Tuesday, 23 May 2023 11:39

ALT REWIND: Cleveland Rocks (Happy Bday Drew Carey)

Written by

In honor of Cleveland legend, Drew Carey, turning 65 today, I’ll be playing Cleveland Rocks from The Presidents of the United States of America, which served as the theme song for The Drew Carey show from 1997 to 2004. 

If you were preparing for Y2K by living under a rock, maybe you hadn’t heard of The Drew Carey Show. It was a sitcom that started airing in 1995 that was based around a fictionalized version of the actor, and set in the city we call home - Cleveland, Ohio!! Amongst other things the show was known for, it was the first ever to have a simulcast on the internet. 

The song, Cleveland Rocks, was initially released by Ian Hunter in 1979, instantly becoming an anthem for the Land. In one interview, Hunter almost changed it though, stating, ‘I originally wrote “Cleveland Rocks” for Cleveland. I changed it later to “England Rocks” because I thought it should be a single somewhere and Columbia wouldn’t release it as a single in the US (too regional). “Cleveland Rocks” is Cleveland’s song and that’s the truth.’ Never underestimate the power of Northeast Ohio pride. 

The version you’ve heard in The Drew Carey Show, and the one in today’s ALT REWIND is a cover from The Presidents of the United States. In that version, Drew Carey, a Cleveland native, can be heard yelling "Hey!" and then laughing in the beginning and shouting "Ohio!" at the end. For the last season of The Drew Carey Show, the theme song was performed in a different musical style in each episode. 

Happy Birthday Drew Carey! Thanks for always remembering the city that raised you.

Read 702 times