OT: Steve Carlisle - WKRP in Cincinnati
Printed From: Top 40 Music on CD
Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
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URL: https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10278
Printed Date: 10 September 2025 at 1:20pm
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Topic: OT: Steve Carlisle - WKRP in Cincinnati
Posted By: mjb50
Subject: OT: Steve Carlisle - WKRP in Cincinnati
Date Posted: 15 August 2025 at 2:02am
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"WKRP in Cincinnati (Main Theme)" was the hit(?) version released on 45 in late 1981. It is a longer, re-recorded version of the actual TV show's opening theme song from 1978. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9gJwA5KmU0" rel="nofollow - The45Prof's transfer runs 2:50, but the ends are edited, so I can't confirm if it's truncated, and I don't have it myself. Carlisle's 1982 LP Steve Carlisle Sings WKRP in Cincinnati contained a remixed version which runs 2:53. The most immediate change to notice between the 45 and the LP is right at the beginning, right before the lead guitar starts, the 45 has a drum fill which is completely missing from the LP. Thereafter, the 45's drums, and especially the hi-hats, are louder than on the LP. The LP version adds an acoustic rhythm guitar through most of the song. The remix appeared on these compilations: • Tube Tunes Volume Three: The '80s (1995) • Sounds of the Eighties: TV Themes of the '80s (1996) It's the same transfer, just louder on the 1995 CD. There's a 2:47 version on a TM Century CD (Series 17, 1761). No idea what it is. There's a 0:43 version on All-Time Top 100 TV Themes (2005), but Discogs has it noted as being a cover version. The 45 version is not on CD, as far as I can tell. |
Replies:
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 15 August 2025 at 9:30pm
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I was working in radio in West Virginia in 1981 when this was released as a single. I remember each of the stations in our company received customized versions of the song mentioning that station's call letters. I would love a digital release of the single version of this song. But, after 44 years, I doubt we'll ever see it released. ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA Celebrating 28 years as a full-time wedding & special event DJ! |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 16 August 2025 at 10:16am
I don't think our station played this song, but at the time my "day job" was a field service engineer and I do recall hearing a couple stations in my travels that had a custom version. |
eriejwg wrote:Posted By: PopArchivist
Date Posted: 16 August 2025 at 11:04am
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No the proper 45 is not on CD. At this point probably won't be... ------------- Favorite two expressions to live by on this board: "You can't download vinyl" and "Not everything is available on CD." |
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 16 August 2025 at 9:42pm
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Summing up: The 1982 Steve Carlisle Sings WKRP In Cincinnati LP was on MCA, was produced by Buckner And Garcia (later of "Pac Man Fever" fame), prominently featured a picture of MCA labelmate Donnie Iris on the back cover, and used members of Donnie Iris's backing band, The Cruisers (!). There's a surprising amount of talent that went into making this record, but the mere title of the album certainly doomed its sales. It was Steve Carlisle's only album. The back cover of the LP also featured a picture of a band called The Rings (I don't know them). The 1982 album featured a remix of the 1981 45 "WKRP In Cincinnati (Main Theme)". The B-side ("You Told A Lie") is on the album, but I don't know if it's the same mix. The first CD to feature the 1982 Steve Carlisle Sings WKRP In Cincinnati LP version was Rhino's Tube Tunes Vol. 3 The '80s (1995). There's a digital clone on Time-Life's Sounds Of The Eighties Vol. 32 TV Themes Of The '80s (1996), which is digitally exactly 1.56 dB louder. The 45 version is the same performance, but with the opening drum fill muted and some mix differences. It doesn't exist on CD. ------------- There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one http://www.crapfromthepast.com" rel="nofollow - Crap From The Past . |
Posted By: davidlg1971
Date Posted: 18 August 2025 at 10:55am
Re-listening to it again, I remembered that it's not actually Steve Carlisle at all. There's a comment on the Youtube video that compliments the performance of Dan Amrich, a bay area singer back in the 1980s - but I don't know if that's accurate. Anyway - one of the reasons I bought that CD was I was hoping to get a copy of the WKRP theme as it is in the show. Except in the original season one version, it has an AM-to-FM radio transition that takes place in the intro, up until Carlisle finishes the phrase https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQvCNLIVydM&t=31" rel="nofollow - "Baby, if you've ever wondered" . I eventually found it on a DVD of a later season. |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 18 August 2025 at 3:22pm
Gonna go out on a limb here, but I'd say the LP's lack of sales hinged more on him being an artist no one had ever heard of doing kind of a generic mid-tempo AC-ish song during a time period where similar songs abounded. |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 19 August 2025 at 3:30pm
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One of the members of The Cruisers is Marty Lee, who got his start here in Erie, PA. I wonder if he plays on this track? ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA Celebrating 28 years as a full-time wedding & special event DJ! |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 19 August 2025 at 3:35pm
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In my opinion, the single version doesn't sound as lifeless as the LP version. ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA Celebrating 28 years as a full-time wedding & special event DJ! |
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 19 August 2025 at 8:29pm
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No Marty Lee, but astute Donnie Iris fans will recognize Mark Avsec (keyboards and synthesizers) and Kevin Valentine (drums). ------------- There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one http://www.crapfromthepast.com" rel="nofollow - Crap From The Past . |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 20 August 2025 at 8:29pm
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Marty Lee and Paul Goll of the Cruisers are originally from Erie. When Kevin Valantine left, he was replaced by Steve McConnell. When Kevin returned, he replaced Steve. ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA Celebrating 28 years as a full-time wedding & special event DJ! |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 20 August 2025 at 8:30pm
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Steve McConnell was also from Erie. ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA Celebrating 28 years as a full-time wedding & special event DJ! |
Posted By: kaqueno
Date Posted: 21 August 2025 at 7:06am
Can any member send me version 45? ------------- Marcelo - Argentina https://www.mixcloud.com/marcelo-guzman4/ - https://www.discogs.com/user/kaqueno/collection |