The theme song for All in the Family was re-recorded every year by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton, shown here with Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers after one of those tapings.

There was an extended single version that was released in 1971.

The single reached #43 on the Billboard charts.



Boy, the way Glen Miller played. Songs that made the hit parade.
Guys like us, we had it made. Those were the days.
Didn't need no welfare state. Everybody pulled his weight.
Gee, our old LaSalle ran great. Those were the days.
And you know who you were then, girls were girls and men were men.
Mister, we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again.
People seemed to be content. Fifty dollars paid the rent.
Freaks were in a circus tent. Those were the days.
Take a little Sunday spin, go to watch the Dodgers win.
Have yourself a dandy day that cost you under a fin.
Hair was short and skirts were long. Kate Smith really sold a song.
I don't know just what went wrong. Those Were The Days.

Wow imagine going to see the Dodgers play and the whole day costs you less than 5 bucks! Those really were the days! I wonder why Carroll and Jean rerecorded the theme every year?

When I was a kid, I used to think the line 'Gee, our old LaSalle ran great' was 'Gee, our old salad's great'. But anyway, this is one of the greatest theme songs of all time.

I seem to recall in interviews that Jean and Carroll did that they slowed down and enunciated the words La Salle ran great because many people couldn't figure out those words. Never knew of the "extended version". Wonder if it can be downloaded from a paid music service that way...hope so!