If there’s one thing that 90s sitcom theme songs taught us, it’s that they were masters of setting the stage. Like a musical handshake, they quickly told you what you were about to watch. And when it comes to the Family Matters theme, it’s more than just an earworm – it’s a mini-manifesto on what the show, and arguably the era, was all about: the enduring power of family.
It’s funny how pop culture connections work. Recently, a friend was convinced that the Family Matters theme was the same as the Full House theme. While hilariously wrong, he was onto something. Both catchy tunes, and indeed the themes for Step By Step and Perfect Strangers, were crafted by the same musical mind: Jesse Frederick. This shared DNA explains the sonic similarity, but dig into the lyrics, and you’ll find a fascinating commentary, especially when exploring the Family Matters theme.
Let’s look at the opening lines of the Family Matters theme:
“It’s a rare condition, this day and age,
to read any good news on the newspaper page.
Love and tradition of the grand design,
some people say it’s even harder to fiiiind.”
These lines paint a picture of a world seemingly in decline, where good news is scarce. It’s a lament about the perceived loss of traditional values, setting a somewhat melancholic tone right from the start. Interestingly, the Full House theme opens with a similar sense of loss:
“Whatever happened to predictability?
The milkman, the paperboy, evening TV.”
Both songs, in their opening verses, express a yearning for a simpler, more predictable past. They tap into a feeling that something is missing in contemporary life. But where do they find solace? For both, the answer, explicitly or implicitly, is family.
The Family Matters theme song quickly pivots from societal woes to a more intimate space:
“Well then there must be some magic clue inside these tearful walls
‘Cause all I see is a tower of dreams
real love burstin’ out of every seam.”
Here, the “tearful walls” suggest challenges and hardships within the family, but they also contain “magic clues.” The imagery shifts to a hopeful “tower of dreams” and “real love bursting out,” emphasizing the family home as a sanctuary and source of strength. This is where the family matters theme truly shines. It acknowledges the external world’s problems but firmly places family as the antidote, the core unit where love and support can overcome those challenges.
While the original article humorously touches on a Robert Frost reference and even a Freudian interpretation, the core message is clear: the Family Matters theme song isn’t just catchy background music. It’s a cultural artifact reflecting a desire for stability and connection in a rapidly changing world. It champions the idea that even amidst societal anxieties, the bonds of family offer a powerful and enduring source of hope and love. And that’s a theme that resonates far beyond the catchy melody.
