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Check Out The Top Five Black Sitcom Theme Songs
Published by Starr Rhett on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 11:00 am.In honor of Black Music Month, I’ve decided to post my top five favorite TV show themes of all time.
1. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Every hip-hop loving kid who grew up in the 90s can relate to this one. This song goes down as the G.O.A.T. TV show theme. The lyrics were clever, the beat was funky and it’s one of the few TV show songs that you actually wouldn’t mind carrying around in your iPod (or maybe that’s just me). Will Smith definitely gets cool points for this one. [insert rap voice here] in West Philadelphia, born and raised…
2. Good Times
This is probably the most soulful theme song in TV show history. What’s great about this song—besides the obvious fact that it’s catchy—is that despite the topics being really awful (easy credit rip offs, scratching and surviving, etc), the song still makes you feel good. How ironic.
3. Family Matters
Unlike most other Black show themes, the Family Matters song has more pop appeal (because it was once a part of ABC’s TGIF lineup along with Full House). But it’s the piano riff at the beginning that gets me every time—hook, line and sinker!
4. The Jeffersons
This song took us to CHUUCH!
5. A Different World
This song has a nice funky vibe and it describes college socialization perfectly. Plus, Phoebe Snow sang the heck out of it. People always think the singer is Aretha Franklin, but that’s a great compliment so I’m sure Miss Snow doesn’t mind (too much).
P.S. The actual show influenced my interest in HBCUs (I went to Hampton).
That’s my top five but what are some of your favorites?
Sanford & Son should be # 1. Fresh Prince # 2. A Different World #3.
I Spy # 4. And # 5 is House of Payne.
Living Single and In Living Colour needs an honorable mention
The 3rd season of Martin. “guess who’s back!”
I def. agree – “Sanford & Son” and “Living Single” need honorable mentions. So does “What’s Happenin’?”
Great selection! I do think that Sanford & Son would have definitely made the top 10! (^_^)
13
The line is not “hanging in a chow line” for Good Times. The line is “hanging in and jiving.”
http://tinyurl.com/HangingInAndJiving
Too many to choose from
Sanford and Son
Jamie Foxx Show
Fresh Prince
Good Times
What’s Happenong
1.a different world2.fresh prince of bel-air3.the crosby show(i know their are no words but everybody loves it)4.living single 5.girlfriends.and by the way why dont a different world come on bet anymore? yall need to put it back on!
Expand to top 10 and include Living Single, In Living Color (“How ya livin’, what?”- the original version), What’s Happening, Sanford & Son and Amen (speaking of Chuuch!).
BTW, Thanks Aliya for the correction. I used to think it was hangin’ in and jivin’ until I read/heard somewhere that it was chow line. My whole world has been turned upside down now! Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me that Jimmy Walker wasn’t really a teen when he did the show!