Theme Song Lyrics That Changed (or never aired at all!)

[TexasTom]

"My Favorite Martian" also apparently had lyrics for the theme song that were never actually used on the opening or closing sequences of the show.

But the lyrics do show up in the menus of the third season DVD set.

 

[Markxxx]

Just came up with more:

Petticoat Junction: Mentioning the cast change, after Bea Benaderet died, the theme song changed twice in the 1968-1969 season, the first one that was changed was where Uncle Joe is mentioned first and then when June Lockhart joined the cast and she was mentioned in the opening which lasted until the show was cancelled in 1970.

The lyrics changed eventally to say the hotel was run by Joe and finished with "There's are lady MD, she's as pretty as can be."

There was a stop gap lyric during the period Bea was finally gone and the lady doctor came. Instead of showing Kate come out of the hotel, they had a wide angle shot of the hotel and the word "There's a little hotel called the Shady Rest at the junction, it's a real friendly place come and be our guest at the junction. And there's Uncle Joe..."

I've seen that about 3 times in syndication

It's a Living/Making a Living: Seems like I recall a different version of the It's A Living theme song when it became "Making a Living" on ABC in the 1981-1982 season which starred Louise Lasser, but when it was rerun in syndication along with the syndicated version, the theme song that always appeared on It's a Living was used.

When it switched to "Making A Living," all the exterior shots were taken away. Those exterior shots were put back for syndication. The lyrics remained the same except at the end it of the first year and in syndications it said "...That's the way the traffic flows...It's a living." It changed to "...That's the way the traffic flows...We're making a living."

However when the package was sold into syndicated reruns the "Making a Living" years were redone as "It's a Living"

 

[Joey1986]

Here's another one.

The theme song to Small Wonder (1985-1989) went through a few lyrics changes:

1. From "lovely and bright with soft curls" to "pretty and bright with soft curls."

2. From "a child unlike other girls" to "a girl unlike other girls."

3. From "make your heart beat twice" to "make your heart take flight."

These changes occurred for seasons three and four.

 

[nightfly61]

Alice: The theme song changed at least 4 times that I know of with the following being sung at the opening:

1976-1978: "Early to rise, early to bed, and in between I tossed and turned and went out of my head."

1978-1980: "Used to be sad, used to be shy, and there I was crossed in between and I never knew why." (slow version)

1980-1981: Same version (only faster)

1981-1985: A jazzy version of the 1978-1980 version of the theme only with the "I" added to the "Used to be sad" part.

Plus there was the "and in between I cooked and cleaned" version.

 

[bpatrick]

When "The Paper Chase" moved from CBS to
Showtime, the producers ditched the Seals and
Crofts theme, "The First Years" ("The first years
are hard years...much more than we know...")
in favor of a light classical piece. Anyone know
what it was? I don't.

 

[Tim L]

I am a member of a Petticoat Junction Message Board called "The Shady Rest"

I asked about the PJ interim theme lyrics there, and here's the response I got: From Shady Rest Member BennettManor:

"Hello to Everyone,

The interim Lyrics inserted into the opening credits of Petticoat Junction along with a widescreen shot of the train and hotel are as follows:

"There's a little hotel called the Shady Rest at the Junction
It's a real friendly place come and be our guest at the Junction
And there's Uncle Joe-He's a movin kinda slow at the Junction..."

The shot of Uncle Joe coming out of his rocking chair was retained and used to now show him as the 1st starring cast, sadly of course due to Bea's death."

Link to the thread there:
http://pjboard.aimoo.com/Linda-s-PJ-Message-Board/Question-about-thePJ-Theme-son-1-1043911.html

 

[nightfly61]

Eight Is Enough--- Seasons 1 & 2 had an instrumental theme. Seasons 3,4, and 5 featured a new theme song sung by Grant Goodeve (David Bradford)

Partridge Family--- Season 1--- "When We're Singing". Seasons 2,3, and 4 used the more familiar "Come On Get Happy"

Happy Days used Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" in the first season, then changed to the "Sunday, Monday Happy Days......." theme in season 2.

On the intro to season 1 & 2...the 45' that the jukebox selects in the intro just says "Happy Days"- not Rock Around The Clock (Muchless Bill Haley & the Comets)...just checked my dvd...the rest just says "Lyrics by Norman Gimbel Music Composed by Charles Fox. They used a few "cheap imitation" versions of songs in the show as well. Most remembered by me was the NON Del Vikings version of "Come Go With Me". Same with the fake Crew Cuts "Sh-Boom".

 

[nightfly61]

I heard a strange version of the theme from "I Dream of Genie" a while back. A friend of mine used it as her bumper music on our old FM. Why I don't know.

 

[azumanga]

On the intro to season 1 & 2...the 45' that the jukebox selects in the intro just says "Happy Days"- not Rock Around The Clock (Muchless Bill Haley & the Comets)...just checked my dvd...the rest just says "Lyrics by Norman Gimbel Music Composed by Charles Fox.

One wonders if the producers intended on using the "Sunday, Monday Happy Days" theme from the get-go, instead of waiting until Season 3?

 

[TexasTom]

I heard a strange version of the theme from "I Dream of Genie" a while back. A friend of mine used it as her bumper music on our old FM. Why I don't know.

The "I Dream of Jeannie" theme music for the opening/closing sequences did change part way through the first season.

 

[jimwalsh2001]

I used to have a tape with Andy Griffith singing the vocal version of his show's theme:

Well now take down your fishin' pole
And meet me at the fishin' hole
We may not catch a thing all day
But don't you rush away

What a great place to rest your bones
And mighty fine for skipping stones
You'll feel fresh as a lemonade
A-sittin' in the shade

Whether it's hot
Whether it's cool
Oh what a spot
For whizzlin' like a fool

(That's all I remember) ;D

 

[quadraphonic]

Andy Griffith sung this on a cd I used to have. There was "What It Was Was Football," "Midnight Special" and some hymns also on there that I remember. My kids liked "Andy Griffith Show" and hearing the song, so I picked it up.

Well, now, take down your fishin' pole
and meet me at The Fishin' Hole,
We may not get a bite all day,
but don't you rush away.

What a great place to rest your bones
and mighty fine for skippin' stones,
You'll feel fresh as a lemonade,
a-settin' in the shade.

Whether it's hot, whether it's cool,
oh what a spot for whistlin' like a fool.

What a fine day to take a stroll
and wander by The Fishin' Hole,
I can't think of a better
way to pass the time of day.

We'll have no need to call the roll
when we get to The Fishin' Hole,
There'll be you, me and Old Dog Trey,
to doodle time away.

If we don't hook a perch or bass, we'll cool our
toes in dewy grass,
Or else pull up a weed to chaw,
and maybe set and jaw.

Hangin' around, takin' our ease,
watchin' that hound a-scratchin' at his fleas.

Come on, take down your fishin' pole
and meet me at The Fishin' Hole,
I can't think of a better way
to pass the time of day.

 

[azumanga]

Are there any Canadians in this group? I recall Mr. Dressup singing "The Fishing Hole" on one of his episodes in the 1990s (he was dressed up as a fisherman). Never knew the song had lyrics, but I instantly knew the music.

 

[bpatrick]

I am a member of a Petticoat Junction Message Board called "The Shady Rest"

I asked about the PJ interim theme lyrics there, and here's the response I got: From Shady Rest Member BennettManor:

"Hello to Everyone,

The interim Lyrics inserted into the opening credits of Petticoat Junction along with a widescreen shot of the train and hotel are as follows:

"There's a little hotel called the Shady Rest at the Junction
It's a real friendly place come and be our guest at the Junction
And there's Uncle Joe-He's a movin kinda slow at the Junction..."

The shot of Uncle Joe coming out of his rocking chair was retained and used to now show him as the 1st starring cast, sadly of course due to Bea's death."

Link to the thread there:
http://pjboard.aimoo.com/Linda-s-PJ-Message-Board/Question-about-thePJ-Theme-son-1-1043911.html

I remember the lyrics as follows:

Come ride a little train that is rolling down the tracks
To the junction.
Forget about your cares, it is time to relax
At the junction.
Lots of curves, you bet
And even more when you get (here they show the girls
in the water tank)
To the junction.
FEMALE CHORUS: Petticoat...Junction.
There's a little hotel called the Shady Rest
At the junction.
(PETTICOAT... JUNCTION)
It is run by Kate, come and be her guest
At the junction.
(PETTICOAT... JUNCTION)
And that's Uncle Joe, he's a-movin' kinda slow
At the junction.
Petticooooat Junction!

The second version, after Bea Benaderet's death,
was the same with the following changes:

It is run by Joe, come and be his guest
At the junction.
(PETTICOAT...JUNCTION)
Here's that lady M.D. (shot of June Lockhart)
She's as pretty as can be
At the junction.
Petticooooat Junction!

BTW, the singer of "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" was
named Jerry Scoggins. However, Lester Flatt sang it
fairly often on his and Earl Scruggs' show for Martha
White flour.

 

[nightfly61]

I heard a strange version of the theme from "I Dream of Genie" a while back. A friend of mine used it as her bumper music on our old FM. Why I don't know.

The "I Dream of Jeannie" theme music for the opening/closing sequences did change part way through the first season.

This version had words to it though.

The final season of the Brady Bunch theme was the worst. The kids didn't even sing it since the guy sang "that's the way THEY became the Brady Bunch"

The middle years weren't too bad but it sounded like Jan overpowered all the other kids on mic...
The 1st season or 2 they just plain sounded like real little kids.

Ironside had a different version after a season or 2

 

[Braves2005]

The original Mission: Impossible had a whole bunch of different openings, all of which pertained to the episode that was going to be shown. There were openings where Martin Landau wasn't even in the opening credits in the first season, Barbara Bain was but not Martin Landau as he was listed as a guest star. Landau was added to the opening credits at the beginning of the second season as a regular. When cast changes arose, like when Steven Hill left and Peter Graves took over and then after Bain and Landau left and Leonard Nimoy, Sam Elliott, Lesley Ann Warren and Lynda Day George joined the cast, the openings changed as well.

 

[BRNout]

The 1st season or 2 they just plain sounded like real little kids.

That's not quite the way I remember it. IIRC, the first season's theme was sung by a male singer who's tone was far too "sweet." That changed in season 2, when they started having the kids sing the theme song. Which actually sounded a lot better.

 

[gr8oldies]

Obviously the Drew Carey Show, which used the Vogues "Five O Clock World" for the first couple of years. i forgot what they used after that.

 

[Braves2005]

Ironside had three different versions of Quincy Jones' theme.

1967-1971: A mid-tempo jazz version of the theme.

1971-1974: A more rock and funky version of the theme.

1974-1975: A discofied version of the theme.

 

[ricksegers]

Obviously the Drew Carey Show, which used the Vogues "Five O Clock World" for the first couple of years. i forgot what they used after that.

I recall the first couple of seasons the theme being sung by Drew. It was "Moon Over Parma".