"WKRP in Cincinnati" episode music

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by JonUrban, Apr 26, 2006.

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  1. JonUrban

    JonUrban SHF Member #497 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Connecticut
    What are the key episodes to watch for to verify that the original "in show" music is used.

    I know there was an Elton John tune that was removed, but don't know the episode. What are the others where the music was changed?

    THANKS
     
  2. SonicZone

    SonicZone Senior Member

    Location:
    Upland, CA
    I think that just about all of the episodes have had the original music stripped out and replaced at this late date. I honestly can't think of one offhand that hasn't been affected.

    Sad but true . . . :shake:
     
  3. JonUrban

    JonUrban SHF Member #497 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Connecticut
    Well, I think I lucked out. I bought a DVD set of the complete series, and have been watching them from the first episode. I think these have the original music. In one of the first episodes, Johnny Fever intros a tune by saying something like, "take this, take this" and he starts "Just Take those old records off the shelf" and plays "Old Time Rock and Roll".

    Another clue is in the famous "Turkey" episode, Carlson comes into the studio and Johnny is playing Pink Floyd "Dogs" with the dogs barking for over a minute, and Carlson asks if those are dogs barking. He then grabs the "Animals" LP jacket and comments on "Pigs On the Wing".

    Also, after the Turkey Incindent, he queues up and starts CCR's "It Came out of the Sky".
     
  4. Dave D

    Dave D Done!

    Location:
    Milton, Canada
    Doesn't Johnny rock out to a Kiss song when he says "booger" into the mic on the first episode?
     
  5. SonicZone

    SonicZone Senior Member

    Location:
    Upland, CA
    I don't recall what song that was, but I do know that at the end of that same pilot episode, Venus Flytrap is playing Chic's "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" over the air.
     
  6. DjBryan

    DjBryan New Member

    Location:
    USA
    Tiny dancer on the russian episode
     
  7. SonicZone

    SonicZone Senior Member

    Location:
    Upland, CA
  8. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    That is what I remember.

    And this:
     
  9. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    That was one of the few that survived the "cuts". "After the Love Is Gone" is another that "survived" on those episodes where Johnny forgets about his date with Bailey, after being with his ex. Most stuff didn't... :sigh:

    One off the top of my head to check - play the episode where Johnny takes care of that baby that was left for him - The Supremes should be somewhere in the middle (IIRC, it's where he started playing the LP at the wrong speed, and they back cues they whole thing to the start, then starts it again at the correct speed). Also, James Taylor should be at the end ("You're Smilin' Face").
     
  10. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    How's the quality of the discs?
     
  11. AndrewS

    AndrewS Senior Member

    Location:
    S. Ontario, Canada
    What a farce all this music replacement is. Wouldn't you think that it would be beneficial to have it intact, as it would, in essence, be free advertising? Personally, I don't think this show would be the same without it. Very sad...
     
  12. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    It's ridiculous, but someone didn't want to pay the publishing...

    I understand they originally decided to videotape WKRP, instead of film it, due to lower fees for the music on a videotaped show vs. one that was filmed. So, since they wanted "real" music in the show, it was videotaped. Obviously someone in recent times either doesn't know about and/or doesn't care about the original intentions...
     
  13. DjBryan

    DjBryan New Member

    Location:
    USA
    best show written about radio, IMO
     
  14. aceman400

    aceman400 Power to the Metal

    Location:
    mn
    There was one episode where Johnny played The Long Run from the Eagles and Andy couldn't believe that he played a hit. It was the last scene IIRC. I don't remember anything about the rest of the episode.
     
  15. Drifter

    Drifter AAD survivor

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, CA
    The only reason I don't own the "Quantum Leap" DVDs is that they replaced most of the classic rock 'n' roll & R & B classics with elevator music - even when a song was crucial to the emotional impact of a scene, such as the use of Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind". :sigh: I would've paid twice the cost to get the original songs. It's too bad the costs are often so high for DVD music rights.
     
  16. Mister Kite

    Mister Kite Uncle Obscure

    Location:
    Columbia, MO
    According to TVShowsOnDVD.com, WKRP is currently #16 on their list of all-time most requested unreleased TV shows on DVD. According to this 2005 news item, Fox is still looking at the series despite the HUGE music licensing problems associated with it.
     
  17. Pluto Lex

    Pluto Lex New Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    I look around the net every so often to see if these are to be released - one thing I have read, but don't know if it's true - is that Fox (the huge conglomerate they are) ownes most of the publishing rights to the music used in the show anyways.
     
  18. AndrewS

    AndrewS Senior Member

    Location:
    S. Ontario, Canada
    And Unchained Melody... What a great episode that was. :(
     
  19. -=Rudy=-

    -=Rudy=- ♪♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♪♪ Staff

    Location:
    US
    I would gladly pay extra for the set if they kept the original music intact. Still a funny show without it, but the original music fit well with the scenes.
     
  20. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
    Mmmm...Bailey Quarters...the sexiest Smithers until
     
  21. Planbee

    Planbee Negative Nellie

    Location:
    Chicago
    That was the episode where Johnny's daughter visits from Seattle with her loser boyfriend. IIRC, "The Long Run" survived replacement in the 8-episode VHS boxset that was released years ago. I have the set and I'm pretty sure it's still on there.
     
  22. reechie

    reechie Senior Member

    Location:
    Baltimore
    Anybody who's done time in radio knows how accurate that show really was. Name a character on WKRP and I can name someone I've worked with who was a real life version. I'd buy it in a second.
     
  23. Anthology123

    Anthology123 Senior Member

    What it gets down to for WKRP I've noticed is they kept a song if it was pertinant to a scene. If it could be substituted, then it was swapped out. The Pink Floyd song was essential because the title of the song and group were mentioned. However, when the Carlson's were having a new baby, Mr. Carlson requested to Venus he play a song, which was Maurice Chevalier and "Thank heaven for little girls", but instead they played "We've only just begun" not by the Carpenters. You can tell they swapped it out because Venus is clutching the album cover to Gigi. I have listened to syndicated reruns and many songs are still there, only because they fit in the story. Snippets of songs in the Contest all had to be the same, the Dance Fever songs all stayed (he mentions Olivia "Neutron-Bomb")
     
  24. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    Maurice Chevalier was even removed from the previous syndication "package", which retained most (but obviously not all) of the original music. It wasn't that bad overall, compared to the massacre that followed. I'm glad I recorded this show when it was airing on E! in the mid-90's - the copies they aired were from the previous syndication package.
     
  25. JonUrban

    JonUrban SHF Member #497 Thread Starter

    Location:
    Connecticut
    I just watched the "Tiny Dancer" episode from this set. At the end of the episode, after the Russians leave the station, Elton's "Tiny Dancer" plays. Ivan says to Bailey "Hold Me Closer Tiny Dancer" once on his first visit to the station, and once to Les towards the end of the episode. However, when Venus in is the studio and Ivan is picking out music, it sounds like generic muzak playing. Instrumental stuff. It looks like he pulls out a Sinatra LP, and Venus tells him he'll pick out something better to play for Bailey.

    He never plays anything for Bailey, and only the instrumental music is heard until Tiny Dancer comes on over the episode ending credits, before the normal credit music.

    so, who knows? Maybe this is a hybrid?
     
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