'The Jeffersons' vs. 'The O.C.': Vote for the Best TV Theme Songs
George Jefferson dukes it out with Seth Cohen in Round 1 of Yahoo! TV's Theme Song Thunderdome.
With March Madness in full swing, we decided to do a TV-themed bracket of our own: a no-holds-barred tournament to determine the best TV theme song of all time. After lots of heated debate, we've selected and ranked 32 of the most memorable TV theme songs ever, pitting them against each other in a winner-takes-all bracket. Over the next few weeks, we're asking you to vote for your favorite theme songs until we get a winner -- and a few songs stuck in your heads.
(2) "The Jeffersons" ("Movin' On Up")
"Fish don't fry in the kitchen, beans don't burn on the grill"… especially not when you're "Movin' on Up" to a dee-luxe apartment in the skyyyyy. The infectious "Jeffersons" theme song -- the unofficial theme song of everyone who's ever moved into an apartment building taller than one floor -- is not only one of the quintessential sitcom theme songs of the '70s and '80s, but it was written and performed by a star from another 1970s sitcom, "Good Times" actress Ja'net DuBois, and was covered by Rat Pack legend Sammy Davis Jr.
(15) "The O.C." ("California")
The chorus of Phantom Planet's "California" was the catchy theme song for the opening credits of "The O.C.," and though it had already been used in another TV show (the short-lived "Fastlane") and a movie ("Orange County"), it became a beloved and classic TV theme song when its "California, here we come" lyrics and laid-back rock vibe were a perfect match for the show that would make us fall in love with Seth Cohen, Captain Oats, and Peter Gallagher's eyebrows.
Which theme song deserves to move onto the next round? Vote in the poll above, click here to see the full bracket and vote on other pairings (Round 1 voting ends Wednesday at 6 PM PT), tweet out your choices using the hashtag #TVThemeSong, and hit the comments to tell us about all the great theme songs we forgot to include.
