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The original version of the Gilligan's Island theme song was recorded by The Wellingtons.

According to "Here on Gilligan's Isle", the second (and third) season version of the song was performed by a group called The Eligibles.

User "supercat" asked in a comment on this question:

Do you know if the Wellingtons demanded a per-show royalty, or if there was some other reason they were used for the first season but not the second? Until I watched the show on DVD, I would have guessed the later theme started in a lower key; I was surprised to find the difference stems purely from the different singers' voices.

Why weren't The Wellingtons used for the later season recording(s)?

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  • I never noticed that, but it's been years since I even saw a rerun. I just remember the lyrics changed at some point; they mentioned the professor and Maryann and then those two were replaced by the words "the rest". Which I never understood...
    – Johnny Bones
    Jul 29, 2014 at 21:09
  • @JohnnyBones - that lyric replacement is answered here: movies.stackexchange.com/questions/10346/…
    – JoshDM
    Jul 29, 2014 at 21:10
  • I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because this song is about song production rather than the show itself
    – DForck42
    Jun 12, 2017 at 21:40
  • 2
    It seems pretty much about the show's production, no?
    – Napoleon Wilson ♦
    Jun 12, 2017 at 21:49
  • @JohnnyBones I just remember the lyrics changed at some point; they mentioned the professor and Maryann and then those two were replaced by the words "the rest". that is completely wrong! It was "The rest" first then changed to "the Professor and Maryann" And it was because the viewers did not know who "the rest" was, and because it was two more people in the group they then included "the Professor and Maryann.
    – Allan Visser
    Feb 17, 2020 at 9:09

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According to this comprehensive page about the show:

The theme [...] was recorded by "The Wellingtons", a folk-singing group (who later went on to record "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" for Disney, and appeared on GI as "The Mosquitos", the rock group that came to the island to get away from civilization). The original lyrics, "... and the rest" [which] were used because of clauses in Tina Louise' contract (her name/face had to appear last in the opening), were replaced by "... the Professor and Mary Ann" after the first season, though this time the song was sung by another folk group, "The Eligibles" -- the Wellingtons were unavailable due to work in Las Vegas at the time.

Also, the fact that the Wellingtons were credited but the Eligibles weren't suggests that it was not only easier but also cheaper to re-record the theme song with them.

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