Was this the best version of the theme?
- Thread starter Snarky Oracle!
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bmasters9
Telly Talk Mega Star
Basically, the Dallas title track is a winner with you no matter the season, I take it.
Garry
Telly Talk Fan
Well if you tied me up and tortured me I'd say my favorite arrangements are from (DVD Count) Seasons 4, 8, 11 and 14.
Rove
Telly Talk Warrior
It looks to me the entire budget was spent just blowing up the damn in the opening credits because gee whiz just watching anything with James and that blonde sheila (woman) was dire....just dire.
Luke_Krebbs_Ewing
Telly Talk Champion
Dallas just wasn't as good any more but I watched the show right till the bitter end.
I actually quite like DVD season 13 with the tanker collision but the Jeanne O'Brien storyline in hindsight was just an excuse to put the character of Pam Ewing to bed.
I'm not a fan of the final season but I will always love Dallas, best American drama series of all time.
Luke_Krebbs_Ewing
Telly Talk Champion
I love all the arrangements too but the DVD season thirteen theme arrangement is my absolute favourite.
Jock Og
Telly Talk TV Fanatic
My favourite of the 13 seasons (14 in the DVD count) is 1980 - '81; season 3, DVD-4. This was of course the last season with the late Jim Davis, acting John Ross Senior better known as Jock. Jim was in many B type Westerns and had fringe or recurring roles in T.V. e.g. DEATH VALLEY DAYS, STORIES OF THE CENTURY, GUNSMOKE and RESCUE 8. Yet it wasn't until near the end of his life when he hit the jackpot, as the Ewing patriarch.
I would rate another four opening credits / theme tunes in a top five, like this:
2) 1986 - '87; season 9, DVD-10.
3) 1984 - '85; season 7, DVD-8.
4) 1979 - '80; season 2, DVD-3.
5) 1989 - '90; season 12, DVD-13.
All change with the exploding dirt, no more 3-way splits and the theme tune receives its greatest tweak.
The Ewings are in the dining room of Southfork, eating breakfast prepared by Theresa. Ellie says she will stop the Takapa lake development; since she is spearheading the wild life preserve project, in the same location. Mama Ewing leaves the dining room. Jock is at the helm of Takapa, unbeknown to his wife, (a scene from season 3; DVD-4, 1980-'81):
Bobby: "Daddy! Daddy!"
Jock is reading the newspaper: "What?"
Bobby: "Don't you think you should tell Mama you're one of the Takapa developers?"
Jock: "Look Bobby, I run my business and I decide when and where I'll tell anyone about it. You understand?"
Ray joins the company of Jock, J.R. and Bobby.
Ray: "Morning! I don't mean to rush you Jock but you were supposed to meet those builders over there at 10 o'clock."
Jock: "Well, you're not rushing me Ray."
Jock gets up from his seat, at the opposite side of the table where Ellie sits.
Jock: "I got nothing more to say here, anyway."
Bobby: "Daddy, I mean it. I think you should tell her."
Jock: "Are you telling me what I gotta do these days, Bobby?"
Bobby: "No sir! No, I'm not. I just think it's fair that she knows, that's all."
Jock: "Well, how can a man be fair when his own wife barely speaks to him? You tend to your politics Bobby, or whatever it is these days. Ray and I'll take care of Takapa. You understand? Ready, Ray?"
Ray: "All set Jock!"
Jock and Ray head for their meeting, leaving J.R. and Bobby to think over what their father said.
J.R.: "Bobby. I thought you learned something when you were a young boy. I guess I was wrong."
Bobby: "Learned what?"
J.R.: "Never cross Daddy, when it comes to business. Never!"
I would rate another four opening credits / theme tunes in a top five, like this:
2) 1986 - '87; season 9, DVD-10.
3) 1984 - '85; season 7, DVD-8.
4) 1979 - '80; season 2, DVD-3.
5) 1989 - '90; season 12, DVD-13.
All change with the exploding dirt, no more 3-way splits and the theme tune receives its greatest tweak.
The Ewings are in the dining room of Southfork, eating breakfast prepared by Theresa. Ellie says she will stop the Takapa lake development; since she is spearheading the wild life preserve project, in the same location. Mama Ewing leaves the dining room. Jock is at the helm of Takapa, unbeknown to his wife, (a scene from season 3; DVD-4, 1980-'81):
Bobby: "Daddy! Daddy!"
Jock is reading the newspaper: "What?"
Bobby: "Don't you think you should tell Mama you're one of the Takapa developers?"
Jock: "Look Bobby, I run my business and I decide when and where I'll tell anyone about it. You understand?"
Ray joins the company of Jock, J.R. and Bobby.
Ray: "Morning! I don't mean to rush you Jock but you were supposed to meet those builders over there at 10 o'clock."
Jock: "Well, you're not rushing me Ray."
Jock gets up from his seat, at the opposite side of the table where Ellie sits.
Jock: "I got nothing more to say here, anyway."
Bobby: "Daddy, I mean it. I think you should tell her."
Jock: "Are you telling me what I gotta do these days, Bobby?"
Bobby: "No sir! No, I'm not. I just think it's fair that she knows, that's all."
Jock: "Well, how can a man be fair when his own wife barely speaks to him? You tend to your politics Bobby, or whatever it is these days. Ray and I'll take care of Takapa. You understand? Ready, Ray?"
Ray: "All set Jock!"
Jock and Ray head for their meeting, leaving J.R. and Bobby to think over what their father said.
J.R.: "Bobby. I thought you learned something when you were a young boy. I guess I was wrong."
Bobby: "Learned what?"
J.R.: "Never cross Daddy, when it comes to business. Never!"
Angela Channing
Telly Talk Veteran
Based purely on the theme and not the titles themselves, one of my favourites versions of the theme tune, and possibly my absolute favourite, is the one used for Dallas: War of The Ewings. I like the slightly faster tempo and the slightly more understated playing of the counter melody.
Billy Wall
Telly Talk Dream Maker
Dallas really got lucky with the “staring in alphabetical order.” I understand most of the stars were Ewings, but could you imagine Lucy being billed above JR? Lol
bmasters9
Telly Talk Mega Star
What is a "counter melody"?
I think that such a thing served both Dallas and KL very well.
Angela Channing
Telly Talk Veteran
The Dallas theme comprises two tunes: the main melody which starts at the beginning and continues throughout the piece and the counter melody, a completely different tune which starts about a third the way in and is played under the main melody. The role of the counter melody is to compliment the main tune. In some variations of the Dallas theme the counter melody is quite dominant and completely takes over from the main melody and there's a really good version (I forget which season but it might be season 12 or 13) in which this happens and the counter melody is played so strongly by the string section that the main melody effectively becomes the counter melody. However, I prefer the balance between the two melodies in The War of The Ewings.