# WKRP sign-off **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 27, 2000, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677 "2000-10-27T23:52:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/1 "2000-10-27T23:52:48Z")
Has anyone ever understood a single word of the “song” played at the end of every “WKRP in Cincinnati” show? Music is credited to a Tom Wells; I don’t know if he penned the…words. Maybe it’s all deliberate gibberish. ---
**Author:** ![Ankh\_Too](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Ankh\_Too](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ankh_Too)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/2 "2000-10-28T00:11:29Z")
According to a to the book America’s Favorite Radio Station: WKRP in Cincinati, they really are just nonsense words: [Quote] _Originally from [America’s Favorite Radio Station](http://www.tir.com/~rtw/krp.htm) : [Inside Stories](http://www.tir.com/~rtw/inside.htm)_\*\* “What Are They Saying?” Ever wonder what the words are to the closing theme of WKRP? Before you get excited about finding those long lost lyrics, the actual answer is – there are none! Tom Chehak, a first season writer/producer who was present at the Atlanta recording session of the theme, recalls how Tom Welles, theme writer, suggested to Chehak and Hugh Wilson a closing theme for the song. According to Chehak, the singer just started blarring out a bunch of nonsense words; if any of them were actual words, they’re lost to history. Indeed, Chehak recalls how great they all thought it would be to leave fans guessing forever – looks like they got their wish.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2000, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/3 "2000-10-28T02:00:52Z")
Thanks for the info. I was beginning to worry about my hearing. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/4 "2000-12-01T03:12:20Z")
“The ending theme song, a cool little rock ditty, was done by a group of studio musicians in Atlanta, GA. The words are unintelligible for a very simple reason – there are no words! The vocal was basically a “scratch” track, i.e., a vocal track recorded solely to help the musicians and the show’s producers get a feel for the song and the lyric melody. But the producers liked it as is, and it was never changed, so there aren’t any words, just meaningless gibberish!” ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/5 "2000-12-01T03:19:22Z")
I always heard the first few “words” as “Bartender, bartender, bartender, yeah…” I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/6 "2000-12-04T17:48:06Z")
Sorry for the highjack, but who sang the opening theme? It sure sounded like the actor who portrayed Les Nessman. I searched about a bit, but have so far been unable to find out the answer to this pressing question. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/7 "2000-12-04T18:04:02Z")
1. Wow! Thanks for resurrecting… 2. Wow, redux! You **really** think this sounded like Les Nessman’s voice?? I have no idea who it is but I doubt it’s the eternally bandaided, weather report-news-pork bellies futures, weird little man. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/8 "2000-12-04T18:33:36Z")
From a WKRP FAQ on the net: Q. Who wrote the opening theme? Who sings it? A. The song “WKRP In Cincinnati” has music by Tom Wells (who presumably also did the music for the closing theme) and words by series creator Hugh Wilson. It is sung by Steve Carlisle. Keith ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/9 "2000-12-04T19:09:31Z")
Geez, has anyone thought to LISTEN to the song? I can understand them. The lyrics are as follows: Dab too gop bedda Badedda gabbad a yad Dab to gop bedda Baikabeck a bet, uh-huh I said ah, boop a gop etta Badeddedep edda yeah I said a poo bop And a poopagoppa bet uh huh ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/10 "2000-12-04T19:30:35Z")
Had you not come up with the answer, I would have guessed Gary Portnoy; he’s the guy who sung the Intro on ‘Cheers’. Has kind of the same voice, IMHO. My second guess would have been Rick Jay. I dunno: it has a nice ring to it:D. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/11 "2000-12-04T19:39:09Z")
**omni-not** , while it certainly doesn’t jibe with the Nessman image, yes, the voice sounded dead-on to these ears. **Odieman** , a thousand thanks. At last, I can sleep peacefully. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/12 "2000-12-04T20:39:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > [BDab too gop bedda > Badedda gabbad a yad > Dab to gop bedda > Baikabeck a bet, uh-huh > > I said ah, boop a gop etta > Badeddedep edda yeah > I said a poo bop > And a poopagoppa bet uh huh \*\* Now THAT’s a sig line! ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2000, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-sign-off/38677/13 "2000-12-04T20:49:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Odieman \* > It is sung by Steve Carlisle. And I’m guessing he didn’t play Les Nesman, right? * * * Phone Cops!!