When you think of great sci-fi theme music you might think of the dum-dum-dum-dumdum-dum of Star Wars, but I think of the fun tunes of my favorite British Sci-Fi. Here are my top three favorites.
#3 Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
This 1960s marionette-based sci-fi took place in the future with Captain Scarlet, the indestructible man, as the hero who kept the Martians from destroying Earth. My son and I watched it together when he was young. The theme had a great little beat, but it had some slightly creepy lyrics like:
They crash him, and his body may burn.
They smash him, but they know he’ll return,
To live again.
Check it out:
#2 Red Dwarf
This late 1980s comedy was named for the six mile long spaceship that served as the show’s setting. Dave Lister, a low-ranking technician, wakes after three million years in suspended animation. His companions are the ship’s computer, a hologram, a robot, and Cat (the last of a race that evolved from cats on the spaceship). The show catalogs Lister’s efforts to return to Earth–hilarity ensues.
Judging strictly on lyrics, this one would actually be my favorite. The lyrics come in at the ending credits.
Its cold outside, there’s no kind of atmosphere,
I’m all alone, more or less.
Let me fly, far away from here,
Fun, fun, fun, In the sun, sun, sun.I want to lie, shipwrecked and comatose,
Drinking fresh, mango juice,
Goldfish shoals, nibbling at my toes,
Fun, fun, fun, In the sun, sun, sun,
Fun, fun, fun, In the sun, sun, sun.
Now everbody sing along….
#1 Space 1999
I discovered this 1970s sci-fi drama because it was oftened paired with Star Trek in the late night TV marathons. I credit it with my love of shape shifters. The premise had a nuclear waste accident on the moon throwing our precious satlelite out of orbit. The inhabitants of Moonbase Alpah survied to go on to great adventures adrift in the vastness of space. Maya, the shape shifter was discovered somewhere along their journeys. The theme song didn’t have any lyrics, but it is still a great upbeat tune with a bit of ’70s jive beat thrown in. Have a listen here:
Do you have any favorite sci-fi theme music?
Smart Girls love SciFi 
The memories! Oh goodness, where to even begin! Captain Scarlet was an odd little series and the theme is a just tad on the creepy side, but I still have fond memories of it. Space: 1999’s theme is so deliciously 70’s, it’s been a while since I’ve watched that one though. Red Dwarf’s theme is a definite classic!
Thanks for such a fun post 🙂
The crazy part about watching Scarlet was that you always knew he was going to die at some point in the episode. Very odd indeed!
Not really. The only theme songs that stick in my head are from Star Wars, Star Trek and Jaws. That’s it. I must not pay attention.
Well those are three of the biggies. Of course, with the younger generation you have to specify which of the Star Wars themes you’re referring to. For my son the theme played when Darth Mal battles the Jedis is the really memorable one. 😉
He worked at Gizmonic Institute
just a regular guy in a red jump suit
He did a good job cleaning up the place
but his bosses didn’t like him so they shot him into spaaaaaaaaace… (Get. Me. DOWN!)
too bad he didn’ t have any mango juice. But he did have a couple of robots. *grin*
-Abigail
Ha! Mystery Science Theatre! I’d forgotten about that one!
My personal favorite song from that show was:
I’m a Danger to myself and others
Good livestock makes better lovers
Do doo do doo do do doo do doooo…
How dumb are you uncle pa?
Pretty dumb that’s fer sher!
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Well, the theme to UFO was always a fav of mine…
And Thundebirds…
I am noting an Andersons based theme here?
I hadn’t seen UFO. LOVE the theme and the intro. Wish the 1980s had really looked like that!
Well, there was purple hair and women in silver miniskirts, albeit only in Music Videos, so it wasn’t all THAT far off.
Besides, who else but the andersons could have forseen have secret interceptor bases on the moon?
Marry me, Charlie!
I lurvv me some Gerry Anderson Supermarionation. One theme that rocks the house is the one from STINGRAY. And then there’s the Spaceman song at the end of FIREBALL XL5–not too shabby at all.
I even listen to this music in my car and blast it as loud as it will go (with the windows down, of course). Even JOE 90 on occasion!
Oh my god! Joe 90!!! I lurved that show! I used to have one of the Corgi toys of his little space car thingy. Of course, I had one of Thunderbird 2 and a UFO interceptor and I still have one of the big Space 1999 Eagle toys with action figures and…
Uh oh. I think I gave away my secret Geek ID….
Fun and a great idea! Now, I have to figure out how to download some of this stuff on my iPod so I can rock some SciFi theme music in the car. 😉
If you figure out how, post it!
For my money, I can’t go past the creepiness of the Dr. Who theme. Gives me goosebumps almost everytime. And I’ve only ever watch ed the show with David Tennant. Sci-fi and eye candy all rolled into one. 🙂
For puely sing-a-long purposes however, you can’t go past the Red Dwarf theme. And don’t get me started on the characters – I love Cat. He really was just like a cat that evolved to two-legged status.