A recipe for a great theme song needs to begin with a clear first impression—a sales pitch. Its introduction to the ear, often beginning as a musical hook, or a series of words, blend to create a product that should border on the contagious."I want to be the very best," reminds the viewer that Pokémon's Ash Ketchum is about that business. "Every day when you're walking down the street, " implies that whatever happens in an episode of Arthur, it's going to happen on the block. And the pattering of rain with a dash of creepy laughs will always, inevitably, lead to another campfire story in Are You Afraid of The Dark?
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During the 80s and 90s, the theme song was at its height; particularly for children, specifically for me. Before the expediency of on-demand content took centre stage, the television was the Twitter feed, encouraging after-school or Saturday morning rituals of episodic glory.While the tradition is arguably less emphasized for folks like me, its spirit in practice still exists today, particularly for children. Take the pop-punk sound of Paw Patrol, origin-story infused song of Sophia the First or the repeatedly cherry Doc McStuffins themes to name a few; all still catchy by design, but the question of whether they aim to convey genuine moods or provide a soulless injection of air-worms is up for debate.To understand this distinction, I decided to track down a few composers and producers of my own childhood; the names that lived and breathed the craft, and can claim responsibility for brands of sound that have already earned pop-culture immortality.Starting out as a talented bass player, John Segler decided he no longer wanted to tour with bands in the late 80s. A New York City jingle house became his home, where he wrote and produced countless commercials. Through his partner and songwriter, John Loeffler, he established a relationship with Norman J. Grossfield, head of the production for 4Kids Entertainment. From there, his involvement with one of the most recognizable TV franchises began.
John Segler, Composer ( Pokémon, YuGiOh)
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On the Pokémon theme, "I wanna be the very best."
The legacy
The anonymity
Jeff Zhan, Producer, Composer ( Arthur, Are You Afraid of The Dark?, Caillou, Madeline)
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On the Arthur theme song
The process: Are You Afraid of the Dark?
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