Song:Happy Days
Album:TV Land Presents Favorite TV Theme Songs
TV themes have always been ripe fodder for chart hits. Pratt & McClain's recording of the theme song from the very popular TV show Happy Days reached the top five in 1976. They had limited success otherwise. In mid-60s Los Angeles, Jerry McClain met Michael Omartian and they formed the band American Scene. They recorded briefly for Dot Records. By 1970, Omartian had begun a very successful production career at ABC Records under the tutelage of house producer Steve Barri. Truett Pratt had moved to Los Angeles from San Antonio, TX and Omartian introduced Pratt to McClain. The two formed the band Brother Love and started recording jingles. They decided to record and in 1975, Omartian signed Pratt & McClain to Dunhill Records and produced their debut album. Meanwhile, Garry Marshall created the sitcom Happy Days in 1974. For the first season, they used Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock as the opening theme. When the show became a hit, it was decided that an original theme song was needed. They asked veteran film composer Charles Fox and his lyricist partner Norman Gimbel to write the song. They also wrote the themes for Love American Style, Laverne & Shirley and The Love Boat among others. Omartian and Barri moved to Warner Bros. and they brought Pratt & McClain with them. Omartian suggested that Pratt & McClain record Happy Days and he produced it. It was released on Reprise Records and it reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. Pratt & McClain's cover of Mitch Ryder's Devil With The Blue Dress On also charted. But their album didn't do well and they never recorded again. You can get Happy Days and plenty of other original TV themes on this CD from TV Land and Rhino. Truett Pratt moved back to San Antonio and he owns a production company. Jerry McClain owns a Happy Days Rock Revival in Los Angeles. Here's a video for Happy Days by Pratt & McClain.
No comments:
Post a Comment