People remember the laugh. That bright, staccato "Ha-ha-ha-ha" that opened every episode of the sitcom from 1969 to 1972. It wasn't just a gimmick; it was a hook. Honestly, if you grew up in the seventies or spent any time watching Nick at Nite in the nineties, the theme song from Courtship of Eddie's Father is basically burned into your subconscious.
It’s called "Best Friend."
Harry Nilsson wrote it. If that name sounds familiar, it should. He’s the guy who gave us "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Without You." He was John Lennon’s favorite songwriter. He was a chaotic, brilliant, and deeply soulful musician who somehow ended up writing one of the most wholesome TV themes in history. But if you listen closely to the lyrics, it isn’t just some sugary jingle about a dad and his kid. It’s a song about the heavy lifting of love and the weird, wonderful bond of a single-parent household.
The Harry Nilsson Connection You Probably Didn't Know
Nilsson wasn't a "jingle writer." He was a rock star. By the time The Courtship of Eddie's Father premiered, he was already gaining massive traction in the industry. The show’s creator, James Komack, knew he needed something that didn't sound like a typical brassy TV theme. He wanted something intimate. He wanted a vibe that matched the chemistry between Bill Bixby (Tom Corbett) and a very young Brandon Cruz (Eddie).
Nilsson delivered.
The track is famously upbeat, driven by a bouncy piano line and a light, acoustic feel. But the production is actually quite sophisticated for a 1969 sitcom opener. It feels like a "Pointy But Soft" era Nilsson track. It’s got that signature multi-tracked vocal harmony that made his solo albums so distinctive.
People often forget that the version you hear on the show is actually a truncated, specialized edit. The full song exists, and it’s a masterclass in songwriting efficiency. It doesn't waste a second. It just gets straight to the heart of what the show was about: a widower trying to raise his son while the son tries to find him a new wife.
Examining the Lyrics: More Than Just a Catchy Hook
"People let me tell you 'bout my best friend / He's a warm-hearted person who'll love me till the end."
Simple, right? Maybe too simple. But that’s the genius of it. In the context of the late sixties, where family sitcoms were often stiff or overly moralistic, "Best Friend" felt remarkably casual. It reframed the father-son relationship as a partnership.
You've got to look at the second verse to see the real charm. "He's a one-of-a-kind / My buddy and my pal since I was two / We've been together through the thick and thin / And I'd do anything for him."
Wait. Since I was two?
That's a specific detail. It points to the shared history of loss that isn't always explicitly talked about in every episode but hangs over the show. Eddie’s mother is gone. It’s just them. The song cements the idea that they are a unit. A team. It’s not just a parent dictating to a child; it’s two people navigating life together.
The "Ha-ha-ha-ha" part was actually a happy accident. Nilsson was known for his vocal playfulness. He’d often use his voice as an instrument, scatting or making odd noises to fill gaps in the melody. That specific laugh became the sonic brand of the show. It’s cheerful, but it’s also slightly manic in a way that only Nilsson could pull off.
Why the Theme Song from Courtship of Eddie's Father Defined an Era
The show was progressive for its time. It dealt with race, dating, and grief with a lighter touch than the heavy-handed dramas of the day. The theme song from Courtship of Eddie's Father acted as the emotional bridge. It told the audience, "It’s okay. We’re going to be alright."
Bill Bixby was an underrated actor. Most people know him as David Banner in The Incredible Hulk, but in Courtship, he was the blueprint for the "Sensitive TV Dad." He and Brandon Cruz had a genuine rapport that many believe was fueled by the warmth of that opening song. Cruz has mentioned in interviews that the music really did set the tone for the set. It wasn't just background noise; it was the show's identity.
There’s also the matter of the "Eddie's Father" legacy in pop culture.
The song has been covered, sampled, and parodied a thousand times. It appeared in the 2000 film The Grinch (also directed by Ron Howard, which is a neat full-circle moment since Howard was a child star on The Andy Griffith Show). It’s been used in commercials for everything from dog food to insurance. Why? Because the sentiment is universal. Everyone wants a "best friend" who’s a "warm-hearted person."
The Technical Brilliance of the Arrangement
Let’s talk about the piano. It’s a very specific, ragtime-adjacent style that was popular in the late sixties as a sort of "retro-cool" aesthetic. Think of the Beatles' "Your Mother Should Know" or "Honey Pie." Nilsson was deeply influenced by that vaudevillian sound.
The arrangement uses:
- A bright, slightly compressed upright piano.
- A melodic bass line that doesn't just hold the root notes but actually dances around the melody.
- Nilsson’s own layered backing vocals, creating a "wall of sound" effect that feels cozy rather than overwhelming.
It’s an earworm. If you hear the first three notes, you’re humming it for the next four hours. That’s not an accident; that’s the work of a songwriter who understood the mechanics of a hit. Nilsson wasn't just writing for a paycheck; he was writing a song that worked on its own merits.
Misconceptions and Trivia
One big misconception is that Bill Bixby or Brandon Cruz sang the song. They didn't. That’s all Nilsson. Another weird bit of trivia? Many people confuse the song with the theme from The Odd Couple because they share a similar bouncy, rhythmic energy, but the "Courtship" theme is much more vocal-centric.
Also, despite the show’s success, the song never actually became a massive Billboard hit for Nilsson as a single. It was always "that TV song." It wasn't until later that music nerds started digging into Nilsson’s discography and realized, "Holy crap, the guy who wrote 'Coconut' also wrote 'Best Friend'?"
The Lasting Legacy of the Courtship Melody
The theme song from Courtship of Eddie's Father survives because it captures a feeling of safety. In 2026, where media is fragmented and everything feels a bit cynical, there’s something genuinely refreshing about a song that just celebrates being there for someone.
It reminds us of a time when the "single dad" trope was new and unexplored. It gave a generation of kids a vision of fatherhood that was based on friendship and mutual respect rather than just discipline.
The song ends with that final "Ha-ha-ha-ha," and then we’re into the episode. It’s a perfect handoff. It’s short, it’s sweet, and it doesn't overstay its welcome.
If you want to truly appreciate the song, find a high-fidelity version of the full Harry Nilsson track. Don't just watch the grainy YouTube clips of the show's intro. Listen to the way he stacks the harmonies in the bridge. Look for the little nuances in the lyrics. It’s a sophisticated piece of pop music hidden in plain sight as a sitcom jingle.
To dive deeper into this nostalgic soundscape, your next move should be exploring Harry Nilsson’s 1969 album Harry. It contains the full version of "Best Friend" and showcases the broader context of his work during the exact period he was collaborating with the show's producers. Understanding his other work from that year makes the "Courtship" theme sound even more impressive, as you can hear the same DNA in his more "serious" artistic endeavors. Check out the track "The Puppy Song" right after; it carries that same whimsical, slightly melancholic energy that made the Corbett family’s world feel so real.