# Is there a similarity between the theme song of Get Smart & The Immigrant Song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642 "2007-08-23T15:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/1 "2007-08-23T15:19:26Z")
Am I dreaming? Could it be? It seems to me that there is a similarity between the theme song from Get Smart, and the Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin. Jimmie Page’s wail sounds a lot like the Get Smart Theme. Could Led Zeppelin have been inspired by Get Smart? Ficer67 ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/2 "2007-08-23T15:43:46Z")
First thought - **Ficer67** is a nutjob. Replaying the Page wail in my head. Mentally watching Maxwell go through all those doors while recalling the theme. Second thought - **Ficer67** is probably still a nutjob, but a nutjob who is on to something. Although, I always thought myself that Page was borrowing the opening note’s from Bali Hi from South Pacific. Yeah, I’m a nutjob too. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/3 "2007-08-23T15:53:11Z")
Interesting question. And one, I confess, that I had never hitherto had cause to consider. There is no mention of a possible _Get Smart_ theme inspiration in either _Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin Uncensored)_ by Richard Cole (Simon & Schuster UK Ltd., 1993) or _Hammer of the Gods (Led Zeppelin Unauthorised)_ by Stephen Davies (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985). Furthermore, Robert Plant once bought my brother-in-law a beer (sorry no cite) and _Get Smart_ apparently didn’t come up in the conversation. However, my curiosity aroused practically to fever pitch by your seemingly innocent question, I have now listened to both pieces of music twice and I have reached the following conclusions: (1) If you are talking about a wailing vocal then its obviously Plant and not Page doing the wailing. (2) There is no vocal wail in the _Get Smart_ theme, or indeed anything that sounds vaguely like a vocal wail. (3) There are several versions of the _Get Smart_ theme so (2) could be wrong. (4) The first few bars of each work are really quite similar so you could be right. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/4 "2007-08-23T15:59:20Z")
Picking it out on the piano just now with the aid of Google Video… Get Smart is Middle C - F - EEEEE - F… Immigrant Song is C# - up to octave C# - CCCCCC - C# Bali Hai is Middle C (Bal) - Up to octave C (li) - High BBBBBB (hai) - may call - C (you) So, yes, Page borrowed, but Get Smart didn’t. P.S. I don’t know why earnest teenagers with tremendous voices but awkward gestures move me, but they do. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SojaRMu88lY) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/5 "2007-08-23T16:02:56Z")
Perhaps it is another in a series of Zeppelin/TV theme links, like [_Stairway to Heaven_ and _Gilligans Island_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTCYLbFxTpI). ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/6 "2007-08-23T16:17:42Z")
Ok, my apologies, I could not remember exactly who played what… Robert Plant is/was indeed the lead vocalist of Led Zeppelin. I am only concerned about the wail in the immigrant song, not the rest of the song. And, I know that Get Smart came out in 1965, the immigrant song was not until 1970 or something. Now I am positive that Led Zeppelin had better things to do than to religiously watch a series like Get Smart, in 1965. They all saw at least one episode of the show, however. And being musical people, they may have been influenced by the theme song. The wail sounds a lot like the theme to me. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/7 "2007-08-23T16:45:58Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Perhaps it is another in a series of Zeppelin/TV theme links, like [_Stairway to Heaven_ and _Gilligans Island_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTCYLbFxTpI). [/QUOTE] IMO, Stairway to Heaven is a crappy match for the Gilligan theme, I always thought Immigrant Song was much better. Consider this verse: _On we sweep, With thrashing oars, Our only goal to reach the western shores._ Now keep the music and insert the words: _The weather started getting rough, The tiny ship was tossed, If not for the courage of the fearless crew the minnow would be lost._ ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/8 "2007-08-23T19:58:03Z")
[QUOTE=Ficer67] They all saw at least one episode of the show, however. [/quote] I’m curious to learn from whence this information derives. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/9 "2007-08-23T20:02:57Z")
[QUOTE=BubbaDog] First thought - **Ficer67** is a nutjob. [/QUOTE] Always go with your first impression. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/10 "2007-08-23T20:03:25Z")
Silly! Don’t you know that the _Gilligan’s Island tune_ has nothing to do with _Stairway to Heavan_? Instead, it fits perfectly to the [lyrics of the Australian national anthem](http://www.imagesaustralia.com/australiannationalanthem.htm)? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/11 "2007-08-24T02:26:01Z")
Moving to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/12 "2007-08-24T03:35:02Z")
No, gosh darn it. Speed up the tempo of Amazing Grace! Or you could slow down Gilligan, but that’s not as much fun. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/13 "2007-08-24T10:55:26Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Silly! Don’t you know that the _Gilligan’s Island tune_ has nothing to do with _Stairway to Heavan_? Instead, it fits perfectly to the [lyrics of the Australian national anthem](http://www.imagesaustralia.com/australiannationalanthem.htm)? [/QUOTE] No, no! It fits [The Rime of the Ancient Mariner](http://poetry.eserver.org/ancient-mariner.html) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/14 "2007-08-24T12:14:21Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Always go with your first impression. 😃 [/QUOTE] I relied more on the “takes one to know one” theory. ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/15 "2007-08-24T18:28:34Z")
I always thought White Zombie’s _Thunder Kiss '65_ sounded like it (The Immigrant Song). At least the opening hook. ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/16 "2007-08-27T03:59:51Z")
well I think that answers my question… ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/17 "2009-09-13T14:05:48Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > IMO, Stairway to Heaven is a crappy match for the Gilligan theme, I always thought Immigrant Song was much better. > > Consider this verse: > _On we sweep, > With thrashing oars, > Our only goal to reach the western shores._ > > Now keep the music and insert the words: > _The weather started getting rough, > The tiny ship was tossed, > If not for the courage of the fearless crew the minnow would be lost._ I had to zombie this thread because, beyond all coincidence, I found a [version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Iy5BCGxLc) of the above, which totally rocks. Bizarrely, it turns out to be done by a local band with whom I have some passing personal acquaintance. I must have heard them do it in the past and forgotten about it, but either way it’s an awesome cover. ---
**Author:** ![jpro3363](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b38774/32.png) [@jpro3363](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jpro3363)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/18 "2024-04-28T18:03:06Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UKr3mhojyvY/maxresdefault.jpg "Stairway to Gilligan's Island") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKr3mhojyvY) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/19 "2024-04-28T18:16:42Z")
Stairway to Heaven and the Gilligan’s Island theme are both members of a very, very large family of songs and poems with the same basic meter. Other examples include House of the Rising Sun, every Emily Dickenson poem, The Yellow Rose of Texas, and Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642/20 "2024-04-28T22:12:49Z")
It’s so common that its name is [Common Meter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_metre). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-similarity-between-the-theme-song-of-get-smart-the-immigrant-song/416642.md?page=2)