Premiering in the summer of 1999, Spongebob Squarepants quickly became one of the highest-rated children’s programs in history. And with a catchy, call-and-answer theme song, it’s easy to see how kids got hooked. The opening sequence, featuring Spongebob playing his own nose like a flute, captures the goofy charm and boundless optimism that made the Nickelodeon show a sensation.