16 Cartoon Theme Songs Every ’80s Kid Still Knows by Heart

The ’80s was the heyday of animated TV shows — a decade which delivered a classic array of programs that continue resonating today.

It was an era in which Saturday morning cartoons were a household ritual. Every weekend, kids would wake up early, plant themselves in front of the TV and spend hours consuming the stories that came their way. Action, fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, there were no limits to what these cartoons could offer.

Part of the ’80s cartoon boom was due to merchandising, as studios realized they could make big bucks off of series that were attached to a toy line. Advances in animation also increased the quality of cartoon TV shows, while imports from around the world — most notably Japan and the U.K. — brought new stories to American audiences.

While the era’s most popular cartoons differed greatly in terms of style and subject matter, they almost all featured a great theme song. Many of them became so ingrained in the minds of ’80s kids that we can still sing or hum along decades later.

Below, we’ve assembled 16 Cartoon Theme Songs That Every ’80s Kid Still Knows by Heart.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Ready to have your mind blown? The famous theme song to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was written by Chuck Lorre. Yes, that Chuck Lorre – the man who would go on to become one of the most successful television producers in recent history. Before helming such popular series as Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory, Lorre was a struggling composer. Given only 48 hours to come up with something, he and his songwriting partner Dennis Challen Brown concocted the Ninja Turtles theme song in 1987. With its propulsive energy and memorable lyrics, the tune became one of the era’s best known themes.

Ducktales

Does the bass line to the Ducktails theme feel eerily familiar? That’s because it’s almost exactly the same as the classic Hall & Oates hit “You Make My Dreams Come True.” Still, there’s more to the Ducktails theme than a catchy riff. The tune was written by Mark Mueller, the songwriter behind Heart’s Top 10 hit “Nothin’ At All.” Mueller enlisted singer Jeff Pescetto to record the Ducktails theme, along with an all-star assembly of session musicians. The result was one of the most memorable themes in TV history. Even today, people can’t help but sing “Woo-hoo” whenever Ducktails is mentioned.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers

But wait, Mark Mueller had more up his sleeve! After the massive success of his Ducktails theme, Disney enlisted the songwriter for another of their animated series, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Again, he recruited Jeff Pescetto to sing, and lightning proceeded to strike twice. The upbeat Rescue Rangers theme lyrically established Chip ‘n Dale’s new career as private detectives.

Inspector Gadget

The genius of the Inspector Gadget theme sits in its simplicity. Catchy, upbeat, direct with an underlying tone of goofiness, the music matches the tone of the titular bumbling detective. The only lyrics are “Inspector Gadget / Woo-Hoo / Go Gadget Go,” and yet it absolutely works.

Muppet Babies

Following the success of Jim Henson’s Muppets TV shows and films, CBS launched the Muppet Babies in 1984. The cartoon series followed popular Muppet characters like Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Animal, Scooter, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo as toddlers getting up to all sorts of imaginary adventures. Its instantly recognizable theme song was built along a ‘50s doo-wop motif, and also served as a roll call of sorts, introducing the characters.

Thundercats

In 1985, Telepictures Corporation debuted their animated series ThunderCats, a sci-fi adventure that followed a group of catlike humanoid aliens battling the evil demon Mumm-Ra. While the storylines were fairly thin, the flashy, stylistic animation style – coupled with high-energy action – made it a hit with viewers everywhere. The intro song sounded like a cross between the Rocky theme and a disco tune, and featured the memorable opening line, “ThunderCats are on the move / ThunderCats are loose.”

Adventures of the Gummi Bears

It was former Disney CEO Michael Eisner who famously suggested the idea of a TV show about Gummi Bears, after his son requested the popular candy. Adventures of the Gummi Bears became a groundbreaking animated series for Disney, with high budgets and a production value that rivaled animated films of the time. Its plot centered around a group of anthropomorphic bears living secretly among humans in a medieval fairy tale world. The bears gain special bouncing powers from their “gummiberry juice,” a secret elixir that some evildoers would love to get their hands on. The theme song was written by Michael and Patty Silversher, the award-winning duo behind many beloved Disney and Jim Henson tunes. The Adventures of the Gummi Bears theme remains a rousing song, with the triumphant chorus “Gummi Bears / Bouncing here and there and everywhere / High adventure that’s beyond compare / They are the Gummi Bears.”

Transformers

By 1984, regulations surrounding promotional placement within children’s television programming had been relaxed. This opened the door for a wave of toy-aligned TV shows, such as G.I. Joe, My Little Pony and – most memorably – The Transformers. The animated series followed the battles of two alien robot groups: the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons. The show’s theme song utilized the same catchphrase used in advertisements for the Transformers toys line: “More than meets the eye.” It also added a second phrase that has become equally as famous: “Robots in disguise.”

M.A.S.K.

Composers Shuki Levy and Haim Saban were responsible for a long list of classic ‘80s theme songs, including the ones for He-man & The Masters of the Universe, Rainbow Brite and Inspector Gadget. One of their more underrated gems is this theme to the action-adventure cartoon M.A.S.K. Another animated show that was designed to sell toys, rather than push an engaging premise, the series followed the special task force M.A.S.K. (an acronym for “Mobile Armored Strike Kommand”) that battled a criminal organization called V.E.N.O.M. The show pretty much combined elements of Transformers and G.I. Joe, but the theme song – with its ‘80s pop rock sound – was definitely distinctive.

Heathcliff

Levy and Saban were also the masterminds behind the theme to Heathcliff. Based on the popular comic book series, the show – also known as Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats – followed the famous orange cat’s neighborhood adventures. The memorable theme is a bubbly, Billy Joel-like tune that still gets stuck in our head.

Alvin and the Chipmunks

TV viewers were first introduced to the Chipmunks in the ‘60s, but their ‘80s incarnation, Alvin and the Chipmunks, remains their most memorable series. The show followed the famous trio Alvin, Simon and Theodore, but also introduced their female counterparts, Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor aka the Chipettes. Its theme bounces along like a show tune, welcoming viewers with high-energy appeal.

The Smurfs

“La la la la la la, sing a happy song / La la la la la la, Smurf the whole day long” — that was the joyful message that welcomed viewers every week as they tuned into The Smurfs. The series premiered in 1981 and soon became a cultural phenomenon. Not only was it one of the most popular cartoons of the ’80s, it has since spawned four feature films since 2001.

Jem and the Holograms

Record company owner Jerrica Benton has a secret — her alter-ego is Jem, lead singer of the rock group Jem and the Holograms. The show was designed to capture the excitement and glamor of the MTV culture, within an animated series. Sure, the premise was cheesy, but Jem and the Holograms enjoyed a popular three year run on television, cementing its place in ’80s history. The theme song echoed the popular style of the time — think Cyndi Lauper or the Go-Go’s. Each week, it reminded the world that Jem was “truly, truly, truly outrageous.”

Danger Mouse

A brave and charismatic super spy, Danger Mouse was one part James Bond, one part rodent. The series’ theme song was as cool and exciting as any OO7 song. Danger Mouse was one of the U.K.’s most popular ’80s cartoons, and it enjoyed success in America thanks to syndication on Nickelodeon.

Care Bears

One of the most overwhelmingly happy ’80s trends was Care Bears, fuzzy, colorful characters with symbols on their stomaches that could fire rainbows of positivity. The concept was sugary sweet, but also hugely popular. Care Bears toys and memorabilia were hot items throughout the ’80s, and the Care Bears cartoon series enjoyed a three year run on television. Its theme — which sounded like a mix of disco and Randy Newman — featured the famous “Care Bear countdown.”

Count Duckula

Another import from the U.K., Count Duckula was a quirky cartoon about a vampire duck who prefers to be a vegetarian, rather than hunting for blood. The theme was composed by Mike Harding, the same composer who penned Danger Mouse’s memorable theme. We’re guessing he got inspiration from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” because that theme is a dancefloor-ready jam.