Why ‘Bonanza’ Star Lorne Greene Recorded a New Version of the Show’s Theme Song
Bonanza remains the second-longest-running American western TV series of all time. The show’s unique storylines and characters made it a success, but the memorable theme song also played a part in the series’ popularity. The Bonanza theme song that introduced each episode changed before and during the show’s run, with one version including lyrics written and sung by one of its stars, Lorne Greene.
‘Bonanza’ is a standout show of its era
Bonanza centered on the trials and tribulations of the Cartwright family, led by patriarch Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene), who lived on the Ponderosa ranch with his three sons: the educated engineer Adam (Pernell Roberts), the gentle giant Eric “Hoss” Cartwright (Dan Blocker), and the quick to anger “Little Joe” (Michael Landon). The NBC show’s exploration of their relationships and other relevant topics kept fans engaged for 14 seasons and 432 episodes before Bonanza‘s cancellation in 1972.
The Bonanza theme song perfectly set the mood for what was to come for the characters. The twangy instrumental rumbles forward like the horses the Cartwrights ride during the intro, creating a melody that’s still catchy several decades later. The tune was created by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, orchestrated by David Rose, and arranged by Billy May in 1959. According to Classic Country Music, the quartet wrote the song in one day and sold it to NBC for $500.
That amount of money could go a lot further 60 years ago, but the song took on more prominence than anyone could have anticipated.
Lorne Greene recorded 1 of many versions of the ‘Bonanza’ theme song
The original version of the Bonanza theme song included lyrics along with the instrumental. The plan was for three Cartwrights to sing the verses at the end of the episode while they rode back to the Ponderosa on their trusty steeds. (The exception would be Pernell Roberts, the one professional singer in the group, who chose to untether the horse’s reins instead of singing.) After filming this sequence, but before the pilot aired, the studio and the songwriters decided this approach was too cheesy, and the scene was edited so that the Cartwrights were wordlessly howling and shouting as they returned home.
The decision clearly worked out, but non-lyrical changes were made to the instrumental as Bonanza went on. In 1968, a new take on the score that emphasized horns and percussion was introduced and used until 1970, when it was replaced by a new theme, “The Big Bonanza,” written by a solo David Rose. For the last season, the original theme returned but played in a faster tempo over action shots of the living cast. (Blocker died before the final season.)
While Bonanza was close to the peak of its success, other artists recorded versions of the theme. Inspired by his time as Ben Cartwright, Greene added lyrics that focused on the show’s central family for his 1964 recording. But the most famous rendition of the Bonanza theme comes courtesy of Johnny Cash, who rewrote the lyrics with Johnny Western and debuted his remix in 1962.
Michael Landon didn’t like the theme song without the lyrics
Plenty of evidence shows that Michael Landon could be an occasionally cranky customer, so it’s not surprising that he aired his grievances regarding the theme song during a late-night appearance.
During an interview on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson in 1976, the actor roasted the Bonanza theme song for removing the lyrics. When Carson remarked that the song had no words, Landon rebuked him by singing part of the lyrics and comparing the instrumental to music in a car commercial.
Whatever misgivings he had with Bonanza for taking the lyrics out of the intro, Landon still collaborated with Rose for his next starring project, Little House on the Prairie. That show’s theme song first appeared in the “Top Hand” episode of Bonanza Season 12.
