Happy Days (TV theme)

"Happy Days" is a song written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox. It is the theme of the 1970s television series Happy Days.^[3] The song was written and performed in a style similar to 1950s rock and roll appropriate to the era depicted in the series, with male vocals singing doo-wop influenced harmonies, and can be heard during the TV show's opening and closing credits as it runs in perpetual rerun syndication.

"Happy Days"
Single by Pratt & McClain
from the album Pratt & McClain Featuring Happy Days
B-side	"Cruisin' with the Fonz"
Released	March 1976[1]
Recorded	1975[1]
Studio	ABC, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Rock, theme song
Length	2:40[1]
Label	Reprise Records[1]
Songwriters	Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel[1]
Producers	Steve Barri, Michael Omartian[1]
Pratt & McClain singles chronology
""Whachersign"[2]" (1976) "Happy Days" (1976) "Devil with a Blue Dress" (1976)

"Happy Days" was first recorded in 1974 by Jim Haas with a group of other session singers for the first two seasons.^[4] These versions were used only during the closing credits of Seasons 1 and 2, with an updated take on "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets used as the opening theme. "Happy Days" was re-recorded by Pratt & McClain at ABC Recording Studios in Los Angeles in December 1975^[5] with different lyrics for both the opening and closing credits for Seasons 3 through 10, with the duo including the song on their 1976 album Pratt & McClain Featuring Happy Days and releasing it as a single. Bobby Arvon recorded an updated version in 1983 for Season 11, with the same lyrics as the version used for seasons 3-10.

Pratt & McClain's album version of the song peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[6] No. 7 on the Easy Listening chart,^[6] and No. 31 on the UK Singles Chart.^[7] In Canada, "Happy Days" reached No. 3.^[8]

Australian band Silver Studs did a rendition of the theme for their debut album. It became their biggest hit single in Australia, reaching No. 4 in June 1976.^[9]

In 2014, a re-recording of the song was used in commercials for Target. An instrumental version of the song plays in the background of some of the "Cooking with Sara" Flash games.

Personnel

• Jerry McClain, Truett Pratt, and later Bobby Arvon (1983–84 TV only) – lead vocals
• Charles Fox, Michael Ormartian – keyboards

Chart history

Weekly charts Chart (1976) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 20 Canada RPM Top Singles[8] 3 UK[7] 31 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] 5 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary[6] 7 U.S. Cash Box Top 100[12] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1976) Rank Canada [13] 52 U.S. Cash Box [14] 78

Silver Studs version

Australian group Silver Studs released a version in 1976.

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Silver Studs' version

Chart (1976)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9][15]	5

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for Silver Studs' version

Chart (1976)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15]	27

See also

• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States