5 TV Show Theme Songs From The '70s That Still Rock Hard Today

Remember in the 1970s when TV shows had theme songs that were such bangers, they sometimes showed up on the Billboard charts? Even if many never had mainstream musical success, there were some serious earworms running over the credits, catchy enough to get stuck in your head for decades. You may not even remember most of the TV themes from the decade, but if you heard them again, you'd be spirited back in time, bopping along to the tune-smithing that helped make tuning in a peak experience.

These may not all be TV show theme songs that became huge pop hits, but some charted, and a handful carried forward as cultural touchstones of their generation. Think of how many times you've sung out, "Well, we're movin' on up!" from "The Jeffersons" theme song every time life handed you a golden ticket. It's the de facto soundtrack that shuffles back into your life whether you remember where it came from or not.

Choosing the five TV show theme songs from the 1970s that rock the hardest is a labor of love. The ones that made this list are a groovy mix of swampy funk, hard-driving, disco-fied rock, and even a little gospel. Take a speaker-thumping trip down memory lane as you revisit TV tunes that changed the shape of the musical landscape of the 1970s, one 45-second snippet at a time.

A little country-fried rock accented with quirky, zigzagging synths set the tone for "The Rockford Files," a semi-comic detective series that never took itself too seriously. The sly guitar licks and grooving melody was a perfect musical depiction of James Garner's effortless portrayal of LA detective Jim Rockford, a pardoned ex-con-turned-P.I. The opening credits never failed to get heads swaying, generating a little feel-good energy before the show started.

The rollicking, riff-heavy instrumental romp was composed by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter; Post had produced a few noteworthy songs before he was tapped to create Jim Rockford's signature theme. His fame as a TV composer was just getting started with this one, though. Several years later, he would create the theme songs for "Law & Order," "Magnum P.I.," and "Hill Street Blues," which became a No. 10 Billboard hit and one of the most memorable TV show theme songs of the 1980s.

Likewise, the "Rockford Files" ditty was one TV show theme from the 1970s that actually did experience radio airplay, enough to make it to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975 and keep it on the charts for 16 weeks. It also received a Grammy nomination for best pop instrumental performance, but lost to that disco-era hit "The Hustle." It did, however, score a Grammy for best instrumental arrangement. 

"Sanford and Son" always got the party started with a tune that felt like a jam session kicking into high gear. The harmonica blows hard and confident on this bebopping slice of swampy soul. Even without lyrics, the insistent melody invites listeners to scat along to the "dwah-dah DWEE-dahp" riff that had shoulders shimmying from the moment it debuted. Your version may have a different pronunciation, but you know exactly what it sounds like just by reading that line. You probably even scatted it out loud just to relive the moment.

Few fans may know the song actually had a name, "The Streetbeater," or that the iconic music was composed by none other than Quincy Jones. Producer Bud Yorkin approached Jones about composing the theme for an Americanized version of a U.K. show called "Steptoe and Son." As Jones described the lightning-in-a-bottle process that produced such a timeless treasure, "I wrote that [song] in about 20 minutes too. We had four musicians, recorded it in about 20 minutes. It's amazing. Looking back, it's a trip" (per Billboard).

It may not have made the charts, but it definitely made an impression, appearing in later episodes of "The Simpsons," "Friends," and "30 Rock" as musical shorthand that viewers were sure to recognize. It also prompted a 2010 revisit from Jones on his final album, "Q Soul Bossa Nostra," featuring rapped lyrics by modern hitmakers like T.I. and Prince Charlez.

It was worth it to be in front of the television on Sunday nights before "The Jeffersons" aired just so you could clap and sing along with the high-spirited gospel romp that celebrated George and Louise's ascent to a posh life in NYC. There was sheer joy in the choir call-and-response vocals and gospel arrangements that made the song feel like it could have been an authentic church tune adapted as a TV show theme.

In an unexpected TV tie-in, the song was co-written and sung by Ja'Net DuBois, the actress who played Willona on another 1970s TV show with a rockin' theme song, "Good Times." And if you find the bouncy swing beat a little too familiar, it may be due to the fact that DuBois' co-writer was Jeff Barry, the maestro behind classic pop-soul hits like "Chapel of Love," "Da Doo Ron Ron," and the Ronettes' unforgettable "Be My Baby." That's some mighty songwriting pedigree.

Sadly, the untold truth of the Jeffersons may be that the show's themes of racial struggle and class separation are as resonant today as they were when episodes first aired back in 1975. Fifty years later, the concept of a middle-class African American family reaching success by working their tails off still resonates sharply. It could just as easily be a song about modern working-class Americans, which may be why it still pops into our heads so frequently.

There was no nonsense allowed when composers were working on the "Wonder Woman" TV show theme song. How could there be, when the moment demanded a fiery musical explosion that matched the fierce energy given off by Lynda Carter's heroic opening montage? Anything less than a triumphant bop would do a disservice to the world's most famous Amazon warrior princess.

Rather than playing small, the song slices right into your eardrums with horns blasting at top volume, delivering maximum drama before the funky walking bass high-steps into action. It's a quick eight bars before the urgent wail of "Wonder Womaaaaan!" kicks in, a vocal stack worthy of backing up the Rolling Stones. Talk about energizing the audience.

The songwriting team of Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel were responsible for tricking out the opening credits with this sharp-edged anthem. When the series pivoted after the first season from a World War II setting to 1970s D.C., the lyrics needed a change as well. It was a wise move; replacing references to fighting against the axis of evil and stopping wars with phrases about mankind's need for a superhero like Wonder Woman made the tune timeless and universal. It's kind of a shame that producers of the D.C. movies didn't work it into the mix as a hat tip to the original show; maybe it could have helped Wonder Woman fix the DC Extended Universe. 

The economic crunch and accompanying social pressures of the 1970s made a show like "Good Times" a necessary, groundbreaking series. The theme song was a perfect encapsulation of the daily struggles of a working-class African American family living in the Chicago projects. But if the lyrics laid down the unvarnished truth, the upbeat backing track and high-spirited vocals added a glossy sheen that said everything was going to be okay. The show was called "Good Times," after all, a purposely ironic acknowledgement that times are hard, but let's be thankful they aren't any harder.

As for the theme song, it's a total jam, with a rocking jazz-joint stomp vibe, brimming with Hammond organ and a soulful choir calling out "good tiiiiiimes" to remind listeners this tune is about gratitude, joy, and getting through the hard times together. It played more to the comedy that was prevalent in the show, with hints of darker themes like scraping by and trying to get ahead while getting scammed instead.

The "Good Times" theme comes by its authenticity honestly; it's the creation of renowned jazz composer Dave Grusin, an Academy Award and Grammy winner, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who wrote hits for 1970s music icons Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand, among others. And those rousing vocals trading lines in front of the choir came courtesy of Jim Gilstrap and Blinky Williams, who made the tune unforgettable.