Podcast Summary: Hit Parade | A Deal with the TV God – Part 1

Podcast: Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
Host: Chris Molanphy (Slate Podcasts)
Episode: A Deal with the TV God, Part 1
Date: June 18, 2022

Episode Overview

This episode explores the intricate relationship between television and the music charts, tracing how TV exposure has turned songs into hits, revived forgotten tracks, and even launched entire music careers. Host Chris Molanphy uses the resurgence of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” via Stranger Things as a springboard for a deep dive into a half-century of tune-and-tube synergy, detailing the history of theme songs, star-making musical moments, and TV's evolving role as a hitmaker.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Kate Bush Phenomenon & TV’s Power Over the Charts

• (00:50) Chris Molanphy sets the stage with the 2022 revival of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill"—a song that originally peaked at #30 in the US in 1985, but soared to #4 on the Hot 100 in 2022 following its pivotal placement in Stranger Things.

  “At age 63, Kate Bush has her first ever American top ten hit. Top five. So what changed in those 37 years?... The main thing that catalyzed this comeback was... television.” — Chris Molanphy (03:19)

• The phenomenon illustrates how TV exposure, especially via popular shows, can catapult a song into renewed relevance and commercial success.

2. How TV Made Music Hits: Themes and Performances

• (08:54) The Beatles on Ed Sullivan
  The Beatles’ iconic 1964 performance is highlighted as a major TV-fueled musical moment, though Chris notes that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was already #1 prior to their appearance.

  “We’ll never know... maybe 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' wouldn’t have spent seven weeks on top without [Ed Sullivan], though that is debatable.” — Chris Molanphy (10:03)

• (11:25) Songs Written for TV vs. Songs Made Hits by TV
  Chris distinguishes between original TV themes (e.g., "The Brady Bunch") and songs that become hits because of their prominent TV placements—even if not written for TV.

  • Example: “I'll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts (Friends) became a radio hit independent of the show.

• (13:50) Reviving Old Hits
  Shows like Ally McBeal and its use of "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede exemplify how TV can revive songs as cultural moments, even if they don’t chart again.

3. Early TV–Music Intersections: The 1950s–60s

• (18:36) Theme Songs as Hits

  • “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” (Bill Hayes) was a chart-topping theme song from Disney's 1955 Davy Crockett miniseries.

• (20:36) TV-Presented Songs Become Pop Hits

  • Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons” became the fastest-selling single of its time after he performed it on his TV show.

  “Thanks to its exposure on the tube, 'Sixteen Tons' sold a million copies in just three weeks.” — Chris Molanphy (20:40)

• (22:45) TV-Created or Launched Pop Acts

  • Ricky Nelson’s success began with his exposure on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet—establishing a TV-to-pop-star pipeline.

  “No one would ever underestimate the power of television again.” — Fred Bronson (quoted by Chris, 23:12)

4. Instrumental Themes, Standalone Songs, and Manufactured Bands

• (26:08) Instrumental Themes and Pop Success

  • Henry Mancini’s Peter Gunn album, The Ventures’ “Hawaii Five-O”, and Lalo Schifrin’s “Mission: Impossible” theme all hit the pop charts after gaining recognition on TV.

  “The trick with a theme song, if you wanted it to succeed on the radio, was giving it a personality not reliant on the show.” — Chris Molanphy (26:44)

• (30:15) The Monkees and the Rise of the TV Band

  • The Monkees, created specifically for television, out-charted even the Beatles at their peak, leading to a trend of TV-made musical acts (e.g., The Archies, The Partridge Family).

5. The Golden Age of TV Themes (1970s–Early 80s)

• (33:45) TV Variety Shows and Cross-Promotion
  • TV variety shows like The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour served as launching pads for chart-topping singles.
• (35:20) Instrumental and Vocal TV Themes Turning into Hits
  • MFSB’s “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" (from Soul Train) became the first-ever TV theme to top the Hot 100.
  • SWAT theme, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and even The Greatest American Hero theme all found standalone success.

  “If the show was a hit, so much the better... Waylon Jennings’ theme to The Dukes of Hazzard... topped the country chart.” — Chris Molanphy (39:12)

6. TV Resurrects Old Songs (The Modern Template)

• (40:15) Daytime and Primetime Song Revivals

  • General Hospital revived Herb Alpert’s “Rise” (1979) and Patti Austin/James Ingram’s “Baby, Come to Me” (1983) through soap opera plotlines.
  • Music supervisors like Jill Phelps demonstrated the power of carefully chosen songs to create “second chance smashes.”

  “General Hospital single-handedly brought that song back to the Hot 100 more than a year after it peaked.” — Chris Molanphy (44:22)

• (43:45) Miami Vice as a Music-Driven TV Template

  • Miami Vice is noted for its MTV-inspired, stylized music curation, frequently pushing both new and old songs up the charts (e.g., Phil Collins’ "In the Air Tonight," Glenn Frey’s “You Belong to the City”).

  “Not since Peter Gunn had a TV show made such an impression on the Billboard charts.” — Chris Molanphy (46:59)

7. Cliffhanger and Tease for Part Two

• (48:50) The episode ends with a teaser: how “Family Ties” (the Michael J. Fox sitcom) helped launch another chart-topping hit, promising more stories of TV-induced musical success.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On TV’s hit-making power:

  “Television and TV has been making songs hits for a long time. There were pop stars made bigger by TV… and pop songs expressly written for television.” — Chris Molanphy (03:48)

• On the paradox of TV theme ubiquity:

  “The Brady Bunch theme is a widely renowned song... But it wasn’t a standalone hit song.” — Chris Molanphy (13:06)

• On the impact of context:

  “It was a hit because viewers associated it with something they loved on their TV screens.” — Chris Molanphy on Herb Alpert’s “This Guy’s in Love with You” (29:27)

• On the TV-to-pop pipeline:

  “No one would ever underestimate the power of television again.” — Fred Bronson, quoted by Chris (23:12)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:50 — Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” historical context and 2022 resurgence
• 08:54 — The Beatles' Ed Sullivan show moment and TV’s early chart influence
• 13:06 — The Brady Bunch: iconic, but not a chart hit
• 18:36 — 1950s: “Davy Crockett” and the beginning of TV theme chart-toppers
• 22:45 — Ricky Nelson: building a pop career from a sitcom
• 26:54 — Instrumental themes: “Secret Agent Man”, “Hawaii Five-O”
• 30:15 — The Monkees: TV’s ultimate prefab musical creation
• 33:45 — 1970s: TV variety shows and cross-promotional synergy
• 35:20 — The rise of TV theme songs as standalone hits
• 43:45 — Miami Vice changes the game with stylized music curation
• 48:50 — Teaser: Family Ties as a chart kingmaker (to be continued in Part 2)

Episode Tone and Style

Chris Molanphy’s narration blends pop-chart analysis with anecdotes and a touch of humor, aiming for both depth and accessibility. He maintains an authoritative yet conversational tone, frequently using well-known audio clips to anchor his points and spark nostalgia. The storytelling is rich in historical trivia, making even listeners unfamiliar with the songs or shows feel included in music and TV’s intertwined journey.

Conclusion

Part 1 of “A Deal with the TV God” establishes how television’s influence on pop music has evolved, from launching stars and themes in the 1950s–70s, to transforming the way old and new songs alike can be catapulted—sometimes decades later—back into cultural and commercial prominence. Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” is the latest in a long line of chart miracles forged by the synergy between a glowing screen and a great song, promising even more tales in Part 2.