Fave TV theme song that already existed as a song

[jo]

Rolling Stone magazine's TV critic, Alan Sepinwall, asked an interesting question of his followers on BlueSky earlier this week:

What is your favorite TV theme song that already existed as a song before the show was created? For example, The Wire using “Way Down in the Hole” or Outlander using "Skye Boat Song". Songs that were created specifically for a show (e.g. “Strange Game” for Slow Horses) don't count.

Comments

[rogueslayer452]

"I Don't Want To Wait" by Paula Cole for Dawson's Creek
"How Soon Is Now?" by Love Spit Love for Charmed
"Teardrop" by Massive Attack for House M.D.
"Secret" by The Pierces for Pretty Little Liars
"We Used To Be Friends" by The Dandy Warhols for Veronica Mars
"Hit The Road Jack" by Ray Charles for Unhappily Ever After

A lot of these songs kind of became part of the show, in a way, that whenever you hear the song outside of the show you still associate it with the show itself. For example, anything by The Who will always be associated with any CSI. Although the biggest issue is with royalties where songs will be replaced through streaming/DVD sales (such as the case with Dawson's Creek) which is really a bummer because it doesn't feel right anymore. Yes, it's just a song, but again the song became the identity of the show itself.

[luvbarryfefe]

They replaced Paula's song on the Dawson's Creek DVDs? Noooooo! And I just got ahold of the complete series not long ago. You're right. That is part of the show's identity. *weeps in fangirl*