Kid show songs that are music to our ears
From Mighty Hercules to Mr. Dressup, these take us back to an age of innocence
Songs from our childhood tend to grow deep roots in the old grey matter, none deeper than theme songs to TV shows we spent countless hours with during those formative years. Here are six memorable TV theme songs from popular Toronto kid shows of yesteryear. How many do you remember?
Today’s Special, Stephanie Taylor and Bill Misener
The catchy theme song to this Toronto classic was penned by its architects, Clive VanderBurgh and Clive Endersby. Kids may have thought it was the show’s mannequin Jeff and retail designer Jodie on the mic, but the real singers were just as cool: Taylor and Misener were original members of the Laurie Bower Singers, whose blazing horn workout “Season of the Yonge” remains the most definitive musical ode to Yonge St. Misener was also a member of 1960s rock outfit the Paupers.
The Mighty Hercules, Johnny Nash and Winston Sharples Jr.
The mercilessly mocked Toronto- produced cartoon ran on a seemingly endless early-morning loop from the ’60s until the ’90s, and still manages to crop up in late-night cerebral pop culture conversations: was Herc’s main nemesis, the evil wizard Daedalus, also moonlighting as third-tier villain the Mask of Vulcan. Performed by Nash, a golden-throated reggae singer from Texas best known for his 1972 hit “I Can See Clearly Now,” the theme song crafted a perfect mix of cheesy bravado and soulful sincerity.
Mr. Dressup, Donald Himes
Mr. Dressup hailed from a much simpler era, when greying men in cardigans playing piano to besotted youngsters was the norm in children’s television. The serenity of the classic CBC show was no doubt aided by its varied piano accompaniments courtesy of the late Himes, kicking off in the titles with that lovely tranquil piece that soundtracked many a sick day away from school.
The Edison Twins, Bob Segarini
Bob (the Iceman) Segarini’s band Family Tree recorded what is thought to be one of the first concept albums of all time ( Miss Butters).
His subsequent band the Wackers recorded two songs on the soundtrack to cult road film Vanishing Point, a huge influence on U.K. acid house visionaries Primal Scream. He moved to Toronto to become a radio jock for CHUM and Q107, and helped shape MuchMusic. But most famously, he wrote and performed the theme song to Nelvana’s live-action science/adventure show The Edison Twins, a poppy sonnet to the joys of growing up and getting into mischief.
Readalong, Eric N. Robertson and William Straiton
Eric Robertson ( Canada: A People’s History) composed the music for TVOntario’s fondly remembered Readalong (1976), a bite-sized series that taught early reading skills using a mix of slightly creepy puppets and young children. Robertson’s rhythmic intro featured a keyboard groove worthy of some of the more funk-fuelled jams that appeared in Sesame Street during the 1970s.
The Littlest Hobo, Terry Bush
The image of the Hobo, a wandering German shepherd with a nose for danger and a heart of gold, has been writ large in Canadian pop culture. The show’s track has taken on a life of its own: in the U.K., it was a ubiquitous closing time cover by rising pop bands and in 2011 reached No. 1 on iTunes and Amazon thanks to its use in a Dulux paint campaign. Perhaps it is because the song’s positive message epitomize the bittersweet sting of nostalgia. Keep on moving, because you can never go back.