In between the Fruity Pebbles and soccer practice, every Saturday morning belonged to me. I got up early and sat through 4-H programming and reruns of Daniel Boone, to get to the good stuff – the cartoons. With nearly everything available streaming these days, its hard to remember how important it was for me to get to the TV first so I had control. It’s hard to recreate how excited I was … until I hear the theme songs. Those take me right back to the shag carpet, Mego action figures by my side as I  waited to enjoy the animated magic …

    1. Mission: Magic – Rick Springfield sang and played while Miss Tickle took her class to magical places. How this hasn’t been picked up by Nickelodeon to be live action is beyond me. Weird that I totally didn’t recognize Rick 10 years later when he started singing about Jessie’s Girl.

2. Curiosity Shop – Pamelyn Ferdin was a staple in kids  shows and showed up in Shazam and Space Academy among others. She was also in Star Trek! This gem seems forgotten by most, but I loved it and I seem to remember a Dennis the Menace cartoon in it as well …

3. H.R. Pufnstuf -Okay … read what you want into his name and the drug culture … but the real question is why did Witchiepoo want a teen boy’s flute so badly? One of the catchiest choruses ever.

4. Josie and the Pussycats – I never loved Archie’s band that much, but … “everywhere the action’s at, we’re involved in this and that!” I still want to be Melody. Look how happy she is while drumming!

5. Secrets of Isis –  Not really a theme song, but an intro  with great Filmation music stings and sound effects. “Zephyr winds that blow on high, lift me now so I can fly!” During soccer practice, I would run around muttering this under my breath, but I never flew.

6. Shazam – Ditto on not being a true theme song, but nothing stirred my 8-year-old soul like reciting this in front of the TV. I still play it during thunderstorms, because you never know if you might get chosen from among all others …

7. Land of the Lost – “Ahhhhhhhh! And plunged them down one thousand feet below … to the land of the lost-lost-lost-lost …” I mean, come on … who doesn’t want to go on that routine expedition?!?

8. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl – OMG, such a catchy tune! If it doesn’t make you want to get summoned to the Electra Base via Electra Comp … you are probably in an Electra Coma.

9. Return To the Planet of The Apes – Very Jonny Quest-like, and the visuals are stunning in that late 60s/early 70s way. I love the Planet of the Apes and this is a highly-underrated show.

10. Super Friends/Challenge of the Super Friends – I love the original, but Challenge adds in the super villains and I don’t miss Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog in the intro. Still listening to the last lines “to right that which is wrong, and to serve all mankind!” is kind of what defines my whole political ideology … and life.


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