Chart songs used as theme tunes

[Deleted User] · 19/01/13 - 17:27

Clive Anderson Talks Back on Channel Four used The Coasters Yakety Yak

His later BBC chat show used the brilliant Elvis Costello track Let Them All Talk

I don,t know if Joe Crocker,s fantastic version of With A Little Help from My Friends as used on The Wonder Years ever charted but it was certainly used in a Bank Of Scotland ad at the time the show was popular

The Bob Monkhouse fronted revival of Opportunity Knocks used Kiki Dee,s Star as its theme tune good track it is too IMO

Trappedin80's · 19/01/13 - 17:36

Chi Mai - The Life & Time of David Lloyd George.

Great track.

ganderpoke66 · 19/01/13 - 17:55

Ab Fab ?

harry hamster · 19/01/13 - 17:57

retroguy wrote: »

Clive Anderson Talks Back on Channel Four used The Coasters Yakety Yak

His later BBC chat show used the brilliant Elvis Costello track Let Them All Talk

I don,t know if Joe Crocker,s fantastic version of With A Little Help from My Friends as used on The Wonder Years ever charted but it was certainly used in a Bank Of Scotland ad at the time the show was popular

The Bob Monkhouse fronted revival of Opportunity Knocks used Kiki Dee,s Star as its theme tune good track it is too IMO

Massive number 1 in 1968.

Doghouse Riley · 19/01/13 - 18:04

The American series "Cold Case" which ran for 156 episodes used a different chart song of the year of the "case" over the closing scene in every one.
These have a "cult" following and can be found with a total of hundreds of thousands of hits, on YouTube under "Cold Case endings."

Never a chart hit and not so much recently, but this was often used as a theme tune for many public affairs documentary or magazine programmes over the decades.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeZomqLM7BQ

planets · 19/01/13 - 18:06

how soon is now by the smiths for charmed
here with me by dido for roswell

kryskrys · 19/01/13 - 18:27

It didn't do very well in the charts, but Busy by Olly Murs was the theme tune to Me And Mrs Jones.

darnall42 · 19/01/13 - 18:35

The Jam - news of the world for mock the week

DamienS · 19/01/13 - 18:37

Wolf gang - the king and all his men

Final score

MRSgotobed · 19/01/13 - 18:43

Oasis,Half The World away, Royle Family. Love it

Eurostar · 19/01/13 - 18:43

RTE Racing in Ireland have been alternating between 'Just Like Heaven' by The Cure and 'Viva La Vida' by Coldplay.

Scoundreldays · 19/01/13 - 19:18

Run by Stephen Fretwell for Gavin & Stacey.

Glyn W · 19/01/13 - 19:19

Ermmm...all the CSI series...?

Glyn W · 19/01/13 - 19:22

retroguy wrote: »

His later BBC chat show used the brilliant Elvis Costello track Let Them All Talk

When did that go Top 40?

Glyn W · 19/01/13 - 19:23

Trappedin80's wrote: »

Chi Mai - The Life & Time of David Lloyd George.

Great track.

That was a chart hit because it was used on telly, it wasn't an existing chart hit, which I think is what the OP is on about...

Glyn W · 19/01/13 - 19:24

ganderpoke66 wrote: »

Ab Fab ?

The song had been a hit but not the version they used.

tiggerpooh · 19/01/13 - 22:36

Paul Hardcastle - The Wizzard.

This was used as the theme for Top Of The Pops between 1986 and 1991. Made the charts in 1986 when it was first used.

Love the track.

Especially this slightly remixed version used in 1989 for the TOTP titles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_I7mDjkzjg

You cannot get the slightly remixed version on CD unfortunately, but the 1986 original is available on this compilation from 2008:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Top-Pops-TOTP-Various-Artists/dp/B00134WV54/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1358635744&sr=1-1

tiggerpooh · 19/01/13 - 22:43

Glyn W wrote: »

The song had been a hit but not the version they used.

Yes and ABBA's Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! was used for the tv series of the same name, featuring Kathy Burke and James Dreyfus. It ran on BBC2 on/off for three series between 1998 and 2001. Unfortunately, this version didn't make the charts, but ABBA's did in 1979.