19 R&B tracks tailored for classic TV shows

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Tia Mowry, Tamara Mowry and Raven-Symoné

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R&B theme songs—particularly those by black artists—have had a significant impact on the cultural landscape of television history. Often marked by soulful melodies, powerful vocals, and, when necessary, emotional lyrics, these intros not only set the tone for popular series—some have even made it beyond the small screen to become iconic pieces of music.

One of the most notable aspects of these songs was their ability to reflect the essence of the show they introduced. Whether it was the funky groove of The Jeffersons’ theme song “Movin’ On Up,” which perfectly summed up the show’s story of rise and success, or the youthful energy of “Sister, Sister,” these songs provided a powerful prelude to the stories and characters that followed.

Some of them often featured legendary black artists whose musical contributions extend far beyond television. For example, Aretha Franklin’s powerful vocals on the theme “A Different World” were beyond legendary. Even Boyz II Men’s harmonious reinterpretation of the spinoff “The Cosby Show” gave the popular series a contemporary R&B twist.

Below are 19 examples of songs that added depth and emotion to the television experience, making the shows more memorable and impactful. Whether upbeat anthems or soulful ballads, these audio classics remain an integral part of television history and a testament to the influence of black music.

1. The Jeffersons

The theme song of The Jeffersons, titled “Movin’ On Up,” was a soulful song with a hint of gospel choir vibes and was sung by Ja’net Dubois, an actress who played the role of neighbor Willona Woods on the show. The lyrics essentially give the gist of the plot, with lines like, “So we’re moving on east, to a luxury apartment in the sky, moving on east, we finally got a piece of the pie.”

2. The Jamie Foxx Show

“The Jamie Foxx Show” was a vehicle for the show’s namesake, which ran for five seasons and is arguably considered one of the best black comedy series of all time. Given his talent, it only made sense for Foxx to compose the theme song, titled “Here Comes Jamie Foxx,” a funky, West Coast-inspired vibe that immediately gets stuck in your head upon first listen. The show’s final two seasons switched to a softer offering, “The Simple Things Are All I Need,” which focused more on Foxx’s appreciation of his family and loved ones.

3. Moesha

The theme song for “Moesha,” which some sources call “Gotta Move,” was sung by Brandy, who played the show’s namesake. The upbeat track was a great mix of hip-hop-inspired production and the legendary artist’s distinctive vocals. While the lyrics about Moesha and her friends didn’t change, the beat went through a few iterations that matched the main character’s development and maturity.

4. The Proud family

“The Proud Family” was an animated series about black teenager Penny Proud, played by Kyla Pratt, and her wacky family and friends. Tommy Davidson, Paula Jai ​​Parker, Orlando Brown, Aries Spears, Carlos Mencia and others made up the cast. “The Proud Family Theme Song” was produced courtesy of Solange and Destiny’s Child, a group led by Solange’s sister Beyoncé. The rousing song was not heard in the subsequent film, and in the series relaunch, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” Joyce Wrice took over theme song duties.

5. Everyone hates Chris

The theme song for Everybody Hates Chris was written by Tichina Arnold, who played the main character’s mother on the show. “My great love is singing,” Arnold explained in a backstage interview. “The show was being taped, they needed a theme song.” She turned to friends to write and record a song “in seven minutes.” The last part of that final product became the theme song for most of the show’s entire run; a less genre-bound instrumental was used for the final seasons.

6. Girlfriends

“Girlfriends,” a popular black sitcom that ran for eight seasons, had a theme song written by Angie Stone. “My girlfriends are there for us through the good times and the bad,” she sang. “My friends are there for everything.” Even after one of the four main characters – played by Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones – left the show, Stone’s soulful intro remained unchanged.

7. As told by Ginger

Perhaps one of the coolest entries on this list is the Nickelodeon cartoon “As Told By Ginger,” whose theme song was written by Macy Gray. The beautifully written song included poignant lines like, “Someone once told me, ‘The grass is much greener on the other side,’ well I visited, well it’s possible I missed it, it seemed different, but still exactly the same.” The animated teen drama ran for three seasons.

8. That’s so Raven

During her time as a child star, Raven-Symoné made waves on the Disney Channel series “That’s So Raven.” Not only did she play the show’s main character, but she also sang the official theme song alongside cast members Orlando Brown and Anneliese van der Pol. The song even had a dance-heavy video that was regularly shown at Disney outlets.

9. Good times

“Good Times” was a spin-off of “Maude” (Florida Evans, played by the highly decorated Esther Rolle, was so popular that she got her own series), which in turn was a spin-off of “All in the Family.” The theme song was performed by Jim Gilstrap and Blinky Williams, both of whom delivered powerful lines about the ups and downs of life as a black family in public housing. Of particular note, Dave Chappelle created a hilarious sketch that was essentially a tribute to the iconic song and its lyrics.

10. The Parkers

The Parkers was a successful spin-off of Moesha, which featured Countess Vaughn’s Kim Parker as one of the main characters. The aforementioned spin-off was the subject of some jokes, as Kim and her mother Nikki Parker (played by Mo’Nique) both attended a community college in Santa Monica, California. The theme song for The Parkers was written by Vaughn, an accomplished singer who released an album early in her career.

11. Another world

In “A Different World,” a spin-off of “The Cosby Show,” Denise Huxtable attended Hillman College. Even after her early exit, the show took on a life of its own as a black series that gave the world a glimpse into life as a student at an HBCU. In the first season, Phoebe Snow sang a jazz theme as an intro. After its success, Aretha Franklin took over, and her powerful voice was heard throughout most of the series. In the final season, Boyz II Men and Terrence Forsythe took over.

12. Cousin Skeeter

The team behind Nickelodeon’s “Cousin Skeeter,” which starred a puppet with the voice of Bill Bellamy, took a different approach than other series. Instead of creating an original theme song for the show, they decided to use a revamped version of 702’s hit single “Steelo” as the intro. The updated version even included a striking image featuring the show’s main cast.

13. One on One

One on One was a sitcom about a father-daughter relationship, starring Flex Alexander and Kyla Pratt in their respective roles. The show was also notable for featuring many big names, including Chris Brown, Mario, Brandy, Nate Dogg, and Lisa Leslie. The theme song fits the show’s theme of “you and me against the world,” complete with vocals from Shanice – who Flex is married to in real life – and B.Slade (formerly known as Tonéx). The track received a more modern remix for the final season.

14. All this

For ten seasons, Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy series “All That” was a real breakthrough in children’s television – it even spawned “Kenan & Kel,” “The Amanda Show” and “The Nick Cannon Show.” The series even had a revival in season 11 before a pandemic shut down the world. The theme song for the original series was provided by TLC, and a remix was provided for the later part of the series.

15. Sister, sister

Sister, Sister was a sitcom for twins Tia and Tamera Mowry that helped them both launch their careers both as a couple and individually. Many thought the show’s original theme song was sung by En Vogue – a notion that actress Holly Robinson Peete seemed to disprove on social media (others speculated it was cast member Jackée Harry).

The closest to the truth may have come from a Reddit user who shared a website bio for singer Carmen Carter. The veteran singer is known for lending her voice to Dancing With The Stars, the Super Bowl, and a number of other shows and movies. Despite this, the Mowry sisters themselves performed the theme songs for the final two seasons.

16. Kim Possible

Kim Possible was an action cartoon that aired on the Disney Channel. The hit series’ theme song was “Call Me, Beep Me!”, a high-energy number performed by Christina Milian. Interestingly, the song – considered one of the children’s channel’s best – has since been covered by artists around the world, including France’s Priscilla Betti, Germany’s The Preluders and Japan’s Beni Arashiro.

17. Hanging out with Mr. Cooper

Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, starring Mark Curry and Holly Robinson Peete, had theme songs good enough to stand alone on any playlist. In the early seasons, viewers were treated to a soulful number by En Vogue, Peete and Dawnn Lewis, another member of the show’s cast. This was followed by a cover of “Soul Man” by Shalamar frontman Howard Hewett. In the remaining seasons, Sherwood Ball, Carmen Carter and Oren Waters created the equally impressive “Cooper, Cooper.”

18. The Magic School Bus

Somehow, the producers of The Magic School Bus managed to write a theme song for a man considered the “architect of rock and roll.” Each episode began with the rousing “Ride on the Magic School Bus,” sung by Little Richard. According to composer Peter Lurye, the idea of ​​working with the music icon was “a very exciting and slightly scary idea.” After a conference call and a flight to Los Angeles, everyone involved was able to agree on the song that the kids loved (and continue to love) as the official intro.

19. True Jackson, Vice President

In True Jackson, VP, Keke Palmer played a teenager who took on an executive position at a fictional fashion company. On the Nickelodeon sitcom, she proved her versatility as an actress and singer, as heard in the theme song. The full version of the pop offering, titled “Change It Up,” which she co-produced with Toby Gad, began with a short rap verse before Palmer moved into harmonies about the main character and her rise to fame on the show.