I’m back and this time with a period that ushered in a decade of change with the rise of feminism, anti war protests and the continuing fight for civil rights. In terms of television there are only a few from this era that stick in my mind and out of all the decades I have been researching this has been the most difficult to identify contenders for. Nevertheless I endured and have complied my picks for the best theme tunes for TV shows from the 1970s.

(There are no British entries on this list, I debated a couple but non outweighed these choices, sorry)

M*A*S*H

Being a young girl when I watched the repeats of this show back in the 80s, I didn’t really understand the emotion of the subject matter. I laughed at the jokes and was intrigued by the medical aspects, but I didn’t get the whole message about the suffering and hardships of the war. Because of my naivety, I naturally loved the theme tune and it was only as I got older and came across the song with lyrics, did I realise what a sad song it really is for this show. For that reason I also file this one under the subcategory of ‘most depressing theme tunes ever’. But that doesn’t mean it should be included, the song is still a work of art and though sad, it allows you to connect to the harrowing nature of the Korean (though really Vietnam) war. I’ve included the theme with the lyrics for your goodselves.

Mission Impossible

Let’s lighten the mood and delve into a little espionage with the next theme. The music is the reason Mission Impossible films were such a success or maybe the blowing shit up because it definitely isn’t Tom Cruise. This tune originated from the TV show of the the same name and is so widely recognisable that surely I’m not the only person who sings this to myself when I go on a “mission”…which is usually navigating the daughter’s bedroom floor.

Shaft

You’re dayuuumn right. It’s the seventies I could not compile a list like this without the funk, and this theme has so much funk. With incredibly sexy tones of legend Isaac Hayes this theme tune is a classic. Who’s the black private dick, that’s a sex machine to all the chicks?

Wonder Woman

The first of two superheroes that made it in the cut. This is in the list for two reasons. 1) I’m not DC/Warner Bros and therefore don’t feel the need to ignore one of the their most successful franchises and 2) It’s fricking Wonder Woman and the only live action versions of her we have seen (so far). The theme is catchy, empowering and comes with an awesome animation which includes the invisible jet. Plus, it’s my childhood, I used to spin around in the front garden wearing the costume my mum made, singing this with all my heart. It’s where my obsession with the Amazon began.

The Incredible Hulk

This is the second entry that also fits into the subcatergory “most depressing theme tune ever”. Poor old Bruce Banner, travelling from town to town, turning into a giant green ‘monster’ solving some problems and moving on. The music I’ve picked is the closing theme, it’s sad and amplifies the loneliness of the character, hitting you right in the feels. Appropriately, the track is named The Lonely Man. Oh Bruce.

Bonus Track: The Muppets

…because Muppets

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