I don't know who sings it, but I'm pretty sure it was not Thurl Ravenscroft, as alluded to by the FAQ above. He had a much richer,Basso-Profundo voice than the gent who sings it. Thurl did Tony the Tiger, and the "Your a mean one, Mr. Grinch," song, along with many of the rides at Disneyland. I CAN tell you who wrote the song.The music was written by a Mr. Havens Wray, and the words were written by a Mr.Bart Corwin.
shareI think the singer is Pernell Roberts. It sounds a lot like him.
shareI'm certain the singing voice is that of Bill Lee, who dubbed Christopher Plummer's singing in The Sound of Music and John Kerr's in South Pacific. Many other credits. Compare to the voice in the opening credits of the theatrical movie western Rancho Notorious (as William Lee), which is frequently shown on the same channel (Encore Westerns) as Bat. I'm sure you'll agree it's the same voice.
shareI agree. It is William (Bill) Lee.
Kenneth Rorie
Thanks for the answers. It is amazing, the words have stuck in my head for 42 years, as well.
shareIt could be that Gene Barry sang the theme song, but I think it sounds like Howard Keel.
shareHello all, Like the rest, I like Bat best! I have become intrigued by the identity of the singer of the theme. It seems one can surf all nite and find info on everything except the singer. My aunt also thinks it sounds like Howard Keel. She has a very educated ear for older music. She also suggested Gordon McCrae. I can't help but wonder why there is no definative answer easily found. Perhaps the artist did not want to be associated with the popularity of the theme fearing the affect to their career. As I watch the series I become obcessed by the theme and am now practicing it on my guitar as I watch. Ride on BAT! Frank Charles.
shareI also thought I heard the same voice singing in another western movie on encore. But I did not note the movie at the time. I leave the western channel on most of the day. Thank goodness for that wonderful channel.
shareHere's a link to the lyrics
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/tv/bat-masterson.htm
I can't find a download of the theme song... WAH
anyone know where i can get it???
thanks
Barb Masterson
You can download the theme song from "Bat Masterson" by clicking on the link below:
http://themes.wavethemes.net/b/batmats3.zip
http://themes.wavethemes.net/themt-b2.htm
shareHoly Cow Und530, what a fast and PERFECT response.
I had found that website before and none of the item's lit-up for downloading, go figure.
Your 2nd posting had a perfect link there and it worked.
I am so enjoying watching both episodes every day. Thank god for TIVO.
Have a great week and thanks again!!!
Barb Masterson
For the past I am refreshed to ask if you ever got any good info to theme song and lyrics under Bat Masterson.
TONY
The singer is definitely William (Bill) Lee. I've seen the contract.
shareHello again, I am still researching this question after several months. So far, there is no definative answer. We keep comparing to Howard Keel and it seems so very close. I find some references also to a vocal group called THE MELLOMEN which had members Thurl Ravenscroft and William Lee. I still need to get some recordings of them. They had much to do with Disney over the years as well and did many TV themes. I am emailing with the Gene Barry fan club and the fine ladies there still have no answer after their research. An old record album lists the song with vocals by a group called THE NITERIDERS. I am still looking for info on that. I have also written to a website concerning David Rose, who is credited with the orchestration and is the creator of many TV themes such as Bonanza. This is becoming quite a trivial pursuit! One thing is for sure, I will not rest until I find out or croak!
shareCould it possibly be Ed Ames? He has a familiar voice, and Mr. Ames was a well known singer at the time. Just a thought.....
shareWow, Ed Ames! That is a very good suggestion. I have heard his voice from records and TV. It is very close as well. I will have to get a recording and go back to the comparisons along with Howard Keel. I want to get a Pernel Roberts recording also. All of the guys mentioned had great baritone voices.
I sure hope there can be a definetive answer one day for the sake of history.
Thanks for the Ed Ames idea! Frank Charles.
Well it was just a thought. Hope it helped!
shareI've given up seeking "The Legend Of The West". Have been enjoying repeats
of repeats and never tire. That VOICE ! Somebody must know who he was.
I even tried under "cane", and couldn't find "derby". "Hat" was no help.
Let's keep at it. Long live the fast-drawing, clean-speaking (no words beginning with "f"), hard-riding but no mouth-yanking heroes of Yesteryear.
Happy Half-Century to us all !
The one who was Adam Cartwright on Bonanza
Kyle: It's bigger than Cartman's @$$!
Eric: No it isn't you guys
No, he wasn't any of those guys.
I can tell you who he is though.
It's not surprising that he isn't easily identifiable. He was a singer who toiled mostly in voice-over and studio obscurity, almost always anonymously, not unusual for that time.
But the voice is absolutely unmistakable, if you had a bunch of kids' records in the 1950s and early 60s. Which I did, being a kid, and I never knew his name either ...
... until I bought a mid-60s re-release of a 1956 novelty album called SONGS OF THE POGO, tied into Walt Kelly's comic strip and a book of the same title. On that record, atypically, he received credit. The album has been reissued on CD (it's pretty amusing if you're into nonsense lyrics set to short, cute tunes), it's still easily available via Amazon, and you can get it and hear for yourself.
His name was Mike Stewart.
Thank you for the "POGO" information. I have now found a copy of the original record. I must say that the wonderful voice of Mike Stewart is SPOT ON to the voice singing the "BAT MASTERSON THEME". I am convinced by the overall tone and the personality of the voice. While Howard Keel and some of the others mentioned can be thought of as very close, only Mike Stewart does the trick.
"Simon And Shuster Presents 18 SONGS OF THE POGO" 1956 Stewart sings 3 songs and each one displays the same baritone skill and long note holding power we all know and love from BAT! Thanks you very much once again for this great contribution. Frank Charles.
Once again, I have listened to more recordings. This time it is Bill Lee singing on "The Rifleman" "The Ballad Of Jack Pardee". The voice sure sounds very close to the Bat theme. I like aspects of Mike Stewart's voice and Howard Keel. I can compare the recordings many times and still not be absolutley sure. All are very great voices though.
shareWilliam Conrad is another possibility. He had that rich baritone voice, and he also starred in an episode and directed at least one of them. Maybe there's a connection.
"Where's the rest of this moose?"
Hello.... it has been about 4 years now and I still have not been able to find any proof that Bill Lee is the singer of the Bat Masterson TV Theme song. BUT... If you take a recording of Bill's, I used two, one being "Chuck-a-Luk" from Rancho Notorious and compare to the Bat Theme...... It sure sounds like Bill is the singer of the Bat theme. Another example I used was from an episode of "The Rifleman" called "The Challenge". Bill sings "The Ballad of Jake Pardee" in this and it also is very close. Others have claimed that a man named Mike Stewart is the singer of the Bat theme.... but I sure do find Bill Lee's voice just about a perfect match. In an earlier message, I found Stewart close and was convinced at the time. Stewart sings on "Songs Of The Pogo", a record about the famous cartoon character. I bought a copy of this and while Stewart is a great baritone voice and perhaps could have been the singer, I do not find it as close of a match. So we are relegated to opinion as far as I can tell because there appears to be no documented evidence to credit anyone with being the singer of the Masterson theme. I'd even still throw in Howard Keel's name because he has about the same perfect baritone voice. Pernell Roberts and Ed Ames are also in this category. Without an FBI voice analysis..... I guess we are going to have to wonder..... but that again is just my opinion. Whatever the case, the Bat Theme is a great song and one of the better baritone pieces I have ever heard. I enjoy singing to a recording of it in the car..... so on we go down the Western Trail..... I hope there can be proof one day.... but until then..... May the Good Lord take a likin' to ya! Frank Charles.
shareMike Stewart:
http://noelserrano.blogspot.com/2009/01/mike-stewart-was-singer-of-bat .html
Bill Lee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKt-OIcQ_y8
Ed Ames:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaQisHV8jw
Howard Keel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7OJs10y5t0
Thurl Ravenscroft:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itkOswldUEo
Pernell Roberts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jEizWzybOQ
The Bat Masterson song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRNImRxRNjc
My vote: Mike Stewart
But wondering about it is fun.
The past is a series of presents. The present is living history we are privileged to witness
Dear Pelaphus !
Thanks for the name.
(I lost my original Pogo in house-fire. We must be among the thousands to whom
Walt Kelly gave his works of supreme comic art. His agent begged him to stop. Is there a Walt Kelly Collectors Club ?)
I know a host of folk will be able to sleep nights, now
that W.B.Masterson's theme singer is identified.
I wish Pogo were running for office today. All would be peaceful in Okeefenokee once again.
Go to Amazon.com and you'll find both new and used copies of "Songs of the Pogo." You can also find it on the iTunes store and ebay, but I would recommend buying it from Amazon. It is MUCH cheaper on Amazon. Anyone who has listened to "Whither the Starling" from Pogo will recognize the beautiful voice of Mike Stewart as the singer of the Bat Masterson theme song. Wow! Great voice!
shareDear Landau-5: if you're still interested in the actual lyrics, try "www.crazyabouttv.com/batmasterson.html.";
share[deleted]
[deleted]
Is it me or does the song's tempo/melody seem influenced by Johnny Cash's "I Walk The Line," which was released two years prior to the show?
---
Man in motion, going nowhere
Words and music by Bart Corwin and Havens Wray. Sung by Bill Lee.
A person's a person, no matter how small. -- Dr. Seuss