Musical Bradys: Good or Bad?? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

catlover79 · 02-16-2007, 03:30 PM

I think WAY too much emphasis was put on the Brady kids' singing, and way less on the comedy. One or two episodes was fine, but then it got to be overkill. Most of them couldn't even sing!

I know that Maureen McCormick and Barry Williams, as adults, have released decent albums. But I still think the constant singing episodes were a mistake in the long run.

Lee G · 02-16-2007, 04:16 PM

I would tend to agree with that. Songs like "It's A Sunshine Day" have never sat too well with me.

AB · 02-16-2007, 05:12 PM

It was cute for an episode but more than that was too much.

Bachu · 02-17-2007, 06:17 PM

I liked the songs they sang. It was only, what, really 1 episode in each of the last three seasons with two songs for each singing episode. It wasn't really overkill was it?

# You've got to be in love to love a love song, yeahhh

Jack1000 · 02-18-2007, 06:49 AM

Mixed views on the Brady Kids signing:

Songs like "Time to Change", "Sunshine Day", and especially "Keep On" are Brady Bunch classics that I love. But in evaluating the series as a whole, no they should not have sung. This was done because of the early success of The Partridge Family, who lip-synced everything. The Brady Kids didn't. However, the end result was the same. The Brady Kids could not sing.

The songs moved the family and kids away from a sense of normality, in terms of growing up, and semi-realistic conflicts associated with the kids. At least the Partridges were established as a singing group early on, not midway through the series like The Brady Kids. Than the kids have these aspirations that you never hear about before or since:

For example, when did Greg ever show interest in a signing career before the "Adios Johnny Bravo" episode? The kids sang on the side, and that was enough. I also don't like "Amateur Nite's" subplot (i.e The Silver Platters.) This is the one where the kids get the silver platter for their parents' anniversary. Jan has it engraved without telling the others, thinks the whole inscription amounts to pennies. (PLEEEEZE, she is not that dumb! This sounds more like Cindy in the first two seasons! hahaha)

Than they somehow go on this amateur TV contest, win the audition and sing. (Getting third place and winning a plaque.) It would have been more realistic if they would have found another way for the kids to raise the money. However, perhaps less interesting. Joe Seiter was one of the kids music producers along with Jackie Mills who wrote some of the songs that the kids did, both on the show and record albums. Sherwood Schwartz resented this idea. Robert Reed wasn't exactly thrilled, but because he acted in musical theater and movies, he accepted the idea.

But the kids at that time became less natural because they were doing things that were not reflective of the conventional American family. When the Brady kids became serious singers, I would have to say, the show started its downhill route.

Jack

sixfingers · 03-14-2010, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I think WAY too much emphasis was put on the Brady kids' singing, and way less on the comedy. One or two episodes was fine, but then it got to be overkill. Most of them couldn't even sing!

I know that Maureen McCormick and Barry Williams, as adults, have released decent albums. But I still think the constant singing episodes were a mistake in the long run.

There were supposed to be even more singing episodes in the sixth season. For you, this might be yet another reason for being glad there wasn't a sixth season.

I personally liked the singing, but it is a matter of opinion.

macy9 · 03-14-2010, 05:37 PM

If you ignore the usual songs like 'Sunshine Days' etc and listen to

Gonna Find a Rainbow
Summer Breeze
Id love you to want me
Merry Go Round
Parallel Lines

the arrangment is really, really good on them. If you can get past the fact that they can't harmonize....

catlover79 · 03-14-2010, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macy9

If you ignore the usual songs like 'Sunshine Days' etc and listen to

Gonna Find a Rainbow
Summer Breeze
Id love you to want me
Merry Go Round
Parallel Lines

the arrangment is really, really good on them. If you can get past the fact that they can't harmonize....

They sounded slightly better at harmonizing on the Variety Hour - probably due to the addition of Geri Reischl.

Classicshowsgurl15 · 07-01-2010, 03:41 AM

I personally like the episodes where they sang, but yeah they did put a lot of emphasis on it and The Partridge Family was different because they were a group and that sang and they had songs in every episode, but The Brady Bunch should have been a little more about the comedy at times.

Tap Dancer · 07-01-2010, 02:04 PM

I also liked the singing episodes and the songs they sang. There weren't that many episodes, though.

cleverfun3000 · 07-12-2010, 10:55 PM

Click Below and Enjoy Those Childhood Memories Once Again:

http://www.retrojunk.com/tv/videos/1...dy-bunch-hour/

02-16-2007, 03:30 PM	#1
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Musical Bradys: Good or Bad?? I think WAY too much emphasis was put on the Brady kids' singing, and way less on the comedy. One or two episodes was fine, but then it got to be overkill. Most of them couldn't even sing! I know that Maureen McCormick and Barry Williams, as adults, have released decent albums. But I still think the constant singing episodes were a mistake in the long run.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

07-01-2010, 03:41 AM	#9
Classicshowsgurl15 Happy Days Senior Member Join Date: Jun 28, 2004 Location: California Posts: 2,088	I personally like the episodes where they sang, but yeah they did put a lot of emphasis on it and The Partridge Family was different because they were a group and that sang and they had songs in every episode, but The Brady Bunch should have been a little more about the comedy at times.
	__________________ “All our young lives we search for someone to love, someone who makes us complete. We choose partners and change partners. We dance to a song of heartbreak and hope, all the while wondering if somewhere, somehow, there's someone perfect who might be searching for us.” - The Wonder Years

02-16-2007, 04:16 PM	#2
Lee G Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 24, 2004 Posts: 850	I would tend to agree with that. Songs like "It's A Sunshine Day" have never sat too well with me.

02-16-2007, 05:12 PM	#3
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	It was cute for an episode but more than that was too much.

02-17-2007, 06:17 PM	#4
Bachu Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 10, 2005 Posts: 809	I liked the songs they sang. It was only, what, really 1 episode in each of the last three seasons with two songs for each singing episode. It wasn't really overkill was it? # You've got to be in love to love a love song, yeahhh

02-18-2007, 06:49 AM	#5
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Mixed views on the Brady Kids signing: Songs like "Time to Change", "Sunshine Day", and especially "Keep On" are Brady Bunch classics that I love. But in evaluating the series as a whole, no they should not have sung. This was done because of the early success of The Partridge Family, who lip-synced everything. The Brady Kids didn't. However, the end result was the same. The Brady Kids could not sing. The songs moved the family and kids away from a sense of normality, in terms of growing up, and semi-realistic conflicts associated with the kids. At least the Partridges were established as a singing group early on, not midway through the series like The Brady Kids. Than the kids have these aspirations that you never hear about before or since: For example, when did Greg ever show interest in a signing career before the "Adios Johnny Bravo" episode? The kids sang on the side, and that was enough. I also don't like "Amateur Nite's" subplot (i.e The Silver Platters.) This is the one where the kids get the silver platter for their parents' anniversary. Jan has it engraved without telling the others, thinks the whole inscription amounts to pennies. (PLEEEEZE, she is not that dumb! This sounds more like Cindy in the first two seasons! hahaha) Than they somehow go on this amateur TV contest, win the audition and sing. (Getting third place and winning a plaque.) It would have been more realistic if they would have found another way for the kids to raise the money. However, perhaps less interesting. Joe Seiter was one of the kids music producers along with Jackie Mills who wrote some of the songs that the kids did, both on the show and record albums. Sherwood Schwartz resented this idea. Robert Reed wasn't exactly thrilled, but because he acted in musical theater and movies, he accepted the idea. But the kids at that time became less natural because they were doing things that were not reflective of the conventional American family. When the Brady kids became serious singers, I would have to say, the show started its downhill route. Jack

03-14-2010, 05:37 PM	#7
macy9 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 11, 2010 Posts: 22	If you ignore the usual songs like 'Sunshine Days' etc and listen to Gonna Find a Rainbow Summer Breeze Id love you to want me Merry Go Round Parallel Lines the arrangment is really, really good on them. If you can get past the fact that they can't harmonize....

07-01-2010, 02:04 PM	#10
Tap Dancer Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 20, 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 754	I also liked the singing episodes and the songs they sang. There weren't that many episodes, though.

07-12-2010, 10:55 PM	#11
cleverfun3000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 18, 2008 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,685	Click Below and Enjoy Those Childhood Memories Once Again: http://www.retrojunk.com/tv/videos/1...dy-bunch-hour/