Line #8 Main/CharacterSignatureSong


1	->''"I'm bathed in the rainbow. The city's my paradise. What? You don't know this song?"''
2	-->--'''Kisarah referencing her ending theme from''' '''''VideoGame/AggressorsOfDarkKombat''''', ''VideoGame/NeoGeoBattleColiseum''
3
4	A subtrope of SignatureSong. While the article SignatureSong is devoted to the most famous and recognizable songs by real life musicians, this article is devoted to the signature songs of specific individuals and fictional characters.
5
6	As a RunningGag some characters tend to be singing or humming the same kind of song whenever they appear in view, on screen or within earshot. The song might not have been written by them personally, but they like singing it anyway. In this sense it becomes one of their characteristic trademarks. Sometimes other characters might get annoyed.
7
8	Not to be confused with an actual SignatureSong (the most well known song by a musician) or a {{Leitmotif}} (an introductory melody heard whenever a specific character appears).
9
10	----
11	!!Examples:
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13	[[foldercontrol]]
14
15	[[folder:Anime]]
16	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': Most of these are from the "[=XY&Z=] TV Anime Character Song Project Collection" series of albums.
17	** Perhaps the most famous would be Jigglypuff's iconic song.
18	** The Team Rocket trio has "Team Rocket Forever", "Look Forward, Team Rocket!", "Team Rocket's Team Song", and "Double Trouble" in the dub.
19	*** Meowth specifically has "Meowth's Song", "Meowth's Party", "Polka O Dolka", and "Meowth's Ballad".
20	** Brock has "Brock's Paradise" and "Two Perfect Girls" in the dub.
21	** May has "I Won't Lose!" and Dawn has "By Your Side".
22	** "Squishy's Song" for Bonnie and Squishy.
23	** "Brilliantly" for Clemont.
24	** Serena has "[=DreamDream=]".
25	** Even Pikachu has his own song, with the lyrics of course being in PokemonSpeak.
26	** Pretty much ''any'' of the openings in both the original and the dub count as Ash's song.
27	** Misty has two songs in the dub: "Misty's Song" and "Misty Most of All".
28	** So far, Tracey, Max, Goh, and Ash's friends from both Unova and Alola are the only main characters without character songs.
29	* ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' has a few of these that also intersect with SignatureSong as some of the songs mentioned have been released in RealLife:
30	* ''Anime/MacrossPlus'': ''[=VOICES=]'' for [[BrokenBird Myung Fan Lone]], ''Information High'' for [[AIIsACrapshoot Sharon Apple]]. The former plays a large role in the plot, with snippets of it being sung by her despite her aversion to singing and her using it to [[spoiler: snap Isamu out of Sharon Apple's trance during the climactic fight.]] The latter is more used to highlight Sharon's alien nature as a virtuaroid.
31	* ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'': Ranka Lee has ''Seikan Hikou''. She performs it multiple times InUniverse, there are multiple covers of it both InUniverse and out, and it is so associated with her that [[Anime/MacrossDelta Freyja]] later sings it in her own show, inspired by Ranka to become an IdolSinger (among other singers).
32	* ''Anime/MacrossDelta'' has a few:
33	** Freyja Wion's ''Rune ga Pikatto Hikkatara''. It's all but explicit that the song was written for her specifically, given it refers to a sparkling Rune (which she alone as a [[HumanAlien Windermerean]] possesses) and her catchphrases, and her SignatureScene flying with Hayate in his Siegfried has her singing it.
34	** Kaname Buccaneer's ''AXIA''. InUniverse, it actually originates from Kaname's solo career before Walkure and comes up as one of her few successes from that career despite it being an OldShame for her. It also plays an important role in the plot, with Messer using it [[spoiler: to stave off Var Syndrome (and implicitly to listen to [[BodyguardCrush Kaname's]] voice).]]
35	** Mikumo Guynemer's ''Ikenai Borderline''. She sings this initially during her BigDamnHeroes moment as part of Walkure, and Walkure later attempts to sing it again in episode 13 [[spoiler: before the Fold Bomb detonates on Ragna, forcing them to evacuate]].
36	** Walkure also has ''Bokura no Senjou'' collectively, with Freyja and Mikumo having their own versions of it and the entire group singing it during their battles more than any other song.
37	* [[SkeletalMusician Brook]] from ''Manga/OnePiece'' became a famous musician in the TimeSkip, but he's always best known and associated with "Binks' Brew", a famous sea-shanty InUniverse. He often hums or sings the opening chorus, even in battle.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Comic Books]]
41	* ''ComicBook/SuskeEnWiske'': Tante Sidonia often sings or hums the song ''"Ons Hutje Bij De Zee"'' (The Dutch translation of the song ''"Our Cottage By The Sea"'')
42	* ''ComicBook/{{Tintin}}'': Bianca Castafiore is usually seen and heard performing the Jewel aria from Charles Gounod's opera ''Faust''.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
46	* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'': Schröder has no specific signature song, but he is always playing some piece by Music/LudwigVanBeethoven on his piano whenever he is in frame.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
50	* ''WesternAnimation/HappyFeet'': Every Emperor penguin has a "Heart Song" that they sing while searching for their mate. The only penguin that doesn't appear to have a song is Mumble who can't sing at all (though fans have speculated that his dance solo to "I Wish" by Music/StevieWonder makes that his Heart Song). Mumble's parents have "Kiss" by Music/{{Prince}} and "Heartbreak Hotel" by Music/ElvisPresley as theirs and his love interest Gloria's song is "Boogie Wonderland" by Music/EarthWindAndFire.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
54	* ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'': "As Time Goes By"
55	* ''Film/AClockworkOrange'': Despite being a Beethoven fan Alex is seen singing "Singin' In The Rain" twice. It's this that causes him to be recognized by one of his former victims.
56	* ''Film/ConfessionsOfATeenageDramaQueen'': Carla Santini is associated with the song "Never Leave You (Uh Oh)" by Lumidee.
57	* ''Film/KickAss'': Hit-Girl is associated with the Dickies' cover of the ''[[Series/TheBananaSplits Banana Splits]]'' theme and {{Music/Joan Jett}}'s "Bad Reputation," mainly because they were played in two of her {{Signature Scene}}s.
58	* ''Film/{{M}}'': Hans Beckert always eerily whistles Creator/EdvardGrieg's "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" when he goes somewhere.
59	* ''Film/PumpUpTheVolume'': Happy Harry introduces every broadcast with Music/LeonardCohen's "Everybody Knows" - a cover by Concrete Blonde is also played at some points in the film.
60	* ''Film/TurkishDelight'' (''Turks Fruit''): Olga's father enjoys singing along with Johann Strauss' ''"Radetsky March"'', only adding the words ''"Tits & Ass"'' to the refrain.
61	* ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'': Hal 9000 will forever remain associated with the song "Daisy Bell".
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63
64
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Literature]]
68	* Nanny Ogg of ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' has "The Hedgehog Can Never Be Buggered At All". She's also been known to sing "A Wizard's Staff Has a Knob On the End", but she's the ''only'' person who sings the Hedgehog Song, and the other characters live in constant fear that she might be about to do so.
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
72	* On ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'', Gob's favorite song is "The Final Countdown" by Europe, which he plays at all of his magic shows.
73	* ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'': Carlton adores dancing to Music/TomJones' "It's Not Unusual".
74	* ''Series/HappyDays'': Richie Cunningham likes to prepare for dates by singing Music/FatsDomino's "Blueberry Hill".
75	* ''Series/GreysAnatomy''
76	** Lexie Grey and "Breathe (2 AM)" by Anna Nalick. She sang this song in the season 7 episode "Song Beneath the Song" and [[spoiler: it's been used in a promo of her showing up in Meredith's beach afterlife when Meredith gets COVID-19 in season 17.]]
77	** Similarly, the song "The Story" for Callie Torres. She sings this song as a solo in "Song Beneath the Song" [[spoiler: to get herself to wake up after a car accident,]] and her cover of the song plays in the season 14 finale "All of Me", [[spoiler: as Arizona is getting ready to move to New York with Sofia, where Callie moved to at the end of Season 12; the show also hints at them reconciling.]]
78	* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'':
79	** Robin Scherbatsky's own song "Let's Go To The Mall" which she sang when she was still an IdolSinger.
80	** Barney has at least two, "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit" and The "Awesome" song from his video resume.
81	** Marshall's is "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers.
82	** The Mother's is "La Vie En Rose". It's the first song Ted ever hears her singing and Future Ted mentions that she sang it to their children every night to get them to sleep.
83	* A minor example, that only shows up in one episode, in ''Series/{{Selfie}}'', CEO Sam Saperstein has a karoake party every year, participation is mandatory, and he always sings "Wishing Well", complete with a wig and backup dancers.
84	* Data's brother Lore from ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' is fond of singing "Abdul Abulbul Amir". The song almost doubles as his [[TunelessSongOfMadness Tuneless Song of Madness]], though he sings it quite well.
85	* The remake of ''Series/{{Survivors}}'' had one episode revolving around a society in the post-apocalypse world that had reinvented slavery. The head slaver whistled a brief snatch of "Jupiter" from the Planets Suite whenever he walked in or out of a scene.
86	* ''Series/{{ER}}'': Susan Lewis' favourite song is "Blackbird" by Music/TheBeatles, which becomes an important recurring motif throughout the storyline about her sister and niece in season 2. One episode is even titled after a line in the song, "Take These Broken Wings".
87	* ''Series/LazyTown'':
88	** Robbie Rotten's theme is "Master of Disguise", but thanks to MemeticMutation, "We Are Number One" from the semifinal episode "Robbie's Dream Team" replaced it.
89	** Stingy has "The Mine Song", which had also become a meme.
90	** Gizmo Guy is Pixel's theme song.
91	** Stephanie has multiple.
92	* The eponymous hero of ''Series/MoonlightMask'' has his own which he is heard singing at the start of the OpeningCredits just before the ThemeTune itself kicks in. The third episode has him sing it to disperse a pack of {{mooks}} as they go looking for him, allowing him to capture one of them.
93	* ''Series/TheGoodLife'': Tom habitually whistles the bridge from "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz Over the Rainbow]]".
94	* ''Series/StrangerThings'':
95	** Max’s favorite song is "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Music/KateBush.
96	** Will’s SurvivalMantra is the lyrics of "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" by Music/TheClash.
97	** Hopper’s theme is "You Don’t Mess Around With Jim" by Music/JimCroce.
98	** The Mind Flayer has "Every Breath You Take" by Music/ThePolice.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Music]]
102	* Each of Music/{{Eminem}}'s [[KayfabeMusic three personas]] has a signature song by WordOfGod:
103	** Slim Shady, the AntiRoleModel SerialKiller HeroicComedicSociopath character that he usually plays in his [[VulgarHumor shock comedy songs]], is signified by the IAmSong "Just Don't Give A Fuck".
104	*** The SerialKiller SlasherMovie-themed incarnation of Slim associated with his ''Relapse'' album is signified by "Bagpipes from Baghdad".
105	** Eminem, the technically hyper-capable rapper who tends to serve as an Olympian [[GreekChorus narrator]], is signified by "Lose Yourself".
106	** Marshall, the normal person expressing his genuine emotions, is signified by "Mockingbird".
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
110	* ''Series/SesameStreet'': Almost every main muppet character on the show has one:
111	** "C Is For Cookie" by Cookie Monster.
112	** "I Love Trash" by Oscar the Grouch
113	** "Rubber Duckie" by Ernie
114	** "Elmo's Song" by Elmo
115	** "Doin' the Pigeon" by Bert
116	** "ABC-DEF-GHI" by Big Bird
117	** "Batty Bat" sung by The Count
118	** For the humans, "People in Your Neighborhood" by Bob
119	* ''Franchise/TheMuppets'': Kermit's "It's Not Easy Being Green".
120	** The Swedish Chef is also seen and heard humming the same melody whenever he is cooking.
121	** Kermit's own nephew, Robin, is forever associated with his put-to-music version of the Creator/AAMilne poem "Half Way Down the Stairs".
122	* ''Series/BarneyAndFriends'': Barney's "I Love You," which doubles as the show's ending song. For the other dinos, Baby Bop has "My Yellow Blankey", BJ has "BJ’s Song", and Riff has "I Hear Music Everywhere".
123	[[/folder]]
124
125	[[folder:Western Animation]]
126	* WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} usually hums "The World Owes Me a Living".
127	* WesternAnimation/TheThreeLittlePigs in the ''WesternAnimation/SillySymphonies'' short cartoon sing "Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?" throughout the entire cartoon.
128	* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'':
129	** WesternAnimation/BugsBunny: His Catchphrase song "What's up Doc".
130	** WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck: Daffy's Rhapsody.
131	** [[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Tweety Bird]]: His Catchphrase song "I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat".
132	** Michigan J. Frog's "Hello My Baby" from the short ''WesternAnimation/OneFroggyEvening''.
133	** WesternAnimation/FoghornLeghorn usually sings or hums "Camptown Races".
134	* ''WesternAnimation/TheHuckleberryHoundShow'': Huckleberry Hound enjoys singing 'Oh My Darling Clementine".
135	* ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'': Map and Backpack have their own theme songs. For Map is "I'm the Map" and for Backpack its "Backpack,Backpack."
136	* Like Dora, In ''WesternAnimation/GoDiegoGo'', the expies of Map and Backpack, Click the Camera and Rescue Pack have their own theme songs as well.
137	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': Cartman was zapped in the debut episode to sing "I Love to Singa", much to his own annoyance.
138	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Peter Griffin is obsessed with "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen.
139	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Fry is sometimes heard singing "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & The Waves.
140	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kim Possible}}'':
141	** Kim Possible: "Say the Word"
142	** Ron Stoppable and Rufus: "Naked Mole Rap"
143	** Drakken: "Lather, Rinse, and Obey"
144	* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', many characters have their own songs in the series and in fanworks:
145	** Pinkie Pie: "Smile".
146	** Rarity: "Art of the Dress" and "Generosity".
147	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'': Popeye often sings or scats his own theme song, "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man".
148	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'': The Smurfs are often singing the "La La La La La" song.
149	* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
150	** Garnet: "Stronger Than You", with "Here Comes A Thought" a close second.
151	** Pearl: "Do It For Her"
152	* Several 50's ''WesternAnimation/TexAveryMGMCartoons'' featured a Southern Wolf character (voiced by Creator/DawsButler using a similar voice he would later use for WesternAnimation/HuckleberryHound) who always whistled the Civil War-era folk hymn "Kingdom Coming (Year of Jubilo)". Because of this, fans have nicknamed him Jubilo Wolf.
153	* In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama All-Stars'', the BigBad Mal loves to whistle "In the Hall of the Mountain King". This is possibly an obscure reference to the film ''M'', as noted in that folder.
154	* Chip Skylark from ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' has "My Shiny Teeth and Me".
155	* Bill Cipher from ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has "We’ll Meet Again" by Music/VeraLynn.
156	[[/folder]]

Context Main / CharacterSignatureSong