Situation comedy theme songs aren’t what they used to be. Today, the networks would rather skip the opening montage of characters doing goofy things in order to save time for more commercials. However, since I Love Lucy, there have been many great themes, and they’re ingrained in our heads. But not all of them, even for the best shows, make us want to burst into song. Here are Gunaxin’s picks for the best live-action, original themes for situation comedies that are the most fun to sing (sorry, Friends and Family Guy). Vote for your favorite at the bottom, including for the honorable mentions.

You can also buy many of these, plus more, on Amazon.com.

(Unfortunately not all of the original opening credits were available on Youtube so some of the videos below have the correct music to the wrong scenes)

10 The Addams Family

They’re creepy and they’re kooky,

Mysterious and spooky,

They’re all together ooky,

The Addams Family. Their house is a museum.

When people come to see ’em

They really are a screa-um.

The Addams Family. Neat

Sweet

Petite So get a witch’s shawl on.

A broomstick you can crawl on.

We’re gonna pay a call on

The Addams Family.

9 The Jeffersons

Well we’re movin on up,

To the east side.

To a deluxe apartment in the sky.

Movin on up,

To the east side.

We finally got a piece of the pie. Fish don’t fry in the kitchen;

Beans don’t burn on the grill.

Took a whole lotta tryin’,

Just to get up that hill.

Now we’re up in the big leagues,

Gettin’ our turn at bat.

As long as we live, it’s you and me baby,

There ain’t nothin wrong with that. Well we’re movin on up,

To the east side.

To a deluxe apartment in the sky.

Movin on up,

To the east side.

We finally got a piece of the pie.

8 Good Times

Good Times.

Any time you meet a payment. – Good Times.

Any time you need a friend. – Good Times.

Any time you’re out from under.

Not getting hassled, not getting hustled.

Keepin’ your head above water,

Making a wave when you can. Temporary lay offs. – Good Times.

Easy credit rip offs. – Good Times.

Scratchin’ and surviving. – Good Times.

Hangin in a chow line – Good Times.

Ain’t we lucky we got ‘em – Good Times.

CLOSING THEME LYRICS

Mmmmmm

Just lookin’ out of the window.

Watchin’ the asphalt grow.

Thinkin’ how it all looks hand-me-down.

Good Times, yeah, yeah Good Times Keepin’ your head above water

Makin’ a wave when you can Temporary lay offs. – Good Times.

Easy credit rip offs. – Good Times.

Ain’t we lucky we got ’em – Good Times.

7 Three’s Company

Come and knock on our door (Come and knock on our door)

We’ve been waiting for you (We’ve been waiting for you)

Where the kisses are hers and hers and his,

Three’s company too. Come and dance on on our floor (Come and dance on on our floor)

Take a step that is new (Take a step that is new)

We’ve a loveable space that needs your face,

Three’s company too. You’ll see that life is a frolic and laughter is calling for you,

Down at our rendez-vous,

Three’s company, too!

6 The Brady Bunch

Here’s the story of a lovely lady

Who was bringing up three very lovely girls.

All of them had hair of gold, like their mother,

The youngest one in curls. Here’s the store, of a man named Brady,

Who was busy with three boys of his own,

They were four men, living all together,

Yet they were all alone. Till the one day when the lady met this fellow

And they knew it was much more than a hunch,

That this group would somehow form a family.

That’s the way we all became the Brady Bunch.

The Brady Bunch, That’s the way we all became the Brady Bunch.

The Brady Bunch.

5 All in the Family

Boy, the way Glenn Miller played.

Songs that made the hit parade.

Guys like us we had it made.

Those were the days. Didn’t need no welfare state.

Everybody pulled his weight.

Gee, our old LaSalle ran great.

Those were the days. And you knew who you WERE THEN.

Girls were girls and men were men.

Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again.

People seemed to be content.

Fifty dollars paid the rent.

Freaks were in a circus tent.

Those were the days.

4 Beverly Hillbillies

Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed

A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,

Then one day he was shootin at some food,

And up through the ground came a bubblin’ crude. Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea. Well the first thing you know ol’ Jed’s a millionaire,

Kinfolk said Jed move away from there

Said Californy is the place you ought to be

So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Hills, that is.

Swimmin pools, movie stars. The Beverly Hillbillies! Sung at the end of the show: Well now its time to say good-bye to Jed and all his kin.

And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.

You’re all invited back again to this locality

To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality Hillbilly that is. Set a spell. Take your shoes off. Y’all come back now, y’hear?

3 Happy Days

Sunday, Monday, Happy Days.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days.

Thursday, Friday, Happy Days.

The weekend comes,

My cycle hums,

Ready to race to you. These days are all,

Happy and Free. (Those Happy Days)

These days are all,

Share them with me. (oh baby)

Goodbye grey sky, hello blue.

There’s nothing can hold me when I hold you.

Feels so right, it can’t be wrong.

Rockin’ and rollin’ all week long. Sunday, Monday, Happy Days.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days.

Thursday, Friday, Happy Days.

Saturday, What a day,

Groovin’ all week with you. These days are all,

Share them with me. (Those Happy Days)

These days are all,

Happy and Free. (oh baby)

These Happy Days are your’s and mine.

These Happy Days are your’s and mine, Happy Days.

2 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Now, this is a story all about how

My life got flipped-turned upside down

And I liked to take a minute

Just sit right there

I’ll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air In west Philadelphia born and raised

On the playground was where I spent most of my days

Chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool

And all shootin some b-ball outside of the school

When a couple of guys

Who were up to no good

Startin making trouble in my neighborhood

I got in one little fight and my mom got scared

She said ‘You’re movin’ with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air’ I begged and pleaded with her day after day

But she packed my suite case and send me on my way

She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket.

I put my walkman on and said, ‘I might as well kick it’. First class, yo this is bad

Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass.

Is this what the people of Bel-Air Living like?

Hmmmmm this might be alright. But wait I hear there’re prissy, wine all that

Is Bel-Air the type of place they send this cool cat?

I don’t think sow

I’ll see when I get there

I hope they’re prepared for the prince of Bel-Air Well, the plane landed and when I came out

There was a dude who looked like a cop standing there with my name out

I ain’t trying to get arrested

I just got here

I sprang with the quickness like lightening, disappeared I whistled for a cab and when it came near

The license plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror

If anything I can say this cab is rare

But I thought ‘Now forget it’ – ‘Yo homes to Bel Air’ I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8

And I yelled to the cabbie ‘Yo homes smell ya later’

I looked at my kingdom

I was finally there

To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air

1 Gilligan’s Island

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale,

A tale of a fateful trip

That started from this tropic port

Aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a mighty sailing man,

The skipper brave and sure.

Five passengers set sail that day

For a three hour tour, a three hour tour. The weather started getting rough,

The tiny ship was tossed,

If not for the courage of the fearless crew

The minnow would be lost, the minnow would be lost. The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle

With Gilligan

The Skipper too,

The millionaire and his wife,

The movie star

The professor and Mary Ann,

Here on Gilligans Isle. So this is the tale of the castaways,

They’re here for a long, long time,

They’ll have to make the best of things,

It’s an uphill climb. The first mate and the Skipper too,

Will do their very best,

To make the others comfortable,

In the tropic island nest. No phone, no lights no motor cars,

Not a single luxury,

Like Robinson Crusoe,

As primitive as can be. So join us here each week my friends,

You’re sure to get a smile,

From seven stranded castaways,

Here on “Gilligan’s Isle.”

Gunaxin’s Honorable Mentions:

The Andy Griffith Show

Cheers

Different Strokes

Facts of Life

Gimme a Break

Green Acres

Laverne & Shirley

Mary Tyler Moore (Love Is All Around)

Maude

Mr. Ed

The Nanny

One Day at a Time

Saved by the Bell

Scrubs

WKRP in Cincinnati

Did we miss any? Name them in the comments.

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