Alan Neal solves mystery of unknown song stuck in his head

You know what it's like when you've got a tune in your head and can't figure out where the song came from?

This is the exact melodic problem plaguing All In A Day host Alan Neal, as he explainedon Mondayto Doug Hempstead.

Alan had thought it was the theme song fromLorneGreene's New Wilderness.

But it turns out, when he checked out that theme onYouTube, it had a very different grand tune.

Alan thought maybe he had mixed it up withNational Geographic.

Upon listening, that wasn't it (though it remains a fantastic theme song).

Doug suggested Wild Kingdom. Many listeners thought that might be it too.

But, no.

Listeners then started suggesting, with many thinking it was the MacGyver theme song.

But that is considerably more synth-driven than what Alan was remembering.

Somehow it brought to mind the Pinball Song from Sesame Street.

Zena Besner thought of Untamed World.

It is now stuck in Alan's head (thanks Zena).

AngelaBettinosuggested the triumphant swells ofThe Big Valley.

It has the right feel, but the wrong tune.

Ted Thompson heard Bonanza (perhaps thinking of Greene's older wilderness).

Oluf Andrews immediately thought of the ABC "Wide World of Sports" theme.

The CBC's Alistair Steele suggested the theme for "Wild Wild West."

The answer is ... the theme to American Playhouse

After hearing from many listeners that the theme was from either thePBS show Nova or Nature, Alandecided to write to the broadcaster for an answer.

Joan Koury of PBS marketing and communications, wrote him back. Using what she called"institutional memory," she told him it was the theme to American Playhouse, which ran on PBS from 1982 to 1993.