I like plenty of TV show theme songs that are instrumentals – “30 Rock” has a pretty good theme, and the music that kicks off each episode of “MacGyver” gets me pumped up and ready to watch Mac’s practical wisdom save the day.

Louie (Louis C.K.)

But I really prefer a theme that has words because, let’s face it, there’s nothing better than a catchy song to sing along with, especially if you’re loyally watching the show and will be forced to hear the song over and over again.

That’s why I love “Brother Louie,” the 1970s Hot Chocolate song that serves as the theme of the hilariously smart FX comedy “Louie.” The original song is about 4 minutes long, dealing with the topic of interracial romance and a couple faced with racism. That might seem at odds with a comedy stemming from the twisted yet somehow relatable mind of Louis C.K. But mixed into the original song is a repeated chorus that works perfectly for a show about a depressed white dude named Louie:

“Louie Louie Louie, Louie
Louie Louie Lou-i
Louie Louie Louie
Louie Louie you’re gonna cry”

Hot Chocolate didn’t get much attention for this song – you probably know them for “You Sexy Thing,” their 1975 classic. But “Brother Louie” rose to the top of the charts in 1973 when it was expertly covered by one-hit wonder Stories.

Here’s the song, as performed by Stories:

http://youtu.be/exl0oSfTSoY

And here’s a clip from “Louie,” a show you should definitely start watching if you haven’t already:

Theme Song Thursday is a weekly look back at memorable, not-so-influential, nostalgia-inducing theme songs by the Herald’s Melinda Lavine and Ryan Johnson. Click here to read other Theme Song Thursday posts and feel free to share!