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(OT) TV Themes -- Previous chart hits

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allenk...@hotmail.com

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Nov 20, 2008, 7:02:58 PM11/20/08
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The following is a revised list of TV theme songs that had charted on
the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart prior to being used as a TV theme
(and sung either by the artist who charted with it or a different
artist). The list is by no means complete (especially regarding TV
shows whose themes charted prior to the rock era i.e. pre 1955).
Suggestions for TV themes that are not listed below but that might
qualify would be greatly appreciated.

NEW ENTRIES AND REVISIONS IN BOLD.


Sentimental Journey – Les Brown and his Band of Renown (#1), Doris Day
(#1), Hal McIntyre (#3) and the Merrymacs (#7) (from Garroway at
Large)

When You Wish Upon a Star – Glenn Miller (#1) and Dion and the
Belmonts (#1) (from the Wonderful World of Disney)

Singin’ the Blues – Guy Mitchell (#1) and Marty Robbins (#17) (from
the Guy Mitchell Show)

Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin (#1) (from the Dean Martin
Show)

ABC – the Jackson 5 (#1) (from Jackson 5ive)

TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) – MFSB featuring the Three Degrees
(#1) (from Soul Train)

I Am Woman – Helen Reddy (#1) (from the Helen Reddy Show)

(We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock -- Bill Haley and His Comets (#1),
(#118) and (#39) and Freddy Cannon (credited as ‘Freddie Cannon’)
(#121) (from Happy Days) (Bill Haley version re-charted twice,
including a re-entry due to its use on Happy Days)

Sunshine on my Shoulders – John Denver (#1) (from Sunshine)

Love Will Keep Us Together (#1) – The Captain and Tennille (from the
Captain and Tennille)

Harper Valley PTA – Jeannie C. Riley (#1), King Curtis (#93) and Bobbi
Martin (#114)

9 to 5 – Dolly Parton (#1)

Runaway – Del Shannon (#1), Lawrence Welk (#56), DEL SHANNON (#112)
(new version), Dawn featuring Tony Orlando (#79) (as part of the
melody ‘Runaway / Happy Together’), THE RHODES KIDS (#107), Charlie
Kulis (#46), Bonnie Raitt (#57) and Luis Cardenas (#83) (from Crime
Story)

Georgia on my Mind – Ray Charles (#1), Righteous Brothers (#62), Wes
Montgomery (#91), Willie Nelson (#84) and Michael Bolton (#36) (from
Designing Women) (a Doc Severinsen instrumental version and, later, a
newly-recorded Ray Charles version were used for the TV series)

Swinging on a Star – Bing Crosby (#1) and Big Dee Irwin (with Little
Eva) (#38) (from Out of this World)

Paint It, Black – The Rolling Stones (#1) (from Tour of Duty)

All Shook Up – Elvis Presley (#1), Suzi Quatro (#85), Billy Joel (#92)
and Nelson (#102) (from Elvis) (sung by Ronnie McDowell for the TV
series)

Puttin’ on the Ritz – Harry Richman (#1) and Taco (#4) (from Top of
the Heap) (sung by Kenny Yarbrough for the TV series)

Happy Together – The Turtles (#1), Hugo Montenegro (#112), Dawn
featuring Tony Orlando (#79) (as part of the medley Runaway / Happy
Together), The Captain and Tennille (#53) and the Nylons (#75) (from
Live-In)

Save the Last Dance for Me – the Drifters (#1), Defranco Family (#17),
Dolly Parton with the Jordanaires (#45) and Michael Buble (#99) (from
Second Chances)

Hit the Road Jack – Ray Charles (#1), Jerry Lee Lewis (#103) and the
Stampeders (#40) (from Unhappily Ever After)

Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio with L.V. (#1) (from Dangerous Minds)

Reunited – Peaches & Herb (#1)

These Boots are Made for Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra (#1) KON KAN (#58)
(AS PART OF THE MELODY PUSS N’ BOOTS/THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR
WALKIN’), Jessica Simpson (#104) (from Growing up Gotti)

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics (#1) (from the
Apprentice: Martha Stewart)

Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) – Doris Day (#2), High
Keyes (#47) and Mary Hopkin (#77) (from the Doris Day Show)

Reflections – Diana Ross and the Supremes (#2) (from China Beach)

Bread and Butter – The Newbeats (#2) and Robert John (#68) (from Baby
Talk)

Soul Man – Sam & Dave (#2), Ramsey Lewis (#49) and the Blues Brothers
(#14)

It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers (#2) (from Karen Sisco)

Moonlight Serenade – Glenn Miller (#3), the Rivieras (#47) , Bobby
Vinton (#97) and Tuxedo Junction (#103) (from Glenn Miller Time)

My Life – Billy Joel (#3) (from Bosom Buddies)

PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY -- THE MONKEES (#3) (FROM HIDDEN HILLS) (SUNG
BY MARK MOTHERSBAUGH FOR THE TV SERIES)


That’s my Desire – Frankie Laine (#4), Sammy Kaye (#2) and Yvonne
Baker and the Sensations (#69) (from Frankie Laine Time)

King of the Road – Roger Miller (#4) (from the Roger Miller Show)

Fame – Irene Cara (#4) (sung by Erica Gimpel for the TV series)

Lady Madonna – The Beatles (#4) and Fats Domino (#100) (from Grace
Under Fire) (sung by Aretha Franklin for the TV series)

Five O’ Clock World – The Vogues (#4) (from the Drew Carey show)

Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond (#4) and Bobby Womack (#51) (from the
Caroline Rhea Show)

Love and Marriage – Frank Sinatra (#5) and Dinah Shore (#20) (from
Married… With Children)

Something To Talk About – Bonnie Raitt (#5) (from Women of the House)
(sung by Shirley Eikhard for the TV series)

Obsession – Animotion (#6) (from Fashion Television and Saturday
Night’s Main Event)

Stand – REM (#6) (from Get A Life)

Tennessee – Arrested Development (#6) (from Here and Now)

You May Be Right – Billy Joel (#7) and the Chipmunks (#101) (from
Dave’s World) (sung by Southside Johnny for the TV series)

Low Rider – War (#7) (from George Lopez)

Primrose Lane -- Jerry Wallace (#8) and O.C. Smith (#86) (from the
Smith Family)

Mack the Knife – Dick Hyman Trio (#8), Richard Hayman & Jan August
(#11), Lawrence Welk (#11), Louis Armstrong (#20), Billy Vaughn (#37),
Les Paul (#49), Bobby Darin (#1) and Ella Fitzgerald (#27) (from the
Bobby Darin show)

Nadia’s Theme (The Young and the Restless) (a.k.a. Cotton’s Dream) –
Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. (#8)

Working in the Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey (#8) and Devo (#43) and (from
Working)

For the Love of Money – The O’Jays (#9) and BulletBoys (#78) (from the
Apprentice)

Danny Boy (based on the tune Londonderry Air) – Conway Twitty (#10),
Sil Austin (#59), Andy Williams (#64), Patti LaBelle & Her Bluebells
(#76), Jackie Wilson (#94), Ray Price (#60) and Eric Clapton (B-side
to his #5 hit ‘Change the World’) (from Make Room For Daddy)

MOON RIVER -- JERRY BUTLER (#11) AND HENRY MANCINI (#11) (FROM THE
ANDY WILLIAMS SHOW)

I Don’t Want To Wait – Paula Cole (#11) (from Dawson’s Creek)

Wonderful World (aka What a Wonderful World) – Sam Cooke (#12),
Herman’s Hermits (#4), Louis Armstrong (#116), Art Garfunkel with
James Taylor & Paul Simon (#17) and Louis Armstrong (#32) (re-chart)
(from Family Matters)

A Swingin’ Safari – Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra (#13) (from the 60s
version of Match Game) (performed by Bert Kaempfert for the TV
series)

Finish What Ya Started – Van Halen (#13) (from Sydney)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight (a.k.a. Wimoweh) – The Weavers (#14), The
Tokens (#1), Robert John (#3) and The Tokens (re-chart) (#51) (from
The Mighty Jungle)

Who Are You – the Who (#14) (from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)

Won’t Get Fooled Again – the Who (#15) (from CSI: Miami)

China Grove – the Doobie Brothers (#15) (from Don’t Forget the Lyrics)
(performed by Rickey Minor for the TV series)

The Mummer’s Dance – Loreena McKennitt (#18) (from Legacy)

Collide – Howie Day (#20) (from What About Brian)

I’m Every Woman– Chaka Khan (#21) and Whitney Houston (#4) (from the
Oprah Winfrey Show)

Thank You For Being A Friend – Andrew Gold (#25) (from The Golden
Girls) (sung by Cynthia Fee for the TV series)

Viva Las Vegas – Elvis Presley (#29) and (#94) (from Hearts are Wild
and Father of the Pride) (sung by John Goodman for the Father of the
Pride TV series)

Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone – the Manhattan Transfer (#30) (Twilight
Zone is from the TV series of the same name) (composed by Marius
Constant for the TV series)

The Pink Panther Theme – Henry Mancini (#31)

Holding Out for a Hero – Bonnie Tyler (#34) (from Cover Up)

Where You Lead – Barbra Streisand (#40) and (#37) (as part of the
medley ‘Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead’) (from Gilmore Girls) (sung
by Louise Goffin for the TV series)

Am I the Same Girl – Swing Out Sister (#45) (from Martha)

What I Like About You – the Romantics (#49)

I’m a Survivor – Reba McEntire (#49) (from Reba)

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – Arthur Conley (#51), Herb Alpert & the Tijuana
Brass (#118) and the Beatles (#49) (from Life Goes On) (sung by Patti
LuPone and the cast for the TV series)

Gentle on my Mind – Glen Campbell (#62) and (#39), Patti Page (#66),
Dean Martin (#103) and Aretha Franklin (#76) (from the Glen Campbell
Goodtime Hour)

With A Little Help From My Friends – Joe Cocker (#68) and the Beatles
(#71) (as part of the medley Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band /
With A Little Help From My Friends) (from the Wonder Years)

Song from M*A*S*H (a.k.a. Suicide is Painless) – Al DeLory (#70)

Good Lovin’ – Olympics (#81) and Young Rascals (#1) (from Doctor,
Doctor)

The Sound of Music – Patti Page (#90) (from The King Family Show)
(series theme may have been an instrumental version)

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – SALIVA (#101) (FROM DIRTY SEXY MONEY)

I Don’t Want to go Home – Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes (#105)
(from Down the Shore)

Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne (#106) (from the Osbournes) (sung by Pat
Boone for the TV series)

Teardrop – Massive Attack (#110) (from House)

Faith of the Heart – Rod Stewart (#117) (from Star Trek: Enterprise)
(sung by Russell Watson for the TV series and alternatively known as
‘Where My Heart Will Take Me’)

God Bless the Child – Eddie Harris (#119) (from Roc) (sung by Jerry
Lawson for the TV series)

Bodies – Drowning Pool (#119) (from Extreme Championship Wrestling)

and

Short Skirt / Long Jacket – Cake (#119) (from Chuck)


--
Allen Kirshner
(the alt.music.lyrics TV theme guy)


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