Theme song cuts - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

James · 09-22-2002, 01:25 AM

I know the fact that content of shows being removed in lieu of commercials been discussed in other areas of sitcomsonline.com (especially on the page for The Brady Bunch, which had like 70 entries!).

I have a challenge. How many television theme songs can you think of that were cut, even during the run of the show? I can vouch for the following three:

1. Perfect Strangers (1986-1993, ABC) - between "Sometimes you just get a feeling like you need some kind of change" and "Standing tall/on the wings of my dream" were the phrases "No matter what the odds are this time/nothing's gonna stand in my way/This flame in my heart/like a long lost friend (?)/gives every dark street a light at the end" at one time. What happened?

2. Step By Step (1991-1998, ABC, CBS) - Early episodes (think Peggy Rea) had an instrumental piece at the beginning, plus some phrases I couldn't quite make out 100% but ended with the phrase "under one umbrella" were present in the opening theme song, but ultimately they were eliminated.

3. I'm A Big Girl Now (1980-1981, ABC) - Between the two verses were a few lines that were eliminated, leaving the two verses. As a kid I knew they used the clipped version as soon as the second verse started "The games I played"--I vividly remember, back at age 8 or 9, yelling "I HATE THE GAMES SHE PLAYED!!!" because I was angry they left out the middle lines.

JT · 09-22-2002, 10:50 AM

Cheers (1982-93, NBC) Around 1988 or 89, they took out the first verse and only had the chorus in.

Three's Company (1977-84, ABC) Well, in 1979, they took out the "You'll see that life is a ball again/Laughter is callin' for you" part, but they kept an instrumental version in its place.

James · 09-23-2002, 01:47 AM

Come to think of it, Full House eliminated the part between "... even MTV" and "(ah ahhh) Everywhere you look ..."!

Plasma · 09-23-2002, 09:44 AM

I think Growing Pains were also cut...but that could be the Syndicated Version that is more condensed. I remember the theme song a lot longer than the versions that are aired.

That goes for Family Matters too!

Penny Lane · 09-23-2002, 02:17 PM

The Golden Girls song is cut in syndication.

That's the only one I can think of at the moment

Jack1000 · 09-23-2002, 03:11 PM

The First Season of Hogan Family had it's theme song cut in syndication....the original lyrics that I can remember are:

"Life is such as sweet insanity
The more you learn the less you know
In the heart of every family
There's a love that starts by letting go

Step by step, day by day
Reaching out along the way
Hand in hand we'll face our fears
Together through the years

We get closer and in our heart we share
The laughter and the sadness
A special kind of gladness
Together through the years

Life is such a sweet insanity
It's nice to know your friends are near
In the heart of every family
There's a love that's waiting there for you
Through the years"

Some syndicated prints edit the second verse or remove it altogether.

Jack

09-22-2002, 01:25 AM	#1
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	Theme song cuts I know the fact that content of shows being removed in lieu of commercials been discussed in other areas of sitcomsonline.com (especially on the page for The Brady Bunch, which had like 70 entries!). I have a challenge. How many television theme songs can you think of that were cut, even during the run of the show? I can vouch for the following three: 1. Perfect Strangers (1986-1993, ABC) - between "Sometimes you just get a feeling like you need some kind of change" and "Standing tall/on the wings of my dream" were the phrases "No matter what the odds are this time/nothing's gonna stand in my way/This flame in my heart/like a long lost friend (?)/gives every dark street a light at the end" at one time. What happened? 2. Step By Step (1991-1998, ABC, CBS) - Early episodes (think Peggy Rea) had an instrumental piece at the beginning, plus some phrases I couldn't quite make out 100% but ended with the phrase "under one umbrella" were present in the opening theme song, but ultimately they were eliminated. 3. I'm A Big Girl Now (1980-1981, ABC) - Between the two verses were a few lines that were eliminated, leaving the two verses. As a kid I knew they used the clipped version as soon as the second verse started "The games I played"--I vividly remember, back at age 8 or 9, yelling "I HATE THE GAMES SHE PLAYED!!!" because I was angry they left out the middle lines.

09-22-2002, 10:50 AM	#2
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	Cheers (1982-93, NBC) Around 1988 or 89, they took out the first verse and only had the chorus in. Three's Company (1977-84, ABC) Well, in 1979, they took out the "You'll see that life is a ball again/Laughter is callin' for you" part, but they kept an instrumental version in its place.
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09-23-2002, 02:17 PM	#5
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,125	The Golden Girls song is cut in syndication. That's the only one I can think of at the moment
	__________________ Vulgarity is no substitute for wit- Lady Violet Crawley

09-23-2002, 03:11 PM	#6
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	The First Season of Hogan Family had it's theme song cut in syndication....the original lyrics that I can remember are: "Life is such as sweet insanity The more you learn the less you know In the heart of every family There's a love that starts by letting go Step by step, day by day Reaching out along the way Hand in hand we'll face our fears Together through the years We get closer and in our heart we share The laughter and the sadness A special kind of gladness Together through the years Life is such a sweet insanity It's nice to know your friends are near In the heart of every family There's a love that's waiting there for you Through the years" Some syndicated prints edit the second verse or remove it altogether. Jack
	Last edited by Jack1000; 09-23-2002 at 03:13 PM.

09-23-2002, 01:47 AM	#3
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	Come to think of it, Full House eliminated the part between "... even MTV" and "(ah ahhh) Everywhere you look ..."!

09-23-2002, 09:44 AM	#4
Plasma Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 16, 2002 Posts: 48	I think Growing Pains were also cut...but that could be the Syndicated Version that is more condensed. I remember the theme song a lot longer than the versions that are aired. That goes for Family Matters too!