I usually just provide three articles on a Thursday: one Reminiscings of Youth article and then a couple of kayo. However, I did realize that today is February 22nd, so of course, I'm thinking 2/22. I never thought about going as far as waiting until 2:22 pm today to put up an article but in the interests of whimsy and the fact that Japan is celebrating a national holiday in the form of the current Emperor's birthday on the 23rd, I'm putting up another ROY which will make it the third this week.
And yup, I'm going to be very cute here and post up the opening theme song for the American sitcom "Room 222". Sitcom?! All these years, I'd assumed that the show was a heartfelt coming-of-age drama about high schoolers and their teachers. But indeed, it was made for laughs. Its run lasted between September 11th 1969 and January 11th 1974.
I don't recall ever seeing an episode but then I couldn't imagine someone like myself at my age of just under 4 years sagely watching "Room 222" for the insightful parables and gentle humour. Still, the opening credits of the students and teachers coming to school and the theme song have stuck with me all these decades, and isn't that what they're supposed to do to attract viewers? As for that theme, it was composed by none other than Jerry Goldsmith, a man who came up with a lot of famous theme songs including the one for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation". I'll probably be covering at least a couple more of Goldsmith's creations as ROY material.
Goldsmith's "Room 222" invaded my ears and brain right from the get-go in 1969. I guess it is because it has that cool contemporary pop rhythm overlaying periodic urgent drum rolls hinting at the academic lessons to come. What has it staying in my head is that the theme and the opening credits show off that certain innocence of life back then, even in the blackboard jungle.
Anyways, what was at the top of the Japanese song rankings back on September 8th 1969? I have Nos. 1, 5 and 6.
1. Mina Aoe -- Ikebukuro no Yoru （池袋の夜）
5. The Tigers -- Smile For Me
6. Hiroshi Uchiyamada and The Cool Five -- Nagasaki wa Kyou mo Ame Datta （長崎は今日も雨だった）
I don't think I have ever heard of the Room 222 sitcom before?
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone outside of America or Canada after a certain time would have heard of "Room 222". In my case, I'm also rather keen on the old theme songs so that's how I've remembered the series.
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