Opening Theme Changes for DVD Releases

[McGillicuddy]

I can think of two series released on DVD, where the rights to the opening theme could not be (or were not) obtained for home video release.

Married With Children (Love & Marriage) and
Bosom Buddies (Billy Joel's My Life).

This must have put a major dent in sales.

[Silly Lily]

Dawson's Creek replaced its theme (I Don't Wanna Wait by Paula Cole) starting with the season 3 sets. They had the original theme on the first two sets, so obviously they were just too cheap to keep using it.

[Jude The Obscure]

Life Goes On is another one.......the pilot has the original theme "Ob Li Di Ob La Da", but the rest of the episodes has some generic instrumental theme.
Another case where music rights prohibit a TV show from being presented to fans as it was originally broadcast.

I've also heard George Lopez (the sitcom)'s theme "Low Rider" was also replaced for the DVD sets.

[Jude The Obscure]

Thought of another one......Bosom Buddies.....when it ran on ABC, a cover version of Billy Joel's "My Life" was used......for the DVD release and some syndicated runs, Stephanie Mills' "Shake Me Loose" is used (which supposedly was the original theme song before the producers made a change).

[McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

Life Goes On is another one.......the pilot has the original theme "Ob Li Di Ob La Da", but the rest of the episodes has some generic instrumental theme.
Another case where music rights prohibit a TV show from being presented to fans as it was originally broadcast.

I've also heard George Lopez (the sitcom)'s theme "Low Rider" was also replaced for the DVD sets.

That's interesting about Life Goes On. Also makes me more confused! If they were able to use it for one episode, why can't they use it for every episode? They have to pay more each time they play it??

[McGillicuddy]

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

Life Goes On is another one.......the pilot has the original theme "Ob Li Di Ob La Da", but the rest of the episodes has some generic instrumental theme.
Another case where music rights prohibit a TV show from being presented to fans as it was originally broadcast.

I've also heard George Lopez (the sitcom)'s theme "Low Rider" was also replaced for the DVD sets.

That's interesting about Life Goes On. Also makes me more confused! If they were able to use it for one episode, why can't they use it for every episode? They have to pay more each time they play it?? I would think once they had the rights to use the song, that would be that!

Another one that confuses me, Happy Days season 1, the "Rock-around-the Clock" theme is used but was replaced in season 2 with the "Happy Days" theme.

[Silly Lily]

Originally Posted by markway895

That's interesting about Life Goes On. Also makes me more confused! If they were able to use it for one episode, why can't they use it for every episode? They have to pay more each time they play it?? I would think once they had the rights to use the song, that would be that!

I'm pretty sure they do have to pay for it in each episode that it plays. I think for Joan of Arcadia they had the original theme (What if God Was One of Us by Joan Osborne) on the first episode of each disc and replaced it for the other episodes. That is why theme songs written specifically for shows are so much more awesome than shows that use pop songs, lol.