Spiderman 1967

This is my Spiderman. When I hear “Spiderman” this is what I think of…I loved the animation and its sixties background music. I watched it in syndication in the 70s and it still plays today. The budget wasn’t huge for the show and it did have repetition but it was a fun watch.

The first show to ever feature Spiderman premiered on September 9, 1967, on the ABC television network and ran for a total of three seasons, entering into syndication during its final season in 1970.

Grantray-Lawrence Animation was the original production company responsible for the series but was on the brink of bankruptcy by the time it premiered and had filed for it by year’s end, forcing them to hand over production duties to Krantz Films, Inc. Krantz Films cut the pre-existing budgets in half. The classic comic book villains were thrown out because of licensing costs, replaced by generic green-skinned alien King Mooks and their Mook henchmen, more often than not the product of Stock Footage recycled from episodes of Robin Hood…another of Krantz’s shows.

It remained quite popular in it’s day and also now with many fans. The theme song was written by  Paul Francis Webster and Robert “Bob” Harris. The original song was recorded at RCA Studios in Toronto (where the cartoon was also produced) featuring 12 CBC vocalists (members of the Billy Van Singers, and Laurie Bower Singers groups) who added to the musical backing track supplied by RCA Studios, New York. The singers were paid only for the session and have had no residuals from its use since then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_(theme_song)

Spiderman

Spiderman, Spiderman!
Does whatever a spider he can.
Spins a web any size,
Catches thieves, just like flies.
Look out! Here comes the Spiderman!

Is he strong? Listen, Bud!
He’s got radioactive blood.
Can he swing from a thread?
Take a look overhead.
Hey there, there goes the Spiderman!

In the chill of night,
At the scene of the crime
Like a streak of light
He arrives just in time

Spiderman, Spiderman
Friendly neighborhood Spiderman
Wealth and fame he’s ignored
Action is his reward
To him, life is a great big bang-up
Wherever there’s a hang-up
You’ll find the Spiderman!

 

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

10 thoughts on “Spiderman 1967”

  2. Your opening line sums it up for me, too. When I see something on the Spiderman movie, I expect him to look like this. I loved his boots and gloves. The cartoon was a good one. I hadn’t remembered the theme song at all, except for the opening ‘Spidermans’. The first verse was definitely catchy.

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    1. This one just works well and still does.
      Him flying… or rather swinging through the city just looks great. They were on a tight budget but did well.

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  4. This is the only Spiderman I could get into. The comic books were kind of meh, and I never saw the movies because I knew that Spiderman wouldn’t be this one. And it was always fun hearing the Merry Marvel Marching Society song at the end…

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  6. Dude! I agree 100%! THIS is Spiderman for me! The only one that comes close was the Spiderman that occasionally showed up on The Electric Company. One of my favorite theme songs, too. Kudos to whoever wrote the lines: “Is he strong, listen bud, he’s got radioactive blood!” That’s an awesome line!!!

    Check out Michael Buble’s swinging cover of the theme:

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    1. That does swing! Great version thanks.

      I forgot about the one on the Electric Company…wow…I had to look him up.

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