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Thoughts on Theme Song replacements
It's almost a given that a show with tons of music will have at least one song replaced when it comes out on DVD, but what if that one song is the theme for the show? The earliest theme-song replacements occurred on Dawson's Creek and Married... with Children, the former using the international theme, and the latter using a sound-alike song, but the replacements didn't stop there. Since then we've heard new theme songs for Life Goes On, the international theme for Las Vegas, a butchered theme for Baywatch, George Lopez uttering some words instead of "Low Rider" and the season 3 theme being used on season 2 of Happy Days. Why is this happening?
Most songs are licensed on a per-play basis, so the theme song costs are multiplied by the number of episodes in the season. A $20,000 song quickly becomes $440,000 for the season, and the studios are telling us that the recording companies hold this songs hostage, knowing that it's the most important song to license. Sony delayed the third season of Married... with Children in the hopes they could work out a deal, but had to go with the sound-alike when the recording company wouldn't budge. CBS Home Video found a way around that by licensing the Joan of Arcadia theme song six times, including it on the first episode of each disc, and leaving the other episodes without opening credits. This was sneaky, but also a very smart move since they weren't associating another song with the series, and were able to keep their costs down.
So, here's my question to you; what's the "best" way to change a theme on a DVD set? Do you care if the song only appears once per disc, or is a sound-alike a better way to go? Of course the best approach is to license the theme song, but there will always be cases where this isn't possible. I prefer the Joan of Arcadia method of including the theme song once per disc; we're not associating a new theme song with the series, and the studio keeps their costs down.
Please try to keep discussion focused on theme song replacement only.
Gord
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Apr 20, 2007 12:12 PM
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I hate it when the theme song is changed. I watched a few episodes of Las Vegas when it first premiered but it conflicted with something else so I had to give it up and wait for the DVDs. I was devastated when I heard that other song for the first time. It just wasn't the same. I love the original theme and always watch the opening credits just to hear it. After the first episode I ALWAYS fast forwarded thru the opening credits and theme song on the DVDs.
I like the idea of having the theme song at least once on the disc versus never at all or having an inferior replacement.
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Apr 20, 2007 12:29 PM
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I personally would much rather see them use the original theme to the series then replace it. Even if that means only having it once per disc. That is how they did Joan of Arcadia... and I felt that was even though a little disappointing I also found it to be a fair compromise.
Though, I do hate to see the theme song of a show to actually be a problem for the show's dvd release.
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Apr 20, 2007 12:37 PM
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The best way would be to avoid the problem completely.
Any studio developing a new show would have to be out of their mind to not have the DVD rights built into the contract for the selected song right up front. If the music owner doesn't agree, you pick a new song from someone who does agree before the pilot even airs.
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Apr 20, 2007 12:54 PM
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I was very disappointed when I bought season 2 of Happy Days and the season 3 theme song was used instead.
They could had someone sing "Rock Around The Clock" instead of using the season 3 theme song that does not match the intro footage for season 2!
I also wanted to mention that the closing logo after the ending theme song is not the original. A CBS/Paramount logo appears during the last few seconds of the ending theme song instead.
Since this is something I paid for I might just return it and watch the episodes I recorded "free of charge" from TV along time ago instead.
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Apr 20, 2007 1:01 PM
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I did a recent post (http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/Couch-Tater/Just-Sit-Right/800012032) on TV theme songs, and based on the response I got to that blog I would definitely say that a large group of people agree that the theme song is often an important part of the show. Replacing, or messing with the songs bothers me in almost all cases.
I danced every week to the Friends' theme, and still do on my DVDs. I rocked it out with my air guitar to Veronica Mars opening (before they changed it to this slow crap they have now). And without the Gilligan's Island theme I might not know what was going on every week. Fortunately these sets all managed to keep their theme songs.
I just wonder why it happens with new shows. They must be able to anticipate DVD releases, so can't they come up with some sort of agreement beforehand that would work for everyone? Maybe I just don't understand enough about "the industry".
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Apr 20, 2007 1:02 PM
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Kamandi2,
I've also noticed that a number of shows are doing away with the openings altogether. Look at shows like Lost, Kidnapped, The Shield, and probably tons of others - they don't even have a theme song, so they don't need to license any music.
Gord
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Apr 20, 2007 1:04 PM
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Well, I will never buy a show which either replaces the theme song or only has it on some of the episodes. Theme songs are too nostalgic. I can put up with incidental music changes, but theme music is sacred to me. If a studio cannot pay for the theme song for every episode, then don't release the series until this is possible.
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Apr 20, 2007 1:22 PM
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Maybe new TV shows should stick to creating their own themes instead of picking popular music since it is becoming an issue.
I want the original most of all, Joan of Arcadia's compromise is fine for that sort of situation but occurances where this is done and the theme song cost is not an issue should be avoided. I think I would still want an opening for each episode, though.
They could use incidental music from the show or make a new theme for the series and just show the original with the first episode or before the menu.
Would it be possible to do it this way but make it play for each episode? Like put it on a seperate track that would play automatically if you picked an episode. It would be on there only once but accessed more than one time or way.
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Apr 20, 2007 1:42 PM
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It's a good idea TheBradfordCurse, but I don't think it's a legit way around the problem. I'm pretty sure the studio would be sued by the record company, and they'd likely lose based on the argument that it's one video clip shown for each episode on the disc.
Gord
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Apr 20, 2007 1:59 PM
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I don't like any song replacement, and it sucks that this keeps DVD's from being released (i.e. Wonder Years). I'm ecstatic that Miami Vice was able to keep all its music.
As for Theme songs, give us the entire song (again, in its ENTIRETY), at least with the menus, or even better with the first episode on the disc.
Replacing it all together just isn't right. If we are to preserve these series on DVD, there needs to be a way to preserve the original song.
Ray in Boston
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Apr 20, 2007 2:02 PM
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Think about any conversation you've ever had with a friend, coworker, whoever, about your favorite TV shows. At some point, one of you almost always does a rendition of the theme! Part of what makes any show an endearing classic is the theme song! WILD WILD WEST, STAR TREK, TWILIGHT ZONE, ANDY GRIFFITH, I LOVE LUCY, CAROL BURNETT, MARY TYLER MOORE--need I go on? The stories may still be just as good, but something's changed that detracts from the TOTAL enjoyment of the program. It's the TV equivalent of driving by the house you grew up in, only to find it's been torn down & replaced.
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Apr 20, 2007 2:09 PM
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I love TV shows, especially in season sets. In most cases the shows build from one episode to the next, So, I'd be happy with a single instance of theme music per DVD.
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Apr 20, 2007 2:09 PM
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While I would prefer the original music myself, I am just happy to see the shows I like. Music changes aren't a dealbreaker for me and I will still buy TV shows that I like whether the music's the same or not.
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Apr 20, 2007 2:10 PM
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In an ideal world, I want the DVD episodes to be exactly as they aired.
This, obviously, means with the original theme songs. If an episode used a shortened version of the usual theme, I want that, too.
However, we're dealing with craven, money-hungry entertainment industry executives and artists.
I think it's awful that people are so petty about these things.
I mean, for God's sake, in a lot of these cases, the artists would have been nobodies if not for the exposure from having their music used on the show in the first place.
The bottom line (as usual in these kind of stand-offs): The fans are the ones getting screwed. But, of course, that's not a consideration.
That said, I cast my vote for the Joan of Arcadia solution. At least the original elements are there in some form.
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Apr 20, 2007 2:16 PM
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