This Was The Inspiration Behind The Rick And Morty Theme Song

An alcoholic grandfather. A timid kid. And a universe of possibilities. 

On December 2nd, 2013, a little show called Rick and Morty debuted on Adult Swim. The series, which combined meta-humor, absurdity, and cosmic horror, proved to be an instant hit. Seeing as how in 2018, the show was renewed for an astonishing 70 more episodes (of which only 10 have been fulfilled), fans can look forward to plenty of sci-fi comedy adventures for years to come.

There's a lot that Rick and Morty did correctly right from the start, and one of the most overlooked aspects of the show is its perfect theme song. After a brief introductory scene, audiences are treated to a song that sounds like it belongs in an old episode of Doctor Who. The soundtrack perfectly complements a montage of clips of Rick and Morty getting into hi-jinks all over the galaxy. But where exactly did that catchy sci-fi song come from? It turns out Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland had two specific influences when he was first coming up with the iconic theme song that fans hum today. 

Sci-fi references abound in Rick and Morty. From imagery straight out of the 1974 sci-fi film Zardoz, to the appearance of Cthulhu — the all-powerful monster from the mind of H.P. Lovecraft — appearing in every episode, within the title sequence, there are plenty of fan-favorite concepts floating about. Plus, if you listen closely to the theme song, then you may have thought it sounds awfully familiar to some other sci-fi themes you've heard in the past. 

You're not wrong. In an interview with TV Over Mind, Justin oiland talked about the two TV shows he wanted to base the Rick and Morty theme song around. "The theme song is written by the guy who wrote The Wizards of Waverly Place theme song, who is a very good friend of mine. I told him I was a big fan of Farscape and that I wanted to combine Farscape's theme with Doctor Who's theme, and that's basically what our theme song is. It's this amazing original piece that takes the best aspects of those two themes and mashes them together. Super sci-fi."

It's hard to describe, but there's just something about all three theme songs that just screams "science fiction." It's the sort of music that sounds like it has come from another planet. By now, of course, when you hear those first few opening notes, you know it's Rick and Morty time. 

Keep your eyes peeled for whenever Rick and Morty season 5 gets released. As fans of the show know all too well, it could be a while.