As someone who was essentially raised by a television set, and who spends a large percentage of his waking hours watching television, I’m a huge fan of the TV Theme song. The old, the new, the bad, the good. It’s an art, the theme song, and often it’s those theme songs that exist in our minds long after the show has left the air. There is no easier way to inject yourself with nostalgia than a big honking shot of TV Theme songs.
It’s also fun to hear those favorite theme songs in different forms, by different bands, and sometimes in different styles, so for sh*ts and giggles, I spent the morning browsing through YouTube to come up with live versions of 15 of our favorite theme songs. It should be a fun way to kill a few minutes during your lunch hour.
The Brady Bunch Theme — Soulfully, by Jamie Foxx
The Justified Theme — Performed by Gangstagrass, Who Perform the Actual Theme
Growing Pains Theme — Performed Beautifully by Horrible Douchebags, Chris Daughtry and Dane Cook
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air — Performed by Ingrid Michaelson
Quantum Leap — Performed by Josh Martin
The Cheers Theme — Performed (Kinda Off-Key) by Guster
The Full House Theme — Rock Style, by Relient K
The Muppet Theme Song — Performed by the Plastic Acid Project
Mad Men Theme Song — Performed by Adam Ben Ezra
The Office Theme — Performed by Zandi and the M.o.F. in what looks like a university break room
Perfect Strangers and Mr. Belvedere Themes Medley — Performed by The Ukulady & The Ukulad
The Gummi Bears Theme Song — Performed by Alicia Keys on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Wire Theme — Performed by the Paul Strummer
The Psych Theme — Performed Splendidly by The Time King
The Sanford and Son Theme Song — The Greatest Achievement in TV Theme Song History Performed by Sugarback
And Donald Faison and Zach Braff, for good measure
