Sanford and Son Theme (The Streetbeater)
Encyclopedia
Sanford and Son Theme is the theme to the 1970s
situation comedy
, Sanford and Son
.
through A&M Records
and first released in 1973. Although the song itself only reached #294 and did not reach Billboard
status for that year, it has maintained mainstream popularity and is featured on Jones' greatest hits album as well as being a standout cut on the You've Got it Bad, Girl
album from which it was originally featured, in 1973.
, the song appears in the scene where Ray Patterson is reinstated. This is a reference to a moment that occurred during a stand-up show of comedian Redd Foxx
(who starred on Sanford and Son
). During a show in Vegas, Redd Foxx came on stage to the Sanford and Son theme song, only to find that there were very few people in the audience. Foxx angrily stated that he refused to do a show with such a small audience and walked off the stage. The house orchestra, puzzled by Foxx's leaving simply played him off with the Sanford and Son theme song again.
On British Sri-Lankan artist M.I.A.
's 2005
debut album Arular
, a sample of "The Streetbeater" was used on the track U.R.A.Q.T., sparking issues about the usage of the sample in the U.S..
Another popular sample of "The Streetbeater" also incorporates a well-known catchphrase of Fred Sanford
(Redd Foxx's character on the show), "You big dummy!" Fred usually says this to his son Lamont.
In the 2008
film Hancock
, the song is heard during the scene where Hancock first confronts the other inmates in the County Jail.
Perhaps the largest usage of "The Streetbeater" in popular culture is in the sitcom Scrubs
. In the show it is JD and Turk's favorite song and is most famously seen when Turk is first going out with Carla. As she leaves the room JD and Turk both break into an enthusiastic rendition of the tune accompanying it with an energetic dance.
The song is also referenced in other sitcoms, most notably The King of Queens
(in which Doug Heffernan
and his wife Carrie
play a musical guessing game, and Carrie incorrectly identifies the theme from What's Happening!!
as the one from Sanford and Son, which Doug subsequently imitates) and Malcolm & Eddie
(in which Eddie makes up lyrics, such as "Fred Sanford...Fred Sanford had a son and a truck...and a son named Lamont..." and even references Fred's pal Grady Wilson
, calling him "Shady Grady").
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
.
Overview
The song was composed by Quincy JonesQuincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
through A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
and first released in 1973. Although the song itself only reached #294 and did not reach Billboard
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
status for that year, it has maintained mainstream popularity and is featured on Jones' greatest hits album as well as being a standout cut on the You've Got it Bad, Girl
You've Got It Bad, Girl
You've Got It Bad Girl is a 1973 album by Quincy Jones.The title track is a song written by Stevie Wonder and originally released on his 1972 triple grammy winning album Talking Book....
album from which it was originally featured, in 1973.
Popular culture
In the Simpsons episode, Trash of the TitansTrash of the Titans
"Trash of the Titans" is the 22nd episode of The Simpsons ninth season and the 200th overall. It originally aired on the Fox network on April 26, 1998...
, the song appears in the scene where Ray Patterson is reinstated. This is a reference to a moment that occurred during a stand-up show of comedian Redd Foxx
Redd Foxx
John Elroy Sanford , better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American comedian and actor, best known for his starring role on the sitcom Sanford and Son.-Early life:...
(who starred on Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
). During a show in Vegas, Redd Foxx came on stage to the Sanford and Son theme song, only to find that there were very few people in the audience. Foxx angrily stated that he refused to do a show with such a small audience and walked off the stage. The house orchestra, puzzled by Foxx's leaving simply played him off with the Sanford and Son theme song again.
On British Sri-Lankan artist M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
's 2005
2005 in music
-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
debut album Arular
Arular
Arular is the 2005 debut album by British musician M.I.A. Originally set for a September 2004 release, the album was delayed due to problems obtaining permission to use samples. Arular was finally released in the US on 22 March 2005 and a month later in the UK with a slightly different track...
, a sample of "The Streetbeater" was used on the track U.R.A.Q.T., sparking issues about the usage of the sample in the U.S..
Another popular sample of "The Streetbeater" also incorporates a well-known catchphrase of Fred Sanford
Fred Sanford
Fred G. Sanford is a fictional character portrayed by actor/comedian Redd Foxx on the 1972-1977 NBC sitcom Sanford and Son.Foxx, whose real name was John Elroy Sanford, modeled the character after his real-life brother, whose name was also Fred Sanford. The character Fred is an elderly, widowed,...
(Redd Foxx's character on the show), "You big dummy!" Fred usually says this to his son Lamont.
In the 2008
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
film Hancock
Hancock (film)
Hancock is a 2008 American action-comedy superhero film directed by Peter Berg and starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman, and Charlize Theron. It tells the story of a vigilante superhero, John Hancock from Los Angeles whose reckless actions routinely cost the city millions of dollars...
, the song is heard during the scene where Hancock first confronts the other inmates in the County Jail.
Perhaps the largest usage of "The Streetbeater" in popular culture is in the sitcom Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
. In the show it is JD and Turk's favorite song and is most famously seen when Turk is first going out with Carla. As she leaves the room JD and Turk both break into an enthusiastic rendition of the tune accompanying it with an energetic dance.
The song is also referenced in other sitcoms, most notably The King of Queens
The King of Queens
The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures...
(in which Doug Heffernan
Doug Heffernan
Douglas Steven "Doug" Heffernan is a fictional character in the American situation comedy The King of Queens. The character has also appeared in Everybody Loves Raymond, Becker, and Cosby....
and his wife Carrie
Carrie Heffernan
Carrie Spooner Heffernan is a fictional character on the American sitcom The King of Queens. She appears in all of the show's nine Seasons and is one of the show's three central characters.-Character Profile:...
play a musical guessing game, and Carrie incorrectly identifies the theme from What's Happening!!
What's Happening!!
What's Happening!! is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from August 5, 1976 to April 28, 1979. The show premiered as a summer series. With good ratings and reviews, and after the failure of several other shows on the network, What's Happening!! returned in November 1976 as a weekly...
as the one from Sanford and Son, which Doug subsequently imitates) and Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. This show was canceled after its fourth season, and aired its final episode on May 22, 2000...
(in which Eddie makes up lyrics, such as "Fred Sanford...Fred Sanford had a son and a truck...and a son named Lamont..." and even references Fred's pal Grady Wilson
Grady Wilson
----Grady Wilson is the name of a fictional recurring character on the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son played by the late Whitman Mayo. The character's name first appeared in the 1972 episode "The Dowry;" however, in this episode he was played by Albert Reed, Jr. and he was Fred's cousin...
, calling him "Shady Grady").