I’ve often read that music and smells are two powerful things that can trigger memories. And I agree with that assessment. Like whenever I smell stargazer lilies, I’m always taken back to my step-brother’s wedding that I was a part of in 1992.
Music can trigger that same response. And for me, surprisingly, television theme songs can send me into memory overdrive.
I got to thinking about this the other day when my husband was flipping through the channels and there was the theme song to Hill Street Blues. I always think of my dad. It takes me back to the early 1980’s, before my parents divorce, on a rare night when my dad would be home and he’d be watching Hill Street Blues.
I realized that the shows Taxi, Cheers, MASH, and even Bob Newhart bring up some nice secure memories of my good old dad.
My dad was a busy guy when I was young. He worked as a newspaper writer, so his hours were not regular. Nights and weekends, he was a musician. Neither lifestyle promoted a lot of family time, so when he was home, I must have really savored it. The memories that come up are of being warm and safe at home, with those TV theme songs as a background soundtrack to that time in my life.
After my dad left, it was my mom, brother & me at home. My brother did a lot of videotaping of his favorite shows. When I hear that jazzy tune for L.A. Law or David Letterman’s theme song from when he was on NBC, it reminds me of my brother.
Those memories bring me back to a time of fun in my life. My uncle was living with us then too and we really had a blast all together. It was like having two brothers and we goofed around and watched a lot of stuff as a family.
Remember Barney Miller? I never really watched that show because I was too little to understand it. But, my grandparents did and I can still hear that song…doom, da da doom…brings me back to my grandparent’s house immediately.
The Tonight Show song specifically reminds me of my Grandma Webb. She was a night owl and if you got to stay up with her, wow, you were in luck! Johnny Carson was like the forbidden fruit of television as a child-it was late and you were supposed to be in bed. But hearing that song I can close my eyes and see a darkened living room with just a table lamp on low. Grandpa would be in bed already. Grandma would sit in the comfortable recliner on the left, me in the recliner on the right, ready to laugh at Carson
It surprises me that the theme song that reminds me of my Grandpa Webb belongs to Three’s Company. It was such a goofy and ditsy show that I just can’t believe someone like my sensible and no-nonsense grandfather would have even liked it! But like it, he did and I remember being very excited to sit down and watch it with him. There weren’t many things he and I connected on, but this was one of them.
Benny Hill was a show that seemed very exotic and grown-up to me. It was British and had adult themes, but when I would stay over night at my uncle Tom and aunt Diane’s house, they would let me watch television by myself in their back bedroom. I have distinct memories of a pull-out couch and a blue and white lava lamp swirling away in the background. They would tell me good night and I would settle in to watch the antics of Benny Hill, who to a young kid of 8 or 10, seemed like a dirty old man who liked young woman with big boobs! Hearing that theme song puts me right back there.
Saturday Night Live was and is still a big favorite of mine. Hearing Don Pardo’s introductions is like a step back to Pam and Charlie’s house. I spent most Saturday nights at my aunt and uncle’s house while my parent’s went out. I would fall asleep on their couch watching SNL as we waited patiently for Martin Short’s Ed Grimly, Eddie Murphy’s Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood, or Phil Hartman’s Ronald Reagan. I doubt I understood much of the political skits, but I feel like it helped fuel my interest in politics today. I adored those nights at Pam and Charlie’s and I always flash back to all of our goofy fun whenever Pardo’s voice comes on.
Does anyone remember Grizzly Adams? I loved that show about a guy wrongfully accused of murder that escapes to survive in the wilderness. The theme song “Maybe” is a reminder of my Grandpa Garness. I specifically remember watching the show with him at our house. My grandpa himself was an out in the country kind of guy. Maybe that’s why he liked the show. Whatever the reason whenever I hear “take me home, take me home” I get a little sad that my grandpa wasn’t around a lot longer then he was.
Television shows obviously played a larger role in my memories then I realized. But, what it really comes down to is it allowed me to become closer to members of my family. And really, that’s the message of all this-love and family.