Does anyone know why the theme music for IDOJ was changed after the first season? I like both themes, so I've never understood why the first one was done away with because I don't see any reason why it needed to be replaced.

I'm not sure, but I think the 2nd theme song is what REALLY identifies the show. That said, I think the 1st season theme song is OK, but a little boring.

I Like Both The Themes.

I'm not sure why they changed it, but I like the later theme better because that's the one I think of when I think of IDOJ.

I like both of themes, but I think the second theme sounds more catchy compared to the other and the theme I most recognize when I think of I Dream of Jeannie.

The theme was changed from a more romantic theme in the first season, to a more hip theme. It was changed because the show went to color, and they thought a colorful beginning was needed therefore the new "colorful" song.

Originally posted by I Dream of Jeannie
The theme was changed from a more romantic theme in the first season, to a more hip theme. It was changed because the show went to color, and they thought a colorful beginning was needed therefore the new "colorful" song.

Thanks for explaining that. That makes sense. I've also noticed they changed the inside of Jeannie's bottle when the show switched to color. The original interior looked kind of dark and bare, with a big Arabian-type flaming lantern hanging in the middle. The second interior was obviously created to take advantage of the use of color, and was indeed colorful and elaborate, with shiny, jeweled walls, more colorful pillows, and even though the flaming lantern was no longer there, it was somehow brighter inside. Also, the pattern on the "wall" inside the bottle was changed from the previous striped design. In fact, this new pattern did not match the look of the outside of the bottle, while the original pattern matched it perfectly.

I'm not as crazy about the ending theme for the last couple of seasons as the one for the 2nd season (same tune, but different instrumental music). Although I don't mind it.....

I Think the 2nd theme fits the show better, And its the one i like better.

Apparently, I'm in the minority, since I always preferred the first theme. Certainly, I understand as the show progressed from its original "boy gets girl (with complications)" premise to a more slapstick style of comedy, the second theme is more appropriate; but there is something more beguiling about the original theme for me.

I also prefer the original title-credit opening, with the Paul Frees narration. Nowhere in the series itself is the attraction between Nelson and Jeannie so obvious as in that opening sequence. (I particularly like the scenes where, even as the team from the rescue helo is escorting Captain Nelson and his raft back to the helo, he keeps looking over his shoulder for Jeannie.)

Most series take the first season to find its "level", and I Dream of Jeannie was no exception. Certainly, there is no denying that the show's popularity comes from the slight alteration in theme to a more "madcap" style. But I always preferred the flavour of the first half of the first season, when it was a bit more grounded in reality (which, I know, is a relative term when it comes to a show with a genie as its central character), and when Roger Healey, while he had his peccadillos, came across more seriously (before he learnt of Jeannie's existence). Even with the grain of salt the show requires, I could never accept the "wacky" Healey seriously as an astronaut.

Part of the problem is I caught the show when it debuted and saw the first dozen or so episodes. Then, for some reason which escapes me, I stopped watching it. A year later, I was visiting relatives and happened to catch a second-season episode and I was startled: Hey, when did Nelson and Healey become majors, and when did Healey learn about Jeannie? And why is Healey acting like such a nutcase? I guess it was that long hiatus between viewing which turned me off from the thematic changes.

For me, the first season will always be the "classic" I Dream of Jeannie .


Commander Benson

Don't forget they also extended the animated sequence in season two to show the space capsule parachuting down.

I remember the two reunion movies had a sexy, saxophone rendition of the second theme. I used to have both movies on tape, but they went bad, does anyone have a wav file of that version?

Hi all,
Anybody ever seen these lyrics to the *second* theme? They were written by Buddy Kaye to go along with Hugo Montenegro's tune, but were never used on the show:

"Jeannie, fresh as a daisy!
Just love, how she obeys me,
Does things, that just amaze me so.
She smiles. Presto! The rain goes.
She blinks. Up come the rainbows!
Cars stop, even the train goes slow...When she goes by!
She paints sunshine on every rafter, sprinkles the air with laughter. There's no one like Jeannie. We're close as a quarter after three.

I'll introduce 'er to you, but it's no use, sir, 'cause my Jeannie's in love with me!"

Wish I knew what "We're close as a quarter after three" means.

Later,
Art

On the face of a clock, at the time "a quarter after three"--or 3:15--the hour hand and the minute hand are pointed in the same direction--toward the right or the "due east" position--and they are overlapping. From a distance, they can even look like a single hand.

That's what "as close as a quarter after three" means.


Commander Benson

Originally posted by Artfiore1
Hi all,
Anybody ever seen these lyrics to the *second* theme? They were written by Buddy Kaye to go along with Hugo Montenegro's tune, but were never used on the show:

"Jeannie, fresh as a daisy!
Just love, how she obeys me,
Does things, that just amaze me so.
She smiles. Presto! The rain goes.
She blinks. Up come the rainbows!
Cars stop, even the train goes slow...When she goes by!
She paints sunshine on every rafter, sprinkles the air with laughter. There's no one like Jeannie. We're close as a quarter after three.

I'll introduce 'er to you, but it's no use, sir, 'cause my Jeannie's in love with me!"

Wish I knew what "We're close as a quarter after three" means.

Later,
Art

Yes, I also noticed that they had lyrics to the second theme of I Dream of Jeannie. I posted a very similar topic reffering to the lyrics entitled "IDOJ Second Theme Song Lyrics" below this topic.

Commander Benson,
Thanks for the explanation. Duh. I don't know why I didn't realize that. (We all have off days.)

=====================================

Impressions,
Sorry 'bout that -- didn't even see it.



Later,
Art

Originally posted by Artfiore1
Hi all,
Anybody ever seen these lyrics to the *second* theme? They were written by Buddy Kaye to go along with Hugo Montenegro's tune, but were never used on the show:

"Jeannie, fresh as a daisy!
Just love, how she obeys me,
Does things, that just amaze me so.
She smiles. Presto! The rain goes.
She blinks. Up come the rainbows!
Cars stop, even the train goes slow...When she goes by!
She paints sunshine on every rafter, sprinkles the air with laughter. There's no one like Jeannie. We're close as a quarter after three.

I'll introduce 'er to you, but it's no use, sir, 'cause my Jeannie's in love with me!"

Wish I knew what "We're close as a quarter after three" means.

Later,
Art


Yep, I sure am familiar with the lyrics :)

You may already know this, but you can also hear a full audio clip of them at Carpet's website as follows:

http://www.geocities.com/carpet64/isounds.html

(just click on the link at the top of the page to hear them)

I Think the 2nd theme fits the show better, And its the one i like better.

I agree.

Wow, these old posts have suddenly reared themselves up to the top again!

To answer someone's question about recordings of the movie's theme songs:

If you can get a copy of Barbara Eden's "I Dream of Jeannie" album in CD form, all of the theme songs are on there - the original jazz-waltz of the 1st season, the more "hep" theme of the 2nd thru 5th seasons, and the jazzed up version of the movies' themes. There's also a copy of the MTV "Jeannie's Diner", two other versions of the main show theme including one called "Country Fried" (a country version of the theme), and some of the songs from Barbara's Harper Valley PTA show. All these go with the 10 songs that were on her original LP album of the 60s. You can probably find a copy on eBay for around $20-30.

I must be dense because I didn't even realize that IDOJ had two theme songs. The link provided no longer works, so I'm going to see if I can find another one. Now I'm curious about this!

Andrea

Schmoopie - Carpet34's board has been down for several years now - unfortunately, Carpet/Carrie passed away a few years back, at a very young and tender age (breast cancer).

I'm not sure, but I think the 2nd theme song is what REALLY identifies the show. That said, I think the 1st season theme song is OK, but a little boring.
:yeahthat Definitely a catchy tune.

...originally commissioned Richard Wess [best known as Bobby Darin's arranger/conductor on most of his 1959-'61 Atco recordings, later working with him at Capitol and Atlantic] to write the theme and score for season one {big band/romance, with emphasis on the horn and string sections}. However, as mentioned in his autobiography ("The Other Side Of Me", 2005, published before his death), Sheldon eventually became dissatisfied with Wess' musical approach to the series, and started to "try out" other composers before the first season ended [including Nelson Riddle]. He liked Hugo Montenegro's score for "How Lucky Can You Get?" [2/19/66; the episode where Tony and Roger were promoted to "Majors"], and chose him to write a new theme and score for season two, which also coincided with the fact the show was finally going to be filmed in color as well- hence, the "new" approach and theme. Hugo continued to write for the series, right into the final season; his "experimental" ideas in writing the series' music were great, especially the motifs for "Jeannie's sister" {slinky guitar} and "Djinn-Djinn" {ocarina} in the later seasons. As the series became more of a "live-action cartoon", Montenegro's scores became more "exaggerated" {i.e. the "tango" motif, with off-kilter saxophone out front, the "hillbilly" cues, etc.} In fact, most of his third and fourth season "cues" were often recycled in later episodes...

Buddy Kaye's theme lyrics [he also co-wrote Perry Como's 1945 hit, "Till The End Of Time"] however, were considered too "corny" to be heard during the show, and were never recorded. Perhaps Tony Bennett might have gotten away with singing it [IF he chose to record it], but as far as I know, I've yet to hear those "lost" lyrics somewhere....

:tv: