Who's To Thank For Parks And Recreation's Iconic Theme Song?

"Parks and Recreation" originally aired from 2009 to 2015, and it proved to quite popular during its seven season run. With over 256,000 votes, it currently has an 8.6 rating on IMDb, which is definitely on the higher side for a modern comedy series, and it earned 14 Emmy Awards nominations. "Parks and Recreation" centered around Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), a politician working in the parks department for the fictional city Pawnee, Indiana with a delightful team of co-workers and friends.

There are many consistent elements of the show that really connected with superfans of "Parks Recreation" throughout its run. Viewers immediately seemed to connect to April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) and her dry sense of humor and overly bored demeanor, not to mention her charming but odd relationship with Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt). But Leslie Knope (Poehler) also had her own charming romance with Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott).

Adding to the show's charm was the upbeat theme song. An instrumental track, the main theme utilized a contemporary yet folksy sound that really matched the tone of the series and its Midwest setting. But who's to thank for such a track? The story behind the recognizable theme is actually more fascinating than fans might think.

The theme song for "Parks and Recreation" was written by Gaby Moreno and Vincent Jones, two musicians with vastly different backgrounds. Moreno comes from Guatemala, and was inspired by her own country's music in general (per Miami New Times). Jones, on the other hand, comes from a rock music background, and he was even in bands like The Grapes of Wrath and Ginger. But the story of how they composed the "Parks and Recreation" theme song actually comes down to a contest of sorts.

Apparently, the producers for the show didn't actually have a theme song for the show, even as its premiere date grew ever closer. To rectify this, producers for the show hired music management company BMI to find a theme song, and the company instead offered a monetary reward for the rights to a theme song, with five days to create the song. During that time, Moreno and Jones got together and created their entry along with dozens and dozens of other music composers. Around a month later, they were informed that their song had been selected (via Screen Rant). 

Any fan who has listened to the theme song (most likely more than once) can probably see why it fits the show so well. The tempo and general feel of the track very much matches the optimistic personality of its protagonist, Leslie Knope. So much so that it's almost impossible to imagine "Parks and Recreation" having any other song attached to its opening credits.