Believe it or not, a TV theme song that became one of the most recognizable tunes of the 1980s has earned a new distinction.
Joey Scarbury’s “Theme From The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)” has been named one of the best one-hit wonders in soft-rock music by Grunge, topping a list of five memorable songs from the genre.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
View this post on Instagram
Peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, the 1981 hit finished as the year’s 11th biggest single, but Scarbury never landed another Top 40 hit, hence the one-hit wonder distinction.
How a Superhero TV Show Created a Pop Hit
Written by composer Mike Post and lyricist Stephen Geyer for The Greatest American Hero, the song opened the ABC comedy-drama that ran from 1981 to 1983. The series followed Ralph Hinkley, a high school teacher who receives a superhero suit from aliens but loses the instructions for using it properly.
Interestingly, Post wasn’t sold on the premise at first, saying the show’s concept sounded “nuts.” But he agreed to work on the theme, asking Geyer to write lyrics that connected flying in a superhero suit with the feeling of falling in love.
The result was a soaring, synth-driven soft-rock track built around Scarbury’s earnest vocals and a chorus that captured the wonder of suddenly discovering a new side of yourself. It worked as both an introduction to the television series and a standalone pop song.
The Song Nearly Reached No. 1
“Believe It or Not” climbed the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1981, peaking at No. 2 for two weeks in August, blocked from the top spot by “Endless Love,” the duet by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. It did, however, reach No. 1 on the Cash Box and Record World singles charts, according to historical chart records.
Despite its success, Scarbury couldn’t replicate the hit. His album America’s Greatest Hero, which included the theme and other show-related songs, failed to produce another ditty with comparable popularity. Grunge noted that Scarbury never returned to the Billboard Top 40, cementing his one-hit-wonder status.
‘Believe It or Not’ Found a Second Life on TV
The song’s legacy extended well beyond its original series. One of its most famous later appearances came in the Seinfeld episode “The Susie,” in which George Costanza, played by Jason Alexander, turns the tune into an answering-machine message.
The scene introduced the song to a new generation of television viewers and gave it a second life as a comedy reference.
More than four decades after its chart peak, “Believe It or Not” remains a distinctive example of how a television theme can become a hit in its own right. Grunge’s ranking recognizes the song’s unusual combination of nostalgic TV history, polished soft-rock sound, and chart success.
It’s a memorable achievement for an artist whose biggest moment came from a song about an ordinary man discovering he could fly.
Related: ’80s Rock Icons Announce 50th Anniversary Tour With ’70s Hitmaker Todd Rundgren