Happy Days Music Choices - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Colonel Hogan · 03-21-2005, 02:37 AM

Hi,

I'm new here and this is the first thread I've started. I'm a big fan of Happy Days myself.

I've been reading some of the thread on the DVDs and the WSJ article that made mention of the cost of licensing the music for the Season 1 DVD set. I started watching Happy Days in 1978, when I was five. Unfortunately, that means that I saw most episodes at a very young age and the pre-'78 episodes with edited scenes and potentially missing music later in syndication. I've seen all episodes a ridiculous amount of times at this point in my life though.

Happy Days used a lot of popular 50's music, especially in the first two seasons. I was surprised at some of the songs that the Season 1 set had on there. Here's my question. Did they continue to use popular music from the 50's, then early 60's throughout the show's entire run, or did the music become more of a generic 50's type after the first two seasons? I'm just trying to get an idea on whether they would have a lot of music to license after Season 2.

Thanks

robyrob · 03-21-2005, 08:25 AM

its hard to remember with any certainty at all WHEN exactly they started to taper off with the popular music - I know that most of the return bumpers and opening shots at Arnold's had some popular song, but the music from the jukebox and the background music was more often replaced by music from the band or the HD jingle in the later years.

anglemark10 · 03-21-2005, 08:11 PM

From what I've seen on TV Land, they did continue to utilize popular music throughout the series, but, as robyrob wrote, it did taper off. I notice they used several instrumental versions of the original songs, as well. I don't know how this affects rights fees. I would think that after the second season, fees will go down. I'm not at all sure about this, but I would think that "Rock Around The Clock" must make up a large chunk of the fees Paramount has to pay since it is, obviously, featured prominently at the start of every episode for the first two seasons.

Colonel Hogan · 03-21-2005, 09:57 PM

Thanks for the replies. In a way, I do hope the use of popular 50's music tailed off after Season 2. If only to increase the chance of getting all of what was there in the first place, along with unedited episodes, on future sets. I won't buy DVD sets with replacement music or syndicated(cut) versions of episodes, so I hope they keep this one complete, unlike the way other series have been butchered. I'd rather pay $50 for unedited, musically complete sets instead of $25-30 for worthless, cut sets.

03-21-2005, 02:37 AM	#1
Colonel Hogan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2004 Posts: 100	Happy Days Music Choices Hi, I'm new here and this is the first thread I've started. I'm a big fan of Happy Days myself. I've been reading some of the thread on the DVDs and the WSJ article that made mention of the cost of licensing the music for the Season 1 DVD set. I started watching Happy Days in 1978, when I was five. Unfortunately, that means that I saw most episodes at a very young age and the pre-'78 episodes with edited scenes and potentially missing music later in syndication. I've seen all episodes a ridiculous amount of times at this point in my life though. Happy Days used a lot of popular 50's music, especially in the first two seasons. I was surprised at some of the songs that the Season 1 set had on there. Here's my question. Did they continue to use popular music from the 50's, then early 60's throughout the show's entire run, or did the music become more of a generic 50's type after the first two seasons? I'm just trying to get an idea on whether they would have a lot of music to license after Season 2. Thanks

03-21-2005, 08:25 AM	#2
robyrob certified wackball#3 Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Aug 03, 2003 Location: hiding under the third booth at Arnold's Posts: 58,230	its hard to remember with any certainty at all WHEN exactly they started to taper off with the popular music - I know that most of the return bumpers and opening shots at Arnold's had some popular song, but the music from the jukebox and the background music was more often replaced by music from the band or the HD jingle in the later years.
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03-21-2005, 08:11 PM	#3
anglemark10 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 06, 2004 Location: United States Posts: 787	From what I've seen on TV Land, they did continue to utilize popular music throughout the series, but, as robyrob wrote, it did taper off. I notice they used several instrumental versions of the original songs, as well. I don't know how this affects rights fees. I would think that after the second season, fees will go down. I'm not at all sure about this, but I would think that "Rock Around The Clock" must make up a large chunk of the fees Paramount has to pay since it is, obviously, featured prominently at the start of every episode for the first two seasons.

03-21-2005, 09:57 PM	#4
Colonel Hogan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2004 Posts: 100	Thanks for the replies. In a way, I do hope the use of popular 50's music tailed off after Season 2. If only to increase the chance of getting all of what was there in the first place, along with unedited episodes, on future sets. I won't buy DVD sets with replacement music or syndicated(cut) versions of episodes, so I hope they keep this one complete, unlike the way other series have been butchered. I'd rather pay $50 for unedited, musically complete sets instead of $25-30 for worthless, cut sets.