As a 48 year old man who recently lost his parents within weeks of one another I hear this song and close my eyes and there we are together again in our old living room watching this show.
sarry to hear that, used to see this show in the 80's a very young kid I was and always liked the sounds of the song its kind of late night sounding like the theme for taxi, but further more, i have the memory of the cut scenes of cincy with the statue with the water comming off it called the water genious thinking for years it was a statue of the blessed mother and it reminded me of a mini plastic statue of her we had in the bedroom of my perants on the dresser this very room I type this message which is not and has been for 20 years the computer room. but I will also say this song remindes me of when some people that put on conventions that are based out of cincinati would put on a con in fort wayne called ikasucon that started out there but moved it due to a better deal and more venue room, and to the time I went to my second one in 2009 had to miss 2008 as was on vacation of lifetime in rome italy as my graduation gift and got back the day it was over but in 2009 the third year it was here in indiana I competed in my first skit competition and won a judges choice award, and I had soo much fun that weekend a few weeks after saw wkrp in syndication on wgn chicago and reminded me of my new friends from cincinati that put on the convention and lead me to explore more of it and the sights and I learned about the over the rhine district and so on and wanted to hear this song again and saw somone put a music video togather of sights using this song as a welcome to guests for some other convention or meetup. fast forward to 2017 it was the last time the con was held here and covid put a kabosh on it for the last 2 years its been going on 6 years now I yearn to see my friends and staff from cincy again and have fun with like minded anime and manga fans in my back yard, this song only wants me to yearn more for it to come back.
Is it just me or does hearing this song always takes you back to a time in life when life was more free spirited and enjoyable? Sometimes it simply brings me to tears. How I'd give anything to go back to those days and times.
I can relate to that line big time (it is "The price..." not 'cost') . We broke up while in college after a one year courtship (the same year WKRP first aired... Maybe you and me were never meant to be , but baby think of me once in awhile"), but somehow navigating through time, distance and circumstances 33 years later we got married.
This week marked the 45th Anniversary of the first episode of WKRP. As someone who was a part of WKRP (worked on three episodes, appearing once on the show) it gives me great pleasure to know that people had connections to the series. For me, my interactions with the great talents (both in front of and behind the camera) who made this show possible were the best experiences of my life. My thanks to all of them.
Hey thanks for sharing your story. Working on and appearing on WKRP is special indeed! ❤ you're lucky you got to be apart of TV history!! I'm jelly. Coolest story.
@@waynejohanson1083 it was four of the best experiences of my life working for MTM Enterprises. First time was for their show RHODA (a spin-off of the original Mary Tyler Moore Show) and 3 times working for WKRP, although only appearing once on the show. Playing the lawyer character Elgar Neece in the episode titled "Mike Fright' where Dr. Fever told people to dump their garbage on the steps of City Hall. MTM was a fantastic company for which I credit the 2 founders (Mary Tyler Moore and her husband, Grant Tinker) for setting the stage by hiring great people. MTM should be an example to other companies on how to create and run a company. Some of the best experiences of my life.
@@Bummerdrummer463 you're welcome. As I replied to someone else here, working for the MTM "family" was a very special opportunity. I remain grateful to Mary (Tyler Moore), her husband (Grant Tinker) and Hugh Wilson (the creator and executive producer of WKRP) for creating the situation where I could work for them. The role of the lawyer that I played on WKRP was created specifically for me to play by Hugh and Dan Guntzelman, who was the Head Writer on WKRP. I am still grateful to all of them along with the cast members I shared screen time with, Gordon Jump, Gary Sandy, Loni Anderson and Frank Bonner.
This is one of the most underrated television themes ever. The entire song tells quite a rich narrative. It's like the guy was hired to write just the station identification jingle and decided to include his own story in it.
@@Huskerbrotha No it was't. They are an amazing ensemble cast. Hard to find one better. Brilliant. EVERY single charcater is memorable. Overrated lol smh
@@DJRitty Well my dude, I can respect and appreciate your opinion on that matter. I truly do. I also truly disagree with your assessment. But, glad you enjoyed the show. That is all that matters. Enjoy your day!
Actually the lyrics to the song or gibberish the guy that wrote the song was the one that did the thing and everything for the show and he said that he could say anything and it would be acceptable so he did
It does sort of exude nostalgia. I listened to it 20 years ago and felt nostalgic, now I listen to it and feel nostalgic about listening to it 20 years ago and feeling nostalgic.
Oh the memories...Riding bikes with no helmets, drinking out of the water hose, catching fire flies and anything else that could fit in a jar (with holes on the top of course) and a popsicle from the Good Humor truck for $0.25...Good times😀
I remember you. We were doing the same thing at the same time in different neighborhoods---like a parallel universe. Been there; done that. You're right : "oh, the memories."
centralparocker Don't be so sure! Retro Wave is a new genre of music that is very successfully recreating that 1980's action movie sound, so maybe somebody will do something similar for some 1970's styles --- it could happen .... and even if it doesn't, we still have great classics like the WKRP theme :-D
+jacky Parker WKRP in Cincinnati was shown in the UK in 1983-4 by Channel 4 and also on ITV 1987-8 during the early hours of the morning, I do remember seeing it at the time and thinking it was very good, but haven't seen it since on tv over here.
Freeda Jackson With all these channels Im glad they find room for these old shows, my tv they play reruns of Brady Bunch, Leave it to Beaver, Beverly Hillbillies, Patty Duke, Happy Days, even PARTRIDGE FAMILY. I rember going to lots of 70s concerts
At 58, most of my life i e uttered the words WKRP IN Cincinnati randomly and for no reason whatsoever! I guess i must've watched it at some point, and i can't be without those mutterings in my head. I love it. ❤
Sung by Steve Carlisle as a studio session performer for MCA. The studio released it as a single in 1979, and it did well on the pop charts. To lure stations into playing it more, the studio had Carlisle perform multiple takes of the last line, each time substituting different call letters of real Top-40 radio stations , e.g. "I'm at WERC in Birminghammm", "I'm at WCFL in Chicagooo".
@@hulaGUNZ Intentional nonsense lyrics, and a very good match to the music. Some say it was humor based how a lot of people can't make out the lyrics to rock music anyway. // Many TV shows -- comedy and drama -- have opening theme music that's livelier than the closing, which is sometimes more sedate. But in the case of WKRP, the closing theme has noticeably more energy than the opening.
Hoist a glass for Dr Johnny Fever. Rest well and thank you for spinning those records, may we meet again where the music is always jiving and the turkeys DO fly.
I used to work at a bar and one of the regular musicians that played there learned this song and would play it whenever a fight started to break out. Even the two fighters who stop and bewilderedly sing along. It was like some sort of magic.
Youre right my friend this does carry some kind of magic and most wont will not understand it but its only for the far and few..thanks god bless..p.s i already new this was a very special song..
Frank Bonner, who played Herb Tarlek on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati,” has died. He was 79. Bonner passed away “peacefully” Wednesday amid a battle with Lewy body dementia, his family told TMZ.
Complications of Lewy Body Dementia ended Estelle Getty's life in 2008. She played Bea Arthur's mom in "The Golden Girls." LBD also drove Robin Williams to suicide in 2014. Like Estelle, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's, but his autopsy showed Lewy Body Dementia. Rest in peace, Frank. He has joined Gordon Jump, who played station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson. He died in 2003.
There is a certain "sound" of 70's songs. They knew what chords support the strong melody, even if they seemed kinda weird or corny to a modern ear. Esp. on TV themes. Wistful, melancholy and trite at the same time. It's a feat to behold for a hobby composer.
MrPisster I agree. If someone were to writethis song TODAY, with that instrumentation, arrangement, and chord choices - they would be thought of as NUTS. Solid stufff
Definitely a sound that cannot be duplicated anymore. That area had some true artists. I even recall the late Syd Dale as one of the biggest makers of theme songs from that era.
I remember this playing on the radio back in the day. Funny how tv show themes would actually get radio air play and sometimes even chart once upon a time lol. I miss thle late 70s and 80's 😟
@@theodoreritola7641 We got it slightly later in Great Britain, perhaps a couple of years to cross the Atlantic... It was just so different to British TV, a real viewing experience !
+Avery D Les' Mr. Macho hairpiece scene was pretty fucking funny too. "Well I'm hot blooded, check it and see, I've got fever of 103..." Or Carlson's cocaine/foot powder mix up: "I've got a monkey on my foot!"
My brother and I enjoyed the show many years ago. The one I remember the most was about the WHO concert and those people that died. Godspeed Johnny Fever
What fond memories this song brings back. a time when people were so much nicer and remembering riding across the states on a grey hound bus. It also brings back memories of the people that I love that are gone. God bless every one.
[Verse 1] Baby, if you've ever wondered Wondered whatever became of me I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP [Verse 2] Got kind of tired packing and unpacking Town to town and up and down the dial Maybe you and me were never meant to be But baby think of me once in awhile [Verse 3] Heading up that highway Leaving you behind Hardest thing I've ever had to do Broke my heart in two But Baby, pay no mind The price for finding me was losing you [Verse 4] Memories help me hide my lonesome feelin' Far away from you and feelin' low It's gettin' late my friend, my love, I miss you so Take good care of you, I've gotta go [Verse 5] Baby, if you've ever wondered Wondered whatever became of me I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP [Verse 6] Got kind of tired packing and unpacking Town to town and up and down the dial Maybe you and me were never meant to be But baby think of me once in awhile I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati
You know what...I might AGREE with you on that. I'll put it up as greatest sitcom ep ever. If there is ONE episode that INSTANTLY pops into mind when I think 'holiday episode' it's the WKRP Thanksgiving ep. SO man favorite x-mas episodes I watch every year but I do Halloween and Thanksgiving ones too and it is a MUST above all other episodes. Good call.
I thought it was Larry Carlton as well. The bass player sounds like Abraham Laboriel and the keyboardist sounds like Harlan Rogers' (Koinonia) style. I know Rick Hinkle and he is like an East Coast version of Larry Carlton.
This has to be one of my favorite show tunes ever !!! As a young child I used to watch this TV show every day. I loved every character on the show and always looked forward to watching it. The show, song and characters will ALWAYS hold a special place in my heart.
God I miss these days. It reminds me of my family back in the 80's, going on vacations together with me and my sister in the back seat on the way to Disney. My how things have changed, sister is all grown up with kids , all grandparents gone, including my father. Good bye times suck....... now all grown up with a family of mine, I can only reflect on the good ole days and hope for the best in the future. I sure wish they made tv shows today like they did back then. Growing up is a bitch..
Just found out that Howard Hesseman passed on. It was a great pleasure watching this show every week. Was a big part of my youth. Hearing the whole track (for the first time) is wonderfully nostalgic. Blessings to you Dr Johnny Fever, Rock on my man ✌🏾
This song is catchy, but pensive at the same time. "The price of finding me was losing you" "Maybe you and me were never meant to be, but maybe just think of me once in a while"
I was at work today, I've been there almost 29 years, this song popped into my head, I started to remember my childhood, friends, loved once and much simpler times...awesome.
WKRP had two musical themes, one opening and the other closing the show. The opening theme, called "WKRP In Cincinnati Main Theme," was composed by Tom Wells, with lyrics by series creator Hugh Wilson, and was performed by Steve Carlisle.[14][15][16] An urban legend circulated at the time that Richard Sanders (who had comparable vocal characteristics to Carlisle) had recorded the song. Wilson stated in the commentary for the first season's DVD set that this was simply not true. (Sanders would later "sing" the lyrics in a promo spot on VH1 for The New WKRP in Cincinnati, which parodied the U2 song, "Numb.")A full-length version of the original theme song was released in 1979 on a 45 rpm vinyl single on the MCA Records label. It peaked at 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981 and at 29 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1982. The lyrics refer to the life of character Andy Travis.The closing theme, "WKRP In Cincinnati End Credits," was a hard rock number composed and performed by Jim Ellis, an Atlanta musician who recorded some of the incidental music for the show. According to people who attended the recording sessions, Ellis didn't yet have lyrics for the closing theme, so he improvised a semi-comprehensible story about a bartender to give an idea of how the finished theme would sound. Wilson decided to use the words anyway, since he felt that it would be funny to use lyrics that were deliberate gibberish, as a satire on the incomprehensibility of many rock songs.[17] Because CBS always had an announcer talking over the closing credits, Wilson knew that no one would hear the closing theme lyrics. In one pop-cultural nod to the closing theme, a character performs the song in the film Ready to Rumble. The closing theme is also played at the end of the syndicated morning radio show The John Boy and Billy Big Show.
Just love this to bits...lyrics are so sad but are balanced by a catchy tune. We all go through this once or twice in our lives..wondering what became of that one ex that held a special place in our hearts...well I do anyways and this song encapsulates exactly how I feel.
+reghanlee. Promise me one thing buddy...please...Call Kristi and tell her how you feel...she is probably your destiny and soulmate...I came back to UK after having returned to Canada because my destiny was here and I am happier now...I really regretted the time I was apart from her. Some things just cannot be helped..and if after 20...20 years you still feel the "pain! like it was yesterday then buddy...go for it! What is stopping you other than yourself?
so sad Howard Hesseman, who became a beloved TV mainstay through his roles on sitcoms “WKRP in Cincinatti” and “Head of the Class,” died Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles of complications from colon surgery he had undergone last summer. He was 81 years old
The lyrics were written by show creator Hugh Wilson when he found out how much he'd make in syndication. According to a panel interview, it paid for his farm.
I love this classic television theme song from the classic television comedy WKRP in Cincinnati! Iwas born in 1978. This is the first time I ever heard all of the verses of this song! Thank you for posting and sharing this!
Was raised by my Grandparents in the late 70s/early 80s and a family friend of ours son played for the Cincinnati Reds Baseball team 1982, 1984 to 1986. Had his best playing days with them and loved the city of Cincinnati. Said the people were really nice and he enjoyed playing there. He was managed by Pete Rose in 85 and 86. Russ Nixon in 82 and part of 83 and then Vern Rapp. The player was the late Wayne Krenchicki
When I was in high school, all I wanted to do was be a radio personality. Unfortunately, 1994 was the beginning of the end for small stations, thanks to Cumulus (and even today with iheartradio). By the time I got out of the AF, the days of one person behind a mic with stacks of wax and a pot of black coffee to keep them going were long gone. But thank you for keeping so many of us company.
In my opinion, iHeartRadio has done more to kill terrestrial radio than Sirius/XM, Cumulus and any other radio conglomerate ever created combined. It is sad Chase that if you indeed have talent that you were denied your dream due to the "homogenizing and sanitizing" of radio signals here in the United States. I would so love to see iHeartRadio crash, burn and die.
so basically there is NO THERE for anyone to even TRY to get into radio now.. it's more about those doing it for years and years trying to hang on to their jobs? what about non profit radio or news only radio? or is it all about trying to have one's podcast and try to get advertisement (and making money) that way?....
A few of the great ones are no longer with us, bless them and thank them for their many laughs over the years, even though I am a Cincinnati transplant.
As a 48 year old man who recently lost his parents within weeks of one another I hear this song and close my eyes and there we are together again in our old living room watching this show.
🙏
sarry to hear that, used to see this show in the 80's a very young kid I was and always liked the sounds of the song its kind of late night sounding like the theme for taxi, but further more, i have the memory of the cut scenes of cincy with the statue with the water comming off it called the water genious thinking for years it was a statue of the blessed mother and it reminded me of a mini plastic statue of her we had in the bedroom of my perants on the dresser this very room I type this message which is not and has been for 20 years the computer room. but I will also say this song remindes me of when some people that put on conventions that are based out of cincinati would put on a con in fort wayne called ikasucon that started out there but moved it due to a better deal and more venue room, and to the time I went to my second one in 2009 had to miss 2008 as was on vacation of lifetime in rome italy as my graduation gift and got back the day it was over but in 2009 the third year it was here in indiana I competed in my first skit competition and won a judges choice award, and I had soo much fun that weekend a few weeks after saw wkrp in syndication on wgn chicago and reminded me of my new friends from cincinati that put on the convention and lead me to explore more of it and the sights and I learned about the over the rhine district and so on and wanted to hear this song again and saw somone put a music video togather of sights using this song as a welcome to guests for some other convention or meetup.
fast forward to 2017 it was the last time the con was held here and covid put a kabosh on it for the last 2 years its been going on 6 years now I yearn to see my friends and staff from cincy again and have fun with like minded anime and manga fans in my back yard, this song only wants me to yearn more for it to come back.
I'm also 48 and lost both of my parents and that's what brought me here!!
Hurts no less. Lost the love of my life now going on five years.
Same, but in my case not recently, I'm 58. I know that kind of feelings .. 🥺 Greetz from the Netherlands.
Am I the only one who gets a kinda sad feeling when hearing these old theme songs.
No I get sad because it makes me remember ppl I lost
It's sad because they don't do TV show openings like this that much these days.
All that...plus, back then people weren't completely Frikking Mental!! Like today.
Hagfan789 Agreed.
The 4th Horseman me, too....I get blue inside when I hear these old theme songs....I really miss those days....
Is it just me or does hearing this song always takes you back to a time in life when life was more free spirited and enjoyable? Sometimes it simply brings me to tears. How I'd give anything to go back to those days and times.
Well said, I think anyone who grew up in the 80's know this even if they don't want to admit it
I bawl my eyes out. I miss my childhood.
agreed....Today after I heard of Howard Hesseman's passing, I just came here to hear that tune once again. If was simpler and more innocent back then.
Totally agree.
Yes
This theme song (briefly) took me back to when I was a child in the early 1980s. Such a better time than the bullshit we are all dealing w/ in 2022.
100%
Yes
Amen to that brother
🔖
True
"The cost of finding me was losing you." Brilliant and powerful line.
Given the melancholy of the song, it makes you wonder if losing her was worth gaining himself.
*price for
I can relate to that line big time (it is "The price..." not 'cost') .
We broke up while in college after a one year courtship (the same year WKRP first aired... Maybe you and me were never meant to be
, but baby think of me once in awhile"), but somehow navigating through time, distance and circumstances 33 years later we got married.
@@rcnelson I think of that too
@@michaelalexander43 Get out of here, wow!! Imagine that after all those years.
This week marked the 45th Anniversary of the first episode of WKRP. As someone who was a part of WKRP (worked on three episodes, appearing once on the show) it gives me great pleasure to know that people had connections to the series. For me, my interactions with the great talents (both in front of and behind the camera) who made this show possible were the best experiences of my life. My thanks to all of them.
Hey thanks for sharing your story. Working on and appearing on WKRP is special indeed! ❤ you're lucky you got to be apart of TV history!! I'm jelly. Coolest story.
What was it like working on that show. And did you realize what a great show it was.
I drove a big rig for some years, and we always moved around.
@@waynejohanson1083 it was four of the best experiences of my life working for MTM Enterprises. First time was for their show RHODA (a spin-off of the original Mary Tyler Moore Show) and 3 times working for WKRP, although only appearing once on the show. Playing the lawyer character Elgar Neece in the episode titled "Mike Fright' where Dr. Fever told people to dump their garbage on the steps of City Hall.
MTM was a fantastic company for which I credit the 2 founders (Mary Tyler Moore and her husband, Grant Tinker) for setting the stage by hiring great people.
MTM should be an example to other companies on how to create and run a company. Some of the best experiences of my life.
@@Bummerdrummer463 you're welcome. As I replied to someone else here, working for the MTM "family" was a very special opportunity. I remain grateful to Mary (Tyler Moore), her husband (Grant Tinker) and Hugh Wilson (the creator and executive producer of WKRP) for creating the situation where I could work for them. The role of the lawyer that I played on WKRP was created specifically for me to play by Hugh and Dan Guntzelman, who was the Head Writer on WKRP. I am still grateful to all of them along with the cast members I shared screen time with, Gordon Jump, Gary Sandy, Loni Anderson and Frank Bonner.
RIP DR. JOHNNY FEVER!! Has to be one of the greatest characters in TV show history
True..a rock kind of guy with a disco name!!😊🎸🎶
when did he die?
@@mrfivegold January 29 2022
@@fanofallaroundaudreyandjus544 damn, sorry to hear that.
Have to agree, great character. Being totally honest, as a teenager at the time, Loni Anderson was the big draw!
TH-cam is the closest thing to a time machine we will ever have.
And there's apps like TUBI
@@kshelaanofelaas1967facts it’s like shows from the 50 to the present I love it
This is one of the most underrated television themes ever. The entire song tells quite a rich narrative. It's like the guy was hired to write just the station identification jingle and decided to include his own story in it.
It's Andy...
The theme is pretty darn good. But the TV show was honestly overrated.
@@Huskerbrotha No it was't. They are an amazing ensemble cast. Hard to find one better. Brilliant. EVERY single charcater is memorable. Overrated lol smh
@@DJRitty Well my dude, I can respect and appreciate your opinion on that matter. I truly do. I also truly disagree with your assessment. But, glad you enjoyed the show. That is all that matters. Enjoy your day!
Actually the lyrics to the song or gibberish the guy that wrote the song was the one that did the thing and everything for the show and he said that he could say anything and it would be acceptable so he did
Today's generation will never ever understand what it was like to have real television shows to watch. Childhood was so easy back then.
A nostalgic feeling overcome me every time I hear this theme… I know I am not alone feeling this way..
Yes and Worth Saving
You are not alone classic show classic theme great cast as well👍
It does sort of exude nostalgia. I listened to it 20 years ago and felt nostalgic, now I listen to it and feel nostalgic about listening to it 20 years ago and feeling nostalgic.
You're not alone! I miss those simpler, kinder days.
I know what you mean I feel the same way
RIP Howard Hesseman you will never be forgotten!
better simpler times,people say dont hold onto past.its hard sometimes
Dr. Johnny Fever is now with showrunner Hugh Wilson, Herb (Frank Bonner) and The Big Guy (Gordon Jump).
Doctor Detroit will be forgotten.
Doctor Johnny Fever is my hero.
Same with Frank Bonner and Gordon Jump.
Oh the memories...Riding bikes with no helmets, drinking out of the water hose, catching fire flies and anything else that could fit in a jar (with holes on the top of course) and a popsicle from the Good Humor truck for $0.25...Good times😀
I remember you. We were doing the same thing at the same time in different neighborhoods---like a parallel universe. Been there; done that. You're right : "oh, the memories."
Yes, it was!! 😢😢
.25? Oh my goodness , I remember giving that old bastard a dime for a cicle'!!
Onher2911 Yes Lawd
I still do all that stuff
This track is bliss. The sound of the 70s will never be recaptured.
centralparocker Don't be so sure! Retro Wave is a new genre of music that is very successfully recreating that 1980's action movie sound, so maybe somebody will do something similar for some 1970's styles --- it could happen .... and even if it doesn't, we still have great classics like the WKRP theme :-D
+StillAtMyMoms Never heard this before could be im in UK
+jacky Parker You missed the greatest sitcom from the 70s. Every episode absolutely hilarious.
+jacky Parker WKRP in Cincinnati was shown in the UK in 1983-4 by Channel 4 and also on ITV 1987-8 during the early hours of the morning, I do remember seeing it at the time and thinking it was very good, but haven't seen it since on tv over here.
StillAtMyMoms bring back the 1970s
"The price of finding me was losing you..." That's a pretty deep meaningful line.
The city of Cincinnati should adopt this as their signature song
Takes me back to a simpler time!!
So true, so true
Probably when radio was good to listen to.
***** Yes, before RW talk radio ruined it.
mary love The DJ's are not even allowed to play anything they want, these days.
And a happier time!
I'm man enough to admit this song makes me cry.
I am at WKRP at Cincinnati, sending out love to all who are missing,Johnny Fever, RIP, so sad.
Still missing the man.
My tears constantly roll down my face when I hear this beautiful beautiful song
Sweet
Freeda Jackson With all these channels Im glad they find room for these old shows, my tv they play reruns of Brady Bunch, Leave it to Beaver, Beverly Hillbillies, Patty Duke, Happy Days, even PARTRIDGE FAMILY. I rember going to lots of 70s concerts
W.K.R.P IN CINCINNATI AND Welcome back were the two best theme songs from the 70s and 80s.
leftctin99 👍👍👌
I concur
At 58, most of my life i e uttered the words WKRP IN Cincinnati randomly and for no reason whatsoever! I guess i must've watched it at some point, and i can't be without those mutterings in my head. I love it. ❤
My hero Dr. Johnny Fever. I miss being a kid sometimes 🤙🏻
Sung by Steve Carlisle as a studio session performer for MCA. The studio released it as a single in 1979, and it did well on the pop charts. To lure stations into playing it more, the studio had Carlisle perform multiple takes of the last line, each time substituting different call letters of real Top-40 radio stations , e.g. "I'm at WERC in Birminghammm", "I'm at WCFL in Chicagooo".
don't you just love the lyrics in the closing song.
@@hulaGUNZ Intentional nonsense lyrics, and a very good match to the music. Some say it was humor based how a lot of people can't make out the lyrics to rock music anyway. // Many TV shows -- comedy and drama -- have opening theme music that's livelier than the closing, which is sometimes more sedate. But in the case of WKRP, the closing theme has noticeably more energy than the opening.
How do I find this recording? I tried on Itunes they don't have it. Any suggestions? Thanks.
I LOVED THIS SHOW, GROWING UP! I miss my childhood 😢
Bridget, NC
RIP Howard Hesseman. 01/29/2022
Thanks for all the laughs!! You will be remembered fondly. 🙏🙏🙏🕊️🕊️🕊️
Hoist a glass for Dr Johnny Fever. Rest well and thank you for spinning those records, may we meet again where the music is always jiving and the turkeys DO fly.
Amen.
For Dr. Johnny Fever I proclaim....#BOOGER!!!!!
Don't forget "VENUS FLYTRAP!" PLAYED BY TIM REID
Later had a cameo on the New WKRP episode where he became one of the publishers of Black Enterprise Magazine.
I know turkeys do fly because I have seen them perched on low tree branches. How well they fly is another question.
*"The price of finding me was losing you"*
That lyric I can seriously relate to at this latter point in my life.
WKRP's Thanksgiving episode "Turkey Drop" scene is one of the funniest moments in all of TV sitcom history.
"As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly"... one of the funniest lines,ever!
LOL
Well, as God as my witness, I thought Turkeys could fly.
I used to work at a bar and one of the regular musicians that played there learned this song and would play it whenever a fight started to break out. Even the two fighters who stop and bewilderedly sing along. It was like some sort of magic.
I love this story. What a smart and soulful dude that musician was! Thanks for sharing! 🤔😂🤗❤️
Wow. That's crazy, but I totally get it.
Youre right my friend this does carry some kind of magic and most wont will not understand it but its only for the far and few..thanks god bless..p.s i already new this was a very special song..
My mom loved WKRP. We never missed watching. She had a crush on Johnny. I think of her every time I hear this.
Frank Bonner, who played Herb Tarlek on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati,” has died. He was 79.
Bonner passed away “peacefully” Wednesday amid a battle with Lewy body dementia, his family told TMZ.
Bummer...loved that guy
Complications of Lewy Body Dementia ended Estelle Getty's life in 2008. She played Bea Arthur's mom in "The Golden Girls." LBD also drove Robin Williams to suicide in 2014. Like Estelle, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's, but his autopsy showed Lewy Body Dementia. Rest in peace, Frank. He has joined Gordon Jump, who played station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson. He died in 2003.
He was part of a great cast what a funny shiw
☹ 😢
Johnny Fever died today
Never heard the theme in it's entirety...classic.
Why yes, I agree.
@Noah Partic The full version was a single.
I haven't either. I didn't realize there was a full version.
Sir, you are shallow and pedantic... :-)
I bought the 45 for my mom on eBay
There is a certain "sound" of 70's songs. They knew what chords support the strong melody, even if they seemed kinda weird or corny to a modern ear. Esp. on TV themes. Wistful, melancholy and trite at the same time. It's a feat to behold for a hobby composer.
MrPisster I agree. If someone were to writethis song TODAY, with that instrumentation, arrangement, and chord choices - they would be thought of as NUTS. Solid stufff
MrPisster yeah but this particular theme isn't from 1978. It's from 1981. I'm trying to find the full version from 1978 but I can't....
MrPisster =/
Definitely a sound that cannot be duplicated anymore. That area had some true artists. I even recall the late Syd Dale as one of the biggest makers of theme songs from that era.
Love this theme, I hear shades of "Elusive Butterfly" by Bob Lind from 1966, another favorite.
RIP Howard Hessman....thanks for making me and my Grandpa laugh back in the 1980s...I will never forget watching this show with him.
Word. I hated the show but somehow I am thankfully for the nostalgia good, bad or indifferent. R.I.P. Howard Hessman
This was the 70s ,,
Was Howard Hessman "Mr. Plaid?"
RIP Dr. Johnny Fever. I hope you'll give both Arthur & Herb headaches in heaven! (1/31/22)
I remember this playing on the radio back in the day. Funny how tv show themes would actually get radio air play and sometimes even chart once upon a time lol. I miss thle late 70s and 80's 😟
Takes me back to my youthful days in the 1980's.............Great show and we were lucky to have it over the pond in Britain.
This song makes me happy and sad at the same time..........BTW: Love Britain and the British people!! Hip, Hip, Hurray!!
Aired 1st in Sept 1978 ,,,
@@theodoreritola7641 We got it slightly later in Great Britain, perhaps a couple of years to cross the Atlantic... It was just so different to British TV, a real viewing experience !
Since when is the Atlantic Ocean a pond? it's hyperbole in reverse!
@@spectrum10 It is just an expression we regularly use here in Great Britain. Just a way of speaking.
RIP Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner and Gordon Jump. You guys brought smiles and laughter to our TV viewing evenings.
I’m listening to this for Dr. Johnny Fever himself, Howard Hesseman. Thank you, sir, for the memories, you will be missed 🙏🏾
I am so glad I was a kid in the 70s!
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."
+kasey westbrook "Oh, the humanity!!"
+Avery D Les' Mr. Macho hairpiece scene was pretty fucking funny too. "Well I'm hot blooded, check it and see, I've got fever of 103..." Or Carlson's cocaine/foot powder mix up: "I've got a monkey on my foot!"
Lol!
one of the funniest episodes of anything I've ever seen
LOVE THAT EPISODE! I recently downloaded it from iTunes. Still watch it today.
Definitely sends me back to childhood days
Rest in peace Howard hessman He was truly embodied a 1970s and eighties DJ
He will be missed a lot.
70's and 80's Absolutely.
I was born in '77 I grew up with array of great tunes like this. Oh the memories...
@Sasha Harney Toddler, yep I do! :)
@Sasha Harney Cool! ;)
Love love this song. Makes me feel young again!
RIP Howard Hessman. Johnny Fever was one of my favorite TV characters when I was a kid. This song hurts and heals at the same time.
These old theme songs remind ME of the good days growing up 70's 80's now it's 2022 WOW life has changed so much now
I miss the America I grew up with.
Canada sucks
Amen
James Janota I agree with you 1000%.
It was a great America.Unlike today!
We all miss the American era we grew up with.
This song makes we want to go back to the 70's and 80's when I use to watch shows of that era when I was growing up.
“Dr. Johnny Fever” has left the building. Thanks for the memories Howard! RIP...
The bass line in this song is badass!!!
I used to watch this all the time as a kid.
Eric B it comes on no in Washington D.C. were im at✌
Eric B If your interested its on Directv channel 67
I still do
NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE FOR A CHILD. MIND CONTROL.
I loved this.show...
omgggggggg I am taken a back...... my heart is racing and those good times are flashing before me! I want to go back!
Bargain Hunters Paradise ☺
Metv plays wkrp at 9:30est
Me too!
Is there such a station?
Bargain Hunters Paradise Me2
RIP Hugh Wilson, Bill Dial, Peter Torokvei, Gordon Jump, Frank Bonner, and now, Howard Hesseman.
My brother and I enjoyed the show many years ago. The one I remember the most was about the WHO concert and those people that died. Godspeed Johnny Fever
for 2 minutes and 51 seconds it felt like America again.
AMEN!!!
Susan you got that SO RIGHT!!
HOOAH from Jack
Northwest Wildlife Online
1979 all over again for me..
Truth.
Well put Susan !
WKRP in Cincinnaaaaati.
Published on May 8, 2007
So glad to see I'm not the only one who waxes nostalgic over this theme song. I, too, miss these days.
What fond memories this song brings back. a time when people were so much nicer and remembering riding across the states on a grey hound bus. It also brings back memories of the people that I love that are gone. God bless every one.
What a time in life! Thats what they call the "Good ole days".
[Verse 1]
Baby, if you've ever wondered
Wondered whatever became of me
I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP
[Verse 2]
Got kind of tired packing and unpacking
Town to town and up and down the dial
Maybe you and me were never meant to be
But baby think of me once in awhile
[Verse 3]
Heading up that highway
Leaving you behind
Hardest thing I've ever had to do
Broke my heart in two
But Baby, pay no mind
The price for finding me was losing you
[Verse 4]
Memories help me hide my lonesome feelin'
Far away from you and feelin' low
It's gettin' late my friend, my love, I miss you so
Take good care of you, I've gotta go
[Verse 5]
Baby, if you've ever wondered
Wondered whatever became of me
I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP
[Verse 6]
Got kind of tired packing and unpacking
Town to town and up and down the dial
Maybe you and me were never meant to be
But baby think of me once in awhile
I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati
Reminds me of watching reruns as an 80s kid. Nothing but good memories here buddy
Howard Hesseman, star of 'WKRP in Cincinnati,' dies at 81. He will be missed
1980's = Best decade in human history, ever!
Hell yeah!!!
Could be...but WKRP came out in 1978. LOL
That is true but still a part of the 80s, just like Dukes of Hazzard
B-Jo hey man the seventies were up there..
Far from it. The 80s were tacky. The only Good thing to come out of the 80s was.....
ME
The Thanksgiving episode was the funniest thing that has ever been on television.
You know what...I might AGREE with you on that. I'll put it up as greatest sitcom ep ever. If there is ONE episode that INSTANTLY pops into mind when I think 'holiday episode' it's the WKRP Thanksgiving ep. SO man favorite x-mas episodes I watch every year but I do Halloween and Thanksgiving ones too and it is a MUST above all other episodes. Good call.
Never saw it. What's it aboot?
and the true magic of that episode, even though it was *television*, was that "the scene" was all in the viewer's mind! Epic, wonderful writing!
Still is honestly!
@@zapkvr It's on TH-cam...search "WKRP Turkeys Away" and prepare to die laughing!!!
RIP JOHNNY FEVER. ONE OF THE GREATEST CHARACTERS EVER. AND ONE OF THE GREATEST THEMES EVER!
R.I.P. Dr. Johnny Fever aka Howard Hessman and congratulations to the Cincinnati Bengals for making it to the Super Bowl.
This is one of the coolest themes ever and it's T.V.
I feel sad because we will never get those days and times back gone forever thank God for Memories
The feeling you get when listening to this is so many mixed emotions. Would love to go back in time ❤️ where has the time gone.
Man..I remember this as child in the early 80s & stayed up at night just to hear the song..I loved it vack then life was soo much simpler
Kudos to wonderful singer, Steve Carlisle, and guitarist on this version, Rick Slipp Hinkle, and, of course, to composer Tom Wells!!
Hello siri lol
I thought that was Larry Carlton..wow
When this was in first run and I was a kid, I always thought this was Richard Sanders singing it. Voices have a similar quality
I thought it was Larry Carlton as well. The bass player sounds like Abraham Laboriel and the keyboardist sounds like Harlan Rogers' (Koinonia) style. I know Rick Hinkle and he is like an East Coast version of Larry Carlton.
Susan Bennett you kn them all Beautiful!!!😀
This show made me want to go to Cincinnati lol.
I did go..
Nobody wants to go to ohio
NO, This Show made me want to go to Ossipee, Conway known as Glen, Pittsburg, NH, Lancaster, NH and Stewartstown!!!
Sheels1976 Same here, this show made working at a radio station seem cool!
Me too. Maybe that was the purpose of the show. But there was no radio station called WKRP til recently there.
Rip Gordon Jump!! I just love this show!! Meow!!
This has to be one of my favorite show tunes ever !!!
As a young child I used to watch this TV show every day. I loved every character on the show and always looked forward to watching it. The show, song and characters will ALWAYS hold a special place in my heart.
God I miss these days. It reminds me of my family back in the 80's, going on vacations together with me and my sister in the back seat on the way to Disney. My how things have changed, sister is all grown up with kids , all grandparents gone, including my father. Good bye times suck....... now all grown up with a family of mine, I can only reflect on the good ole days and hope for the best in the future. I sure wish they made tv shows today like they did back then. Growing up is a bitch..
Unusually deep lyrics for a theme song.
that's true
only the first verse was used
Gore Elohim this is ausome man
Gore Elohim good
you hit it on the nose. This song was so deep, I actually cried while the entire song was playing
Just found out that Howard Hesseman passed on. It was a great pleasure watching this show every week. Was a big part of my youth. Hearing the whole track (for the first time) is wonderfully nostalgic. Blessings to you Dr Johnny Fever, Rock on my man ✌🏾
One of my very favorite late 70s sitcoms!!
This tune really takes me back to early childhood, so nostalgic......
This song is catchy, but pensive at the same time.
"The price of finding me was losing you"
"Maybe you and me were never meant to be, but maybe just think of me once in a while"
"The price of finding me was losing you" was my favorite line as well.
Those were my two favorite parts. I hear this song, at least 5 times a week. On our "me channel" here in new bern, n.c.....
The price of finding me was losing you gives me chills.
Everyone was stoned and deep man lol
It's a good song but it has almost nothing to do with the show, lol
good times great memories the 70s and 80s
I was at work today, I've been there almost 29 years, this song popped into my head, I started to remember my childhood, friends, loved once and much simpler times...awesome.
Brings back good memories. Miss those days.
That song, sums it up, having worked in radio, many years.
So true. Up and down the dial is so accurate
Dr. Johnny Fever was based on Skinny Bobby Harper a DJ in Atlanta Georgia
Sounds like you had an interesting life my friend....
I was 2 years old when wkrp in Cincinnati is in the 1st season
Thank God for networks like metv and TV land who play these great shows. Love this show, one of the most underated sitcoms ever.
This is actually a really great song. Great lyrics.
Great song for a criminally underrated show. Gotta love the old theme songs from the 1970s & 1980s.
No,not just great my friend it's one of the most amazing theme songs ever made and that is an understatement..thanks God bless
@@werearethedreamteam3724 I can't disagree with you on that. 👍
One of the best shows...ever.
WKRP had two musical themes, one opening and the other closing the show. The opening theme, called "WKRP In Cincinnati Main Theme," was composed by Tom Wells, with lyrics by series creator Hugh Wilson, and was performed by Steve Carlisle.[14][15][16] An urban legend circulated at the time that Richard Sanders (who had comparable vocal characteristics to Carlisle) had recorded the song. Wilson stated in the commentary for the first season's DVD set that this was simply not true. (Sanders would later "sing" the lyrics in a promo spot on VH1 for The New WKRP in Cincinnati, which parodied the U2 song, "Numb.")A full-length version of the original theme song was released in 1979 on a 45 rpm vinyl single on the MCA Records label. It peaked at 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981 and at 29 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1982. The lyrics refer to the life of character Andy Travis.The closing theme, "WKRP In Cincinnati End Credits," was a hard rock number composed and performed by Jim Ellis, an Atlanta musician who recorded some of the incidental music for the show. According to people who attended the recording sessions, Ellis didn't yet have lyrics for the closing theme, so he improvised a semi-comprehensible story about a bartender to give an idea of how the finished theme would sound. Wilson decided to use the words anyway, since he felt that it would be funny to use lyrics that were deliberate gibberish, as a satire on the incomprehensibility of many rock songs.[17] Because CBS always had an announcer talking over the closing credits, Wilson knew that no one would hear the closing theme lyrics. In one pop-cultural nod to the closing theme, a character performs the song in the film Ready to Rumble. The closing theme is also played at the end of the syndicated morning radio show The John Boy and Billy Big Show.
Just love this to bits...lyrics are so sad but are balanced by a catchy tune. We all go through this once or twice in our lives..wondering what became of that one ex that held a special place in our hearts...well I do anyways and this song encapsulates exactly how I feel.
+D Turner I love this song, but it's kind of funny because if you listen to it, it's a real sad song. Wonder why they decided to use these lyrics.
+Joseph Delledonne Maybe because many DJ's have been in this situation. Look at the Howard Stern film Private Parts.
+reghanlee. Promise me one thing buddy...please...Call Kristi and tell her how you feel...she is probably your destiny and soulmate...I came back to UK after having returned to Canada because my destiny was here and I am happier now...I really regretted the time I was apart from her. Some things just cannot be helped..and if after 20...20 years you still feel the "pain! like it was yesterday then buddy...go for it! What is stopping you other than yourself?
God bless your soul Howard Hesseman. You are deeply missed.
so sad Howard Hesseman, who became a beloved TV mainstay through his roles on sitcoms “WKRP in Cincinatti” and “Head of the Class,” died Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles of complications from colon surgery he had undergone last summer. He was 81 years old
Damn shame that a theme song has better songwriting than a lot of these so called songs out today.
Hell yea
3 years since your posted and music hasn't changed. smh. Stiil sucks.
@@crodriguez2360 you're not lying. The music scene, at least in the mainstream, is still looking sad.
The lyrics were written by show creator Hugh Wilson when he found out how much he'd make in syndication. According to a panel interview, it paid for his farm.
Absolutely
I love this classic television theme song from the classic television comedy WKRP in Cincinnati! Iwas born in 1978. This is the first time I ever heard all of the verses of this song! Thank you for posting and sharing this!
Was raised by my Grandparents in the late 70s/early 80s and a family friend of ours son played for the Cincinnati Reds Baseball team 1982, 1984 to 1986. Had his best playing days with them and loved the city of Cincinnati. Said the people were really nice and he enjoyed playing there. He was managed by Pete Rose in 85 and 86. Russ Nixon in 82 and part of 83 and then Vern Rapp. The player was the late Wayne Krenchicki
A huge part of my childhood. Thank you for the full version.
Any of us who spent our time behind the microphone can really identify. I look back at my 51 years and all the stations and formats. What a ride!
So true. especially the part about up and down the dial.
When I was in high school, all I wanted to do was be a radio personality. Unfortunately, 1994 was the beginning of the end for small stations, thanks to Cumulus (and even today with iheartradio). By the time I got out of the AF, the days of one person behind a mic with stacks of wax and a pot of black coffee to keep them going were long gone. But thank you for keeping so many of us company.
In my opinion, iHeartRadio has done more to kill terrestrial radio than Sirius/XM, Cumulus and any other radio conglomerate ever created combined. It is sad Chase that if you indeed have talent that you were denied your dream due to the "homogenizing and sanitizing" of radio signals here in the United States. I would so love to see iHeartRadio crash, burn and die.
so basically there is NO THERE for anyone to even TRY to get into radio now.. it's more about those doing it for years and years trying to hang on to their jobs? what about non profit radio or news only radio? or is it all about trying to have one's podcast and try to get advertisement (and making money) that way?....
Sounds like really awesome life full of adventure.....
A few of the great ones are no longer with us, bless them and thank them for their many laughs over the years, even though I am a Cincinnati transplant.
One of my all time favorite tracks. The guitar rif at the end will forever be one of my favorite musical parts ever.
Bailey was scorching hot.