Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Theme Song shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Theme Song offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Theme Song at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Theme Song? Wrong! If the Theme Song is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Theme Song then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Theme Song? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Theme Song and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Theme Song wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Theme Song then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Theme Song site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Theme Song, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Theme Song, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
The phrase
theme music usually refers to that of a
radio programming, television program, or movie. It is a
Musical composition that is written specifically for that show and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits. If it is accompanied by lyrics, most often associated with the show, it is a
theme song.
The phrase
theme song or
signature tune may also be used to refer to a song that has become especially associated with a particular performer or dignitary; often used as they make an entrance. Examples of this association include: the
President of the United States with "
Hail to the Chief";
Bob Hope with "
Thanks for the Memory"; Frank Sinatra with "New York, New York" and "
My Way (song)"; Liberace with "
I'll Be Seeing You."
The purpose of a theme song is often similar to that of a
leitmotif.
Purpose
The purpose of the music is to establish a mood for the show and to provide an audible cue that a particular show is beginning, which was especially useful in the early days of radio (See also
interval signal). In some cases, including
The Brady Bunch,
Gilligan's Island, and
The Beverly Hillbillies the lyrics of the theme song provide some necessary exposition for people unfamiliar with the show.
In addition, some theme music uses orchestra scores or original music set mood for the show. One of the most notable of these is the
Batman: The Animated Series theme song, which was drawn from the theme for the Batman (1989 film) created by Danny Elfman. Others uses
remixes or
Cover version of older songs, such as the theme song of
Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998), which featured a reworked cover of the theme song from the classic Spider-Man cartoon from the 1960s. The song was performed by Aerosmith lead guitarist
Joe Perry (musician).
Popularity
Theme music has been a feature of the majority of television programs since the medium's inception, as it was for the ancestral radio shows that provided their inspiration. Programs have used theme music in a huge variety of styles, sometimes adapted from existing tunes, some composed specifically for the purpose. A few have been released commercially and become popular hits; examples would include the title theme from
Rawhide (television series), performed and recorded by popular singer
Frankie Laine; the theme tune to
Friends, I'll Be There for You (Rembrandts song), which was a hit for The Rembrandts; the theme from
S.W.A.T. (TV Series); which was a hit for Rhythm Heritage; and the theme song from
Drake and Josh, which was a hit for Drake Bell. Jan Hammer had a major hit with the theme from
Miami Vice in the 1980s. The
Theme From Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight), recorded by Richard Chamberlain, the star of the television series, was in 1962 a top 10 hit in the US and a top 20 hit in the UK.
Other themes, like the music for
The Young and the Restless,
Days of Our Lives, and
Coronation Street have become iconic mostly due to the shows' respective longevities. Unlike others, these serials have not strayed from the original theme mix much, if at all, allowing them to be known by multiple generations of television viewers.
In the United Kingdom, iconic sports shows have such strong associations with their theme music that the sports themselves are synonymous with the theme tunes, for example
football (soccer) (
Match of the Day theme), cricket (Booker T. & the M.G.'s, 'Soul Limbo'), motor racing (
Roger Barsotti's
Motor Sport and the bassline from Fleetwood Mac's The Chain),
tennis (
Keith Mansfield's
Light and Tuneful),
snooker (
Drag Racer by the
Doug Wood Band), skiing (
Pop Goes Bach, the theme to
Ski Sunday), and ice hockey (the theme to
Hockey Night In Canada).
Virtually every TV show has specific, melodic theme music, even if it's just a few notes (such as the snatch of eerie music that fades in and out in the title sequence for
Lost (TV series)). One famous exception is
60 Minutes, which features only the ticking hand of a
TAG Heuer stopwatch.
Remixes
Also notable is the
Law & Order series, which started out with one theme song for Law and Order, and remixed it for its three spinoffs (
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,
Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and
Law & Order: Trial by Jury). The related reality show
Crime and Punishment (TV series) also aired with a remix of the theme.
Radio
Radio programs with notable theme music include
Just a Minute, which uses a high-speed rendition of the
Minute Waltz by
Frédéric Chopin,
The Archers, which has
Barwick Green,
Desert Island Discs which has
By The Sleepy Lagoon, and
The Shipping Forecast, which has
Sailing By.
Minimization of importance
In the 1990s, American network television began reducing the importance of opening and closing themes in a drive to decrease intervals between programs (thereby discouraging channel switching) and to address reduced storytelling time due to increased commercials. A number of themes, such as the theme to
Law & Order, were rearranged in shorter formats (the current (1993) L&O theme runs about 1/3 the length of the theme as played during the first season of the series in 1990). Closing themes are now rarely heard during their original broadcast as networks instead show promos and advertisements with the credits squeezed to the side; some shows still have such themes, however they tend to only be heard on home video/DVD release or in syndication. A lot of shows now don't have ending theme tunes. Instead, a final tag scene is played under the credits - this is usually not relevant to the episodes story. Some series, such as the 2005 series
Threshold (TV series) or
Lost (TV series), have no opening credits theme music at all. ABC show
Grey's Anatomy aired its theme song in its entirety for about the first season and a half, before reducing its length. Now, only the Grey's Anatomy logo in black upon a white screen is shown between the teaser and the first act.
See also
The phrase
theme music usually refers to that of a
radio programming, television program, or movie. It is a Musical composition that is written specifically for that show and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits. If it is accompanied by lyrics, most often associated with the show, it is a
theme song.
The phrase
theme song or
signature tune may also be used to refer to a song that has become especially associated with a particular performer or dignitary; often used as they make an entrance. Examples of this association include: the
President of the United States with "Hail to the Chief";
Bob Hope with "Thanks for the Memory";
Frank Sinatra with "New York, New York" and "
My Way (song)";
Liberace with "
I'll Be Seeing You."
The purpose of a theme song is often similar to that of a
leitmotif.
Purpose
The purpose of the music is to establish a mood for the show and to provide an audible cue that a particular show is beginning, which was especially useful in the early days of radio (See also
interval signal). In some cases, including
The Brady Bunch,
Gilligan's Island, and
The Beverly Hillbillies the lyrics of the theme song provide some necessary exposition for people unfamiliar with the show.
In addition, some theme music uses orchestra scores or original music set mood for the show. One of the most notable of these is the
Batman: The Animated Series theme song, which was drawn from the theme for the
Batman (1989 film) created by
Danny Elfman. Others uses
remixes or
Cover version of older songs, such as the theme song of
Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998), which featured a reworked cover of the theme song from the classic Spider-Man cartoon from the 1960s. The song was performed by
Aerosmith lead guitarist
Joe Perry (musician).
Popularity
Theme music has been a feature of the majority of television programs since the medium's inception, as it was for the ancestral radio shows that provided their inspiration. Programs have used theme music in a huge variety of styles, sometimes adapted from existing tunes, some composed specifically for the purpose. A few have been released commercially and become popular hits; examples would include the title theme from
Rawhide (television series), performed and recorded by popular singer
Frankie Laine; the theme tune to
Friends,
I'll Be There for You (Rembrandts song), which was a hit for The Rembrandts; the theme from
S.W.A.T. (TV Series); which was a hit for Rhythm Heritage; and the theme song from
Drake and Josh, which was a hit for Drake Bell. Jan Hammer had a major hit with the theme from
Miami Vice in the 1980s. The Theme From Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight), recorded by Richard Chamberlain, the star of the television series, was in 1962 a top 10 hit in the US and a top 20 hit in the UK.
Other themes, like the music for
The Young and the Restless,
Days of Our Lives, and
Coronation Street have become iconic mostly due to the shows' respective longevities. Unlike others, these serials have not strayed from the original theme mix much, if at all, allowing them to be known by multiple generations of television viewers.
In the United Kingdom, iconic sports shows have such strong associations with their theme music that the sports themselves are synonymous with the theme tunes, for example
football (soccer) (Match of the Day theme), cricket (
Booker T. & the M.G.'s, 'Soul Limbo'),
motor racing (
Roger Barsotti's
Motor Sport and the bassline from Fleetwood Mac's
The Chain), tennis (Keith Mansfield's
Light and Tuneful), snooker (
Drag Racer by the
Doug Wood Band),
skiing (
Pop Goes Bach, the theme to Ski Sunday), and
ice hockey (the theme to
Hockey Night In Canada).
Virtually every TV show has specific, melodic theme music, even if it's just a few notes (such as the snatch of eerie music that fades in and out in the title sequence for
Lost (TV series)). One famous exception is
60 Minutes, which features only the ticking hand of a
TAG Heuer stopwatch.
Remixes
Also notable is the
Law & Order series, which started out with one theme song for Law and Order, and remixed it for its three spinoffs (
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,
Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and
Law & Order: Trial by Jury). The related reality show
Crime and Punishment (TV series) also aired with a remix of the theme.
Radio
Radio programs with notable theme music include
Just a Minute, which uses a high-speed rendition of the
Minute Waltz by Frédéric Chopin,
The Archers, which has
Barwick Green,
Desert Island Discs which has
By The Sleepy Lagoon, and
The Shipping Forecast, which has
Sailing By.
Minimization of importance
In the 1990s, American network television began reducing the importance of opening and closing themes in a drive to decrease intervals between programs (thereby discouraging channel switching) and to address reduced storytelling time due to increased commercials. A number of themes, such as the theme to
Law & Order, were rearranged in shorter formats (the current (1993) L&O theme runs about 1/3 the length of the theme as played during the first season of the series in 1990). Closing themes are now rarely heard during their original broadcast as networks instead show promos and advertisements with the credits squeezed to the side; some shows still have such themes, however they tend to only be heard on home video/DVD release or in syndication. A lot of shows now don't have ending theme tunes. Instead, a final tag scene is played under the credits - this is usually not relevant to the episodes story. Some series, such as the 2005 series
Threshold (TV series) or
Lost (TV series), have no opening credits theme music at all. ABC show Grey's Anatomy aired its theme song in its entirety for about the first season and a half, before reducing its length. Now, only the Grey's Anatomy logo in black upon a white screen is shown between the teaser and the first act.
See also
