Week of April 23: Best Television Theme Songs

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences plans to remove the category of Main Title Theme Music from the Emmy Awards. Let's face it, there's not a lot of theme music to be judged these days - in quantity, quality or length.

So here's an ode to Rabbit Ears' best odes in television history:

10. The Beverly Hillbillies: "Come listen to my story 'bout a man named Jed....." Paul Henning, who created the show, wrote "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs backed singer Jerry Scoggins. Y'all come back now, y'hear?

9. Peter Gunn: Henry Mancini wrote the theme, which is remembered far more than the series. The young piano player who performed those opening notes - John Williams - would later go on to his own greatness.

8. All In the Family: The simplicity of Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton, as Archie and Edith Bunker, singing "Those Were the Days" by Charles Stouse and Lee Adams won those days - especially when Edith hit that high note.

7. Cheers: Gary Portnoy sang the song he co-wrote with Judy Hart Angelo, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." The title drawings were an elegant match with the song.

6. The Brady Bunch: Another fine story song, written by series creator Sherwood Schwartz. Frankly, it was the most tolerable thing the Bradys ever sang.

5. The Addams Family: Vic Mizzy, who wrote the music to "Green Acres" and many other series, wrote this show's catchy theme song. Snap, snap.

4. Gilligan's Island: Probably the best of the story theme songs, written again by Sherwood Schwartz with George Wyle. Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale.....

3. The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Who can turn the world on with her smile? Writer and singer Sonny Curtis showed us that "Love Is All Around" in a great merger of lead character, scenes, music and lyrics. Mary's joyous hat throw is the exclamation point.

2. Hawaii Five-O: Morton Stevens' song combined with Reza Badiyi's combination of images (including Jack Lord on that Ilikai porch) to show Hawaii as it had never been shown before.

1. Mission: Impossible: Lalo Schifrin, quite simply, has written the best television theme song ever. Perfect display of the show's action and mystery.

Anyone out there have their choices for top theme songs?

See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!