I thought I had heard of most of the instrumental themes that had lyrics awkwardly grafted on afterward for a published and/or recorded version. (I even instinctively think of “Baby Elephant Walk” starting with the words “Make believe you’re in a jungle movie/Watch the baby elephants go by,” because I read it in a songbook years ago.) But I didn’t know that The Odd Couple theme had lyrics, by Sammy Cahn. The vocal – by one of those studio guy groups who were ubiquitous on easy-listening recordings by the likes of Hefti, Mancini, and others in this period – starts at 1:19. I think it’s better without the lyrics, but then, so is “Suicide is Painless.”
I thought I had heard of most of the instrumental themes that had lyrics awkwardly grafted on afterward for a published and/or recorded version. (I even instinctively think of “Baby Elephant Walk” starting with the words “Make believe you’re in a jungle movie/Watch the baby elephants go by,” because I read it in a songbook years ago.) But I didn’t know that The Odd Couple theme had lyrics, by Sammy Cahn. The vocal – by one of those studio guy groups who were ubiquitous on easy-listening recordings by the likes of Hefti, Mancini, and others in this period – starts at 1:19. I think it’s better without the lyrics, but then, so is “Suicide is Painless.”