Top Ten 80s TV Themes - Number 2

In case you aren’t as obsessive about the blog as I am, you likely missed Mr. Tickles’ comments regarding the Top Ten countdown.  I addressed his concerns there but felt the need to mention a mistake I made in this process. A mistake that will likely stay with me for the rest of my life. Something I cannot shake.  I left the Dukes of Hazzard theme completely out of the countdown.

What an unbelievable oversight on my part.  Unfortunately, I had locked my original list away in a safe and thus must stick to what it says.  Still, here’s Mr. Waylon Jennings and the Dukes.

Now, for the runner-up to our TV themes competition. Should the winner be unable to fulfill its duties as the champion of our competition, the title and glory will fall to this theme. 

Diff’rent Strokes gave us the precocious Gary Coleman, the “very special episode,” and one horrible post-cast member curse; but none of those gifts were nearly as valuable as this classic theme.   Too awesome for an instrumental intro, you are thrust right into the opening verse - an opening verse, that I might add, was partially written by one ALAN THICKE!  It’s immediately catchy and smile-inducing and has a positive, well-meaning message to boot.

If the title wasn’t enough to tell you that the characters from the show might be coming from “diff’rent” places, the song sure enough hammers that point home for the viewer. It then simplifies the general premise down to another simple stanza.  In even shortherhand: one guy with money, two with no money, hilarity to follow.  But it’s all good – because it takes “diif’rent strokes” to move the world.

The intro from the first two seasons of the show uses the same technique as in the original Perfect Strangers opening (shown at the beginning of the countdown) by taking the viewer through a condensed version of how the series came to be.  Here, we see Mr. Drummond being chauffeured around in his town car while Willis is propping up Arnold, allowing him to launch one of the ugliest basketball shots ever recorded on film.  This crazy old white man then ends up at the same court, convinces these kids to get into his car (simply by opening the door), and brings them to live with him at his high-rise home.  How can you not love this theme?

I haven’t even had the chance to mention my favorite point: the “together we’ll be fine” lyric.  Absolutely awesome every single time I hear it. It sounds like some sort of vocal modulation takes place there, but I think its just the main vocalist and backup singers bumping it up an octave.  Whatever they do its beautiful.

Some may think this pick is emotionally charged due to the recent passing of star Gary Coleman.  Though his death reminded me of its greatness (and had John Schneider died in May, I can guarantee the Dukes’ theme would have been on here), the theme holds up on its own.  Your number two 1980s theme, “It Takes Diff’rent Strokes.”