This was even harder second time around
A few months ago we brought you a list of our top ten TV theme tunes, but of course, there are far more than ten awesome TV intros out there, and so many didn't make the final cut. So now we bring you part two - a spin-off of the original list, if you will, with ten more iconic tunes that will all probably remain stuck in your head for the rest of the day, and you'll love it.
We've chickened out on putting this in order, so let us know what you think number one should be! Here's our list of the top TV theme tunes.
10. 'Quantum Leap'
Was there a better show back in the day than Quantum Leap? I mean, WAS there? Time travel, funny one-liners, drama and the TV intro to end all intros, Sam Beckett and his adventures were literally the highlight of our week back in the day. Each episode would see Sam leaping into a new body from some point in the past with only his hologram friend Al to guide him along the way, but you don't need us to tell you that, it's all in these epic opening credits! '...striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap, will be the leap home'... and queue AWESOMENESS. (Oh boy...)
9. 'Dallas'
Possibly one of the most recognisable on the list, Dallas arrived into the world in 1978 and took it by storm, particularly on our fair shores. Who would have thought us Irish would become so taken with the trials and tribulations of a wealthy oil family in Dallas, Texas? If ever a theme tune encapsulated the drama and flair of a show it's this one, the music bursting to life over shots of Dallas and that three-split screen thing they did. We know there's a new version these days, but we prefer the original and that's why it's on our list of top TV theme tunes.
8. 'The Equalizer'
We've seen a couple of trailers for the big screen version starring Denzel Washington and while we're hardly going to argue with casting of Denzel, the original series boasts one of the slickest opening credit sequences of the 80s. More moody than say Miami Vice, it sets the tone wonderfully for the criminally short lived Edward Woodward show, about an ex Army man, who does nice people "favours" by whacking/bringing to justice nasty bastards who have wronged them. He did it with the kind of quiet intensity you don't see much on telly nowadays. Well worth revisiting.
7. 'Unsolved Mysteries'
Few themes evoke as much fear and nostalgia as the opening to this classic 90s series that went out on Sky One. Unsolved Mysteries was presented by Robert Stack, who was the perfect man to set up reconstructions and interviews with families and people who'd had been the victim of spooky or plain criminal occurrences. The worst for us were always the ghost stories - many a sleepless night we has as nippers with the theme tune going over and over in our heads. Stack and his unmistakable voice was gently lampooned in the classic 'Beer Baron' episode of The Simpsons.
6. 'Twin Peaks'
Twin Peaks is one of the most iconic TV shows, possibly ever, thanks to the fact that it came along at a time when things were done pretty much by the book, and opted to go totally off the wall instead. That’s possibly why the public reacted so strongly to it and why it has endured for so long, but it wasn’t just the script and cinematography that made it special, the soundtrack had a huge role to play too. The repeated letifmotifs throughout the show beautifully add atmosphere, but they too are a little bit weird. They’re obviously influenced by the music of the times, but the opening theme tune (back in the days when an opening credit sequence lasted longer than 15 seconds) was the perfect piece of music for the show. Strange, mysterious, seemingly out of place with the content on screen, it was a nice opener that let you know that you were about to get something out of the norm.
5. 'Murder, She Wrote'
What's that sound? A typewriter rapping away while someone screams over the discovery of a dead body? Well it must be time to call the world's best criminologist and mystery novel author Jessica Fletcher. Let's be honest, the thing that we loved most about this show wasn't the trying to figure out who did the murdering or how they did it, it was Fletcher and the amazing expressions that Angela Lansbury brought to her face. And this jingle...
4. 'Who’s the Boss?'
If you were asked to write the archetypal intro for a light-hearted TV sitcom in the ’80s, then you would probably struggle to do any better than the theme tune for Who’s The Boss?, one of television’s finest musical works. It features plenty of soft, smooth guitar riffs in the background, while the whimsical flute gives you an idea that there’s some fun in store for you too, as the obligatory synthesizer in the background makes sure you know what decade you’re dealing with. Still, powerful insightful lyrics like "there’s a path you take and a path not taken, the choice is up to you my friend" hint at a few serious and heartfelt moments that might leave you thinking deeply about your very own existence.
3. 'Sex and the City'
If there's one theme tune that can instantly transport you to the Big Apple, cosmo in one hand, Manolos in the other and filthy puns coming out your mouth, it's this one. Everyone, whether they watched the show or not, knows that when this tune starts playing, someone somewhere in the world is releasing their inner Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha, or deciding which one their friends are.
2. 'Home and Away'
For so many families, the opening credits of Home and Away involved a mad dash to the telly at half six every week night so you could get a good seat before it began. You were either a Home and Away or Neighbours fan - you lived and died by this choice. The Aussie soap has been entertaining Irish audiences for many a year since and while they have messed with the opening tune a bit down the years, it's been pretty much those same lyrics. 'You know we belong together.... no MAAAATTTTER where you are'. It's like singing your childhood.
1. 'Game of Thrones'
At almost two minutes long, you're almost tempted to fast forward over the opening credits when possible as anticipation to watch each episode is so high. However, when possible, you need to avoid doing this, as nothing sets you up for the epicness of 'Game of Thrones' like that triumphant instrumental with the camera spanning over the seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The German composer of this piece Ramin Djawadi has also provided the theme music for the likes of Iron Man and Clash of the Titans along with other TV work such as the opening to Prison Break and FlashForward. In summary, you want a theme tune to your show? Get this guy on board.