Who Whistled the Andy Griffith Theme Song?
May 28, 2008
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Posted by Ray Fowler
One of our all-time favorite television shows is the Andy Griffith show. Just the other day we were wondering who did the whistling for the theme song at the beginning of the show. That would be Earl Hagen, who passed away earlier this week. Hagen composed original music for more than 3,000 episodes, pilots and TV movies, including the theme songs for “The Andy Griffith Show,” “I Spy,” “The Mod Squad” “That Girl,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” The Andy Griffith song also had lyrics called “The Fishing Hole,” written by actor Everett Sloane (who played Mr. Bernstein in Citizen Kane).
Click to play “whistling” theme song.
[audio:AndyGriffith_ThemeSong_Whistling.mp3]
Click to hear Andy Griffith sing “The Fishing Hole.”
[audio:AndyGriffith_ThemeSong_Singing.mp3]
“The Fishing Hole”
Music by Earle Hagen & Herbert W. Spencer
Words by Everett Sloane
Well, now, take down your fishin’ pole
And meet me at The Fishin’ Hole,
We may not get a bite all day,
But don’t you rush away.What a great place to rest your bones
And mighty fine for skippin’ stones,
You’ll feel fresh as a lemonade,
A-settin’ in the shade.Whether it’s hot, whether it’s cool,
Oh what a spot for whistlin’ like a fool.What a fine day to take a stroll
And wander by The Fishin’ Hole,
I can’t think of a better way
To pass the time o’ day.We’ll have no need to call the roll
When we get to The Fishin’ Hole,
There’ll be you, me, and Old Dog Trey,
To doodle time away.If we don’t hook a perch or bass,
We’ll cool our toes in dewy grass,
Or else pull up a weed to chaw,
And maybe set and jaw.Hangin’ around, takin’ our ease,
Watchin’ that hound a-scratchin’ at his fleas.Come on, take down your fishin’ pole
And meet me at The Fishin’ Hole,
I can’t think of a better way
To pass the time o’ day.
HT: Don Surber
Categories: Television, Video
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Can’t think of a better way to approach and live life as they sing about it in this song.
“Whistling girls and crowing hens both will come to some bad ends” when someone asks why I’m such a good whistler, I whistle this theme song! (pretty well too if I do say so). Interesting article.
Sally – It is definitely a catchy tune, and I catch myself whistling it from time to time.
Everett Sloane also played the man tormented by a gambling machine in The Twighlight Zone… “Franklin”!… Ha ha
I wish to take exception but I was the one who whistled the theme on the Andy Griffith Show.
You did a great job then!
Fred Lowery was the one who whistled the Andy Griffith theme song!
I heard, or read that is, that he wrote it, but that some guy named “toots” did the whistle’n. trivial pursuit I believe it was. I will do another search….
looks like it coulda been the old spice theme. my bad.
Love the tune, and our cockatiels love the whistling. One bird, no longer with us, used to shake his head in tune his cress would rise, and he just loved it.