# Way back machine's TV theme song lyrics questions.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 3, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582 "2009-06-03T15:01:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/1 "2009-06-03T15:01:43Z")

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I’m sure these have been asked before, only because I can’t be the only one who can’t quite catch what is said.

What doesn’t burn in the kitchen while the beans aren’t burning on the grill?

Are the Flinstones one day PRESTO! in a fight before the cat stays out for the night?

Is it Top Cat’s ineffectual friends who get to call him T.C.?

Is Josie and her Pussycats see me movin on, come on everybody get a long-ing before they hurry, hurry?  
Help! Mr Peabody won’t let me out of the machine until I answer these questions.

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**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/2 "2009-06-03T15:09:34Z")

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Fish don’t fry in the kitchen, beans don’t burn on the grill.

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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/3 "2009-06-03T15:11:20Z")

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Someday, maybe Fred will win the fight.  
Then that cat will stay out for the night.

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**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/4 "2009-06-03T15:15:25Z")

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I never could make complete sense of the Top Cat lyrics, including that line – is it

Top Cat,  
whose intellectual close friends get to call him T.C.

or

Top Cat, who’s intellectual  
Close friends get to call him T.C.

His friends didn’t seem all that intellectual, so I lean towards the latter.

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**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/5 "2009-06-03T15:26:59Z")

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Who according to the theme song is Maverick’s companion?

How did, acccording to the theme song, Johnny Yuma wander?

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**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/6 "2009-06-03T15:35:29Z")

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> [@TV\_time](#):
>
> Who according to the theme song is Maverick’s companion?

Luck is his companion.

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**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/7 "2009-06-03T15:40:09Z")

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> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> Is Josie and her Pussycats see me movin on, come on everybody get a long-ing before they hurry, hurry?

Neat, sweet, a groovy song.  
You’re invited, come along - hurry, hurry!

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**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/8 "2009-06-03T15:41:09Z")

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> [@TV\_time](#):
>
> How did, acccording to the theme song, Johnny Yuma wander?

Alone.

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/9 "2009-06-03T15:50:41Z")

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Thank you **Tengu**. That one was really sticking in my mind!

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/10 "2009-06-03T16:33:32Z")

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_“Gee, our old LaSalle ran great.”_

Oops, you didn’t ask about that one.

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/11 "2009-06-03T16:38:53Z")

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> [@panache45](#):
>
> _“Gee, our old LaSalle ran great.”_
> 
> Oops, you didn’t ask about that one.

That’s cuz I got that one. And I also know that her cousin is enterprising, energizing, anything but tranquilizing. She could also be tantilizing but I’m almost 100% sure it’s energizing.

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**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:** [June 3, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/12 "2009-06-03T16:53:03Z")

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> [@mobo85](#):
>
> Someday, maybe Fred will win the fight.  
> Then that cat will stay out for the night.

Never had any trouble with this couplet. It was “Through the courtesy of Fred’s two feet” that always threw me. (I even saw it in a TV song lyric book once as “Through the courtesy of Pencil Pete.” I can only guess that this was supposed to refer to the guy who drew the cartoon.)

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**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/13 "2009-06-03T17:32:11Z")

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According to the theme song, on what street did **The Smith Family** (Henry Fonda’s short lived venture into episodic television) live?

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/14 "2009-06-03T17:40:45Z")

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> [@panache45](#):
>
> _“Gee, our old LaSalle ran great.”_  
> Oops, you didn’t ask about that one.

The first line also threw me until I saw it written in TV Guide: “Boyda waiklin milla blade.” I tried to envision it as something “by the [incomprehensible gibberish] glade.”

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/15 "2009-06-03T17:48:16Z")

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> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#):
>
> The first line also threw me until I saw it written in TV Guide: “Boyda waiklin milla blade.” I tried to envision it as something “by the [incomprehensible gibberish] glade.”

Just in case you weren’t joking, the line is: Boy the way Glen Miller played.

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**Author:** ![bink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@bink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bink)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/16 "2009-06-03T18:01:28Z")

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So while you’re here, enjoy the view  
Keep on doin’ what you do  
(something something something muddle through?)  
One day at a time

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/17 "2009-06-03T18:05:20Z")

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> [@bink](#):
>
> So while you’re here, enjoy the view  
> Keep on doin’ what you do  
> (something something something muddle through?)  
> One day at a time

Yeah! Also, are they whomping on keys?

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**Author:** ![Umbriel2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4af34b/32.png) [@Umbriel2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel2)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/18 "2009-06-03T18:21:16Z")

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> [@bink](#):
>
> So while you’re here, enjoy the view  
> Keep on doin’ what you do  
> (something something something muddle through?)  
> One day at a time

Hold on tight, we’ll muddle through.  
I also note for what it’s worth that there was a later, rerecorded version of the _All In The Family_ theme where Jean Stapleton and Carroll O’Connor use really exaggerated pronunciation to make the lyrics more understandable. It works, but sounds much less like Archie and Edith would probably really sound singing around the piano at home.

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**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/19 "2009-06-03T18:45:09Z")

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How about this one from Tennessee Tuxedo?

“He will be…parachuting for your pleasure  
Sailing seas in search of treasure  
Anything so he can measure…up to men  
That’s Tennessee Tuxedo!”

(Something like “Let’s all say when…mumble mumble…though we know”)

“He may fail as he tries for fame and glory  
Still, he tries in each new story tale.”

Anyone?

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**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/way-back-machines-tv-theme-song-lyrics-questions/498582/20 "2009-06-03T18:46:29Z")

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Way back in the years before the internet, when dinosaurs ruled the earth, somebody at work put a card on a bulletin board (the real kind with cork and pushpins), asking if anyone knew the lyrics to the Milton the Monster theme song.

I did…all of them, without reference to any resource materials. It’s one of the highpoints of my life.

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