TV Themes That Should Never Have Had Lyrics

HEXdidnt

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Given that may TV show title sequences these days are just a 30-second blast of dubstep accompanying a flashing screen and an exploding logo (or is that just the rubbish I watch), it's easy to forget that many TV shows of yesteryear had full-on theme songs.

Many of them probably shouldn't have.

One outstanding example - and a comparatively recent one, at that - was Enterprise, AKA Star Trek: Enterprise, with its all-time classic of cringe, Faith of the Heart/Where My Heart Will Take Me, written by Diane Warren and sung by Russell Watson*:
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(* the song was also performed by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack to the 1998 movie, Patch Adams, and subsequently covered by Susan Aston for her 1999 album, Closer)

But it is perhaps a little-known fact that the Original Series also had a song attached, written by Gene Roddenberry himself, sung here by the USS Voyager's Emergency Medical Hologram himself, Robert Picardo:
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HEXdidnt

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Another one with that all-important cringe value was the theme from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. The song - Suspension, composed and conducted by Stu Phillips and performed by Kipp Lennon - was only every used for the theatrical pilot to the TV show... which is very much a Good Thing:
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This one won't embed, but it's the full title sequence. Skip the first minute or so to go straight to the song... but then you miss the truly stirring opening narration delivered by the actor William Conrad.

They just don't make space bikinis like that anymore...
 

Mort

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Used to like the actual theme to Buck Rogers - although was certainly better as an instrumental.

On the other hand, this is one that did have lyrics, which actually fit the tune.... (and wasn't too bad)
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And I really wish I could get a full box set UK region (including the last episode/failed trailer for new series) of that!
 

HEXdidnt

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Yeah, that does seem to be one of the better ones...

...But, behold! Today's horror - Anyone Can Fall In Love, featuring the Simon May Orchestra and sung by Anita Dobson. Why, oh why, did someone decide the EastEnders theme needed lyrics?
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Mort

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I don't know how true this is - but seem to recall reading that having lyrics, even if not always used, will increase the royalty percentage.

Another one that fortunately you don't hear the lyrics of too often.... the Rambo theme - which I believe was initially sung by Frank Stallone.

Oh and ECFIL hit the charts too .... reaching number 4!
 
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