written by Greg Evigan, Lenny Macaluso and Michael Jacobs

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I originally gave this song “the treatment” on a day of doing so with

just an absolute slew of TV theme songs. My Two Dads was one of

those shorter-lived ’80s sitcoms I hadn’t the pleasure of spending

time with—well, certainly not originally, as I was far too young—

until much later; I don’t believe it was really syndicated anywhere,

and it took a long time to bring it out on DVD (until the year 2009, in fact, over 20 years after it premiered). The third and final season never was released, that I’m aware of.

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The show’s two titular characters were Michael Taylor, played by comedian Paul Reiser (pre-Mad About You), and Joey Harris, played by Greg Evigan, who also co-composed and sang the show’s theme song, “You Can Count On Me,” covered on this page. Paul came from stand-up comedy, having also played a couple of semi-dramatic characters, such as in Diner, Beverly Hills Cop and Aliens. Greg was an actor with a more extended résumé, mostly of television. From the close of the ’70s to the opening of the ’80s, he also starred in the equally brief and semi-successful B.J. And The Bear.

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M2D’s supporting cast included Florence Stanley and football great Dick Butkus. But as anyone who’s seen the show knows, its real star was Staci Keanan, who played the innocent and sitcom-typically precocious pre-teen Nicole Bradford, who lands in the laps of the two (also sitcom-typically) well-meaning but semi-hapless father figures. Pretty standard sitcom misadventures ensue.

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“You Can Count On Me” actually makes an in-story appearance in one episode, having been written (and performed) by “Joey.” Michael, Paul’s character, then breaks the fourth wall by remarking that he thinks he’s heard that song somewhere before. An overall rather adorable and wholesome show that manages to teach us a few life lessons as well, especially in the second season.

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All of the lyrics in the TV version of the song are included in the full 2¼-minute version, so the lyrics I’ve printed below reflect the full version.

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Have notes to add? Let me know!

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YT:

TV version

full version

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Greg’s official website