Song of the Week - Episode 71

2010 is here – woo hoo! Of course that’s only if you subscribe to the current version of the calendar.

Is there any point in a new year’s resolution? No. If you have to wait until January 1 to decide to do something then it probably isn’t worth doing or you aren’t going to bother. My advice is to promise little and surprise people when you actually achieve something!

Song of the Week is something that you are free to comment on via the blog. Conner’s story last week about how he got his Johnny Cash tickets was awesome so go back and read it.

This week there is a theme, of sorts: great TV themes.

But before we get into that, DJ Laff all the way from the Gold Coast reminded me that I needed to play this song. Primus is the band and they are weird and cool all at once. Sort of like a cross between James Brown, Dr. Seuss and your crazy uncle. I’ll leave you to figure out what this song is all about:

Primus – Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYDfwUJzYQg

On to TV shows then! This first one was a classic and the theme song is cheesy and memorable all at once.

Theme from The Greatest American Hero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Q3orQhEcA

TV shows in the 80’s worked to a formula (but it worked) – here’s one of the cheesiest and probably most successful shows where every episode is pretty much the same:

Theme from The A-Team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIfuaUTH9Y4

While we’re on the formula who could forget this next one? I remember spending hours with friends on our bikes pretending to be in this show. We would pretend that our gumboots were motorcycle boots!

Theme from CHiPs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSzEmPEnYxo

This one is almost my favourite with Waylon Jennings providing the signature tune. Check out his mega cool custom Telecaster as the clip opens. Fender makes one of these for anyone to buy – if you can afford it!

Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEnE4nakqW4

As a side note – the movie version “starring” Jessica Simpson is to be avoided at all costs.

But the best TV themes aren’t all from the USA.

Benny Hill Theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlxVL5QV-Mo

And this particular theme almost got my vote as the greatest of all time. It has everything, wokka-wokka guitars, brass and it builds up very well (it was a cool show too)

Theme from The Professionals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCFVEvZvo3g

But here are my top two, I couldn’t split them. The first is quite recent and one of the most hilarious shows I have watched. Drew Carey is funny, clever and known to invoke side splitting laughter. He has had a number of themes but this is my favourite. It is the band “Presidents of the USA” covering the “Mott the Hoople” tune “Cleveland Rocks”. Some of my friends in the USA have advised me that Cleveland does NOT rock but hey, it is a cool tune and a funny clip:

Drew Carey Show Theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU0JpyH1gC8

Here’s the winner. M*A*S*H was too obvious, Prisoner was a bit obscure and Neighbours couldn’t win as Kylie didn’t sing it! This is one from my childhood – a truly awesome show.

Theme from The Wombles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ2mJPSccvo

Have a great year and do a good turn for someone every day…

DJ Rob

PS: I forgot this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZefpVE2U350 – check out all the different versions!