The Drew Carey Show

Don’t you just love how Drew Carey and the gang put significant effort into making a sort of “production number” for their opening credits? In my opinion, that is what’s lacking in the television shows of today.

In its nine-season run, The Drew Carey Show had three opening theme songs—”Moon Over Parma,” “Five O’Clock World” by The Vogues, and “Cleveland Rocks” by The Presidents of the United States of America. Each of the themes represented an “era” in the show, where some major change in the theme, characters, or storyline occurred.

Moon Over Parma was used in the first season (1995-1996). The opening credits in this era were in its simplest form—consisting only of a caricature of Carey singing to “Moon Over Parma,” which in reality was sung by Drew.

The lyrics goes:

“Moon over Parma bring my love to me tonight. Guide her to Cleveland, underneath your silvery light. We’re goin’ bowlin’, so don’t lose her in Solon. Moon over Parma, tonight.”

Five O’Clock World was the one used from 1996 to 1997. It had the sort of cheesy (but funny) song and dance number of the cast singing to the song, which started from Drew waking up in his room, to the car travel, and finally to the office.

The lyrics goes:

Up every morning just to keep a job
I gotta fight my way through the hustling mob
Sounds of the city pounding in my brain
While another day goes down the drain

But its a five o’clock world when the whistle blows
No one owns a piece of my time
And there’s a five o’clock me inside my clothes
Thinking that the world looks fine, yeah

Tradin’ my time for the pay I get
Living on money that I ain’t made yet
Ive been goin’ tryin’ to make my way
While I live for the end of the day

Cause it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows
No one owns a piece of my time, and
Theres a long-haired girl who waits, I know
To ease my troubled mind, yeah

In the shelter of her arms everything’s OK
When she talks then the world goes slippin’ away
And I know the reason I can still go on
When every other reason is gone,

In my five o’clock world she waits for me
Nothing else matters at all
Cause every time my baby smiles at me
I know that its all worthwhile,
yeah oh my lady

Cleveland Rocks was used from 1997-2002, and is probably the theme song most associated with the show. It had another song and dance number, of the whole cast and more, in the streets of Cleveland, with Drew shouting “Ohio!” at the end of the ballpark parking lot.

Lyrics:

All this energy callin’ me
Back where it comes from
It’s such a crude attitude
It’s back where it belongs

All the little chicks with their crimson lips
Go “Cleveland rocks!”, “Cleveland rocks!”
Livin’ in sin with a safety pin
Go “Cleveland rocks!”, “Cleveland rocks!”
“Cleveland rocks!”

Ohio!

In episode 8 of the second season, “What is Hip” by Tower of Power was used as the theme song.

From 2002-2004, nine different recordings of the previous theme songs were used. “Cleveland Rocks” was originally done by Ian Hunter, from his 1979 album You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic.