Stairway to Gilligan's Island?

Subject: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: Jim
Date: 11 Jul 98 - 10:49 AM

Anyone know the lyrics to this one? People ask me for it now & then, I've never heard it, but I'm pretty damn sure I know the melody, so the words will do just fine. Thanks!!!!!

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 11 Jul 98 - 06:46 PM

Sure, it's "AMAZING GRACE" !!! Those work perfectly with the Giiligan's Island theme music.

Art

Subject: ADD; Gilligan's Island Theme Song
From: rosebrook
Date: 11 Jul 98 - 07:36 PM

Jim,

Are you looking for the lyrics to Gilligan's Island? If so, here they are.

Rose

Gilligan's Island

Now sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fatefull trip
That started from this tropic port
Aboard this tuny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailing man,
The Skipper brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day
For a 3 hour tour, a 3 hour tour.

The weather started getting rough,
The tiny ship was tossed.
If not for the courage of the fearless crew,
The Minnow would be lost. The Minnow would be lost.

The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle,
With Gilligan,
The Skipper, too,
The millionaire,
And his wife,
The movie star,
The Professor and Mary Anne
Here on Gilligan's Isle.

Now this is the tale of our castaways,
They're here for a long long time.
They'll have to make the best of things.
It's an uphill climb.

The first mate and the Skipper too
Will do their very best
To make the others comfortable
In their tropic island nest.

No phone, no lights, no motorcar.
Not a single luxury.
Like Robinson Crusoe,
It's primitive as can be.

So join us here each week, my friends.
You're sure to get a smile
From seven stranded castaways
Here on Gilligan's Isle.

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 09:17 PM

no i know what he is talking about, its the same thing though, just the first nerse and the tird, thats it, i love this song its by little rodger and the goosebumbs

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 07:50 PM

Gilligan's Island - sung to tune of "Stairway to Heaven"

This song came out in the 70's by "Little Roger and the Goosebumps" and was immediately pulled from the shelves because of the legal action that Led Zeppelin's lawyers took.

Think I got it from http://www.gilligansisle.com or it migh have been found on the "Twisted Waves" parody site...

Subject: Lyr Add: "The Ballad of Gilligan's Island"
From: SharonA
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 08:43 PM

Just for the sake of reference, the original tune can be heard here: The Ballad of Gilligan's Island

Note that neither that site nor Rosebrook's post has lyrics that match this recording. As far as I can tell they should read as follows...


THE BALLAD OF GILLIGAN'S ISLAND
Words and Music by SHERWOOD SCHWARTZ and GEORGE WYLE   
© 1964, 1966 EMI U CATALOG INC.
Copyrights Renewed


Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
a tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port,
aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailin' man,
the skipper brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day,
for a three-hour tour, a three-hour tour...

The weather started getting rough,
The tiny ship was tossed.
If not for the courage of the fearless crew,
The Minnow would be lost; the Minnow would be lost.

The ship set ground on the shore of this
Uncharted desert isle,
With Gilligan, the Skipper too,
A millionaire and his wife,
A movie star, the Professor and Mary Ann,
Here on Gilligan's Isle.

So this is the tale of our castaways,
They're here for a long, long time.
They'll have to make the best of things,
It's an uphill climb.

The first mate and his skipper, too,
Will do their very best
To make the others comfortable,
In their tropic island nest.

No phone, no lights, no motorcar,
Not a single luxury.
Like Robinson Crusoe,
It's primitive as can be.

So join us here each week, my friends.
You're sure to get a smile
From seven stranded Castaways,
Here on Gilligan's Isle.


(Note that "comfortable" should be pronounced "comf'ter-bull" and that "Crusoe" should be pronounced "Caruso".)

-------------------------------------


The lyrics were a bit different during the first season of the show. Most notably, "the Professor and Mary Ann" were not mentioned but were referred to as "and the rest, all here on Gilligan's Isle". The whole song was different in the pilot -- it was a Calypso tune! -- as was the cast. The pilot's song and lots of other Gilligania can be seen here: Gilligan's Theme Songs -- lyrics and trivia

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: Greg B
Date: 02 Aug 06 - 01:14 PM

More closet Gilligan's Island fans!

I tell you what, if I've had a really bad day I can put in
one of the tapes and be transported back to days when my
biggest worry was what my mom made for supper and if I'd
like it (frozen broccoli and onions AGAIN?).

Ted Turner did the world a service when he had his company
restore the original prints (though not when they colorized
the first season) to their former glory. That was the era
when they shot in real technicolor.

My favorite episode of all time is the one where Phil Silvers
guests as a Broadway producer of musicals.

The castaways decide to impress this potential rescuer by
putting on a musical stage show. Alas, the only script they
have is 'Hamlet' and the only suitable sound track is 'Carmen.'

The result is hilarious and clever and even better if you have
a solid background on the play.

Bob Denver was at least as good a 'Hamlet' as Mel Gibson was.
Gibson was as funny, but he wasn't trying to be funny.

Two great lines from Hamlet to Ophelia:

'Get thee to a notary' and
'Hide anywhere but don't go near the water'

And Polonius' advice to Laertes set to the tune of the
'Toreador Song' is a riot, as is Hamlet's soliloquy
set to 'Habanera'

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 03 Aug 06 - 09:29 AM

I may be the only person left in the western world who never saw Gilligan's Island and doesn't know the tune of the theme song. For the last 30 years, something else has always come up. I wish I could see the episide you've described, though. Sounds really funny.

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 Aug 06 - 06:21 PM

You may be the only one on the left side of the pond, leeneia. I don't know if it ever came to Yurp, but I'd certainly never heard of the programme until I saw it mentioned on Mudcat.

I suspect there may be slightly more than three other Yookers who are equally mystified by the references

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: SharonA
Date: 03 Aug 06 - 07:43 PM

GregB: I still remember that show-within-a-show episode! Every time I hear that particular strain of music from Carmen (the toreador song), I can't help singing:

Neither a borr'wer nor a lender be,   
Do not forget: Stay out of debt;   
Think twice, and take this good advice from me,   
Guard that old solvency.   
There's just one other thing you ought to do,   
To thine own self be true!

For the uninitiated, the script of "Hamlet: The Musical" is on this page. Unfortunately I'm at a library right now so I can't play the little video on the page. :^(

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: JennyO
Date: 03 Aug 06 - 08:15 PM

The Australian National Anthem - sorta - to the tune of Gilligan's Island

Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea: (repeat)
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia fair (repeat)

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: Greg B
Date: 03 Aug 06 - 08:52 PM

The tune, we all sea musicians know, is a bit of a variant
on one setting of 'The Bonny Ship the Diamond'...

I suspect the French would have loved 'Gilligan's Island'
and it has a level of camp and absurdity which would rival
'are you being served' though not, of course, as cheeky.

Subject: RE: I'll build a Stairway to Gilligan's
From: Severn
Date: 03 Aug 06 - 09:47 PM

"....With a new step every day"




And here I'd always thought they'd ripped off the tune idea from "The Days of '49"

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 11:26 AM

Thanks for the link to the Hamlet script. Don't I sense the ghosts of Gilbert & Sullivan in there?

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: lamarca
Date: 04 Aug 06 - 12:16 PM

Many moons ago, at one of the infamous "Northern Bobs" parties here in DC (a formerly annual event hosted by Lars-Bob, Jim-Bob and Floppo-Bob that involved most of the local Old-Time music community, a swimming pool, lots of frozen hambuger patties and beer, exploding midgets and assorted ceremonies and bad song contests), one of the better old-time musicians and singers launched into an a cappella Appalachian ballad - the tragic tale of the good ship Minnow in the original tune, but slowed down and done up with all the appropriate Appalachian vocal hooks and nasality... it had me in laughing convulsions...

Subject: RE: Stairway to Gilligan's Island?
From: GUEST,Roy
Date: 20 Oct 06 - 10:19 PM

yo my love my darling