DAILY DIRT: We’ll always ‘be there’ for Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, Monica and Joey

Daily Dirt for Saturday, March 1, 2025

Top three are solid, but I’m open for conversation from No. 4 on down … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,216 of The Daily Dirt.

1. The best intro music in the history of TV shows?

We’ve had bits and pieces of this conversation in the past, but today we’re giving you our full look at the best theme songs for television programs in the history of … well, television. 

These are our choices:

• 1. “I’ll Be There For You,” by the Rembrandts: Interestingly, this song was reportedly modeled after the Beatles’ “Paperback Writer”. The “Friends” song peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard pop chart and was No. 1 on the Radio Airplay chart for eight weeks. 
• 2. “Happy Days,” by Pratt and McClain: The song “perfectly evoked the show’s idyllic 1950s setting, expertly mimicked the pop hits of that era, and is probably playing in your head right now,” writer Mike Floorwalker wrote on grunge.com in 2023.
• 3. “Welcome Back,” by John Sebastian: This No. 1 hit from 1976 — and the opening music for “Welcome Back, Kotter” — was an important part of John Sebastian’s career that has included being the front man for the band Lovin’ Spoonful in the ’60s. He also co-wrote and sang a series of hits hits (including “Do You Believe in Magic,” “Daydream,” and “Summer in the City”), played a brief, unscheduled set at Woodstock, turned down an invitation to join the folk group that would become Crosby, Stills & Nash, and is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.
• 4. “With A Little Help From My Friends,” by Joe Cocker: We all remember Kevin and Winnie on “The Wonder Years,” but did you ever know who the narrator was? It was Daniel Stern.
• 5. “The Rockford Files,” by Mike Post: Arguably the finest instrumental theme music ever.
• 6. “Secret Agent Man,” by Johnny Rivers: This song was written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. Sloan wrote, performed and produced many top 20 hits for artists such as Barry McGuire, the Searchers, Jan and Dean, Herman’s Hermits, Grass Roots, Turtles and Mamas and Papas.
• 7. “Making Our Dreams Come True,” by Cyndi Grecco: The “LaVerne and Shirley” theme song was so-o-o-o much better than that wretched show.
• 8. “WKRP in Cincinnati Theme,” by Steve Carlisle: Ahh … memories of Dr. Johnny Fever.
• 9. “Hawaii Five-O Theme,” by the Ventures: Admit it, you can hear those drums as you read this …
• 10. “Those Were the Days.” Archie and Edith singing at the opening of “All in the Family” remains the stuff of legends. This song, which was written by Lee Adams, Charles Strouse and Shel Kagan, was later recorded by Cream and Dolly Parton

Honorable mention

• “Mission Impossible Theme,” by Lalo Schifrin: I still watch reruns of this classic, just to hear the music at the beginning.
• “The Beverly Hillbillies,” by Flatt and Scruggs: The actual title is “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”.
• “S.W.A.T.,” by Rhythm Heritage: In case you didn’t know, the theme music for current program is a remake from the show of the 1970s.
• “Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow,” by Rhythm Heritage: Otherwise known as “Baretta’s Theme”, and another entry compliments of Rhythm Heritage: I never cared for the show, but the music was great.
• “Batman Theme”: The Ventures, Jan and Dean, Link Wray and The Jam have all recorded this instrumental.
• “Dukes of Hazzard Theme (‘Good Ol’ Boys),” by Waylon Jennings: Too bad Willie and Waylon could not have tag-teamed this number back in 1980.
• “Bonanza,” by Al Caiola and his Orchestra: Sunday nights have never been quite the same since this show left the air. By the way, the Bonanza theme reached as high as No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

2. Did you know (Part 290)

• That Gwen Stefani worked at a Dairy Queen before her music career took off.
• That Listerine was once marketed as a floor cleaner and a cure for gonorrhea. Listerine was also marketed as a dandruff cure, hair tonic, deodorant and a “beneficial remedy” for several diseases including diphtheria, dysentery, and smallpox. Around 1920, it became known as a solution for bad breath.
• That ancient Romans used urine as a mouthwash and teeth whitener.
• That a fear of long words is called “hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia”.
• That if you lined up all humans, the line would loop the Earth 56 times.

3. Here are some more well-known musical acts who have never won a Grammy:

• Katy Perry
• ABBA (it took the Swedes almost 50 years just to receive their first nomination)
• Nicki Minaj
• Queen
• Snoop Dogg
• Martina McBride
• Blake Shelton
• Diana Ross (she has a lifetime achievement, but no actual Grammy)
• Beach Boys (same as Diana Ross)
• Jimi Hendrix (same as Diana Ross and the Beach Boys)

Steve Thought O’ The Day – Earlier this week, I read that animals that lay eggs do not have bellybuttons. I’m going to be all night thinking about that.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. You should see him dance the Batusi.