You remember the theme-tune: "Dee-dum, dee-dum, dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee..."? Well, you only know the half of it!
As a young (but quite observant) viewer I was always puzzled by one of the closing credits...
"Title Song by HOWARD GREENFIELD & JACK KELLER"
Er...? Excuse me...
WHAT song?
There was music, yes, but no lyrics!
Well, actually there were, it's just that we never ever heard them.
And here they are...
Bewitched, Bewitched,
You've got me in your spell.
Bewitched, Bewitched,
You know your craft so well.
Before I knew what I was doing
I looked in your eyes
That brand of woo you've been brewin'
Took me by surprise.
You witch, you witch,
One thing is for sure.
That stuff you pitch
Just hasn't got a cure.
My heart was under lock and key,
But somehow it got unhitched.
I never thought that I could be had
But now I'm caught and I'm kinda glad to be---
Bewitched.
You've got me in your spell.
Bewitched, Bewitched,
You know your craft so well.
Before I knew what I was doing
I looked in your eyes
That brand of woo you've been brewin'
Took me by surprise.
You witch, you witch,
One thing is for sure.
That stuff you pitch
Just hasn't got a cure.
My heart was under lock and key,
But somehow it got unhitched.
I never thought that I could be had
But now I'm caught and I'm kinda glad to be---
Bewitched.
And here they are being sung --- with a bit of help in the nose-twitching department from the witch herself, Elizabeth Montgomery...
Composer, Jack Keller recalled of the song he wrote with Howard Greenfield once said: "The pilot had used Frank Sinatra's 'Witchcraft', but they didn't want to pay for 'Witchcraft', so they asked us to write something. We only had a week to write the song, do the demo, and get it out to California, and they accepted it and they put it on. The show was a smash."
However, despite the fact that Greenfield and Keller and already had several hits including 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool', the song was only ever used orchestrally. I first came across the words on a recording by one of my favourite singers, Peggy Lee, for who it might almost have been written...
Among others who recorded the number was Steve Lawrence ('Mr Eydie Gormé', for those old enough to know what the hell I'm talking about) on the flip-side of his 1964 single, 'I Will Wait For You'. Forty-one years later, that version was included on the soundtrack of the 2005 less-than-magical movie version of Bewitched starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrel. Here it is, accompanied by images from the original TV show...
However, despite the fact that Greenfield and Keller and already had several hits including 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool', the song was only ever used orchestrally. I first came across the words on a recording by one of my favourite singers, Peggy Lee, for who it might almost have been written...
Among others who recorded the number was Steve Lawrence ('Mr Eydie Gormé', for those old enough to know what the hell I'm talking about) on the flip-side of his 1964 single, 'I Will Wait For You'. Forty-one years later, that version was included on the soundtrack of the 2005 less-than-magical movie version of Bewitched starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrel. Here it is, accompanied by images from the original TV show...
10 comments:
I'd never noticed that before.
Not wanting to be a real downer but there is a rather more unpleasant side to lyrics to theme tunes we never get to hear.
The worst case has to be the lyrics Gene Roddenberry wrote to go with Alexander Courage's wonderful theme to Star Trek. He wrote the most godawful lyrics (which must be available somewhere) knowing they would never be used. But by doing this he became a "co-writer" and swiped half of Courage's royalties.
And you wonder why few people in the industry actually have anything good to say about Roddenberry.
So as not to finish on a sour note...
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says, "Does this taste funny to you?"
Never heard - and never heard about - the lyrics to Star Trek. What an extraordinary story.
Talking of cannibal jokes (and that was a good cannibal joke!)...
Two alien cannibals are eating the crew of the starship Enterprise. One turns to the other and says, "Do these keep repeating on you?"
Sorry, it's 4:39 a.m. - you can't expect great wit at that hour!
Well, from an entrance with "to boldly go", can you really expect decent lyrics?
In that first clip, I was half expecting Morecambe & Wise to appear! Mind you, it probably would have been a darn sight better with the contribution of the great Eric & Ern.
Love the cannibal jokes!
As you may have guessed, the splint is gone; I'm down to a bandage now & a hand as weak as a new-born kitten...
In Spain we watched Bewitched (Embrujada) with de mexican dubbing of the american voices. I remember myself trying, vainly, to imitate that nose movement of Samantha.
SUZANNE - To boldly split an infinitive is, of course, a long-standing prerogative of Hollywood!
Now, in addition to the Bewitched theme, I've now got, 'Bring me Sunshine' going round and round in my head. Thanks!! :)
Glad you're on the mend. Keep up the exercises...
EUDORA - I seem to remember reading that the 'nose twitch' was just something that Elizabeth Montgomery could do, so it got put into the script. I always enjoyed the fact that Erin Murphy as Tabitha couldn't do the 'nose twitch' and so used to wiggle it back and forth with her finger!
I like Embrujada!
AAH, Peggy Lee! A great singer (and not a bad songwriter, either). We saw her live in her later years when she was hidden behind an inch of make-up and wore one of those chiffon tents that Ella and the Divine Sarah also favoured, but the voice was sublime, as always. Today's singers have to be pretty first and talented second to get on*. Few of my idols of the past would pass that test. (End of Rant)
*Amy Winehouse being the exception
Roger O.B...
(Face made for radio; voice made for mime)
ATESTFPA:Government plan to assess parents.
ANON (ROGER) - I also saw Peggy Lee in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. She had broken her leg and so did the entire performance seated but held the audience - and without any 'supporting acts' - for over two hours. Fantastic!
Her contribution to Disney's Lady and the Tramp as the voices of 'Darling, Peg, Si and Am was matched by the songs she wrote with Sonny Burke. Peg the Pound Peke sashays through her number ('He's a Tramp') with pure Peg sex-appeal1
Read all about it! Star Trek lyrics scam!
Details here:
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/trek.asp
Since my brain is like flypaper for songs, I shall be singing the Bewitched theme for quite some time now -- and I haven't even clicked on any of the videos yet! I'm quite proud to state that, despite not knowing that there were lyrics, my childish brain long ago cane up with the first two words (aren't I just the cleverest thing! *grin* *wink*) I've always sung it as "Bewitched, bewitched, dee dee dee dee dee dee... Bewitched, bewitched, dee dee dee dee dee dee..." but I always thought the ending of the song, just as the title credits end, would have the word "Endora". It fits so well...
thoun -- a made-up word that one uses in one's every day speech. A contraction of "Thy noun". May also, in some cases, refer to one's own made-up lyrics.
PHIL - Thanks, Phil! :)
SCB - great lyrics! And, yes, "En-dora" fits!
Post a Comment