TV closing themes with sung lyrics

Cafe Society
1

It seems that the vast majority of television shows’ closing themes (i.e., the music played over the end credits) are instrumental. If the opening theme has sung lyrics, then the closing theme is usually an instrumental version of the same theme. If the opening theme is itself instrumental, then the closing theme may be the exact same music, or maybe a slightly different recording of it.

What are some notable exceptions to this general rule? That is, which TV shows have closing themes with sung lyrics?

The only one I can think of offhand is Frasier. This show doesn’t have an opening theme as such—just a title card with a brief musical cue—but the closing theme is a song, “Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs”, sung by Kelsey Grammer.

2

Off the top of my head, there’s the extra verse to the Ballad of Gilligan’s Island:

No phone, no lights , no motor car , Not a single luxury, Like Robinson Crusoe, It’s primitive as can be.

And the rockin’ song at the end of WKRP in Cincinnati, which may not count because the lyrics are nonsense gibberish:

3

Beverly Hillbillies had a closing song

4

Red Dwarf:

The soundtrack album version had an extra verse; I don’t know if that one was ever used on air.

5

The short-lived CBS series It’s About Time had both opening and closing themes. I forgot about that

6

Gilligan’s Island closes with

Now this is the tale of our castaways,
They’re here for a long, long time,
They’ll have to make the best of things,
It’s an uphill climb.

The first mate and his Skipper too,
Will do their very best,
To make the others comfortable,
In their tropic island nest.

No phone, no lights, no motor car,
Not a single luxury,
Like Robinson Crusoe,
It’s primitive as can be.

So join us here each week my friend,
You’re sure to get a smile,
From seven stranded castaways,
Here on “Gilligan’s Isle.”

7

The Flintstones.

8

Bojack. (But not Kojack.)

9

Corner Gas has separate opening and closing theme songs.

10

Also, I’m currently working my way through Corner Gas as the mood hits. It has an end song.

(ETA: dang, what an obscure coincidence.)

11

The Carol Burnett Show ended with the “I’m so glad we had this time together” song. That may not be what we are looking for here.

12

I know you are implying US-only, but closing lyrics are very common in anime. This is one of my favorites:

13

As does another Canadian series, Slings and Arrows.

14

Have Gun – Will Travel

15

Blackadder II

16

The Monkees

17

The end credits to Excel Saga had lyrics…sort of.

18

The Book of Boba Fett added lyrics (of a sort) to the closing credits for the finale episode.

19

The first season of Simon & Simon played an instrumental version of the theme song for the opening credits, and a sung version for the closing credits. “Best of Friends” written by Barry de Vorzon and Linda Creed, performed by the Thrasher Brothers.

In the second season they replaced it with a different song (also by Barry de Vorzon), instrumental for both opening and closing.

Here are both versions of both songs:

20

Technically, For Pete’s Sake was just a regular song used at the end, as opposed to a true theme.

But to this day, I associate it with the end of sitting around. When the Monkees was done, it was the last kid show of the day and I had to get up and do something.