The other Day, Hubby and I were watching tennis on the TV, when there was a beer commercial on. The beer commercial was using the theme from “Cheers” in their ad, which got Hubby to ask, “Who wrote that? Who performed that?”
Since I am the one who Googles everything for answers, I began my search. After all, “CHEERS” was one of my favorite TV shows back in the day, and the theme song is one I have always loved.
The song “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”, was written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo. Of course, like many things in life, their first few attempts were good, but not exactly what NBC and Paramount had in mind. The first lyrics they came up with struck me as just fine, but then, I am a New England girl and I love the Red Sox! Here they are:
“Singing the blues when the Red Sox lose
It’s a crisis in your life
On the run ’cause all your girlfriends
Want to be your wife
And the laundry ticket’s in the wash
Sometimes you want to go
where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You wanna go where everybody knows your name
All those nights when you’ve got no lights
The check is in the mail
And your little angel
Hung the cat up by its tail
And your third fiance didn’t show
Sometimes you want to go
where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You wanna go where everybody knows your name”
Now NBC liked the refrain, but not the sad lament about the Red Sox. So the two young song writers sat down a few more times before they came up with the classic song, that we all know and love.
“Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.
You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name.
You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name.”
Now here is something I did not know. The powers that be had heard Gary Portnoy on the Demo tape and wanted him to sing the song. He was contacted and agreed. He also agreed to sing all the back up for the song. But first things first. Off he went to California to record his solo for the song at the studio.
The recording session took place on a huge sound stage on the Paramount lot where “Cheers” was being filmed. At first Gary performed with a small group of musicians, and then they all packed up and left and Gary was set up to record his solo.
From Gary’s Home-page I would like to share what is written there.
“As he stood there with the lights dimmed in front of a microphone- a solitary shadow in this cavernous room- he was blissfully unaware that the vocal he was about to record would transcend that studio, and Hollywood, and NBC, and the United States and would literally travel around the world- first weekly then on a daily basis,every day…for the next thirty years and counting. (Gary has said that had he known all of that, he might not have been able to open his mouth!)”
Now you know the rest of the story!