after the 1st season they should of changed the theme song.after a while she is no longer the new girl in town

I usually don't write these type of threads, but saw the title of this thread related to the theme.......

Yes to not get too off topic, but i realized since the lyrics never changed, but with lines like...........

Use to be sad, going though life with blinders on, it's tough to see, there is a new girl in town and she's looking good, scrimped and saved and went out of my head, etc......please listen to the entire theme, it strikes me a bit upbeat.

Was Alice glad? that her husband was killed in a trucking accident? LOL leaving her teenage son fatherless, so she could pursue her long held back singing career? LOL

In the first season tax episode clearly said her husband was killed and didn't pay his taxes for 1975, so he hadn't been dead too long before Alice went to being "fresh and feeling good, had to get out, etc"

I could see if they had been divorced before being killed, but that wasn't the case......so opinions?

This is written in jest, but does seem odd to me.

Since they changed the theme music every year, I don't see why they couldn't have altered the "new girl in town" lyric.

I actually preferred the earlier versions of the song.

Yes, I like the first season most; starting with the second season Linda started singing bits of it different than she originally did. Didn't like when the lyrics were changed some. I do agree that "New Girl in Town" as a lyric didn't make much sense after a while.

As the years go on a New Girl in Town does not have to mean just a new resident in town. I figured it became to mean that she has become stronger by bettering herself and trying to get the most of out life for herself and her son. She strives to take care of herself by standing on her own two feet.

In the first season tax episode clearly said her husband was killed and didn't pay his taxes for 1975, so he hadn't been dead too long before Alice went to being "fresh and feeling good, had to get out, etc"

I could see if they had been divorced before being killed, but that wasn't the case......so opinions?

This is written in jest, but does seem odd to me.In one of the first season episodes, Tommy asks Alice "did you love dad"? So I'm thinking that if Tommy had to question if his parents loved each other, there was probably big problems in the marriage.

Since they changed the theme music every year, I don't see why they couldn't have altered the "new girl in town" lyric.

I actually preferred the earlier versions of the song.
Season 4’s the best. That sax and beat was badass.

I usually don't write these type of threads, but saw the title of this thread related to the theme.......

Yes to not get too off topic, but i realized since the lyrics never changed, but with lines like...........

Use to be sad, going though life with blinders on, it's tough to see, there is a new girl in town and she's looking good, scrimped and saved and went out of my head, etc......please listen to the entire theme, it strikes me a bit upbeat.

Was Alice glad? that her husband was killed in a trucking accident? LOL leaving her teenage son fatherless, so she could pursue her long held back singing career? LOL

In the first season tax episode clearly said her husband was killed and didn't pay his taxes for 1975, so he hadn't been dead too long before Alice went to being "fresh and feeling good, had to get out, etc"

I could see if they had been divorced before being killed, but that wasn't the case......so opinions?

This is written in jest, but does seem odd to me.

In the movie Alice doesn't Live here Anymore, Don was pretty abusive to both Alice and Tommy; they never really mentioned that aspect in the TV show.... BUT if he was, maybe him being dead was somewhat of a relief to her. I know it sounds morbid a bit, but realistically I think it would be

I do like how the earlier versions of the song sorta had a "sad" sound to them, while the later ones had a happier more upbeat sound. I think it was symbolic of Alice getting her footing and being independent

Thanks to both posters relating to my thoughts of the "upbeat lyrics" relating to Alices' husband being killed in a truck driving accident.

I am an original viewer of the show, bought all the dvd seasons, but have been watching the 7:30PM Antenna viewings. I always enjoyed the harmless fun and atmosphere of mel's diner.

And yes I did see the darker "Alice Doesn't Live here Anymore" theatrical film which the series was based on and can definitely see in both versions, that at the time and even today some women/men "suffer in silence" in unhappy marriages, especially with a husband that is a trucker and at times can be away more than home.

OK maybe a bit over thinking, but that's who I am! LOL

Interesting thread. Heard the theme a zillion times but never thought about the lyrics till now!

That's another way to look at the "New Girl in Town" aspect of the lyrics. Looking at the altered lyrics to go along with it from season 3-on, it's not too bad. However, she sang it more "obnoxiously" in later seasons, if that makes sense. :p

Season 4’s the best. That sax and beat was badass.

Maybe...but her over the top vocals made that the Worst version IMO.
"Things are great when you STAAAAAAAAAAND on your own two feet!" Good God!

Maybe...but her over the top vocals made that the Worst version IMO.
"Things are great when you STAAAAAAAAAAND on your own two feet!" Good God!
Way better that Season 3 and Seasons 6-9

I do like how the earlier versions of the song sorta had a "sad" sound to them, while the later ones had a happier more upbeat sound. I think it was symbolic of Alice getting her footing and being independent

The closing theme of season 1 makes me almost tear up a little bit due to the sadness. I think it makes me think of me and my mom starting a new life when I was the same age as tommy in a new area

The closing theme of season 1 makes me almost tear up a little bit due to the sadness. I think it makes me think of me and my mom starting a new life when I was the same age as tommy in a new area
The closing theme does sound very poignant and reflective. It has an effect on me as well.

The closing theme does sound very poignant and reflective. It has an effect on me as well.

Especially the very end of it when she makes that last sound

When Linda performs the theme live, she usually sings the version with "Things are great when you stand on your own two feet..." However, even though that version ends with "swwweeett," she tacks on "ba ba bum bum bummmm...." And why? She prefers that ending, per this 2020 interview (at interview's end):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBajfpUb7RM

When Linda performs the theme live, she usually sings the version with "Things are great when you stand on your own two feet..." However, even though that version ends with "swwweeett," she tacks on "ba ba bum bum bummmm...." And why? She prefers that ending, per this 2020 interview (at interview's end):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBajfpUb7RM

And that ba ba bum bummm leads me to tears:lol:

And that ba ba bum bummm leads me to tears:lol:
Despite the fact that Linda Lavin wasn’t that good of a singer, that bum bum bum bum buumm was soothing to my ears.

The impact of "ba ba bum...," even though it was part of the theme for just two seasons. :eyes:

Linda sounded decent at times she'd sing on the show. With some takes on the theme, though, it wasn't always fantastic. She's definitely more of a Broadway/animated kind of singer.

So... watching "The Last Stow It" parts 1 and 2 on Antenna TV this evening. The theme was the one from seasons 1 and 2, though with updated scenes and such. Is that how it aired originally, and was this just a two-episode return to the original theme?

On the subject of the opening theme...

I gather the shots of the "Waitress wanted" sign in the window, Alice meeting Mel, and Flo adjusting Alice's collar on her uniform were shot specifically for the opening? There was not an episode showing Alice come to Phoenix, and Mel hiring her- perhaps because it was already established in the film.

Why did the Alice opening theme song go through so many (https://youtu.be/T959uMiCiuc) iterations? How many times did this song need to be re-recorded and re-imagined?

On the subject of the opening theme...

I gather the shots of the "Waitress wanted" sign in the window, Alice meeting Mel, and Flo adjusting Alice's collar on her uniform were shot specifically for the opening? There was not an episode showing Alice come to Phoenix, and Mel hiring her- perhaps because it was already established in the film.

The opening shot of Alice driving down the road is actually from the movie, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore... Tommy was on the verge of getting sick and Alice was going to pull over to let him throw up, and its the same shot of the car that is used for the opening of the show

In the movie Alice doesn't Live here Anymore, Don was pretty abusive to both Alice and Tommy; they never really mentioned that aspect in the TV show.... BUT if he was, maybe him being dead was somewhat of a relief to her. I know it sounds morbid a bit, but realistically I think it would be

The song definitely seems to refer to the back story the original movie provided.


Television back then usually stayed away from depictions of divorce.