"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale" of a time when television shows began with awesome TV Theme Songs. "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name" and sometimes you want to go back to when TV Theme songs were special. "Here's a story... of a lovely" time when TV Theme Songs served to identify, distinguish and set the stage for the television program that followed. "You take the good, take the bad, take them both and there you have" what unfortunately has become a lost artform. "Believe it or not", sadly it seems no effort or pride is taken in the TV Theme Song ever since Seinfeld proved a short synth-bass riff could be used instead. “Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!” This regular feature may not "make all our dreams come true", but it will remember some of the best TV Theme Songs from years past (with a focus on the '80s decade). "Come aboard, we're expecting you."
This time we will cover the theme song for Three's Company titled "Come and Knock on Our Door". "Come and knock on our door... We've been waiting for you..." Three's Company debuted in March of 1977 and ran eight seasons and 172 episodes crossing into the '80s on ABC ending in 1984. It is one of my all-time favorite sitcoms and thus not surprising one of my favorite TV Theme Songs as well.
"Come and Knock on Our Door" was written by Joe Raposo. You might not recognize the name, but Raposo is actually responsible for some of the most memorable songs from Sesame Street. Raposo co-wrote songs like the show's theme "Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?" as well as "Bein' Green", "C is for Cookie", "Sing" and many more. "Come and Knock on Our Door" was sung by Ray Charles and Julia Rinker. No, not the R&B legend Ray Charles you are probably thinking of. This is a different Ray Charles who is best known as organizer and leader of the Ray Charles Singers who were featured on Perry Como's records and television shows for 35 years. Rinker was a career background singer who was also one of the original “Dean’s Girls” on The Dean Martin Show. Together they created a sassy harmony that was perfect as the show's theme song. Here are the opening credits of Three's Company featuring “Come and Knock on Our Door” performed by Ray Charles & Julia Rinker…
The scenes in the original opening credits with the trio frolicking on a boardwalk and riding bumper-cars was shot at the Santa Monica Pier. A new opening sequence was shot when Priscilla Barnes joined the show, featuring the cast members riding a zoo tram and looking at various animals filmed at the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. Here are the opening credits for
a later season of Three's Company...
Hearing "Come and Knock on Our Door" makes me want to meet some friends down at the Regal Beagle for a drink. "Down at our rendezvous... Three's company too!"
Hope you enjoyed tuning in for another "episode" of TV Theme Songs!