21 Jump Street: The Theme Song

21 Jump Street: The Theme Song

Photo courtesy of "A Fan's Page For Johnny Depp": Johnny Depp & Holly Robinson

Opening Theme Info

The 21 Jump Street theme song (revised version) is now available on "Television's Greatest Hits Vol. 7 Cable Ready" or on "Tvee-Toons," an album available at TVT Records, or by clicking here. Thanks to Karl for the link information.

The song was composed by Liam Sternberg, who wrote the Bangles' hit "Walk Like An Egyptian." It was sung by Holly Robinson, who played Detective Judy Hoffs (see photo at right).

During the opening theme, the regulars were shown and credited. In seasons 1-4, this was Johnny Depp, Peter DeLuise, Holly Robinson, Dustin Nguyen & Steven Williams (Frederic Forrest for the first few episodes). In season 5, the theme changed practically every week as characters came and went, and the first two episodes still had the old regulars in it (because they had been leftover episodes from season 4).

Download both versions of the theme at the Jumpstreet Yahoo Group Files Page

*** Original Version (Season 1 only, episodes 1-13):

"We never thought of finding a place where we belong, You don't have to stand alone, we'll never let you fall
Don't need permission to decide what you'll believe....
You're gonna learn something when we meet you after school!
I said jump, down on Jump Street, Said jump! Down on Jump Street!
Your friends will be there when your back is to the wall, you'll find you need us 'cause there's no one else to call
When it looks hopeless, a decision's what you need,
You better be ready 'cause you're running out of time!
I said Jump! 21 Jump Street"

*** Revised version (Seasons 2-5, episodes 14-103):

"We never thought of finding a place where we belong, You don't have to stand alone, we'll never let you fall
Don't need permission to decide what you'll believe....
Ooh! I said jump, down on Jump Street, Jump! Down on Jump Street!
Your friends will be there when your back is to the wall, you'll find you need us 'cause there's no one else to call,
When it looks hopeless, a decision's what you need,
You better be ready to, be ready to jump! 21 Jump Street"

Theme Trivia:

Robbie Fields, creator of music used in three episodes of 21 Jump Street, emailed the following information: "It is no co-incidence about Holly's character having the same last name as Susannah Hoffs of the Bangles. You see, Patrick Hasburgh knew the Hoffs family rather well and mentioned to Sue's mother, Tammy, that he was looking for a theme song for his new show; Tammy told Liam Sternberg about an opportunity and Liam wrote the music on spec. I saw Liam a couple of years ago and we were happy to share notes about our good fortune in being involved with 21 Jump Street."

Closing Theme:

This was the 21 Jump Street song, with a saxophone playing the melody, run over generic footage from the high schools and colleges they had filmed at (you can catch Peter DeLuise and Holly Robinson two or three times in it sometimes). Occasionally, instead of this, there would be one of the songs that had been used in the show, with scenes from the show, and sometimes they would have the version with vocals running over scenes from the show or funny outtakes. And if the show had run short, they sometimes ran the song twice & just kept throwing in filler scenes. Of particular note is the closing theme from #35 "School's Out" (Season 2 closer), which featured Sal Jenco, Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson & some crew members performing "See You In September."

That Annoying Post-Commercial Music In Season 5

It’s only in some of the episodes from Season 5, so I guess someone with more clout than I have got just as sick of it as I am. As the shows were broadcast out of order, you'll hear them one time and not the next, and then just whey you think it's gone, it's back. It served a purpose, I guess (Hey, get back in here, the show's on!), but since most cable networks do that already anyway after ads, it's kind of redundant. Cute the first time, then annoying when it happens after EVERY ad break. It lasts about 3-4 seconds and is the ending (guitar/drums/sax) of the closing theme.

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