On this day in 1978 {September 18th} the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" had its premier on the CBS-TV network. The show ran until April 21st, 1982, with a total of 88 episodes... During its four year run it earned ten Emmy Award nominations. In 1981 the show's theme song by Steve Carlisle entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #65. R.I.P. Gordon 'Big Guy Carlson' Jump {1932 - 2003} and Gary 'Andy Travis' Sandy celebrates his 68 birthday in three months on Christmas Day.
Short little fact some of you may not know, this was written about Andy Travis the soon to be program director for the then WKRP. It is a sort of summary of how he got there leaving Arizona and his then girlfriend behind to come to Cincinnatti to take the Program Directors job and well the rest shall we say is just hilariousness and chaos ensues from the moment he gets there!
I've been watching this series on Hulu this weekend and I saw the episode in season one when his country-singing girlfriend Linda comes to town to do a show. She wants Andy to come back on the road with her but he stays in Cincy. Great show!
What a great song sung by a terrific singer. What great lyrics. I (and I am sure many other men) who have been single for many years can relate to the lyrics to this song in having a relationship that gone sour and yet still thinks of great prior relationships. This is really a touching, sad, and very real song. 5 stars...
Its funny the actually opening video for this was the SAME exact view I had when I was younger coming into Cincinnatti on a bus and seeing the same exact buildings and signs. Stayed there for a week with a friend named Annette. Her and one of her girlfriends showed me the city and I fell in love with it. I always wish I could go back. I can't listen to this song and not think about them or what a great town Cincinnatti is. The people there were warm and friendly. Thank You Annette I doubt you will ever read this or know/or remember who I am but if you do want to know I can't not listen to this song and smile thinking of you and Cincinnatti and the great memories there!! :)
rob coffman it's good that they were like that. Unfortunately in today's fucked up world i doubt that even the people in Cincinnati are warm and friendly anymore. You should go back and tell me how things have changed :)
Unfortunately I live in the south and I'm not in touch with her anymore and doubtful I will get the money to make a trip like that again, when I made the trip the bus ticked was around $200 round trip now it would be a lot more than that as that was yeas ago I made the trip.
🎵 Baby, If you've ever wondered, 🎵 🎵 wandered, whatever became of me. 🎵 🎵 I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, 🎵 🎵 Cincinnati WKRP. 🎵 🎵 Got kinda tired of packing and unpacking, 🎵 🎵 town to town, up and down the dial. 🎵 🎵 Maybe you and me were never meant to be. 🎵 🎵 Just maybe think of me once in a while. 🎵 🎵 If not that highway leaving you behind, 🎵 🎵 Hardest thing I ever had to do. 🎵 🎵 Broke my heart into but baby pay no mind, 🎵 🎵 the price worth finding me was losing you. 🎵 🎵 Every stroke can hide my lonesome feeling. 🎵 🎵 Far away from you I'm feeling low.. 🎵 🎵 It's getting paid my friend my love I missed you so. 🎵 🎵 Take good care of you I've gotta go. 🎵 🎵 I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati. 🎵
lol I LOVED that episode, the one when they went from that shit music to rock and Andy told him he could even say Bugger on the air lol.. so he did lmfao!
Actually, there was a special version of the theme for the actual radio station WKRC that DID air, in which Steve Carlisle sang the line, "I'm at WKRC in Cincinnati". So, WKRC DID air the the theme in it's entirety, with the special lyrics.
Back in those days it wasn't uncommon for the theme song from a successful television show to become a hit, if only a minor one. I'm surprised this one never made a dent.
Every time I hear this song it reminds me of the time in my childhood that I lived there. Awesome song & for the last time; No, WKRP wasnt an actual radio station in Cincinnati...lol
there have been real stations with and there is a real station with wkrp as it's call letters just not in cicncinnati the real radio station with wkrp call letter wkrp raleigh north carolina 101.9 fm low power lpfm and wkrp tv cincinati ohio a low power tv station sub channel of wqbc-ld viruial channels 25 and 20 to move to 28 uhf digital channel 47
It is a melancholy song, but it has hints that the the woman he loved so much might try to find him and rekindle the good times they spent together! Then again, maybe not.... This is a song that is up to the imagination of the listener, It can be either happy or sad.
huh - I never thought it was sad. Reminiscent side of sad yes, just more about acceptance. Acceptance of his transitory lifestyle and finding himself, lack of relationship to the person he's singing to, and hopeful that their lost love found the kind of happiness that the singer did. That's what always resonated with me - this sense of fondiness sent over the airwaves.. the "I know we didn't work out, but I still think the best of you."
This great theme song reached #65 in late 1981. (U.S., Billboard) -- You're right, never heard this one on radio because I would have bought the 45 RPM & helped it go higher on the charts!
listening to AM radio last night in the darkroom, this came on and I turned it up! Even when the chorus or what ever kinda starts over (hokey but endearing) like that Family Guy episode when there watching the opening theme of that show and it goes on and on and on and finally resolves:) Wow memories i was only 8.
Yup, heard it on Sirius Yacht Rock about a month ago. Also the local Culver’s plays the Sirius Yacht Rock channel and this came on yesterday while I was enjoying chocolate malts with my mom.
Love it, man! I friggin' love it. It's a mix of Jeff Lorber meets The Crusaders (without the brass, I might add). I grew up watching the show, and never heard the entire song until today. Thanks for posting.
I never heard this full version until driving in the car recently on some non-profit channel but did see the TV show many times as a kid. Perhaps this song was hurt by its shortened version on the show; plus that it is pretty cynical about radio, so did not get much play in its day. But it is a very well written and executed song -- I like how the end sounds like corporate call letters.
WCIR in Beckley, WV... we had a 'special edit' 45 with station calls and city recorded at the end of the song. I'm sure there are other 'special edits' floating out there somewhere. Good luck finding them since they are all likely hoarded by old school radio geeks like me.
@kheim1954 I looked at the record and there is no Larry Carlton reference but, I see why you'd think he was involved. Guitar has his "sound." The record was produced by Buckner and Garcia, the guys who sang the novelty hit Pac Man Fever. You might remember that one!
This is the theme, but as I remember it this is not what actually played as the intro. It started with someone tuning tuning up and down the radio dial, when he hit a station that was broadcasting a news report. The announcer was saying "...and the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity". Then the song kicked in.
Lyrics WKRP Baby, if you've ever wondered Wondered whatever became of me I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP Got kind of tired packing and unpacking Town to town and up and down the dial Maybe you and me were never meant to be Just Maybe think of me once in awhile Heading up that highway Leaving you behind Hardest thing I've ever had to do Broke my heart in two But Baby, pay no mind The price for finding me was losing you Memories help me hide my lonesome feelin' Far away from you and feelin' low It's gettin' late my friend, My love I miss you so Take good care of you, I've gotta go Baby, if you've ever wondered Wondered whatever became of me I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP Got kind of tired packing and unpacking Town to town and up and down the dial Maybe you and me were never meant to be Just maybe think of me once in awhile I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati WKRP In Cincinnati (1982) Steve Carlisle WKRP In Cincinnati (Main Theme) Credits Written By Hugh Wilson & Tom Wells 1981 " God Damn " " I Thought Those Turkeys Could Fly " ......
Brings back so many fond memories. Never a mention of abortion, woke, etc or any of the other so called political topics of the day. Just a half an hour of getting out of your reality and have a lot of laughs.
My name is John Wilder I'm from Raleigh I've been employed by food lion for 19 years and I get on the pa system and do an incredible impersonation of Dr Johnny fever. In fact people call me Dr fever
With all due respect to the singer's memory, he did not remember this accurately. I am an expert at deciphering gibberish. Note: I have been an Iggy & the Stooges fan since DAY ONE!! "Mad tooth bartender. Watcha gonna have to have." (or: ......"Best night I ever had.") "Sing to da bar. To the microphone I did uh huh." "I said. Good bartender. I like... better-than-hate-'er." "And then I would do it. And I could, and then I did uh huh." As with any gibberish exercise, I am not 100% on my version either. But, the last line is the key. I know I'm right about that line. And no one (including the singer) has quoted it that way. ("I would do it, & I could, and then I did uh huh.") So, of the 15-20 versions I've seen, I believe that makes mine the closest yet.
Cheesy Seventies schmaltz dripping over a set of lyrics that could not possibly be more self-indulgent.......is it any wonder this guy was barely a one-hit wonder?
A song that I never get tired of hearing :) ! Brings out all kinds of emotions and feelings at once !
I know...
This is cool. Never heard this full version before. I love the internet.
"the price for finding me was losing you"
Definitely feel that way❤
On this day in 1978 {September 18th} the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" had its premier on the CBS-TV network.
The show ran until April 21st, 1982, with a total of 88 episodes...
During its four year run it earned ten Emmy Award nominations.
In 1981 the show's theme song by Steve Carlisle entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #65.
R.I.P. Gordon 'Big Guy Carlson' Jump {1932 - 2003} and Gary 'Andy Travis' Sandy celebrates his 68 birthday in three months on Christmas Day.
Gary Sandy R.I.P.
ua-cam.com/video/y23dHAzEkfw/v-deo.html
R.I.P to Howard Hesseman
So bittersweet and nostalgic, and I wasn't even born yet when this first aired.
Short little fact some of you may not know, this was written about Andy Travis the soon to be program director for the then WKRP. It is a sort of summary of how he got there leaving Arizona and his then girlfriend behind to come to Cincinnatti to take the Program Directors job and well the rest shall we say is just hilariousness and chaos ensues from the moment he gets there!
I've been watching this series on Hulu this weekend and I saw the episode in season one when his country-singing girlfriend Linda comes to town to do a show. She wants Andy to come back on the road with her but he stays in Cincy. Great show!
rob coffman - In the pilot, Travis says he quit his job in Santa Fe, New Mexico to take the job in Cincinnati.
@@toddfedoruk1998 Yeah he mentioned coming from Santa Fe numerous times.
Randy reminds me of a project manager I used to have....
In real life, Gary Sandy is from Dayton, as was Gordon Jump. Ohio connections.
This was good old TV. Blew off a lot of homework watching this show
Jan Smithers was the bomb
Amen to that!
The
Latz51 bailey was so so fine
I had such a crush on her the first 2 seasons
So true. Jan Smithers > Loni Anderson
1 OF THE "GREATEST" THEME SONGS EVER!
What a great song sung by a terrific singer. What great lyrics. I (and I am sure many other men) who have been single for many years can relate to the lyrics to this song in having a relationship that gone sour and yet still thinks of great prior relationships. This is really a touching, sad, and very real song. 5 stars...
Its funny the actually opening video for this was the SAME exact view I had when I was younger coming into Cincinnatti on a bus and seeing the same exact buildings and signs. Stayed there for a week with a friend named Annette. Her and one of her girlfriends showed me the city and I fell in love with it. I always wish I could go back. I can't listen to this song and not think about them or what a great town Cincinnatti is. The people there were warm and friendly. Thank You Annette I doubt you will ever read this or know/or remember who I am but if you do want to know I can't not listen to this song and smile thinking of you and Cincinnatti and the great memories there!! :)
rob coffman it's good that they were like that. Unfortunately in today's fucked up world i doubt that even the people in Cincinnati are warm and friendly anymore. You should go back and tell me how things have changed :)
Unfortunately I live in the south and I'm not in touch with her anymore and doubtful I will get the money to make a trip like that again, when I made the trip the bus ticked was around $200 round trip now it would be a lot more than that as that was yeas ago I made the trip.
rob coffman that's unfortunate. Save money and look her up! 😊
I can't listen to this song and not think of her, gawd I miss her, I wonder if she ever thinks of me once in a while too?
+rob coffman aww, man. smitten, Huh? lol we'll, there's only one way to find out! 😊
🎵 Baby, If you've ever wondered, 🎵
🎵 wandered, whatever became of me. 🎵
🎵 I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, 🎵
🎵 Cincinnati WKRP. 🎵
🎵 Got kinda tired of packing and unpacking, 🎵
🎵 town to town, up and down the dial. 🎵
🎵 Maybe you and me were never meant to be. 🎵
🎵 Just maybe think of me once in a while. 🎵
🎵 If not that highway leaving you behind, 🎵
🎵 Hardest thing I ever had to do. 🎵
🎵 Broke my heart into but baby pay no mind, 🎵
🎵 the price worth finding me was losing you. 🎵
🎵 Every stroke can hide my lonesome feeling. 🎵
🎵 Far away from you I'm feeling low.. 🎵
🎵 It's getting paid my friend my love I missed you so. 🎵
🎵 Take good care of you I've gotta go. 🎵
🎵 I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati. 🎵
HEADING UP THAT HIGHWAY dude
@@StevenMcFlyJunior Fucking dick-dork
@@StevenMcFlyJunior yes Steven i agree
also "Broke my heart in two" not into ... lol
Wrong lyrics
Wonderful tune-so many memories of a truly terrific show
RIP Howard Hesseman.
Greatest show about radio ever. I know, I used to work in radio.
OMG!! I love this song! It puts me in such a good mood!
As an old school radio dj, this and WOLD by Harry Chapin are our themesongs.
I was a dj back in the day. I loved it. Had friends called me "Johnny Fever" in drag. LOLOL all with love. Bugggerrrrrrr!!!!!!!
lol I LOVED that episode, the one when they went from that shit music to rock and Andy told him he could even say Bugger on the air lol.. so he did lmfao!
Steve Carlisle..pop background and radio jingle singer..Appeared in several movies
Debut on 11/21/81 for 10 weeks at peak of #64..
love this tv show and song
Brings back memories.
great tune,,radio has ignorned alot of great tunes over the years
Actually, there was a special version of the theme for the actual radio station WKRC that DID air, in which Steve Carlisle sang the line, "I'm at WKRC in Cincinnati". So, WKRC DID air the the theme in it's entirety, with the special lyrics.
i love the show and the theme too
Back in those days it wasn't uncommon for the theme song from a successful television show to become a hit, if only a minor one. I'm surprised this one never made a dent.
It made a dent on local cincinnati radio when the show was airing
Just love this tune. Makes me feel good even when I'm not. : )
Radio did not ignore this song, at least in my hometown. I was about 13 when this show aired and the song was on the radio
Every time I hear this song it reminds me of the time in my childhood that I lived there. Awesome song & for the last time; No, WKRP wasnt an actual radio station in Cincinnati...lol
doctor johnny fever and Loni Anderson ruled
+christopher coleman you said it brother
wundermonkee1 yuuup I loved wkrp
It may not have been an actual radio station, but it was stated more than once that WKRP was based on a real one.
there have been real stations with and there is a real station with wkrp as it's call letters just not in cicncinnati the real radio station with wkrp call letter wkrp raleigh north carolina 101.9 fm low power lpfm and wkrp tv cincinati ohio a low power tv station sub channel of wqbc-ld viruial channels 25 and 20 to move to 28 uhf digital channel 47
Man love this song! Miss the show
Wonderful song! Saw the show first-run!
Oh my they dont make tv like this anymore!!!! One of the best TV series "WKRP"!!!!
It is a melancholy song, but it has hints that the the woman he loved so much might try to find him and rekindle the good times they spent together! Then again, maybe not.... This is a song that is up to the imagination of the listener, It can be either happy or sad.
I agree with you. I found the song sad. He did the right thing in taking the position. Perhaps there is happy ending!!!
This is a beautiful sad song❤😊😢
Love the full theme, should have charted higher, great fun but sad song!
The show was one of my all top 10 favorites! Enjoy!
James Cavender I find it halrious this was inspired by Harry Chapin's W*O*L*D
Very Interesting! Thanks!
huh - I never thought it was sad. Reminiscent side of sad yes, just more about acceptance. Acceptance of his transitory lifestyle and finding himself, lack of relationship to the person he's singing to, and hopeful that their lost love found the kind of happiness that the singer did. That's what always resonated with me - this sense of fondiness sent over the airwaves.. the "I know we didn't work out, but I still think the best of you."
I concur. A sad song. It was a tough decision but he did the right thing.
This great theme song reached #65 in late 1981. (U.S., Billboard) -- You're right, never heard this one on radio because I would have bought the 45 RPM & helped it go higher on the charts!
R I P dr johnny fever in jan 2022
Great Song. Great Show.
One of the themes!
This is a show made when TV producers actually cared for more than the dollar!
listening to AM radio last night in the darkroom, this came on and I turned it up! Even when the chorus or what ever kinda starts over (hokey but endearing) like that Family Guy episode when there watching the opening theme of that show and it goes on and on and on and finally resolves:) Wow memories i was only 8.
Yacht Rock Radio!!!
Anyone else?
Yup, heard it on Sirius Yacht Rock about a month ago. Also the local Culver’s plays the Sirius Yacht Rock channel and this came on yesterday while I was enjoying chocolate malts with my mom.
Love it, man! I friggin' love it. It's a mix of Jeff Lorber meets The Crusaders (without the brass, I might add). I grew up watching the show, and never heard the entire song until today. Thanks for posting.
Great Show
I never heard this full version until driving in the car recently on some non-profit channel but did see the TV show many times as a kid. Perhaps this song was hurt by its shortened version on the show; plus that it is pretty cynical about radio, so did not get much play in its day. But it is a very well written and executed song -- I like how the end sounds like corporate call letters.
Made me want to be a DJ!
It's still a catchy song!
Makes me kind of melancholy.
WCIR in Beckley, WV... we had a 'special edit' 45 with station calls and city recorded at the end of the song. I'm sure there are other 'special edits' floating out there somewhere. Good luck finding them since they are all likely hoarded by old school radio geeks like me.
live4radio KORV in Oroville California also had had one as well. It sounded just like this, but instead of WKRP, it was "KORV in Oroville".
@kheim1954
I looked at the record and there is no Larry Carlton reference but, I see why you'd think he was involved. Guitar has his "sound." The record was produced by Buckner and Garcia, the guys who sang the novelty hit Pac Man Fever. You might remember that one!
This is the theme, but as I remember it this is not what actually played as the intro. It started with someone tuning tuning up and down the radio dial, when he hit a station that was broadcasting a news report. The announcer was saying "...and the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity". Then the song kicked in.
Lyrics
WKRP
Baby, if you've ever wondered
Wondered whatever became of me
I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP
Got kind of tired packing and unpacking
Town to town and up and down the dial
Maybe you and me were never meant to be
Just Maybe think of me once in awhile
Heading up that highway
Leaving you behind
Hardest thing I've ever had to do
Broke my heart in two
But Baby, pay no mind
The price for finding me was losing you
Memories help me hide my lonesome feelin'
Far away from you and feelin' low
It's gettin' late my friend, My love I miss you so
Take good care of you, I've gotta go
Baby, if you've ever wondered
Wondered whatever became of me
I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, WKRP
Got kind of tired packing and unpacking
Town to town and up and down the dial
Maybe you and me were never meant to be
Just maybe think of me once in awhile
I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP In Cincinnati (1982)
Steve Carlisle
WKRP In Cincinnati (Main Theme)
Credits
Written By
Hugh Wilson & Tom Wells
1981
" God Damn "
" I Thought Those Turkeys Could Fly " ......
Can someone download the episode that wkrp did after the who concert? That was great TV.
One of Johnny Winters favorite songs. Seriously, just watched a rockumentary about him.
@davids8101 I thought it was the actor that played Les Nessman.
Brings back so many fond memories. Never a mention of abortion, woke, etc or any of the other so called political topics of the day. Just a half an hour of getting out of your reality and have a lot of laughs.
Closing theme can be found here:
Jim Ellis - WKRP in Cincinnati (Full End Theme Remastered) (No Meow)
toms2b And I bet the lyrics are STILL utterly incomprehensible!!!!
***** There are no lyrics. It's deliberate gibberish.
+Bad Drivers In Palm Springs Great story behind that!!! Love the gibberish!
This must be an outtake. The version that aired as a bit different.
He did do the theme to Who's The Boss, though.
Steve Wariner did that tune...
This had the WVGF referrence in Boston.
Where to purchase full version difficulty finding full version any tips anyone
Johnny Fever
LOVE Johnny.
My name is John Wilder I'm from Raleigh I've been employed by food lion for 19 years and I get on the pa system and do an incredible impersonation of Dr Johnny fever. In fact people call me Dr fever
Is there a full version of the song used in the ending credits for WKRP?
Buckner and Garcia did this?? NO FREEKEN WAY! LOL 80's trivia to the super extreme!
OK...is it just me, or does the opening triangle pattern sound a lot like the beginning of "YYZ" by Rush?
brillaince that Buckner & Garcia (Pac-Man Fever fame) did the music to this!
@MayarO1313 HOLY CRAP! You are right. It does sound like Sanders singing the song. Intresting ear. lol
bigpoppaplump yeah. In fact, there was an entire urban legend around this. But, reality is, Steve Carlisle sang this.
I think one of the guys who wrote "Pac-Man Fever" also helped with this, either Buckner or Garcia...
12-21-2012 must be pretty close
What comes after "town to town up and down . . ."?
abeamarra Town to to up and down the dial.
Is that LARRY CARLTON playing guitar????? It sounds like him
Don't ever wonder what ever became of me😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎 I,m in poughkepsie
Most modulations ever.
this is the original theme from the first season right?
+Johnny Marvéll No, this is a studio version made a few years after the star of the show.
+Larry Lee Moniz what station did it air on and how long did it run for ?
+christopher coleman It ran for 4 seasons, 90 episodes, on CBS from 1978 to 1982.
toms2b thanks I loved Loni Anderson
I like the additional lyrics.
But not the new instrumentation.
Preferred the stripped down sound of the TV version.
I got to be the 1k like!
The Fender Rhodes and guitar remind me of The Crusaders
Ha! This is it! There's a cover of this song in Wasteland 3. It's really good!
My favorite Character was Loni Anderson's "Jennifer" A pretty GIRL!!!! But I ain't seen an ugly "Jennifer" yet!
That is just plan sad..
With all due respect to the singer's memory, he did not remember this accurately.
I am an expert at deciphering gibberish. Note: I have been an Iggy & the Stooges fan since DAY ONE!!
"Mad tooth bartender. Watcha gonna have to have." (or: ......"Best night I ever had.")
"Sing to da bar. To the microphone I did uh huh."
"I said. Good bartender. I like... better-than-hate-'er."
"And then I would do it. And I could, and then I did uh huh."
As with any gibberish exercise, I am not 100% on my version either.
But, the last line is the key. I know I'm right about that line.
And no one (including the singer) has quoted it that way. ("I would do it, & I could, and then I did uh huh.")
So, of the 15-20 versions I've seen, I believe that makes mine the closest yet.
BRUH!!!
#forgottentvlyrics
Great song average show
Cheesy Seventies schmaltz dripping over a set of lyrics that could not possibly be more self-indulgent.......is it any wonder this guy was barely a one-hit wonder?