TOP 9s... TV THEMES

This time I've decided to choose my 9 favourite television themes. A tough call. In my time on earth, I have viewed A LOT of television. But I managed to whittle it down to these.  These are all songs that I will listen to in full, no matter how often they pop up on my iPod, etc. There are two shows that I never even really watched, but such is the greatness of their themes, they are included here. 
I should add, that I've picked ones with music and lyrics.
Which is why The Avengers, Seinfeld, Hawaii 5-0, et al, aren't here.
Hopefully you too will be transported back to your childhood..
Good times...

Top 9s... TV THEMES MINDER

Never watched Minder either, but I have always loved this record.

And yes, he 'wrote da feem tune and sang da feem tune'...

Went to number three in the UK and nine in Australia.

TOP 9s... TV THEMES THE WOMBLES

There are so many wonderful television themes to choose from, but if I had to pick a favourite, I think it'd be this one.

I'm a big fan. My favourite Womble would have to be Orinoco. We both like to sing. And sleep.

TOP 9s... TV THEMES LAVERNE & SHIRLEY

Schlemiel, schlamazel, 

Hasenpfeffer Incorporated! A spin-off from Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley was essential viewing for me in my youth. And they had a Beatles poster on the wall in their 

apartment, so what was not to like?

The series included the talents of one Mr Michael McKean who grew up to be David St Hubbins...

Cyndi Grecco performed the theme tune, which reached number 25 in the US and the dizzy heights of number 65 in Australia.

TOP 9s... TV THEMES WELCOME BACK KOTTER

Welcome Back Kotter was a staple in my house when I was growing up, along with Get Smart, The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island. It was the launching pad for John Travolta's acting career.

This theme tune also gave The Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian his only solo US chart-topper (Australian #24). 

My WBK dolls pictured this afternoon. Epstein sadly missing, but Mattel's 90 day warranty included...Up your nose with a rubber hose...!

TOP 9s... TV THEMES THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO

Confession time: I never watched this show, starring William Katt. But, what a wonderful tune.

Got to number 2 in both Australia and the US.

TOP 9s... TV THEMES SIMON TOWNSEND'S WONDER WORLD

Every Aussie child of the 80s watched Simon Townsend's Wonder World. Of course, many would not admit to that. I do, because I am the Queen of Uncool. And proud of it.                                              Wonder World rocked.

And this here theme tune, sung by the erstwhile Johnny Piccolo, is all kinds of awesome.

I can't tell you how thrilled I was a few months ago, when after many years of searching, I finally found the 7" vinyl single. Terrified that someone would outbid me in the last few seconds, I placed a proxy bid for a considerable amount of money.

It was pleasingly futile, and I was to be its new owner for less than one dollar...

TOP 9s... TV THEMES H.R. PUFNSTUF

I've been a fan of the late Jack Wild since I was a young 'un.

H.R. Pufnstuf is still a joy to watch, although for completely different reasons than when I was a kid.

And I could never understand why the Kroffts didn't sue McDonalds for blatantly ripping off the Pufster for their Mayor McCheese character.

...After some research, I can see that they did indeed take them to court...

562 F.2d 1157 (1977)

SID & MARTY KROFFT TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS, INC. and Sid & Marty Krofft Productions, Inc., Plaintiffs-Appellants,

v.

McDONALD'S CORPORATION and Needham, Harper & Steers, Inc., Defendants-Appellees.

SID & MARTY KROFFT TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS, INC. and Sid & Marty Krofft Productions, Inc., Plaintiffs-Appellees,

v.

McDONALD'S CORPORATION and Needham, Harper & Steers, Inc., Defendants-Appellants.

Nos. 75-1203 and 75-1202.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

October 12, 1977.

Rehearing Denied November 17, 1977.

1158*1158 1159*1159 1160*1160 Anthony E. Liebig, Lillick, McHose & Charles, Los Angeles, Cal., argued for McDonald's Corp. et al.

Melville B. Nimmer, Kaplan, Livingston, Goodwin, Berkowitz & Selvin, Bayard F. Berman and James P. Tierney, Beverly Hills, Cal., argued for Sid & Marty Krofft Television.

Before CARTER, GOODWIN, and SNEED, Circuit Judges.

JAMES M. CARTER, Circuit Judge:

This is a copyright infringement action. Plaintiffs Sid and Marty Krofft Television Productions, Inc., and Sid and Marty Krofft Productions, Inc. were awarded $50,000.00 in their action against defendants McDonald's Corporation and Needham, Harper & Steers, Inc. Defendants were found to have infringed plaintiffs' "H. R. Pufnstuf" children's television show by the production of their "McDonaldland" television commercials.

TOP 9s... TV THEMES GROOVIE GOOLIES

Don't know about you, but sometimes past memories play tricks with me.

Things I thought I loved then, I discover through rediscovery that they were in actual fact, shit.

Like The Groovie Goolies.

Several years ago, I found a GG video for the princely sum of one pound, and excitedly put it into my player. Wish I hadn't bothered. 

However, there was a silver lining. I put it up on eBay and was rewarded with a 1500% return.

Cool theme tune, though...

TOP 9s... TV THEMES FAMILY TIES/GROWING PAINS

OK, so I've cheated a little. Whatever. It's my blog. I make the rules, and I can break them too.

These two shows always seemed to make a nice pair. I was a big fan of both (Family Ties probably won by a whisker).

I always thought it was Alan (father of Robin) Thicke singing the theme to Growing Pains, but thanks to my mate Andrew, I now know it's actually BJ Thomas, with Jennifer Warnes. Dusty Springfield duetted on the Season 4 version.

Used to fancy Kirk Cameron too. Until he went all born-again-Christian-apeshit-cray-cray...

TOP 9s...SINGING ACTORS

This time I thought I'd choose 9 actors and actresses who have tried their hand at singing, with various degrees of success.
It was tough: I have literally hundreds of examples to choose from.
Hopefully this is an eclectic mix.
Enjoy...

Top 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH You Don't Know Me Meryl Streep

Is there anything Meryl Streep can't do??

Is it not enough she is one of the greatest actresses of all-time, without possessing some fine vocal chops too?

 I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the Thatcher flick. Preview enclosed...

Top 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH Fish Heads Barnes & Barnes (Bill Mumy)

LOVE this. Even have the shaped picture disc (fish head, natch). For those of you who don't know, Barnes and Barnes were a duo which included the talents of one Bill Mumy, best known as Will Robinson from Lost In Space.

Top 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH Send In The Clowns Elizabeth Taylor

My equal favourite actress of all-time. In fact, this song is taken from the movie, A Little Night Music, which brings both my favourites together. (The other being Diana Rigg).

Elizabeth (R.I.P.), I love you, but this is truly awful.

Top 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH The Lurch : Ted Cassidy

For someone so flippin' tall (6' 9"), Ted displays some nifty dance moves in this novelty number, 'The Lurch'.    
And just to link Ted and Patrick Macnee together, Cassidy can be heard providing temporary voice tracks of the Ceylon Imperious Leader in the original Battlestar Galactica TV pilot movie, before Patrick was brought in to voice the character.

TOP 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH Let's Keep It Friendly : Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman

 No, no-one is torturing any cats... Here is the darling Patrick Macnee with Honor Blackman performing the b-side to 'Kinky Boots', 'Let's Keep It Friendly'. 
Bit of triv for you: Herbert Kretzmer, who wrote the two aforementioned tracks, also wrote the lyrics to 'Goodness Gracious Me', 'She' and the English translation for Les Miserables. 
Mainly thanks to Radio 1 DJ Simon Mayo, the a-side of this reached number 5 in the UK charts in 1990. Had 'Kinky Boots' continued its climb the following week, Patrick and Honor would have performed it on Top Of The Pops.


Ah, Patrick, I still would... (I hope I didn't type that out loud!!)

TOP 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH How Can I Live Without Her Christopher Atkins

I had a major crush on Christopher Atkins when I was younger. Well, why wouldn't you: blond hair, blue eyes, fit body... Mmm, think I'm going to put my DVD of The Pirate Movie on now.

This song got to number 31 in the Australian charts in 1982. 

TOP 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH Generation Of Loneliness Rupert Everett

Had I been able to find footage of his dire rendition of 'Tainted Love', it would have been on here in place of this track. Taken from the movie, Hearts Of Fire, where he starred alongside Bob Dylan. Yes, Bob Dylan. Although, having seen the film several times, it doesn't look like Bob knew he was actually there.

'Generation Of Loneliness' hardly set the charts alight. I have 3 copies (one a picture disc) and that quite possibly makes mine the largest Rupert Everett singles collection in the world.

It's a great song though. The b-side wasn't bad either.

TOP 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH Think It Over : Cheryl Ladd

Showing she is more than just a pretty face, Farrah Fawcett's replacement on Charlie's Angels, Cheryl Ladd took this track into the US Top 40 in 1978.

Interesting fact: Cheryl provided the singing voice for Melody in the cartoon, Josie And The Pussycats.

TOP 9s : SINGING ACTORS : SOME WEIRD SOME WONDERFUL SOME BOTH Imagine Scott Bakula

I'm probably biased as I'm a big Scott Bakula (as in 'Dracula') fan, but I think this is a mighty fine version.
Nothing more to say really, but 'Hubba hubba'...

TOP 9s... Welcome to my blog...

Hello and a warm welcome to my blog, Top 9s.


Here I shall attempt to upload various videos, etc, based on a particular theme. The themes will mainly be based around music, which is my life.


This is my first posting, so please forgive me for any mistakes whilst I get used to it.


I've called this particular one 'GUESS WHO' but it's quite blatantly not a pop quiz as the answers are plainly there to see. I just couldn't think up another title.


Warning: There will probably be lots of Paul McCartney featured. I can't promise I won't try and shoehorn him into every post...


I shall be thrilled to receive any comments, criticisms or corrections.

TOP 9s : GUESS WHO 9

Sandwiched between Jefferson Airplane and Starship, came Jefferson Starship. This track sounds like neither of those acts. It is a simply glorious slice of pop perfection. Got to number 8 in the US but unbelievably doesn't seem to have charted in the UK or Australia. Appears on my funeral CD; Put The Fun In Funerals...

TOP 9s : GUESS WHO 8

No, you are not hearing Led Zeppelin. But it sure as heck sounds like it. This rocking track got to number 39 in Australia and just made the UK Top 75 in 1988.

TOP 9s : GUESS WHO 7

Wicked Lester of course became KISS, the first band I ever got to see live in concert. (It should have been ABBA, but that's a whole other story. And would require many more hours of therapy...)
Some more Beatles influence for ya...

TOP 9s : GUESS WHO 6

This may or may not be the first of many McCartney-related posts. But if I were you, I'd hold off placing any bets just yet...
Sometime Wings sticksman, Joe English proves he's not just a superb time-keeper, he also possesses a sweet, sweet voice.
From the criminally under-rated Wings At The Speed Of Sound...

Top 9s : GUESS WHO 5

Recorded in the early to mid 1960s, this is a sweet ditty from three young lads who turned out to be The Bee Gees.
Whatever became of them, I sometimes wonder...?

TOP 9s : GUESS WHO 4

This is the secret track to Styx's worst-selling album ever, The Serpent Is Rising.

Released in 1974, it just scraped into the American Top 200.

I still think the calypso-inspired 'Plexiglass Toilet' is a great song and would defy anybody to know who the artist was without previous knowledge...

TOP 9s : GUESS WHO 3

You could be forgiven for not instantly recognising the artist of this track, the b-side to the better-known, 'Sing'. With the better-known vocalist, Richard's sister, Karen.

TOP 9s : GUESS WHO 2

Born Chaim Witz in Israel, he is better known as the blood-spilling demon in rock band KISS. But Gene Simmons shows he has a sensitive side too, with this pretty, Beatlesque ballad from his 1978 solo album. The original John and Paul from the Broadway musical, Beatlemania lend a hand by supplying backing vocals...