I am so upset everytime I have seen this in reruns because they removed the song "My Life" from the opening sequence!!! The song they put in it's place is just not right!!!!
shareOdd...I caught "Bussom Buddies" by accident today (Saturday) at 6AM and "My Life" was in place. I would also be disappointed if they removed it. What did they put in its place?
shareThere were some licensing problems in the 90's with the 'My Life' song. It was replaced by some other lame song sung by a woman. But, this has been resolved in the current syndicated runs.
The "lame song sung by a woman" was the original theme song written for the show, and they replaced it because it was, er, lame. They left the instrumental version of the lame song over the end credits. (I miss end credits. I miss the music that went under them, too.)
As you say, the reruns in the 1990s (on USA) used the lame song up top because the rights to use "My Life" had expired.
The 'lame song' was sung by Stephanie Mills - you'll probably recognize her voice from the late 70's hit 'I Never Knew Love Like This Before'
shareThis couldn't possible have been resolved, becasue I just bought the DVD and the song MY LIFE is NO WHERE on the dvd. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
That womans voice just doesn't feel right. It messes up my ability to enjoy it like my childhood memories.
Oh I know, I bought the DVD myself, looking forward to that great song and it's not there. It's a shame really!!
shareYeah, you guys do know that the song is sung by some character named Billy Joel. I'm not sure if he went on to fame or not, but I am pretty sure you can find this song and some of his records if you to an exstensive internet search. Try ebay. Good luck, I hope you find this hard-to-find singer and this crazy unheard of song.
shareCarefully hidden sarcasm there? I was disappointed by the lack of "MY LIfe" on the DVDs as well. From what I recall, Billy Joel wasn't doing the singing in the TV version of "My LIfe", but it was a good rendition of it. It just helped to get viewers into the show.
Back when TV themes were used to their fullest, they were identified with the porgram they were written/sung for. "Mission Impossible", "Barney Miller" and "Get Smart" are good examples. Now, when I watch a show like "House", I want them to skip the corney instrumental theme and get on with the plot.
The version of My Life (now gone from the DVDs anyway) over the B&B intro was not performed by Billy Joel during the original ABC run to begin with, if I am remembering correctly. It was a cover version of My Life.
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Wait a minute... who am I here?
I could have sworn the first season used BILLY JOEL's version of My Life and then when the show got picked up for Season Two they used a cover version of My Life sung by someone else.
I was very surprised when we put the dvds on and there was no My Life!
To the poster who said we could just by a BILLY JOEL album with My Life on it...Thats not the point. The imagery in the opening credits (Henry and Kip sunbathing at a parking meter, throwing fruit in the bag....) all GO to the music of My Life and should be accompanied by it, as far as we are concerned!
Im sure there are even people who think about "kip" and "Henry" everytime they here that song on the radio! I know I do!
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mamamiasweetpeaches is correct...
For Bosom Buddies original run on ABC in 1980, the Billy Joel version of "My Life" was used. Beginning with the second season, we replaced the original with a 'sound-a-like' version. Yes, there is a difference in licensing fees between an original recording with the original artist and the same song redone with a 'sound-a-like' performer. And fyi, a 'sound-a-like' is deliberately created in a manner to make sure the publishers know it's not the real thing. This came about because of a court case on a different matter many years ago. In that case, the defendants who were sued, lost because they made their fake version sound to close to the original and were not able to convince the court it really was a fake. All of this became moot later, after Bosom Buddies network run when we revisited all 37 episodes and replaced the song completely for syndication. Where this becomes confusing is that Bosom Buddies was delayed for 2 years before going into syndication because NBC bought the rights to the original shows from Paramount that ran on ABC from 1980 to 1982, and re-ran them in 1984 after Tom Hanks became a star in the movie 'Splash'. At that time, this included the Billy Joel song. There was a deal struck in the 1990s to restore the 'sound-a-like' version of the song for syndication, but as most people already know, it was not used for the DVD release. Hope this helps clear up any confusion. :)
Actually the cast of the show was singing the cover of "My Life". If you listen closely, that's Tom Hanks as the foreground voice. Really!!!
Sammaffei, you took my response. :) Oh well, I'll just reiterate it.
That IS Tom Hanks singin' "My Life", with the rest of the cast backing him up.
Did they really use Billy Joel's version at all during the first season? In reruns I've seen over the years(when they actually use "My Life", as opposed to "Shake Me Loose")it's never been the Billy Joel version. There's a cover version of "My Life" for the first season, and a slight variation on that for the second. In more recent years, they actually have the 2nd season variation on several of the later first season episodes(once the introduction explaining the premise is tagged on).
share[deleted]
Your right, Doom. Billy Joel never sang the song for the opening credits; it was a cover version. It was removed from the DVD release because the licensing fees are insanely expensive! They also removed most (but not all) of the songs that were in some of the episodes for the same reason. When ever it's been in syndication in my area, the songs also been removed from it, except for it's first run in syndication, which was back in the mid-80's.
"The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."
"Back when TV themes were used to their fullest, they were identified with the porgram they were written/sung for. "Mission Impossible", "Barney Miller" and "Get Smart" are good examples. Now, when I watch a show like "House", I want them to skip the corney instrumental theme and get on with the plot."
The theme for House is actually "Teardrop" by Massive Attack.
Almost all of the "original" type music used in this series were edited out (along with some entire scenes) on the DVD release of both seasons. I absolutely hate the replacement theme song.
"The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."
Is there any place where it's written that Tom Hanks sings the cover of My Life? It's not even listed here at iMDB ... just that the song was written by Billy Joel.
Vist http://www.lostdesmond.com - all about Desmond from ABC's Lost!
I'm with danafranklin (-& a few others-). The replacement song sucks! Big time! They've started showing Bosom Buddies on "ME TV" recently, and don't use My Life. The thing they use is indeed, VERY "lame". It's nice to know I'm not alone in my dislike of what they have stuck on the show.
I have yet to find any *solid evidence* of who sang the version of My Life that was used. I like to think it was Tom singing it, but...
SilverUnicorn #}}}>>-
This is the oldest post I have ever replied to !!! Are you still there, Dude ??? (Or Dudette as the case may be)
Hey, blame Mr. Billy Joel himself. I tried to use "She's Got A Way" for my fiancee's birthday video on YouTube a couple of years ago and I got a copyright strike and couldn't use it. I couldn't find another song to fit the video so I had to make a whole new one. Grrrrrrrrrr !!! At least she got to see it (and loved it !!!) anyway, but I have since boycotted any and all Billy Joel songs.
See ya !!!