The Best of the Rest: 8 Classic TV Themes We Missed the First Time
Today, it’s the best of the rest. Not too long ago, we began counting down the top television theme songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. And you guys loved it. However, I was lambasted for a few oversights. I mean, really lambasted! So for this episode, we’re going to right the wrongs. That’s right, I’ve got 8 more iconic television themes that deserve some serious love. Including the Laverne & Shirley that opens with “hopscotch chant”. It's a classic TV song that came from a children’s Jump Rope song, and no one knows what the hell it means! There was also Joey Scarbury's The Greatest American Hero (Believe it or Not), a one-hit wonder that has outshined its show a hundred times over. Becoming bigger than the show itself. In fact, it was more requested than Journey or AC/DC! And finally, there’s the theme that they changed every Single season of its show’s 8-year run. It was the biggest show on TV, and now almost no one can bear to watch it because one person ruined it for the rest of us. Plus, the Charlie's Angels Theme, a song that was about female empowerment, but feminists hated it, but one of the show's actresses sold 12 million posters! We’ve got these stories and more coming up, NEXT on the Professor of Rock.A BIG THANK YOU to ZipRecruiter for sponsoring today's video. You can try ZipRecruiter for FREE when you go to this link and enter the promo code ROCK. Check it out.https://www.ziprecruiter.com/rockSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Queen’s “Killer Queen”: The Song That Finally Made Them Famous
Coming up, Queen's classic rock standard Killer Queen, a song that will certainly rearrange your mind, or most likely it already has. But here’s the thing, it’s a song story that got taken down by the powers that be. In fact, I tried to do this video a few times, and because I use a word that... isn’t really a bad word per se… but because I used that word from a story told by Freddie Mercury, I got in trouble. So I’m going to try this again and use a replacement word to tell this story, cuz Killer Queen is a great song from a legendary band. So when Queen put this song out, they didn’t have anything to show for their efforts. They had put out two albums, but almost nobody knew who they were outside of their native UK. They had toured across America to try and break through, but their famous guitarist, Brian May, had to be hospitalized, not once but twice. And it stopped all their momentum. They desperately needed a hit song. So Freddie Mercury wrote one in the bathtub. He was bathing, and it just fell into his lap. Freddie was trying to put pen to paper with soapy suds everywhere. And he wrote the song to prove that classy people can be… This is where I got in trouble last time. How do I say this? Freddie wrote it to prove that classic people can be… Uh… Let’s try to explain it next on Professor of Rock.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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When Rock Legends Messed Up and Made History — 7 Iconic Mistakes Turned Hits
Coming up… We’ve covered the Greatest IMPROV songs that became Magic. Well, today we're doing a sister series… We're counting down the Top 7 Mistakes That Turned into Gold. Screw ups that actually resulted in TRUE GREATNESS. We’re exposing songs that didn’t fail—they exploded after a stumble, a split-second miscue that stuck and became iconic. You’ll hear about a Kinks guitarist, Dave Davies, who blew up his amp and it resulted in the first hard rock Song, and invented Guitar Distortion. Then there was Ozzy Osbourne, who laughed through a botched intro to his anthem Crazy Train and let out the most famous three-letter word in rock history, and Ritchie Blackmore, who played a wrong note that sounded like a classical music piece that he turned into the most played riff by those first learning guitar. And then, of course, Paul McCartney, who sang the wrong lyrics and created a classic! The anxious moments that made these tracks legendary on the Top 7 Mistakes that Turned to Gold, NEXT… on Professor of Rock.Get in on the action with MyBookie. Use our promo code ROCK and any bet you choose up to $500 is fully covered. Go to https://www.mybookie.ag/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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How JD Souther Helped Create the Eagles’ Smash “Heartache Tonight”
We lost legendary singer-songwriter JD Souther a while back, and it didn’t make the news. It was extremely frustrating because he wrote some of the biggest hits of the 70s and 80s, even into the 90s. He truly deserved better. I was so grateful I got to interview him. In fact, it was the last in-depth interview he ever did. It was an honor. Well, next we have that interview, and he tells us the story behind one of the biggest hits of the early 80s, Heartache Tonight. A #1 smash for the Eagles, a band that was about to destroy each other. Today’s classic song came out of a jam session with the Eagles, and they knew they had a smash hit, but they couldn’t figure out the chorus. Later on, one of the lead singers of the band happened to be on the phone with a famous buddy who gave them the line to finish the chorus right then and there. The music of the song came from a strange use of an instrument, and it sounded like a brawl, which was appropriate because the band would get in a brawl soon enough that would nuke the band for good. Coming up I’m hoping to get through this one without a certain band member taking this down. Let’s see how we do next on Professor of Rock.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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How Pat Benatar’s “We Belong” Became One of the ’80s Most Enduring Anthems
Today, we have a special episode about Pat Benatar's We Belong that has always been a favorite. One of the catchiest songs of the 80s. If you don’t feel great after listening to it, you may need to seek serious therapy. Just kidding. But seriously, it’s quintessential 80s with one of the best female rock voices shepherding it. Today, we have Neil Giraldo, the man who made it so catchy and undeniable. An iconic guitarist and producer who pulled off some crazy acrobatics to achieve the percussion that is the driving force of this song. Neil nearly moved space and time, having the kick drum suspended in the air, and made the drummer twist into a pretzel to get the perfect sound. He shares the story next on the Professor of Rock.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The ultimate rock music history podcast for fans of the greatest era of music. If you’ve ever wondered about the true stories behind your favorite songs, or wanted to hear directly from the legends who made them, Professor of Rock is your new go-to podcast. Hosted by music historian and superfan Adam Reader, this show brings the golden era of music back to life with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and deep dives into the songs that shaped our lives. This podcast uncovers how timeless tracks were made, the creative breakthroughs, the near-breakups, and the powerful moments that defined music history. Each episode is a masterclass in rock culture and nostalgia—whether it's a chart-topping ‘80s anthem, a one-hit wonder with a wild backstory, or a candid conversation with the legends themselves. Hear the Stories. Relive the Music. Only on Professor of Rock.
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