Just something Alex and I were talking about today...
Showing posts with label theme songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theme songs. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Greatest American Hero
So things have been busy, okay? Sheesh. Maybe I'm not working on a pilot, but I have been burning the old midnight oil (watching Bridezilla marathons while making baby shower gifts, obviously).
Anyway. I realized that even though Alex and I posted our favorite TV theme songs a long time ago, there were so many we forgot! Or really just this one. I know nothing about this show, but it looks...pretty...great (awful).
True story: Before I could drive, I had to ride the bus to school, and our bus driver reliably listened to soft-rock hit factory Mix 106 (yes, it has haunted me my entire life). She never, ever, ever changed the station. Except once, when the theme to Greatest American Hero started playing. She even tried to turn back once, found out the song was still playing, and switched away yet again. TV themes are apparently like poison to bus drivers.
Anyway. I realized that even though Alex and I posted our favorite TV theme songs a long time ago, there were so many we forgot! Or really just this one. I know nothing about this show, but it looks...pretty...great (awful).
True story: Before I could drive, I had to ride the bus to school, and our bus driver reliably listened to soft-rock hit factory Mix 106 (yes, it has haunted me my entire life). She never, ever, ever changed the station. Except once, when the theme to Greatest American Hero started playing. She even tried to turn back once, found out the song was still playing, and switched away yet again. TV themes are apparently like poison to bus drivers.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Arthur
This past weekend, Little Alex surprised all of us by coming home for a night. Of course we had to do something special at Winfrey Family HQ, and that something special was watching the movie Arthur starring a young (but not that young) Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli.
Dudley Moore is like, good choice guys.
This movie was Mama Winfrey's pick. The most important thing to know about Mama Winfrey is that she doesn't like movies. She rarely sits through one without falling asleep, and I think she only ventures out to the theatre about once a year. Yet she recommended Arthur very enthusiastically, so I felt compelled to check it out. Her review after seeing it a second time was, "Not as funny as I remembered," but we still enjoyed it. The most curious thing about Arthur is not that Dudley Moore is supposed to be a young, handsome playboy (even though that is very curious!), or that Liza Minnelli is dressed like a gay cowboy version of Ernie the Sesame Street character when Arthur meets her (even though that is also very curious!). No, the most curious thing is the way the movie treats Arthur's alcoholism. Because that's what it is. The dude has a serious drinking problem, yet everyone is just like, "Whatevs, that's Arthur for you!" Aside from one elderly uncle who tells him to stop drinking, no one seems to care. There are several emotionally climactic scenes in the movie that take place when Arthur is completely hammered. At no point does Liza Minnelli say, "I actually shouldn't date you, on account of your crippling alcoholism. Also, you slept with a prostitute at the beginning of the movie, a fact that everyone seems to have forgotten about."
And then there was the theme song. You might expect a lot coming from Burt Bacharach and Christopher Cross, two men who are ideally suited to the medium of 80s movie theme songs. But this is what you get:
While most movie theme songs are content to allude to the themes and mood of the movie, this song actually describes the plot. I mean, it's called "Arthur's Theme." Some actual lyrics: "Livin' his life one day at a time/Showin' himself a pretty good time." Really, Burt Bacharach? You just rhymed time with time!
I had what I thought was a great, original idea while watching Arthur: there should be a remake, and Russell Brand should play Arthur! Then while doing research, I found this article. Apparently I'm not such a casting genius after all. I just remembered an article I read a year ago.
Dudley Moore is like, good choice guys.
This movie was Mama Winfrey's pick. The most important thing to know about Mama Winfrey is that she doesn't like movies. She rarely sits through one without falling asleep, and I think she only ventures out to the theatre about once a year. Yet she recommended Arthur very enthusiastically, so I felt compelled to check it out. Her review after seeing it a second time was, "Not as funny as I remembered," but we still enjoyed it. The most curious thing about Arthur is not that Dudley Moore is supposed to be a young, handsome playboy (even though that is very curious!), or that Liza Minnelli is dressed like a gay cowboy version of Ernie the Sesame Street character when Arthur meets her (even though that is also very curious!). No, the most curious thing is the way the movie treats Arthur's alcoholism. Because that's what it is. The dude has a serious drinking problem, yet everyone is just like, "Whatevs, that's Arthur for you!" Aside from one elderly uncle who tells him to stop drinking, no one seems to care. There are several emotionally climactic scenes in the movie that take place when Arthur is completely hammered. At no point does Liza Minnelli say, "I actually shouldn't date you, on account of your crippling alcoholism. Also, you slept with a prostitute at the beginning of the movie, a fact that everyone seems to have forgotten about."
And then there was the theme song. You might expect a lot coming from Burt Bacharach and Christopher Cross, two men who are ideally suited to the medium of 80s movie theme songs. But this is what you get:
While most movie theme songs are content to allude to the themes and mood of the movie, this song actually describes the plot. I mean, it's called "Arthur's Theme." Some actual lyrics: "Livin' his life one day at a time/Showin' himself a pretty good time." Really, Burt Bacharach? You just rhymed time with time!
I had what I thought was a great, original idea while watching Arthur: there should be a remake, and Russell Brand should play Arthur! Then while doing research, I found this article. Apparently I'm not such a casting genius after all. I just remembered an article I read a year ago.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Bosom Buddies!
I have a great treat for you.
Mom got the 80s television sensation Bosom Buddies from the library. She loves it. So much. And as soon as the theme song started, I loved it too. Mom was all, "I don't remember this. I don't think it was the original theme song." Turns out it wasn't! Originally, Billy Joel's "My Life" was the theme song, but it was sung by someone else. For some reason on the DVD release, they use a version of the end credits song with vocals. Either way, this is one of the best intros I've ever seen. There are so many butt shots! Even Chase was impressed (it takes a lot of butt shots to impress Chase).
Here's the "My Life" version:
And here's the version we saw (well, without the introductory part):
The butt shots! The young Tom Hanks! The Peter Scolari (where are you now?)! It's all around great. Apparently the guy that did this show also did The Larry Sanders Show and he cited Bosom Buddies as his greatest television experience because it was so much fun. It seems pretty great from this intro, doesn't it?
Mom got the 80s television sensation Bosom Buddies from the library. She loves it. So much. And as soon as the theme song started, I loved it too. Mom was all, "I don't remember this. I don't think it was the original theme song." Turns out it wasn't! Originally, Billy Joel's "My Life" was the theme song, but it was sung by someone else. For some reason on the DVD release, they use a version of the end credits song with vocals. Either way, this is one of the best intros I've ever seen. There are so many butt shots! Even Chase was impressed (it takes a lot of butt shots to impress Chase).
Here's the "My Life" version:
And here's the version we saw (well, without the introductory part):
The butt shots! The young Tom Hanks! The Peter Scolari (where are you now?)! It's all around great. Apparently the guy that did this show also did The Larry Sanders Show and he cited Bosom Buddies as his greatest television experience because it was so much fun. It seems pretty great from this intro, doesn't it?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Best TV Themes/Intros, Part 2
Kerry did her thing, and now it's time to bring out the big guns. I'm not even going to put the Murder She Wrote Intro on here. We all know how everyone feels about that. Everyone loves it. So here's one to kick it off.
It's Growing Pains everybody!
I don't think I need to explain why I like this, but if you can't figure it out, I'll give you a hint. It starts with, "Oooh," and it ends with, "show me that smile."
Next up we have an (not so) old Winfrey favorite. The Gilmore Girls! See if you can spot the trend.
That's right! Sassy, yet smooth background vocals! I'm a sucker for them, and you are too whether you know it or not.
This is my favorite theme song ever. It's so majestic. To be fair, I think I just like it because of this, but I included it anyway.
Finally, we have a forgotten gem. By "forgotten gem" I mean I've never even heard of this show. I just like the music.
It's very reminiscent of the intro for Who's the Boss, but more inspirational! Listening to this song is the equivalent of having Bruce Springsteen pat you on the back. Bonus points for smooth backing vocals.
That's all I've got for now. Do with it what you will.
PS
I'm done with college. For good.
Best TV Themes/Intros, Part 1.
Alex and I love TV themes. I know for a fact that one of us went through a pretty heavy "Murder She Wrote" theme phase (hint: it wasn't me). Anyway, here are my favorite television themes. Some of them I like for the song, but I enjoy the ones that tell some backstory!
Like this one: Perfect Strangers. Also, I CANNOT buy that Cousin Larry is just now moving out of his family's home. Dude looks 35.
Degrassi Junior High: This one plays in my head every morning. Gee, I gotta go to school.
This isn't really the intro, but I just wanted to let Alex know that FINALLY here's a version of the song that isn't from Family Guy. For some reason this used to be so hard to find!
And OBVIOUSLY:
Who's the Boss?: It gets realllll creepy at right about :26...
Okay, those are my favorites. Alex, get on it!
Like this one: Perfect Strangers. Also, I CANNOT buy that Cousin Larry is just now moving out of his family's home. Dude looks 35.
Degrassi Junior High: This one plays in my head every morning. Gee, I gotta go to school.
This isn't really the intro, but I just wanted to let Alex know that FINALLY here's a version of the song that isn't from Family Guy. For some reason this used to be so hard to find!
And OBVIOUSLY:
Who's the Boss?: It gets realllll creepy at right about :26...
Okay, those are my favorites. Alex, get on it!
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