Leave It To Beaver "Theme Song" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

CosmicCharlie · 03-04-2019, 01:59 PM

New to me ... Seems it was a common song way back when

"The Toy Parade"

"The Toy Parade" by Dave Kahn, Melvyn Leonard and Mort Greene -
Leave it to Beaver Lyrics
Hey! Here they come with a rum-tee tum they're having a toy parade.
A tin giraffe with a fife and drum is leading the kewpie parade.
A gingham cat in a soldier's hat is waving a Chinese fan,
A plastic clown in a wedding gown is dancing with Raggedy Ann.
Fee fie fiddle dee dee they're crossing the living room floor
Fee fie fiddle dee dee they're up to the dining room door.
They call a halt for a choc'late malt or cookies and lemonade
Then off they go with a ho ho ho right back to their toy brigade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYaDR0WV-vs

stevea · 03-04-2019, 02:21 PM

Thanks for posting those. I'd read there were lyrics but I never knew what they were.

After listening, I think it's good they went with instrumental versions (there are 4 versions of the closing theme throughout the series: the original version from seasons 1 and 2, a jazzed up version with whistling for about half of season 3, the jazzed up version without whistling for the rest of season 3 and seasons 4 and 5, and the totally new version for season 6).

I like 3 of the 4--dislike the version with the whistling.

MichaelMartinD · 03-08-2019, 10:06 AM

Wow, thanks for posting this! I had no idea the theme tune had words. Here is another instrumental version I found, with a big band, and it even includes the jazzy version of the theme at the end. It is shockingly good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr-SmzPaU3w

stevea · 03-08-2019, 07:02 PM

This is an interesting site, with tons of TV themes. Some are the originals in varying quality (like LITB), some are rerecordings for whatever reason.

Some are flat out wrong (season 2 of Happy Days, for example, had the "rock Around the Clock" theme on the original airings and some syndicated versions). Some are longer than I've ever heard (for example, the first Newhart theme posted appears to be the Henry Mancini original, but longer than ever aired).

https://www.televisiontunes.com/l-theme-songs.html

CosmicCharlie · 03-08-2019, 08:01 PM

OFF Topic

I Dream of Jeannie season 1 Theme was dropped - ? new one was much better

just a bad choice ?

stevea · 03-08-2019, 10:56 PM

I agree about the IDOJ theme. The theme change after the first season was an improvement.

Maybe Sidney Sheldon decided to go to a new composer when the show switched to color.

MichaelMartinD · 04-28-2019, 02:49 PM

I recently got a great CD of TV themes from the '50s. It has the instrumental big-band version of the LITB theme and it is terrific.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It appears to be out of print but there are used copies.

MA · 04-28-2019, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

This is an interesting site, with tons of TV themes. Some are the originals in varying quality (like LITB), some are rerecordings for whatever reason.

Some are flat out wrong (season 2 of Happy Days, for example, had the "rock Around the Clock" theme on the original airings and some syndicated versions). Some are longer than I've ever heard (for example, the first Newhart theme posted appears to be the Henry Mancini original, but longer than ever aired).

https://www.televisiontunes.com/l-theme-songs.html

Which ones are the originals, and which ones aren’t?

stevea · 04-28-2019, 06:02 PM

It's been awhile since I've been on there, some themes just sound a little off.

One thing: most CDs that have had TV themes in the past ALWAYS got it wrong on Happy Days' most familiar theme, season 3 and beyond. They always use the record released by Pratt and McLain, which isn't the TV theme at all. That was probably done by unnamed studio musicians.

Schmoopie · 07-05-2019, 10:59 PM

A while back at work my coworker who sits behind me was humming the theme song. She said that when she was on the phone with a client she could hear it in the background and she'd gotten it stuck in her head but she couldn't remember the name of the show. I was kind of surprised that I recognized it the moment she started humming it, which I thought was funny.

stevea · 05-14-2021, 09:03 AM

On today's two episodes on MeTV the closing theme was REALLY sped up. Did anyone else notice?

1960'sTVfan · 05-14-2021, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicCharlie

OFF Topic

I Dream of Jeannie season 1 Theme was dropped - ? new one was much better

just a bad choice ?

I actually like both versions of the I Dream Of Jeannie theme song. The theme song for the 1st season in black and white is a good fit for those episodes and the theme song for seasons 2-5 in color is also a good fit for those episodes.

vitoscotti · 05-20-2021, 09:13 PM

Hugh Beaumont was a conservative minister. Possible theme song for his next show.

https://omny.fm/shows/what-s-right-w...051821?t=32m1s.

MichaelMartinD · 05-21-2021, 09:13 AM

Here are two interesting versions of the theme song from YouTube.

This is the jazzy version from Season 6. Here you get to hear it in its entirety without the voiceover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViD_uismST8

Here is original theme with words:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYaDR0WV-vs

03-04-2019, 01:59 PM	#1
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,447	Leave It To Beaver "Theme Song" New to me ... Seems it was a common song way back when "The Toy Parade" "The Toy Parade" by Dave Kahn, Melvyn Leonard and Mort Greene - Leave it to Beaver Lyrics Hey! Here they come with a rum-tee tum they're having a toy parade. A tin giraffe with a fife and drum is leading the kewpie parade. A gingham cat in a soldier's hat is waving a Chinese fan, A plastic clown in a wedding gown is dancing with Raggedy Ann. Fee fie fiddle dee dee they're crossing the living room floor Fee fie fiddle dee dee they're up to the dining room door. They call a halt for a choc'late malt or cookies and lemonade Then off they go with a ho ho ho right back to their toy brigade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYaDR0WV-vs

07-05-2019, 10:59 PM	#10
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	A while back at work my coworker who sits behind me was humming the theme song. She said that when she was on the phone with a client she could hear it in the background and she'd gotten it stuck in her head but she couldn't remember the name of the show. I was kind of surprised that I recognized it the moment she started humming it, which I thought was funny.
	__________________ In memory of my wonderful husband. I love and miss you more than words can say, but I will always and forever keep you in my heart. September 23, 1961-January 14, 2019

03-04-2019, 02:21 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,799	Thanks for posting those. I'd read there were lyrics but I never knew what they were. After listening, I think it's good they went with instrumental versions (there are 4 versions of the closing theme throughout the series: the original version from seasons 1 and 2, a jazzed up version with whistling for about half of season 3, the jazzed up version without whistling for the rest of season 3 and seasons 4 and 5, and the totally new version for season 6). I like 3 of the 4--dislike the version with the whistling.

03-08-2019, 10:06 AM	#3
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 576	Wow, thanks for posting this! I had no idea the theme tune had words. Here is another instrumental version I found, with a big band, and it even includes the jazzy version of the theme at the end. It is shockingly good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr-SmzPaU3w

03-08-2019, 07:02 PM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,799	This is an interesting site, with tons of TV themes. Some are the originals in varying quality (like LITB), some are rerecordings for whatever reason. Some are flat out wrong (season 2 of Happy Days, for example, had the "rock Around the Clock" theme on the original airings and some syndicated versions). Some are longer than I've ever heard (for example, the first Newhart theme posted appears to be the Henry Mancini original, but longer than ever aired). https://www.televisiontunes.com/l-theme-songs.html

03-08-2019, 08:01 PM	#5
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,447	OFF Topic I Dream of Jeannie season 1 Theme was dropped - ? new one was much better just a bad choice ?

03-08-2019, 10:56 PM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,799	I agree about the IDOJ theme. The theme change after the first season was an improvement. Maybe Sidney Sheldon decided to go to a new composer when the show switched to color.

04-28-2019, 02:49 PM	#7
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 576	I recently got a great CD of TV themes from the '50s. It has the instrumental big-band version of the LITB theme and it is terrific. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It appears to be out of print but there are used copies.

04-28-2019, 06:02 PM	#9
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,799	It's been awhile since I've been on there, some themes just sound a little off. One thing: most CDs that have had TV themes in the past ALWAYS got it wrong on Happy Days' most familiar theme, season 3 and beyond. They always use the record released by Pratt and McLain, which isn't the TV theme at all. That was probably done by unnamed studio musicians.

05-14-2021, 09:03 AM	#11
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,799	On today's two episodes on MeTV the closing theme was REALLY sped up. Did anyone else notice?

05-20-2021, 09:13 PM	#13
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,083	Hugh Beaumont was a conservative minister. Possible theme song for his next show. https://omny.fm/shows/what-s-right-w...051821?t=32m1s.

05-21-2021, 09:13 AM	#14
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 576	Here are two interesting versions of the theme song from YouTube. This is the jazzy version from Season 6. Here you get to hear it in its entirety without the voiceover. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViD_uismST8 Here is original theme with words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYaDR0WV-vs