*Cheers Theme: Where Everybody Knows Your Name
*Punky Brewster Theme: Theme from Punky Brewster (Every Time I Turn Around)
Both songs were written by Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo. (They also composed the theme to the long running television series Mr Belvedere.) In addition, both shows aired on NBC.
Career
Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo were composing the score to an off-Broadway musical, Preppies, in the early 1980s when Glen and Les Charles, two of the producers of Cheers, heard their opening number, eople Like Us They wanted to use the song as the theme for their upcoming sitcom. However, the producers of Preppies wouldn't release it. Portnoy and Angelo then set out to write a new theme for Cheers. After their first two attempts were rejected, Where Everybody Knows Your Name was finally selected as the theme song for Cheers.
Prior to writing the Cheers theme, Mr. Portnoy had found success as a highly regarded young songwriter. His songs had been recorded by Dolly Parton (Say Goodnight from 'Dolly, Dolly, Dolly ', co-written by Susan Sheridan) and Air Supply (I'll Never Get Enough co-written by Jeanne Napoli and Judy Quay) among others, and he had recorded a self-titled album for Columbia Records that was released in 1980. (That album was recently re-released on CD by Sony Japan). He had also written several songs for the critically acclaimed NBC series Fame. One of the songs from Fame, I Still Believe In Me (co-written by Susan Sheridan), went on to be nominated for an Emmy Award for best original song. He also co-wrote the song It's Gonna Be a Long Night with Estelle Levitt. Both Fame songs were featured on the album The Kids from Fame
As a result of his television work of the 1980s, Mr. Portnoy received an Emmy nomination for Cheers and six consecutive ASCAP awards for the Most Performed Television Themes of the year.
After that, Mr. Portnoy took an extended hiatus from the music business. In the late 1990's he and co-writer Gloria Nissenson began making regular visits to Nashville and some of the songs that they wrote there appear on Portnoy's 2004 CD Keeper. Keeper also includes the original full-length version of the Cheers theme.
January 2007 brought the release of Gary Portnoy's latest CD Destiny. It includes 11 new songs and a never before released full length version of the Mr. Belvedere theme as sung by Portnoy (Leon Redbone's recorded version of the song was Mr. Belvedere's original theme).
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Gary Portnoy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Takes everything you've got
Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot
Wouldn't you like to get away?
All those nights when you've got no lights
The check is in the mail
Hung the cat up by it's tail
And your third fiance didn't show
Sometimes you wanna go
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
And they're always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You wanna be Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Climbing the walls when no one calls
You've lost at love again
And the more you're down and out
The more you need a friend
When you long to hear a kind hello
Roll out of bed, Mr. Coffee's dead
The morning's looking bright
And your shrink ran off to Europe
And didn't even write
And your husband wants to be a girl
Be glad there's one place in the world
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
And they're always glad you came
You wanna go where people know
People are all the same
You wanna go Where Everybody Knows Your Name
The lyrics of Gary Portnoy's song Where Everybody Knows Your Name are about the universal human longing for community, companionship, and belonging. The song reflects on the difficulties of navigating the challenges of everyday life and the comfort that can come from escaping into a familiar place where people know and care for you. The line, "Makin' your way in the world today takes everything you've got" acknowledges the struggle to survive and thrive in a world that can be harsh and unforgiving. It speaks to the idea that we all need a break from our worries, a place where we can feel safe and supported.
The song highlights several common, relatable struggles such as having financial difficulties, trouble in relationships, and feeling isolated and alone. It recognizes the importance of having a community where people know your name, your story, and are always happy to see you. The song emphasizes the universality of human experience by pointing out that everyone faces troubling situations at times and that being able to connect with others who can sympathize and support can be incredibly helpful.
Overall, the lyrics of Where Everybody Knows Your Name offer a glimpse into the heart of what it means to be human. They demonstrate our need for community, the comfort of companionship and belonging, and the power of a shared experience. For many people, hearing the song evokes a sense of nostalgia for the warmth and familiarity of the fictional Boston bar where it was the theme song for many years.
Line by Line Meaning
Makin' your way in the world today
Takes everything you've got
Navigating through life is challenging and requires significant effort and resources
Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Escaping from the stresses of everyday life would be beneficial and desirable
All those nights when you've got no lights
The check is in the mail
And your little angel
Hung the cat up by its tail
And your third fiancé didn't show
Life can be unpredictable and full of unexpected hardships
Sometimes you wanna go
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
And they're always glad you came
You wanna be where you can see
Our troubles are all thesame
You wanna be Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Having a sense of community and support can provide comfort and solace during difficult times
Climbing the walls when no one calls
You've lost at love again
And the more you're down and out
The more you need a friend
When you long to hear a kind hello
Feeling isolated and alone can intensify negative emotions and make one yearn for friendly companionship
Roll out of bed, Mr. Coffee's dead
The morning's looking bright
And your shrink ran off to Europe
And didn't even write
And your husband wants to be a girl
Unfortunate events and circumstances can compound to create feelings of hopelessness and despair
Be glad there's one place in the world
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
And they're always glad you came
You wanna go where people know
People are all the same
You wanna go Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Being part of a supportive community where people understand and accept each other can provide a sense of belonging and happiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gary Portnoy, Judy Hart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind