Millennials have fond memories of the cartoons that they grew up with and as great as the shows were, the most memorable bit was often the theme song. It feels as if theme songs in general have lost their luster as time goes on. Now, people hit “skip intro” on a show and they either miss out on a good song or it’s a case where a show doesn’t put much effort into a theme song. Back in the ’90s, theme songs were almost as important as the show itself, featuring legitimate singers and songwriters, as well as some of the catchiest beats and tunes they could come up with.
These songs were basically their own art form. Some shows with great theme songs are part of the best cartoons from the era, like X-Men: The Animated Series, Pokémon, DuckTales, Animaniacs, and The Magic School Bus. However, because those shows are so popular and beloved, and as memorable as their opening tunes are, the rest of the series is still incredible and well remembered. Some shows aren’t nearly as remembered by the masses, even if they were great, yet their theme songs remain timeless and are the most memorable part of the experience.
Goof Troop should be remembered more vividly than it is. The show was something of an animated sitcom that focused on Goofy’s life as a single father raising his son Max. The series ran for 65 episodes and several years, yet the films that it spawned, A Goofy Movie and An Extremely Goofy Movie, have become iconic and are much more remembered by millennials than the show. However, it’s hard not to have the theme song stuck in your head.
The theme song had a soulful feel to it and felt like it blended pop, hip-hop, and jazz for one memorable track. The “Report to the Goof Troop” call is also the kind of thing that can easily become an earworm and will have you thinking about it long after the episode ends and the credits roll. It’s the kind of music that worked so well in A Goofy Movie, which features one of the best soundtracks from any Disney film in history.
When it comes to NickToons, so many have been etched in the memories of millennials for decades. Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, Rocko’s Modern Life, and SpongeBob SquarePants are iconic staples of the network. Of course, Nickelodeon was also home to some true hidden gems that deserve more love and appreciation than they get, including CatDog. While not everyone recalls the main plot or specific episodes, they likely do recall the theme song.
Performed by Peter Hannan, who also created the show, the CatDog theme had a simple yet effective concept. It was just telling the story of how CatDog came to be, beginning with the line, “One fine day when a woof met a purr, a baby was born, and it caused a little stir.” It’s almost a spoken-word song, though said rapidly, that throws in an accentuated “CatDog” from time to time. The voice of Hannan as he says “CatDog” is the main thing stuck in people’s heads from the show.
Another show that put a lot of effort into its theme song was Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. The series’ basic setup was to take Disney’s established Chip and Dale characters and put them with a team of other rodents as they solved crimes. One was designed after Indiana Jones, while the other was designed after Magnum P.I., and the end result was a super fun show. Of course, that theme song is what everyone remembers about it.
The theme song was upbeat, inspiring, and was fitting for a heroic team. The saxophone added a lot to the ’90s-style beat, but the song became great because of its vocals. The singer is smooth, yet also knows when to pick things up for the chorus. “There’s no case too big, no case too small, when you need help just call, CH-CH-CH CHIP ‘N DALE,” is just so good. You don’t remember many of the episodes, but that theme is legendary.
The entire premise of Darkwing Duck was a fun, yet wacky one. It took the titular duck, Drake Mallard, and showcased his double life where he moonlights as a crimefighter. In a lot of ways, he kind of felt like a Disney take on Batman that was nowhere near as serious. The show itself was solid; yet again, it basically was overshadowed by the incredible theme song that started every episode.
Like Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, this utilized a fantastic blend of a great beat and a smooth singing voice. The beat sounded like a score from right out of a superhero movie from the time, while the lyrics were smoothly delivered. From lines like “Daring duck of mystery, champion of right, swoops out of the shadows, Darkwing owns the night” to the higher-pitched “Darkwing Duck,” it all worked. The cherry on top was Darkwing Duck adding his catchphrase, “Let’s get dangerous,” which somehow fit perfectly.
Freakazoid! is a show that actually felt very much ahead of its time. With the modern rise of superhero movies, a cartoon that parodies them while also paying homage to them is a fun idea. Freakazoid! did just that and was much better than most people remember. With Steven Spielberg as executive producer, that makes sense given how he was attached to some fantastic ’90s movies and shows. Alas, this is another case where the thing people remember most is the theme song.
The layout for the big band-style track worked so well, as it would deliver a line and then follow it with “Freakazoid, Freakazoid!” For example, it starts with “Super teen extraordinaire, Freakazoid, Freakazoid! Runs around in underwear, Freakazoid, Freakazoid!” After a section with that, there’s a verse that explains how he got his superpowers before we go back to the catchy concept from earlier, with a twist. This time, you get “Freakazoid, chimpanzee” and “Freaka-me, freaka-you.” It’s just so fun.
What was your favorite theme song from a ’90s cartoon? Let us know in the comments!
