please. The whole world’s confusing me. Clouds as mean as you’ve ever seen. Not a bird who knows your tune. Then a little voice inside you whispers, “Kid, don’t sell your dream so soon.”
#5. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Theme Song:The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is a television sitcom that aired 1990, to 1996. The theme song, sang (or rapped) by the show’s main character and recording artist, The Fresh Prince (Will Smith). Many think DJ Jazzy Jeff composed the music, but it was actually done by Quincy Jones III who was credited at the end of every show. The first three shows had the full version of the song, which told the entire premise of the show. It was later shortened, but few knew anything was missing.
#4. A Different World Theme Song:A Different World, as show about student at a black college was a spin-off from the Cosby show. Although the main spin-off character, Denise Huxtable was dropped after the first show, it managed to run for six seasons. Phoebe Snow originally sang the coming of age song also named “A Different World,” but in the second season, it was re-recorded by Aretha Franklin. In the final season, the song was sung by Boyz II Men. The lyrics make this theme song powerful and unique. The song lyrics are credited to Bill Cosby, Stu Gardner and Dawnn Lewis. The first stanza is: I know my parents love me, Stand behind me come what may. I know now that I’m ready, because I finally heard them say It’s a different world form where you come from.
#3. Friends Theme Song: “I’ll Be There For You” by the Rembrandts was as big a hit as the debut of the TV show Friends when it premiered in 1994. (The show ran until 2004). This song was written by Michael Skloff and Allee Willlis and originally offered to the Rock groups They Might be Giants and REM. It was then passed to the Rembrandts who usually wrote all of their own songs. The song was not recorded as a single until a Tennessee DJ looped the short version of the song into a full-length track. The immense popularity spurred and official recording.
#2. Cheers Theme Song: Who can’t identify with “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name”? While this show started in the 1980s and ran until 1983, and the reruns are still going strong today. The song, “Where everybody knows your name was written by Gary Portnoy, who along with Judy Hart Angelo, also wrote the song from Punky Brewster “Every Time I Turn Around” and the theme to Mr. Belvedere.
#1. Frasier Theme Song: The show Frasier ran from 1993 until 2004, and was a spin-off from Cheers. The song “Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs” was included on a CD released in 2000 featuring a number of songs taken from the show. An interesting fact is that the song had alternate endings that played at the end of the show. The endings included “They’re callin’ again.”, “Good night, Seattle, we love you!” and “Scrambled eggs all over my face. What is a boy to do.” The song was written by Bruce Miller and Darryl Phinnessee and performed by Kelsey Grammer. If the songs sounds like a blast from the past it is because it is an updated version of a “scatty nonsense tune instrumentally reminiscent of the vibe sounds of Gary Burton, the revival vocalese style of The Manhattan Transfer and the cartoonist humor of Bobby McFerrin,” according to Miller. When commissioned to write the theme song, Gary Miller was told her could not mention psychiatry, crazy people or radio, but the song had to match the show. The lyrics ended up being rather cryptic, but on point.
