(NBC Primetime, 1957 - 1962; ABC Primetime, 1962 - 1965) [Syndicated under the title: "Major Adams, Trailmaster"; When Ward Bond died in 1961, John McIntire was introduced as the new wagonmaster. Robert Horton played the second in command during the run of the series]
[aka: "Wagon Train Theme"; For a 1950s series, "Wagon Train" sure had a lot of different THEME compositions, and this was its first which lasted only one season] Composers: Henri René (ASCAP) [pseudonym of Harold M. Kirchstein], and Sidney Keith ("Bob") Russell (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Marlen Music Co. (ASCAP) 1999 Publishers: Gordon Music Company, Inc. (ASCAP), of Canoga Park, CA; and Airdrome Music (ASCAP) c/o International Music Services, of Burbank, CA Copyright Date: August 15, 1957; Ep 111 240. Renewal Date: January 14, 1985; RE-242-522. Recordings: LP: "Wyatt Earp, Cheyenne, and other TV Favorites" The Sons of the Pioneers RCA Bluebird Records LBY-1004 (1958)
[aka: (Roll Along) Wagon Train; aka: "Wagon Train"; aka: "Wagon Train Theme"] Composers: music by Sammy Fain (ASCAP), and lyrics by Jack Brooks (ASCAP) Original Publisher: M C A Music (ASCAP), a division of M C A, Inc. 1998 Publisher: MCA Music Publishing (ASCAP), a division of Universal Studios, Inc., of Los Angeles, CA Copyright Date: October 17, 1958; Eu 546 930. Renewal Date: December 30, 1986; RE-317-787. Recordings: LP: "TV Western Theme Songs" Lawrence Welk and his Orchestra with vocal group, "The Sparklers" Coral CRL/CRL7-57267 (1959)
[aka: "Wagon Train Theme"; Verified as the THEME in TV Guide article "Looking For A Lost Chord?" April 28, 1962, pp. 12-13; As Jon Burlingame explains in his book "TV's Biggest Hits", Moross originally composed this melody as a minor motif in his score for a 1959 Paramount film called "The Jayhawkers". He was embarassed to discover his unconscious plagiarism of himself; and the studios worked out a tacet deal to ignore it in case the situation was ever reversed; Two years after the instrumental THEME was first used, a set of lyrics was composed; and this THEME even lasted a change of networks...] Composers: music by Jerome Moross (ASCAP), with lyrics added by Frederick Herbert (ASCAP) Original Publisher: Alaska Music (ASCAP), a division of M C A, Inc. 1998 Publisher: MCA Music Publishing (ASCAP), a division of Universal Studios, Inc., of Los Angeles, CA Instrumental Copyright Date: Oct. 19, 1959; Eu 604 203. Instrumental Renewal Date: Oct. 8, 1987; RE-351-339. Vocal Copyright Date: May 8, 1961; Eu 670 728. Vocal Renewal Date: Dec. 28, 1989; RE-460-557. Recordings: LP: "Original TV Music from Wagon Train" Orchestra conducted by Stanley Wilson Mercury MG 20502/SR 60179 (1959)
[This THEME composed by the venerable Stanley Wilson of Universal Studios, was only used during the syndication of the series] Composer: Stanley J. Wilson (ASCAP/BMI) Original Publisher: Hawaii Music (BMI), c/o M C A, Inc. division of Universal Studios 1998 Publisher: [not found listed in ASCAP or BMI] Copyright Date: December 28, 1962; Eu 752 361. Renewal Date: November 21, 1990; RE-497-540. Recordings: LP: "Themes to Remember: Top TV Themes and Background Music" Stanley Wilson and his Orchestra Decca DL/DL7 4481 (1964)