Harry Nilsson wrote and performed “Best Friend” the memorable theme tune for The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, the 1969 TV series starring Bill Bixby and Brandon Cruz, something that is not as widely known as the famous song itself.
People let me tell you ‘bout my best friend,
He’s a warm hearted person who’ll love me till the end.
People let me tell you bout my best friend,
He’s a one boy cuddly toy, my up, my down, my pride and joy.People let me tell you ‘bout him he’s so much fun
Whether we’re talkin’ man to man or whether we’re talking son to son.
Cause he’s my best friend.
Yes he’s my best friend.
But here’s the kicker: the original lyrics to probably the single most iconic father and son bonding song of all time, were originally about a woman! That’s right “Girlfriend” as the number was first known was an outtake from his Aerial Ballet album.
Nilsson never released the show’s theme on record, but “Girlfriend” was released on the posthumous Personal Best anthology that came out in 1995.
“Girlfriend”
Eddie asks about women’s lib, then the theme song.