The 'Law & Order' theme song now has its very own signature line dance on TikTok
It took 35 years but it was worth the wait.
Just when you thought this song couldn't get any more iconic.
Even if you’ve never seen one single episode of Law & Order in your entire life, you’ll undoubtedly recognize its theme song. And now, there’s a viral TikTok dance every bit as iconic as the theme song itself.
A dancer named Stephon Vann (@jonas_sjv) got together with his crew and came up with a truly epic line dance, perfectly punctuating every ‘dun-dun,’ drumbeat and guitar riff with signature moves and smooth shuffles.
Once you watch it, it's easy to see why this has taken the Internet by storm with over 13 millions views (and counting)!
@jonas_sjv DC: ME brought friends and Michael @bee @Itsdevarian @Murky @Bethany @Spaidtheway #lawandordersvu #dundun #viral #fyp
SO SATISFYING. Right?!
The comments it inspired (many L&O-themed) were just icing on the pop culture cake:
“The people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The dancers who slay and the dancers who eat. These are their stories.”
“Law and Order ‘Special Dance Unit.”
“Fighting crime one dance at a time. Law and Order the musical coming soon.”
This is why I par for internet.”
“Awa & Hours d’oeuvres bc y’all ATE.”
“‘This is what the law looks like’ 😂😂😂”
“It just occurred to me that THIS is what my body wants to do during the intro. Than you for demonstrating.”
“We about to start doig the Law and Order dance at all the gatherings, parties, weddings, etc. 😂😂😂😂.”
“…I did NOT have dancing to the Law and Order theme song on my bingo card.”
“Bro, Imma need part two when you hit that saxophone.”
It wasn’t long before others began recreating the routine. It even appeared at a WNBA game. Nothing like watching an elephant mascot do these moves.
This catchy, just-dark-and-eerie-enough tune has been synonymous with Law & Order since the show’s 1990 debut, and was created by famed television composer Mike Post—the man behind other hit TV themes like the original Quantum Leap and Magnum, P.I., as well as countless other well-known crime procedurals of the time period besides L&O.
In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Post shared that he read the pilot and loved it, but still asked show creator Dick Wolf for guidance on what was needed. Wolf’s answer? “Write some music that defines NYC.” Post then created the slick, gritty, neo-noir tune we all know and love.
Wolf later asked Post to come up with a “special” sound for when the scenes changed and title cards appeared. Though Post felt this was more a job for the sound effects team, he nonetheless obliged. And thus, the legendary “dun dun” sound, aka “the Clang,” was born. According to the That’s a Trademark blog, it’s actually comprised of several different sound samples including a jail door slamming, a hammer hitting an anvil, different drum noises, and 500 Japanese men stomping their feet on a wooden floor, just to name a few.
Over the past three-and-a-half decades, the instantly recognizable theme song has been referenced or parodied in other shows.
- YouTube www.youtube.com
@movieclips Law & Order Song - Ted 2 (2015) - TM & © #UniversalPictures Ted (Seth McFarlane) and John (Mark Wahlberg) sing the Law & Order theme song. Click the link in bio to watch the full movie. #ted #tedmovie #ted2 #sethmacfarlane #markwahlberg #milakunis #movieclips
And now, the theme song breathes new life once more. Best get to learning those steps!