The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle Sing-Along

The music and lyrics for the Gilligan's Island theme song, "The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle", were written by Sherwood Schwartz and George Wyle.

There were two versions of the theme during the run of the show, one for the first season and another for the second and third. In the original theme song, the Professor and Mary Ann were referred to as "and the rest". Actors Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells were originally considered "second-billed co-stars", but with the growing popularity of their characters, their names were inserted into the lyrics. Wells has stated that it was Denver who went to the studio executives to get them added to the opening credits. The studio originally refused, stating that it would cost too much to re-shoot and re-score the opening. Denver pointed out that it was in his contract that he could have his name anywhere he wanted in the credits, so they could move it to the end credits along with Johnson and Wells. The studio capitulated. Wells said that Denver never mentioned this to anyone in the cast, and she did not find out until years after the show ended what he had done.

The first season version was recorded by The Wellingtons and had a folk music sound. It starts with an acoustic guitar strumming for two bars before the lyrics start. The instrumentation, which includes a slide guitar, is subdued and very Hawaiian sounding.

The second and third season version was not credited to a particular group in the credits, but according to Russell Johnson in his book Here on Gilligan's Isle, it was performed by a group called The Eligibles. It begins with a mini-fanfare, and has a more traditional pop music sound but with spaghetti western-like underpinnings. The instrumentation is much more prominent in this version, and it does not have any slide guitar.

The show's original pilot episode featured a calypso theme song with different lyrics. Notably, the original length of the voyage was "a six-hour ride", not "a three-hour tour."

The theme song has been covered by many bands, most notably Bowling for Soup for the TBS show The Real Gilligan's Island.

This one is season 2 and three and I also have the ending as well.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• YouTube
• Sing-Along

[STARRHARDY]

I never understood the fact that if it was only a 3 hour tour..why did they have so much clothes? And truthfully wasn't the boat a little small for 7 people?

[DisneyVillain]

@STARRHARDY Maybe the tour was a small part of a grand vacation in a tropic resort and they brought the luggage with them to prevent theft.

Don't know about boat though

[cyberjar88]

I think Weird Al used part of the ending in Amish Paradise...

[DisneyVillain]

He did! I should know. Amish Paradise is one of my older Sing-Alongs.

[aero181]

love this song..

[nejikath]

@1CoProductions What a waste. Now we have shows like Hannah Montana, High School Musical and things like that. It's so horrible...

[1CoProductions]

@nejikath im 17 and I now this show as well because im related to Jim Backus who played Thurston Howle. so your not the only one of our generation who knows of gilligan's island. anyone else I mention this show to don't even now what I'm talking about, they never heard of this show.

[roselle495]

@qwertyoctopus you haven't actually read the book, have you? his supplies from the shipwreck barely lasted six months, so he HAD to hunt the animals on the island

[KewlGG17]

This is the song for season 2 and 3 because in season 1 it says "......millionare and his wife, the movie star and the rest..."

[qwertyoctopus]

Robinson Crusoe was like the pussy version of castaways. He had everything he needed either in boxes that washed up on shores, or growing on trees. He didn't even need to hunt if he didn't want to.

[nejikath]

@tricksterhuaun I just watched it during summer time when i had nothing to do and i just liked it ^^

[tricksterhuaun]

@nejikath Me too

[YourFaceWillDie468]

Why am I not surprised that one of the only people who dislikes this song is called "ImmaBelieber"? XD

[nejikath]

Can you believed i'm 17 and i know this?

[KaptainSparta]

IT'S SO DAMNED CATCHY!