1. The Rockford Files
That jazzy, slightly melancholy theme with the answering machine message at the top is unforgettable. Even if you never watched Jim Rockford solving cases in his trailer-turned-office, you probably heard that tune and instantly pictured a ’70s detective world. It had that smooth Mike Post touch, the kind of sound that almost made you feel cooler just by listening.
But when you ask people what show it belongs to, many draw a blank. Rockford, played by James Garner, was a charming ex-con-turned-private eye, but the series itself has faded from the mainstream. The theme, though, still pops up in commercials and parodies. It proves how music can live on even after the plots are long forgotten.
2. S.W.A.T.
The theme to S.W.A.T. was so funky and so catchy that it actually hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Not many TV themes can claim that. You can still hear that driving beat and horn section in your head once it’s mentioned, almost daring you not to nod along.
The funny thing is, ask someone what S.W.A.T. was about, and they may not know. The show followed an elite police unit and only lasted two seasons in the mid-’70s. Yet the theme song outlived the show, popping up in sports arenas, remixes, and even movies. It’s the definition of a song overshadowing its source.
3. Welcome Back, Kotter
The soft, friendly “Welcome Back” sung by John Sebastian is burned into pop culture. That chorus feels warm, like a hug from the ’70s itself. People who never saw Gabe Kaplan teaching the Sweathogs still know the words to the song. It even hit No. 1 on the charts back in 1976.
Yet the show itself has blurred for many outside of nostalgia buffs. Sure, John Travolta got his big break here, but the plots about classroom antics aren’t what stuck. Instead, it’s that theme song that lives on, hummed absentmindedly in grocery stores or remembered when people think of the ’70s sound. It’s proof that sometimes the music is the most enduring lesson.
4. Baretta
“Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow” had Sammy Davis Jr.’s signature style, and it was impossible not to sing along. The playful, jazzy energy of the tune stood out in an era filled with brass-heavy instrumentals. Even if you couldn’t tell someone who Baretta was, you probably remember that catchy refrain.
The show starred Robert Blake as a streetwise undercover cop with a pet cockatoo, but those details often slip people’s minds. What really stuck was the music and the bird, not the weekly cases. The theme lives on as one of the coolest TV openings of the decade. For many, it’s proof that the soundtrack sometimes outshines the story.
5. Chico and the Man
“Chico, don’t be discouraged…” instantly tugs at the heart. Sung by José Feliciano, the theme was soulful, uplifting, and instantly memorable. The melody had staying power, becoming more iconic than the show itself.
But Chico and the Man has mostly faded from collective memory, remembered now more for the tragedy surrounding star Freddie Prinze. The show told the story of an unlikely friendship between an old garage owner and a young Chicano mechanic, but it’s rarely mentioned today. The song, though, still hits you with nostalgia when you hear it. That’s the power of Feliciano’s voice.
6. The White Shadow
The opening theme to The White Shadow had a funky, urban groove that perfectly captured the late ’70s vibe. It felt like a slice of basketball court life set to music, with a rhythm you couldn’t help but tap along to.
But ask someone what the show was about, and you might get blank stares. It followed a former pro basketball player coaching at an inner-city high school, breaking ground with diverse casting and serious storylines. Still, the theme song is what lingers in people’s minds. It had just enough cool factor to stick even if the show’s name didn’t.
7. Quincy, M.E.
That theme music came in with a dramatic, investigative punch, all brass and swagger. It set you up for mystery and discovery before the first body was even found. The tune is one of those you might not place right away, but once you hear it, you instantly recall the era.
Yet the show itself, starring Jack Klugman as a medical examiner, isn’t one that gets talked about much anymore. It ran for years and was one of the first to blend crime drama with science, but it hasn’t had the rerun life of its peers. The theme, however, still feels alive, especially for anyone who caught it in syndication.
8. Fish
The spin-off from Barney Miller had its own theme, lighter and quirkier than the parent show’s famous jazz groove. It had a whimsical, almost bittersweet tone that matched Abe Vigoda’s weary detective character perfectly.
But while Barney Miller has its fans, Fish largely fell into obscurity. The show only lasted a couple of seasons, but its opening music sticks with people who happened to tune in. It’s a reminder that sometimes the spin-off theme becomes a memory all its own. The series might be forgotten, but the song still rings.
9. Starsky & Hutch
Few TV themes capture pure ’70s funk like Starsky & Hutch. The guitar riffs, the bass line, and the energy of that tune were electric. It sounded like the decade itself cruising down the boulevard in a red Ford Gran Torino.
And while people might remember the car or the names Starsky and Hutch, the show’s actual plots have slipped away for many. It was a buddy-cop drama with action and banter, but the music has stuck around longer. That groove has been sampled, covered, and parodied. It’s still the soundtrack of cool, even without the context of the show.
10. Barnaby Jones
The theme to Barnaby Jones had a dramatic, sweeping feel, like something straight out of an old detective film. It was sophisticated, filled with strings and brass, the kind of opener that made you sit up a little straighter.
But the show itself? Less remembered. Buddy Ebsen, long past his Beverly Hillbillies fame, played a private detective who solved crimes in a more methodical, cerebral way. The cases don’t linger in pop culture memory, but that theme certainly does. It sounded too good to fade away completely.
11. Cannon
The theme to Cannon came in strong, with bold horns and a sense of weight that matched William Conrad’s imposing lead character. It had a no-nonsense sound, telling you this was a show about business—and the business was crime-solving.
Yet the show itself has slipped under the radar for modern audiences. It ran for years in the ’70s, but unlike Columbo or Kojak, it never quite stuck in syndication. Still, the theme pops up in retrospectives of TV music, reminding you how commanding it was. Sometimes, the sound is all that stays.
12. Angie
“Different Worlds” was a sweet, romantic theme sung by Maureen McGovern, and it actually became a Top 40 hit in 1979. Its melody was tender and heartfelt, the kind of song you might play at a wedding.
But the sitcom itself, Angie, isn’t one that many people remember today. It starred Donna Pescow as a working-class waitress who falls in love with a wealthy doctor, but the show only lasted two seasons. The theme, though, stood apart and had a life of its own on the radio. It’s one of the best examples of a theme song completely outlasting the show that birthed it.
