THEME = TV songs: “The Dukes Of Hazzard”, “The Facts Of Life” & “Fame”
This week’s edition features 3 popular 1980s series….
#1 “The Dukes Of Hazzard” | CBS | 01/26/1979 – 02/08/1985
Have you heard this show’s full theme song, “Good Ol’ Boys”? Performed by Waylon Jennings, the show’s balladeer, this song officially hit the charts 08/23/1980; it spent 17 weeks on the country charts & claimed #1, while reaching #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ZHn_76QM0
FYI: this series was inspired by the 1975 movie ‘Moonrunners’, also created by Gy Waldron. I’m sure y’all are familiar with the actors & actresses & corresponding characters, but did you know that of the entire cast only Uncle Jesse & Bogg Hogg appear in all 145 episodes? Daisy did not appear in Season 3’s “To Catch A Duke” episode, & the famous General Lee (1969 Dodge Charger) was not seen in the early Season 1 episode “Mary Kaye’s Baby”.
#2 “The Facts Of Life” | 08/24/1979 – 05/07/1988
This series theme was written by Al Burton, Gloria Loring & Alan Thicke, performed by Loring. As the series progressed, the lyrics used in the opening were shifted to the closing credits before being dropped entirely. The video features the full song.
FYI: this series started as a spinoff of “Diff’rent Strokes” (theme performed by Thicke) & became 1 of the longest-running 1980s sitcoms. The pilot of this series was the Season 1 finale of “Diff’rent Strokes”. Originally a ratings flop (particularly by today’s standards), this series was retooled for Season 2 & immediately soared in the ratings, a surge it sustained through a move to Saturday night as the lead-in to the brand new series “The Golden Girls”. Though ratings fell a bit in the last few seasons, some changes & storylines kept it fresh & a powerful comedy.
#3 “Fame” | 01/07/1982 – 05/18/1987
This theme was written by Michael Gore & Dean Pitchford for the movie of the same name. Originally released June 1980, the full song is sung by Irene Cara, who originated the role of Coco Hernandez in the film. This single reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 while claiming #1 in Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand & England. For the TV series, a shortened version of the song was sung by Erica Gimpel (Coco Hernandez). In the midst of the opening, Debbie Allen (as Lydia Grant) says: “You got big dreams. You want fame. Well, fame costs, & right here’s where you start paying … in sweat.”
FYI: this series started as a broadcast show, but then quickly switched to 1st run syndication, starting with Season 2 in 1983. When it went to syndication, Chicago’s FOX 32 aired it; at the time, the only TV in our house that could get FOX 32 was an old black & white set in the basement. The series is based heavily on the actual Fiorello H LaGuardia HS of Music & Art & Performing Arts in NYC. The series also starred Albert Hague (Benjamin Shorofsky), Carol Mayo Jenkins (Elizabeth Sherwood), Ken Swofford (Principal Quentin Morloch), Morgan Stevens (David Reardon), Gene Anthony Ray (Leroy Johnon), Carlo Imperato (Danny Amatullo), Lori Singer (Julie Miller), Lee Curreri (Bruno Martelli), Valerie Landsburg (Doris Schwartz), Cynthia Gibb (Holly Laird) & Janet Jackson (Cleo Hewitt), among many others.