Favourite TV Theme Tunes

Posted by: TOBYJUG on 26 May 2018

What are your favourite TV theme tunes ?

Movie soundtracks and scores often get a mention on this forum. I don't recall much mention of the humble TV Theme tune though.

Admittedly there is a fine line between annoying but clever ditties, nostalgic fondness, real musical merit and utter nonsense.

I have a few albums of this genre, but nothing gets as much played as those Ron Grainer complilations. Ron was pretty much responsible for every quality theme for uk series from the 60s to 80s. The late 70s complilations even included "disco" versions of well known themes.

Posted on: 12 June 2018 by Stevee_S

Nick Lees posted:
Stevee_S posted:
Tour of Duty - Rolling Stones
Doh. What’s a day between friends? <hic!>

Cheers, Nick

Posted on: 14 June 2018 by Bob the Builder

Oasis - Half a World Away.

The theme tune to The Royal Family.

Posted on: 14 June 2018 by Chunky

In a similar vein, the theme to the comedy, Early Doors - Small World by Roddy Frame.

Posted on: 14 June 2018 by Nick Lees

The Family

Only older, UK residents might remember this series from 1974. It was the first fly-on-the-wall documentary, featuring the daily lives of the Wilkins family in Reading. It was oddly riveting viewing and utterly groundbreaking. It had a haunting theme tune that seemed to fit perfectly with their lives.

The first minute of this making of video features it.

Posted on: 15 July 2018 by Nick Lees

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

A black and white tv noir series. I was streaming an album of Charles Gounod piano music recommended by Florestan when I suddenly thought “I know this!”...

Posted on: 15 July 2018 by Alley Cat

Great thread:

The High Chapparal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uaoxX9OU1Q

Posted on: 15 July 2018 by Alley Cat

Arthur of the Britons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xlJ_DEbOHk

Musically interesting due to this being an Elmer Bernstein score for a UK TV Show, and also the presence of Meic Stevens as a minstrel in several episodes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meic_Stevens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2bx7O7iI_8

https://arthur-of-the-britons....width.org/22077.html

Posted on: 15 July 2018 by Proterra

The theme from the British Wallander series, Emily Barker and Red Sky Halo, haunting music

Posted on: 15 July 2018 by David O'Higgins

‘Light Flight’ by Pentangle, theme to ‘Take three girls’, late 1960s. From the wonderful album ‘Basket of Light’. Listen to it!