Theme songs from full-lengh songs

[visaman]

How can anybody forget Cheers (Everybody Knows Your Name) Written and performed by Gary Portnoy?

The song received an Emmy Award nomination in 1983 for Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics. In a 2011 Readers Poll in Rolling Stone magazine, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" was voted the best television theme of all time. In 2013, the editors of TV Guide magazine named "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" the greatest TV Theme of all time.


Wikipedia

 

[bpatrick]

Anybody remember "Secret Agent Man" by Johnny Rivers in 1966?
IIRC, Henry Mancini had a hit with the "Mr. Lucky" theme in 1960,
and Richard Chamberlain had a hit with the "Dr. Kildare" theme, "Three
Stars Will Shine Tonight," in 1962.

Also, does anyone remember "Disco Lucy," the disco-beat version of
"I Love Lucy," by the Wilton Place Street Band in 1976?

 

[rbjones]

Providence used a cover of "In My Life" by the Beatles. Life Goes On used a cover of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (obviously!) by the Beatles, sung by Patti Lupone and the rest of the cast of the show.

There's the variation of Billy Joel's "My Life" that was used as the theme for Bosom Buddies. However, there's a different singer (he doesn't exactly sound like Joel), and the instrumental portion is slightly different. In subsequent rerun airings, that song was replaced by a different theme song, this time sung by Stephanie Mills.

The show based on Dave Barry's life (title escapes me right now) used a cover of "You May Be Right."

Friends used "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrandts, and Dawson's Creek used "I Don't Wanna Wait" by Paula Cole. I believe that both of these had been hits by the time they were used for their respective shows.

One Tree Hill used "I Just Wanna Be" (not sure if that is the actual title or not) by Gavin DeGraw, which probably led to his becoming a star.

The name of the show based on Dave Barry's life was called "Dave's World."

 

[JeffM]

Musical variety shows (remember them?) usually used a hit song associated with the star performer as the theme. Some examples:
Sonny and Cher - I Got You Babe
Tony Orlando and Dawn - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree (NOT used on the syndicated rerun versions due to clearance problems!)
The Captain and Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together
Glen Campbell's Good Time Hour - Gentle On My Mind
Mac Davis - I Believe In Music

 

[bpatrick]

Neal Hefti charted with the "Batman" theme a couple of months
after the show's debut in 1966.

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but the theme song of
"The Young And The Restless" was (and may still be) better known
as "Nadia's Theme," since Nadia Comaneci used it in the floor exercise
at the Montreal Olympics in '76.

Peabo Bryson sang a more-or-less full-length vocal version of "One
Life To Live"'s theme song in the '80s. If it charted, it didn't make
the top 40, at least not according to what I've found.

Also, I should mention that my high school's band used to play, at
every home game, "Competition," the theme song of CBS's NFL games
in the '60s and--IIRC--into the early '70s.

 

[firepoint525]

Tony Orlando and Dawn - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree (NOT used on the syndicated rerun versions due to clearance problems!)

Also not used in the VH-1 Behind the Music special on Tony Orlando & Dawn for the same reason. :

Also, I should mention that my high school's band used to play, at
every home game, "Competition," the theme song of CBS's NFL games
in the '60s and--IIRC--into the early '70s.

CBS sports used "Fire on High" by ELO for its Sports Spectacular on Saturday afternoons, but I would consider their use of it more like "bumper music" rather than actual theme music.

 

[rnigma1]

...I don't know if this has been mentioned, but the theme song of
"The Young And The Restless" was (and may still be) better known
as "Nadia's Theme," since Nadia Comaneci used it in the floor exercise
at the Montreal Olympics in '76.

It was originally called "Cotton's Dream" when Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. composed it as part of their score to the film "Bless the Beasts and Children."