The 1991 open for GL was great and should have just been updated with new pix. That show always had the best theme songs

Agreed. The 91 GL theme was absolutely perfect for the show. It never really needed changing and I found the subsequent themes all a poor substitute.

And as a kid I HATED ATWT's opening (the 90s theme). Drove me nuts. I found it so embarrassing to watch, particularly after B&B, which I found so dramatic and exciting.

Edited February 20, 201015 yr by beebs

I liked Dorian's Dixie Carter in Ray Charles opening of Designing Women ticky neck thing with that small shot of her doing her Titania "Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed while I thy amiable cheeks do coy..."

Funny that you mention that, considering Dixie Carter was once a temporary-replacement Dorian back in the day...

One of my favorites, a piano version of One Life to Live's 1996 opening. I think the opening sequence itself would be more fitting for OLTL now, rather than the 80s one, since this one is more in tune with the urban feel the show has for itself now. Piano Version of OLTL 1996 Opening

I don't know what makes something like this an urban theme. Don't get me wrong; it sounds pretty. But I think that day-after-day, these kind of ballad-like piano renditions end up being a big snore in no time at all. I remember when All My Children did that very thing at the behest of then-EP Francesca James. After a short while, fans online complained that it sounded depressing. The version remained until Jean Dadario Burke joined the show as "Producer" (not long before she ended up replacing James altogether), and an upbeat version of the theme was used, instead.

I always found the music in the 93-99 ATWT opening depressing as hell. I thought it was more fitting for a funeral. LOL!

You see what I mean?

Edited February 20, 201015 yr by YurSoakinginit

I agree that the original HOTL was perfect and didn't need changing. I did however like the slower jazz version too, would have been nice if they alternated the two like how GH would sometimes play the slower version of Faces of the Heart on sad occasions (okay, maybe they only did that once, when Stone died). I usually got home from school after the show started so I didn't see that opening for a couple of weeks, just assumed something must have been different because they changed the closing music to this jazzy rendition. Then GL went and sped the theme up again with an electric guitar version that had all these weird sounding trickles and trills that I just did not like. That was the last before Rauch snipped it to a bumper.

Jazz:

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name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Electric Guitar:

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name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Note Eleni and Vivian (and Alex in the original version)... presumably they found a shot they liked that wasn't long enough so they had to do that play/pause/rewind thing. Dynasty did the same deal with Rock Hudson's shot in the opening credits.

I agree that the original HOTL was perfect and didn't need changing. I did however like the slower jazz version too, would have been nice if they alternated the two like how GH would sometimes play the slower version of Faces of the Heart on sad occasions (okay, maybe they only did that once, when Stone died). I usually got home from school after the show started so I didn't see that opening for a couple of weeks, just assumed something must have been different because they changed the closing music to this jazzy rendition. Then GL went and sped the theme up again with an electric guitar version that had all these weird sounding trickles and trills that I just did not like. That was the last before Rauch snipped it to a bumper.

I actually didn't mind the guitar version of HOTL too much; I liked the intro piano sound... But you know what used to make me laugh out loud (actually, still does)? When they added Reva in as the closing-shot in this version:

I mean, what was that? She's like, "hey boys! Look at me... I'm baa-aaaaaaaaack!"

Edited February 20, 201015 yr by YurSoakinginit

Yeah, that piano OLTL theme was cool for Christmas, but not for an every day theme. What's odd is that I remember there being a chorus too, doing "ooh OOH ooh AHH!" ("One Liiife to Liiive!") but maybe that was during the closing.

I mean, what was that? She's like, "hey boys! Look at me... I'm baa-aaaaaaaaack!"

Totally, and I felt like saying, "GOOO baa-aaaaaaaaaack!" IIRC, there were A-Day and B-Day versions of those credits and one day she was in tan and the other day she was in red. Okay, I hope I'm not confusing this with Erica in the 2002 AMC credits, but I do seem to remember that for a while there there were two cast versions of the credits.

My favorite final shot was Harley grooving to the music, I don't think she's ever looked sexier.

I actually didn't mind the guitar version of HOTL too much; I liked the intro piano sound... But you know what used to make me laugh out loud (actually, still does)? When they added Reva in as the closing-shot in this version:

I mean, what was that? She's like, "hey boys! Look at me... I'm baa-aaaaaaaaack!"

The essence of Zimmer, epitomized in just a few seconds. Loves it.

I guess I have to come to the defense of the 90s ATWT theme. I thought it was a beautiful piece (especially the closing) and the visuals were gorgeous. Perfect daytime music, IMO.

Speaking of ATWT, I believe this one here to be the best soap theme of all time, ever:

Just...everything a soap theme needed to be then. Loud, bombastic, grand, majestic, sweeping, dramatic, elegant, dignified.

Yeah, that piano OLTL theme was cool for Christmas, but not for an every day theme. What's odd is that I remember there being a chorus too, doing "ooh OOH ooh AHH!" ("One Liiife to Liiive!") but maybe that was during the closing.

You weren't hearing things. The original edit of this OLTL opening did have what sounds like a "chorus of angels" singing in the background at the very tail-end of the theme.

Funny that you mention that, considering Dixie Carter was once a temporary-replacement Dorian back in the day...

I don't know what makes something like this an urban theme. Don't get me wrong; it sounds pretty. But I think that day-after-day, these kind of ballad-like piano renditions end up being a big snore in no time at all. I remember when All My Children did that very thing at the behest of then-EP Francesca James. After a short while, fans online complained that it sounded depressing. The version remained until Jean Dadario Burke joined the show as "Producer" (not long before she ended up replacing James altogether), and an upbeat version of the theme was used, instead.

You see what I mean?

I wasn't referring to the particular theme music, but the opening sequence itself, the one that lasted from 96-the 00s. That is what had an urban feel to it with the shots of the buildings, the people on the sidewalk, etc. The piano version would only be good to use IMO for heavy emotional episodes, and yes the holidays too.

As for OLTL not exactly having a urban feel to it, perhaps not at this exact moment, but when I think of urban I automatically think of diversity, and OLTL definitely had that around November or so with African Americans, Gays, etc. etc. all being on the forefront. Plus, Llanview isn't portrayed as some small town you know. Sure it's not close to oh say what watching The City felt like, but out of all the soaps on air today, OLTL just feels more realistically urban with it set in Llanview JMHO. Now if only we can get some stories featuring some of the characters in their workplace.

Edited February 20, 201015 yr by MichaelGL

I wonder if [GUIDING LIGHT] instituted more action clips into this opening from 1985 bc it was around the time the show was slipping in ratings?

Well, that, and it was part of P&G's ongoing effort to make their shows palatable to the DALLAS/DYNASTY crowd. Truth is, yes, GL (and almost every other daytime soap) had become more action/adventure-driven, but it wasn't as dramatic as those credits made it out to be.

Meanwhile, I, too, loved "My Guiding Light." I wish they'd use it once more for GL's finale.

Okay. Favorite soap openings.

AMC - The second, more familiar variation of the original sequence (w/o Rosemary Prinz's picture), used until the show's 20th anniversary in 1990.

ANOTHER WORLD - The "interlocking rings" sequence used from 1974-81.

ATWT - "As the World Turns On and On," from 1981-93.

DAYS - The package used throughout the 1980's.

EON - All of them, really.

GL - The 1975-82 sequence (w/ the shot of the sun shining through the trees), as well as all the sequences used throughout the '80s.

OLTL - The one used during the late '70's "golden era", with the simple sunrise and stirring theme music.

RYAN'S HOPE - Believe it or not? The one during the late '70's that had no Ryans (or any other cast members) in it whatsoever. In fact, if they had found a way to combine that one, with images of New York City, with the one that came afterward, where they were cast members, it would have been perfect.

SEARCH FOR TOMORROW - The one used throughout the '70s.

Y&R - The original one.

Passions, longer version:

OLTL - The one used during the late '70's "golden era", with the simple sunrise and stirring theme music.

Oh good, I've never been sure if anyone else liked that theme.

Theme from the short lived soap Generations. I found it to be so original and unique.

The essence of Zimmer, epitomized in just a few seconds. Loves it.

I guess I have to come to the defense of the 90s ATWT theme. I thought it was a beautiful piece (especially the closing) and the visuals were gorgeous. Perfect daytime music, IMO.

Speaking of ATWT, I believe this one here to be the best soap theme of all time, ever:

Just...everything a soap theme needed to be then. Loud, bombastic, grand, majestic, sweeping, dramatic, elegant, dignified.

I agree. I think it's THE soap theme of all time, though I liked the organ version better. THAT was a classic soap theme.