The Donahue Show - 1981 Close and 1970s Themes

First is a close from a 1981 episode of "The Donahue Show," then two 1970s main themes follow. (The music is a bit scratchy -- it comes from an old cassette recording.)
All rights are acknowledged.

[@calvin777100]

The 1979 theme is incredible. I never get tired of hearing it. I keep dragging the marker back to the beginning to hear it again.

[@joshuajared100]

+calvin777100 me too! Listened to his at least 15 times.

[@trublu71]

This takes me right back to being a young kid and watching daytime TV with my mom . Simpler and happier times

[@skipeastport5529]

God, why can't anyone write instrumentals like this in 2016? I could listen to this over and over all day...

[@swami1]

These themes remind me of being sick at home during school and watching the show in the morning. Thanks for posting.

[@krishunjohnson4135]

American history now some but is writing about the history of our life's they can sit there all day if they like

[@mp165]

btw the 1979 theme is AWESOME and is my very favorite theme. 1979 Donahue theme is awesome.

[@danalong1237]

The Mike Post-composed Donahue 1980s theme is way better than the 1970s and the Don Grady-penned 1990-96 Donahue theme, not to mention the best ever and a favorite of Miranda Cosgrove and Victoria Justice!

[@The1baddman]

Rest In Peace,Don Grady,composer of the Donahue theme, also as Robbie on My Three Sons.

[@joshuajared100]

Memories of when l was a full time stay-at-home mom with my firstborn in 1982.

[@tkaye2]

The late '70s, early '80s theme helped add to the feel that Donahue was bringing a very fresh and vital approach to television. His show also had very high production values... for something done live-to-tape, everything was executed so smoothly and professionally (as evidenced by the first couple minutes of this clip).

[@kscott24]

The 1979 theme is one of my all time favorite TV themes; this is how I remember the Phil Donahue show. Great theme!

[@ACLTony]

Back then I rarely watched the show, yet I remember the catchy theme song so well as Donahue tv commercials popped up frequently with the tune playing. Brings back so many pleasant memories of the late 70s. Simpler, less stressful times.

[@calalilygirl]

Phil was the one that started it all. He was ahead of his time. His show was always TOPS

[@wonderglory]

It was nice seeing aerial shots of Chicago when these themes were playing.

[@MIKECNW]

There's actually some Donahue episodes from the 70's that exist on KZbin where you can see that. You have to do some searching though.

[@mp165]

Totally AWESOME theme songs of he late 1970s and early 1980s . Bring them ALL BACK -- 2016 needs to hear these MAGICAL themes !!!!!

[@txquis]

This is the theme I remember when I was growing up. Great to hear it again.

[@irish89055]

yes, 79 is the best theme, written by Don Grady, dead this day June 27th, 2012 RIP

[@irish89055]

the 1979 theme is obviously the best... very nice

[@freewaydan]

I like the 1979 theme the best.

[@tripletee6971]

I love that 79 theme too.

[@Aladdin7796]

Thanks for posting the theme music to the talk show. I've been everywhere searching for the song. Finally, I can hear the music to get sentimental about how tv was back in the day.

[@Lupton2000]

Don Grady's theme song from 1990 ruled!!!

[@danalong1237]

WRONG! Mike Post's theme is the best Donahue theme, not the Don Grady one!

[@trublu71]

Brings back good memories of when I was home sick form school in the mornings.

[@PfctvsPontivsPilatvs]

THis brings back good memories for me, also, when I had to stay home sick from school and mornings during summer vacation before I went down to the beach in my New England hometown.

[@Shellinois]

What a great theme!

[@snootzie78]

The 1977 version sounds like Showcase Showdown music. Got a good beat.

[@SaucyWench7]

Thank you for this!

[@loveisok]

Brings backs memories from Los Angeles.

[@pannoni8449]

The 1979 theme premiered sometime in February or March of that year, based upon a promo in early February still using the previous version, and the new theme in place by the March 27 episode that currently circulates. If you call the former the "Late 1970s Theme", you might as well call the 1979 the "Early 1980s Theme", as it continued to be used until the beginning of 1985, when the next theme was introduced upon the show's move to studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Center in NYC.

[@danalong1237]

That theme song was composed by Mike Post, also known for composing other classic TV theme songs.

[@CrestwoodRocks]

@irish89055 Yes. Donahue should've kept that theme for his entire career

[@vetmar41]

Does somebody have the full 80s Mike Post ''Donahue'' theme?

[@palmshoot]

You can clearly see where the disco craze ended.

[@MIKECNW]

Funny I can't find to many 70's episodes of Donahue on KZbin.It's mostly 80's and up.Too bad.

[@SchuchDesigns]

+MIKECNW Not many VCR's back then.

[@pannoni8449]

This is due to the show rarely being rerun, the presumption that most episodes from that era don't exist (although the show did use U-Matic tape by 1973, which could mean that a bunch of '70s episodes could be inside a vault somewhere), and of course VCRs being primitive. Hard to believe, but its now been 20 years since the final episode of Donahue!

[@MIKECNW]

These type of shows don't get their reruns shown.

[@PotholesInMyLawn]

fantastic

[@irish89055]

what I didn't realize then was it's about PR and how everything on TV is linked to publicity... esp much more so today

[@irish89055]

I liked it too... I just read that that Don Grady(Robbie) from "My Three Sons" wrote this theme......

[@tvpirate05]

Wow...nice one! There's a few clips from the 70s and 80s from the show, and I've always wanted to hear the themes in the clear, so thanks! I believe Mike Post composed the disco theme, but not sure on the more elegant late-70s version. Both are very catchy.

[@PatrioticPirate]

I'd like to hear the ORIGINAL theme... with the drummer goin' absolute NUTS on the snare... or the second theme... with Congas, maracas, and the crazy percussion...

[@timanny1]

Look up the Johnny Carson Phil Donahue interview. The original theme is there.

[@PatrioticPirate]

I've heard it there, and with Madeline Murray O'Hair. In addition, I've heard the second theme with Jane Fonda... I just wish there were a way to recreate either one (or both!) of those...

[@michaelrobertguertin]

Hi. Any idea what the name of the theme song is and who it was composed by? I saw a Dan Grady online. I like the song version that plays at the beginning. Thx :0)

[@derektyler9308]

+Michael Guertin Yes. Same guy from My Three Sons (Robbie).

[@MIKECNW]

Wonder why they did that?

[@MIKECNW]

From what's suggested here is the original 70's theme only lasted a couple of years. Wonder what the previous theme sounded like?

[@esgee]

You have an mp3 that i can access of this??

[@CrestwoodRocks]

@esgee hopefully one from the late 70s is available

[@MIKECNW]

Are you sure that the so called late 70's theme was limited to the late 70's? Remember he moved his show to Chicago in 1974. Also wasn't it neat seeing the downtown Chicago scanes with the Donahue logo's floating around? Imagine the jokes that were made about it.

[@utube9000]

I'm a conservative and I hate fake liberals - but I never felt that Donahue was one of them. Although I often disagreed with him (and still do) he always seemed genuine and thoughtful to me. We could use more like him.

[@jessyleppert2]

When did Phil start wearing glasses?

[@CrestwoodRocks]

since the mid 1970s but he hasn't worn them full time until after the mid 1980s

[@AarHan3]

Wonder what Phil's doin' these days?

[@MIKECNW]

They' re quite a few Donahue clips from the 80's and beyond. But hardly any from the 70's. wonder why?

[@irish89055]

yeah, ahead of his time.. imagine selling a BOOK on TV .... lol