# Old TV themes/commercials you can sing from memory **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711 "2015-03-10T18:19:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/121 "2015-03-12T14:12:30Z")
To the tune of “Casey Jones” (NOT the Grateful Dead one!): Once upon a time there was an engineer. Choo Choo Charlie was his name, we hear. He had an engine, and he sure had fun. He used Good ‘n’ Plenty candy to make his train run. Charlie says, “Love my Good ‘n’ Plenty.” Charlie says, “Really rings me bell.” Chalie says, “Love my Good ‘n’ Plenty,” Don’t know any other candy that I love so well." ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/122 "2015-03-12T15:43:27Z")
With Almond Joy You can share a half and Still have a whole ---
**Author:** ![funky\_little\_lee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@funky\_little\_lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funky_little_lee)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/123 "2015-03-12T16:25:16Z")
Well, if you grew up in the Philly area, you’ll remember this one: \*It’s not a fancy salon, It’s not even a department store, It’s only a Quonset hut… But… If you’ve got a passion for fashion, And you’ve got a craving for saving, Take the wheel of your automobile, And swing on down to Ideal!\* ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/124 "2015-03-12T17:00:47Z")
I was able to come up with a couple names right after reading the OP, but reading the responses has reminded me of many more I can sing, but only two inspired me to sing along in the (thankfully) empty meeting room I’m currently in. > [@astorian](#): > > _ **To the tune of “Yankee Doodle”** _ > > “So, come and join us, all you kids, > For lots of fun and laughter, > As Roger Ramjet and his friends > Get all the crooks they’re after…” Roger Ramjet he’s our man Hero of our nation For his adventures just be sure to stay tuned to this station! > [@Smapti](#): > > Look at what’s happened to me > I can’t believe it myself > Suddenly I’m up on top of the world > Should’ve been somebody else > > Believe it or not > I’m walking on air > I never thought I could feel so free-ee-ee > Flying away on a wing and a prayer > Who could it be? > Believe it or not, it’s just me! ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/125 "2015-03-12T19:10:59Z")
When you use Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific Shampoo Boys say, “Gee, your hair smells terrific,” to you! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/126 "2015-03-12T19:17:52Z")
(Sung to: When Those Caissons go Rolling Along) We can cook, we can bake But we get a belly-ache We’re the Space Cubs of Troop 54 ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/127 "2015-03-12T22:48:51Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > To the tune of “Casey Jones” (NOT the Grateful Dead one!): > > Once upon a time there was an engineer. > Choo Choo Charlie was his name, we hear. > He had an engine, and he sure had fun. > He used Good ‘n’ Plenty candy to make his train run. > > Charlie says, “Love my Good ‘n’ Plenty.” > Charlie says, “Really rings me bell.” > Chalie says, “Love my Good ‘n’ Plenty,” > Don’t know any other candy that I love so well." What was the name of the little girl in that commercial? Did she even have a name? I have it in the back of my mind that she was “Rosie” or “Daisy,” but I can’t confirm it anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/128 "2015-03-12T23:23:06Z")
First you start off with ($)2000 and a car _ **I got a car** _/You got a car Then you may go straight to college Just to get a lot of knowledge _ **Harvard** _ Or to Business if you think you’ll go as far _ **I’ll be a star** _ You may go far You will learn about life When you play the game of Life _ **That’s life** _ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/129 "2015-03-12T23:37:01Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > When you use Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific Shampoo > Boys say, “Gee, your hair smells terrific,” to you! _Brycreme, a little dab’ll do ya, Brylcreme, you’ll look so debonnaire! Brylcreme, the gals’ll all pursue ya, they’ll love to run their fingers through your hair!_ Wasn’t there a jingle for Dippity-doo, too? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Floppy\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3bc359/32.png) [@Floppy\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floppy_Joe)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/130 "2015-03-13T20:10:11Z")
Stop it. STOP IT! All of you, get out of my head NOW! Jeez, I’ve got so many jingles running through my skull now. Okay, I haven’t seen this one yet… What do you want when you got to have something, and its gotta be sweet and its gotta be a lot and you only have dime? What do you want? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/131 "2015-03-13T21:10:10Z")
> [@Floppy\_Joe](#): > > What do you want when you got to have something, > and its gotta be sweet > and its gotta be a lot > and you only have dime? > What do you want? _Candy-coated popcorn, peanuts, and a prize!_ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/132 "2015-03-13T21:17:23Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > _Candy-coated popcorn, peanuts, and a prize!_ _That’s what you get in Cracker Jack!_ ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/133 "2015-03-13T23:59:01Z")
Just one of many, but one of my faves, maybe because Conan used to have a tendency to sometimes break into singing it back on Late Night… \*New boy in the neighborhood Lives downstairs and it’s understood He’s there just to take good care of me Like he’s one of the family CHARLES IN CHARGE of our days and our nights CHARLES IN CHARGE of our wrongs AND OUR RIGHTS I want Charles in charge of me\* ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/134 "2015-03-14T02:41:00Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > To be fair, those are AWFUL lyrics and have been embedded in my brain since the first time I read “Making of ‘Star Trek,’” back in the mid-'70s. So you gave nothing away, I :shudder: recognized them from the first word (where’s the ‘nausea’ smilie?). I don’t have time to look up a cite (I’m actually backstage awaiting my third act cue in _Arsenic and Old Lace_), but the story goes Gene Roddenberry wrote the lyrics to the Star Trek theme purely to take half the royalties, instead of 100 percent going to the composer. Roddenberry may have been a groundbreaking TV visionary, but he couldn’t write song lyrics to save his life. My contribution is no doubt seared into my memory from 1970s Saturday morning commercials … _Good grief, it’s fun to brush your teeth With your Snoopy toothbrush Brushing right makes your smile bright With your Snoopy toothbrush_ (spoken) “Snoopy makes it fun to brush your teeth!” _Good grief …_ I absolutely slay co-workers (who weren’t even born until the 1990s) with my commercial lyrical knowledge … ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/135 "2015-03-14T03:15:54Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > The story goes Gene Roddenberry wrote the lyrics to the Star Trek theme purely to take half the royalties, instead of 100 percent going to the composer. This has been claimed, but I doubt its appropriate to say “purely.” Along with money, there were other considerations, not least of which was that \*\*\*Star Trek \*\*\*was his creation. If he wanted the theme to have lyrics, it was within his rights. (Whether they were good or bad is another question.) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711/136 "2015-03-14T03:25:33Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > I don’t have time to look up a cite (I’m actually backstage awaiting my third act cue in _Arsenic and Old Lace_), but the story goes Gene Roddenberry wrote the lyrics to the Star Trek theme purely to take half the royalties, instead of 100 percent going to the composer. Roddenberry may have been a groundbreaking TV visionary, but he couldn’t write song lyrics to save his life. \ Your devotion to the SDMB is beyond admirable, **Uncle J**., but, c’mon, back to work–the show must go on. Which of the old ladies are you playing? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-tv-themes-commercials-you-can-sing-from-memory/714711.md?page=6)