OT- Suicide is Painless - The MASH

Anyone know if this ever made it to CD? Not a top 40, but a very very well known theme from the movie and TV Series. Not seeking the short abbreviated version that is on TV Comps, but the 2:53 that is on here:

https://www.discogs.com/The-Mash-Suicide-Is-Painless/release /1291524

Extra points if anyone has the 2:53 instrumental (if it even exists) of the song.

I know the words were meant to be funny (and nonsensical), but my hope was that the 50 second TV show intro that is famous was a longer instrumental. If anyone has any info much appreciated.

Edited by PopArchivist

Brian W. wrote: I doubt that a longer version of the instrumental TV theme exists, which to my knowledge was recorded specifically for the series

What's funny is that you would think with the popularity of the TV series for so many years that they would have done a longer instrumental version (like Rockford Files, Hill Street Blues etc) considering how popular the song is and how it was associated with the show. The 2:53 with the words just kills it for me, I do love the instrumental....

Brian W. wrote: there's a long version of the "Cheers" theme that they played on one episode late in the series.

The Gary Portnoy complete version of the Cheers theme
(which is a full re-recording, different than what was
used for the theme of the series) was utilized in a
special montage sequence for the special documentary
that preceded the premiere of the final episode of the
series (later split into 2 parts for syndication).

I haven't watched the series in a while but if memory
serves, they used the full first verse and chorus
during the first season or two before trimming it down
to a few flourishes of the intro straight into just the
chorus. For the final episode, they reverted back to
the original uncut theme.