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TV Earworms: The Theme Songs That Burrow In, Never Let Go

By Sarah Carlson | Posted Under Seriously Random Lists | Comments (53)

rebecca-black-friday.png

The ridicule Rebecca Black received this spring once her music video for “Friday” went viral wasn’t earned entirely because the song, and her singing, are so bad. No, it’s because “Friday” is an earworm, a song that burrows into your brain and won’t leave. There are plenty of bad songs out there, but not all of them stay with you so well, popping up thanks to a simple trigger. “Friday” still starts playing in my head on days like, well, today (Black Friday — ha!), when I think, “I’m so glad it’s Friday … Friday, gotta get down on Friday AAAHHHHHH NO stop!” That’s why we can’t stand you, Rebecca. You brought the song to our ears. And it won’t leave.

In terms of earworm TV theme songs, my list of the catchiest — and therefore deadliest — is short. Sure, we all can sing the “Full House” theme and hate ourselves for it. Or we cringe when we hear Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait,” used on “Dawson’s Creek.” But neither of those or the countless other songs that have graced TV airwaves quite compare to these. If you are familiar with either of them, all it takes is hearing the show’s title for the tune to quickly be playing on repeat in your head.

I give you two Disney animated shows from the late 1980s:

“Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears” (1985-1990)

“DuckTales” (1987-1990)

There. That’s it. I don’t think either of those can be topped in the earworm territory. In fact, I challenge you to top those. Are there any other theme songs nearly as addictive?

Sarah Carlson will have gone crazy by day’s end from having these songs on repeat in her head. Good thing tomorrow is Saturday, and Sunday comes afterward.









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Comments

The David The Gnome theme song

Posted by: Coco Bravo at November 25, 2011 1:35 PM

Facts of Life? Happy Days?

Posted by: maka at November 25, 2011 1:37 PM

The Talespin theme song still haunts my memories. I was going to say Jem but I took a listen and remember absolutely none of it.

Posted by: joelboy at November 25, 2011 1:58 PM

Loved both of those cartoons, and now will be singing the theme songs for the rest of the day (without even watching the links)

Posted by: nikkers at November 25, 2011 2:02 PM

You want a recent (and AWESOME) earworm, go search YouTube for "Guy on a Buffalo".

I guaran-damn-tee you will not be disappointed. Because guess what? He's on a buffalo!

Posted by: Bert at November 25, 2011 2:04 PM

Perfect strangers theme song "Standing Tall." Go listen, I'll wait...Yeah that gets all up in your brain and starts humping it like an untrained Labrador, doesn't it?

Posted by: Blank at November 25, 2011 2:13 PM

JEM.

I win. You'll see.

Posted by: Kolby at November 25, 2011 2:27 PM

I hate you so much. I only saw the damn freeze frame and already the Gummi theme is trapped in my head, bouncing here and there and every where.

Posted by: Joseph Finn at November 25, 2011 2:30 PM

Arthur.

I'm sorry to have done this to you all.

Posted by: aptrapani at November 25, 2011 2:33 PM

Posted by: eldopa at November 25, 2011 2:35 PM

I had the Gummi Bears song in my head ALL DAY yesterday. Slightly off theme, I find a lot Lonely Island songs seem to get stuck somewhere behind my ear and will simply NOT be shifted.... even writing this has resurrected Jack Sparrow. Damn you Michael Bolton!

Posted by: Whatsyourbeef at November 25, 2011 2:41 PM

Man, there are too many to name:

Fraggle Rock, Muppet Babies, Earthworm Jim, Pokemon, Spiderman...

Posted by: Danny Smooth at November 25, 2011 2:43 PM

Anything that was ever a part of the TGIF lineup. Hell, the TGIF theme gets stuck in my head sometimes. "Gonna have some fun, show you how it's done, T-G-I-F!"

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at November 25, 2011 2:47 PM

Oh oh oh.... and the Red Dwarf theme tune, although I don't mind being caught singing that one, I blimmin' love Red Dwarf. "Fun fun fuuuun in the sun sun suuuuuuun!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C7YzqTtFXU

Posted by: Whatsyourbeef at November 25, 2011 2:47 PM

I thought it was just me with those two, Dustin.

Posted by: Jay at November 25, 2011 2:49 PM

I mean, there is always the Ninja Turtles theme song. AND this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2coKuySwHs&feature=related

CH-CH-CH-CHIP AND DALE. RESCUE RANGERS!

Posted by: Colin at November 25, 2011 2:50 PM

Have a good friend who *firmly* believes that the theme song from Sanford & Son is the anti-earmworm song... he proposes that this song is the only know "earworm killer".

Have to say it has worked for me a few times.

Posted by: nidaros at November 25, 2011 2:57 PM

I have the Rainbow Connection from Muppets in my head. It has been firmly lodged there all day.

Posted by: Nimue at November 25, 2011 3:06 PM

No one has said Fresh Prince yet???

Posted by: Kristopher at November 25, 2011 3:36 PM

Chip N' Dale Rescue Rangers!

I work in a bank and end up humming that tune all the time. Something about monotony lending itself to insane catchy theme songs.

Posted by: Rornyh at November 25, 2011 4:26 PM

Now you've done it. I'm stuck on youtube, forever finding some TV cartoon intro song that I still know by heart after all this time in the goddamn 'related videos'-column.

Kind of like when you watch a video featuring cats doing something adorable. Only worse.

And they're all so catchy. Every. Single. One. They're made to last forever in your head. I know some day I will forget why I just entered that room and what the hell I wanted to do there, I'm going to forget my address and eventually my name.

But these opening songs will still be there.

Ducktales, ooh-wooo-hooo...

Posted by: Rooks at November 25, 2011 5:10 PM

Psych.
Just typing that got it stuck in my head.

Posted by: DominaNefret at November 25, 2011 5:19 PM

On more than one occasion I've realized that I'm singing the original America's Funniest Home Videos theme. Not the best feeling.

Posted by: BleakSauce at November 25, 2011 5:47 PM

I'm gonna go ahead and throw out a vote for...

Animaniacs

Eh?...Eh?

Posted by: Jase at November 25, 2011 5:58 PM

Blank, one night my boyfriend and I were watching Perfect Strangers (on dvd) and we fell asleep with it still playing. I remember coming slowly awake to hear the theme song playing over and over and over again. It took me an eternity to actually drag myself awake enough to turn off the damn dvd menu page which was playing it on a loop. I don't ever wanna hear that damn song again.

Posted by: dr. pisaster at November 25, 2011 6:32 PM

Denver the Last Dinosaur. Actually, pretty much every single cartoon theme from the '80s into the early '90s is earworm territory.

Posted by: Arran at November 25, 2011 6:36 PM

The theme to Norm MacDonald's show always got stuck in my head, but I never minded.

Posted by: Fribbley at November 25, 2011 6:42 PM

@nidaros

Try "Eye of the Tiger" as the anti-earworm song. Yeah, I didn't believe it either, I mean, Rocky? Really?

But it works. First it drives out the bad stuff, then it goes away, just like a good antibiotic. I've said too much again, haven't I?


Posted by: BierceAmbrose at November 25, 2011 7:07 PM

How has no one mentioned Tiny Toons yet?

I haven't seen the show in ages but can recite the lyrics almost verbatim..

We're tiny, we're toony
We're all a little loony
And in this cartoony
We're invading your TV

We're comic dispensers
We crack up all the censors
On Tiny Toon Adventures
Get a dose of comedy

So here's Acme Acres
It's a whole wide world apart
Our home sweet home stands alone
A cartoon work of art

and so on...

Posted by: Aren't I Me? at November 25, 2011 7:14 PM

most definitely:

animaniacs
three's company
facts of life

Posted by: donkee at November 25, 2011 7:22 PM

Clone High

Posted by: Zoomba at November 25, 2011 9:05 PM

"Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers"? Anyone??

Posted by: icravefreshbrains at November 25, 2011 9:44 PM

George of the Jungle

The original Hawaii 5-0 theme.

Posted by: Uncle JR at November 25, 2011 10:17 PM

Theme song from Greatest American Hero. "Believe it or not I'm walkin on air..."

Oh and the Josie & the Pussycats song for some reason.

Posted by: RosieL at November 25, 2011 10:30 PM

Try this one, a charming Swedish(I think) put together a great medley of the earwormiest cartoon songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrMvYHFeH60

Posted by: Nettlerose at November 26, 2011 1:12 AM

On Thanksgiving, a commercial for State Farm (or maybe it was AllState ... it was for insurance) used the "Cheers" theme song.

So now every time I hear the fucking song I'll be thinking of death-and-dismemberment clauses.

Why couldn't they have used "M*A*S*H" instead?

"Suicide won't pay off ..."

Posted by: , at November 26, 2011 1:43 AM

Oh, and "Mission: Impossible."

Posted by: , at November 26, 2011 1:44 AM

I can't believe no one's mentioned this one yet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZNaecq_rpU

But yeah, that block of Disney cartoons that was on from like 3-5 every weekday afternoon (Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, Tailspin, and Ducktales; y'all know what I'm talking about) all had some of the catchiest theme songs ever.

Posted by: APOCooter at November 26, 2011 3:03 AM

"humping it like an untrained Labrador"

Well Blank, not to get off subject but we had a 7 month old balled Great Dane puppy as a Thanksgiving guest and it seems he fell in love with my 6 year old yellow Lab, sticking his tongue in said yellow labs ear and attempting to hump him. Luckily it was after dinner. Ball-less yellow lab was not pleased since the puppy was about 8 inches taller and hard to avoid. The damn thing was hung like a horse.

Posted by: kirbyjay at November 26, 2011 6:59 AM

JEM, i support that one, just reading those 3 letters gets that song started in my brain.. ahhhh..

Posted by: scotchy at November 26, 2011 8:14 AM

Animaniacs - definitely. Muppet Babies.

Posted by: kayla at November 26, 2011 8:55 AM

After these messages... we'll be riiight back.

Posted by: Vi at November 26, 2011 1:23 PM

My brain is now officially fried. I read through the comments and 30 different earworms combined into a giant mechaworm to blast my poor gray matter into bits.

Ducktales is excitement,
C-c-chip and Gummibears, (moving on up!)
and the Warner sister Dot. Oo-oo-ooh Jem!

Posted by: Bob Frapples at November 26, 2011 2:54 PM

Inspector Gadget...

Posted by: Kortaka at November 26, 2011 5:27 PM

Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck!! Ah, memories...

Tiny Toons is the one that I haven't seen an episode in decades and I still know the whole. entire. song. by heart. Scary.

Also, Ducktales, WHOOO-HOOOOOOO!!

Posted by: jayem at November 26, 2011 5:44 PM

I can't believe no one has said "Bored to Death" yet?

Posted by: jrs at November 26, 2011 7:37 PM

Talespin, Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers, Tiny Toons, and Animaniacs were going to be my suggestions but I am SO happy to see I was beaten to the punch on all accounts. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy for you guys!

Posted by: mb at November 26, 2011 9:07 PM

Animaniacs. Tiny Toons. Starblazers.

Posted by: Evie at November 27, 2011 8:15 PM

The Batman theme. Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-BATMAN!

Posted by: Artemis at November 27, 2011 10:21 PM

I Dream of Jeannie theme music. And Pink Panther.

Posted by: Inquisitive Mind at November 27, 2011 11:03 PM

There are only about a thousand TV themes catchier than the Gummi Bears and Ducktales, like ... Scooby-Doo. And Diff'rent Strokes. And the theme from I Love Lucy. And the Wonder Woman theme. And The Love Boat. And the All in the Family theme. And Good Times. And The Jeffersons. And any selection, that's right, any selection from A Charlie Brown Christmas. And ... well, you get the picture.

Posted by: Jeff in Middletucky at November 28, 2011 8:44 AM

It's all right 'cause I'm saved by the bell.

Posted by: Mattfactor at November 28, 2011 10:00 AM

I once mentioned an earworm I was suffering from to a coworker. I worked in housekeeping for a large hospital and I told that colleague at 6:30 in the a.m. that I could not get the damn theme to the "Beverly Hillbillies" to stop burrowing in my ears. The banjo bridge is especially a killer in the head.

By mid-morning break three hours later, I passed at least 6 people in the hallways humming that song. It is evil incarnate.

Posted by: NeoCleo at November 28, 2011 2:56 PM