Even today I occasionally will hear someone singing them, usually accompanied by an acoustic guitar in an attempt to be ironically nostalgic. And because I love those songs so much I actually restrain myself from smacking them in the face.
I hate people who try to be ironically nostalgic via the medium of acoustic guitar.
So I've decided to compile a list of my favourite theme tunes from kids shows. Lets see how many of them you recognise!
1. Gummi Bears: I think this was my first brush with lollies turned cartoon characters. I couldn't even tell you what the show was about today, but I can still sing the whole theme tune.
2. Fraggle Rock: God, didn't we all love this show? There was just something so amazing about the idea of teeny little people living under the house ... although the doozers always freaked me out a little bit.
3. The Wombles: These guys were definitely ahead of their time! They were recycling before it became all "cool". And who doesn't love Bernard Cribbin's voice.
4. The Famous Five: I'm not sure what it was about four kids and a dog that kept me coming back for more ... but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was the fact that George owned an island. She was a kid and she owned a freaking island! I was always so jealous of her for that.
5. Monkey Magic: I personally think that this show is almost entirely responsible for how many Buddhists there are in my generation.
So, what are your favourite theme tunes from when you were kids?
I never felt such happiness as when I heard that opening for Fraggle Rock. Nice list!
ReplyDeleteYou can't help but grin, can you!
DeleteIronic nostalgia via acoustic guitar is the ultimate in douchbaggery. I hate that. But even I would probably restrain myself from slapping their ironic mustache sideways if they were playing the theme to Scooby Doo or Superfriends. Or, as you pointed out, Fraggle Rock. Hell ya!
ReplyDeleteOr Astroboy! Although, I'm not sure the theme tune to Astroboy would work on a guitar.
DeleteI've had my girls watching my cartoons for ages! Smurfs, Thundercats, Gummi Bears! The only cartoon I really like that is new is Phineas and Ferb. The girls seem to like them and on the plus side I get a major kick out of them singing the theme songs to cartoons from the 80s.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I've tried watching some of the cartoons today, but I just can't do it. I'm a traditionalist I guess.
DeleteHR Puffin Stuff......Go Speed Racer....Electric Company....Reading Rainbow oh cartoons so simple and relaxing :]
ReplyDeleteThere's something about them that just takes you straight back to being seven years old and sitting in front of the tele on a Saturday morning.
DeleteLoved Fraggle Rock! I loved the theme song from Mr. Dress Up, but that was probably because it was my favorite, favorite show as a kid :) Oh, that tickle trunk with all its costumes!
ReplyDeleteI think Fraggle Rock was one of everyone's favourites. It's a timeless classic!
DeleteIronic nostalgia is infuriating. Those old cartoons and shows had the BEST theme songs. That's what's lacking of shows in general of today. The Fraggle Rock song had more funk than some George Clinton songs...probably equal amounts of pot went into both.
ReplyDeleteI think shows today are lacking the balance between sarcasm and innocence that the 80's shows had. Now days they're just so damned clever.
DeleteMagic Garden and how about The Great Space Coaster? I do admit that I have grown fond of Spongebob.
ReplyDeleteI never watched a single episode of Fraggle Rock, but I can sing the theme song. Weird how that works.
ReplyDeleteNot at all. I think it's mandatory to know the words to Fraggle Rock.
DeleteTwenty-something years later and I can still sing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song. Doesn't mean it's my favorite, but it's catchy enough that I'll never forget it.
ReplyDeleteThose are the ones that stick in your head the longest. And make you look completely uncool when you find yourself humming them :D
DeleteOh you just made me mourn for my childhood with those themes, especially 'Monkey Magic.'
ReplyDeleteMy favourite as a child was from a cartoon called 'Jamie and the magic torch.'
I never could work out why I liked Monkey, if we're honest it was a pretty weird show. But I did love it and so did everyone else I knew.
DeleteGeorge of the Jungle "Watch out for that tree!!", The Underdog "Oh where oh where has my under dog gone" Gimme a break.. I know it wasn't a cartoon, but it was a cute song... And of course the opening music for any looney tunes cartoon
ReplyDeleteOh god, George of the Jungle! I haven't thought about that one in ages, but I can totally remember the song!
DeleteGummi Bears are amazing! Also the tune from Duck Tales. They have race cars, lasers, AND aeroplanes.
ReplyDeleteIt's a duck blur!
Deletei only liked monkey magic for the theme tune and the cloud sequences. the rest sort of creeped me out. The wombles on the other hand - so comforting.
ReplyDeleteIt was Bernard Cribbin's accent that did it :D
DeleteI just realized that I still know all the words to the Gummy Bears show. And that made my day. :o)
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Valerie
We aim to please!
DeleteThunder, thunder, thunder, THUNDER CATS HOOOOOOOO!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing worse than someone being ironically nostalgic on an acoustic guitar is someone being ironically nostalgic on a ukulele.
My god, theme songs back then just stuck without effort. Something about the long-short stressed double syllables that just nail it home.
You left off both versions of Winnie the Pooh, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, Inspector Gadget, the Original Transformers, Widget the World Watcher, Captain Planet, Around the Twist... and many more I am sure. Great post, it has filled me with happiness :)
Round The Twist! God, I haven't seen that show in years! I loved it when it first started, the first couple of seasons were amazing!
DeleteI had no idea those bears were called Gummi Bears? How did this happen! :) I have to agree with Fraggle Rock, but I also loved some Flintstones and Thunder Cats. ha ha
ReplyDeleteOoh, Flintstones! And The Jetsons too!
DeleteYay - Wombles! I loved that show until I sullied my (and everyone else's) memory of them with this post... oops!
ReplyDeleteOkay, someone really needs to record your version of The Wombles theme tune!!!
ReplyDelete