The Pinky and the Brain Theme has been the theme song for the titular mouse duo since their first segment on the original Animaniacs series in 1993.
There are three main versions of the Pinky and the Brain theme song. The first version is performed by the Warners, which is used in the original Animaniacs and the reboot, while the second version with alternate lyrics is performed by a male and female chorus and is featured in the original Animaniacs. The third, probably most famous version, is sung by a male quartet (Jess Harnell, Rob Paulsen, Dorian Harewood and Jim Cummings) and is used in the Pinky and the Brain spin-off series. The music was composed by Richard Stone and the lyrics by Tom Ruegger. An extended version of it is featured as a track on the album Variety Pack.
The first version of the intro from Animaniacs is animated by Taiwan's Wang Film Productions Co., Ltd., the second version is animated by Japanese studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha, Ltd.; and the reboot's intro is a collaborative effort between Giant Ant and Titmouse, Inc.. [1]
There are also variants that appear in some episodes. For example, there was "Mindy and the Brain," and "Pinky and the Cat,” in Episode 35 of the original series, as well as “Pinky and the Brain... and Larry” in the spin-off episode of the same name.
Intros[]
The intro begins with the Warners singing the theme song and using a magnifying glass with a ruler to measure while seeing the mice.
In the second version, it has unique footage, adding the mice are floating with neutrons.
In the spin-off series, the ACME Labs building zooms in. The camera goes inside the duo's cage, where they begin the theme song with a dialogue. Pinky, in the running wheel, asks The Brain what he wants to do tonight, at which The Brain answers that he intends to do the same thing as always: try to take over the world. Then The Brain opens the cage alongside Pinky, and the duo are shown walking through the lab. The lyrics additionally appear as animated on-screen text throughout. The episodes' clips were added in alongside the spin-off's intro and its segment. At the end, the ACME Labs' building zooms out and the series' logo appears.
In the 2020 reboot series, the intro became Synthwave-inspired, adding computer animation. The Warners return as the singers, this time singing off-screen.
Development[]
The theme song was written by series creator Tom Ruegger to tune of the song "Singin' in the Rain." Due to music licensing, the tune of the original "Singin' in the Rain" was unavailable, so a new tune was composed by series composer Richard Stone that retained Ruegger's lyrics.[2]
Versions from Animaniacs (Original Series)[]
Opening dialogue[]
- Pinky:
- Gee, Brain, what do ya wanna do tonight?
- The Brain:
- Same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world.
First Version[]
This version is re-recorded in the 2020 Animaniacs reboot.
- Yakko, Wakko, and Dot:
- They're Pinky and the Brain,
- Yes, Pinky and the Brain,
- One is a genius, the other's insane.
- They're laboratory mice.
- Their genes have been spliced.
- They're dinky.
- They're Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain...
- Yakko:
- Brain.
Second version[]
- Singers:
- They're Pinky and the Brain,
- They're Pinky and the Brain,
- One is a genius, the other's insane.
- To prove their mousey worth,
- They'll overthrow the earth.
- They're dinky.
- They're Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain.
Other[]
Versions from Pinky and the Brain (Spin-Off)[]
Regular Version[]
- Pinky:
- Gee, Brain, what do ya wanna do tonight?
- The Brain:
- The same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world.
- Singers:
- They're Pinky and the Brain,
- Yes, Pinky and the Brain,
- One is a genius, the other's insane.
- They're laboratory mice,
- Their genes have been spliced,
- They're dinky,
- They're Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain,
- Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain,
- Brain.
- Before each night is done,
- Their plan will be unfurled,
- By the dawning of the sun,
- They'll take over the world.
- They're Pinky and the Brain,
- Yes, Pinky and the Brain,
- Their twilight campaign
- Is easy to explain:
- To prove their mousey worth,
- They'll overthrow the earth.
- They're dinky,
- They're Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain,
- Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain...
- Pinky: NARF!
Clip Sources[]
- TMS intro (Uses almost all of the footage except for the part where the mice float around the atoms, In the 1993 original, the mice see the magnet at the top of the Earth)
- Wang intro (The mice get spliced, the mice standing next to a magnifying glass and ruler held by the Warner brothers, the mice walk through the X-ray machine)
- "Win Big" (Mice walking on the Farmers' Almanac, Brain unlocking the cage, unrolling the Farmers' Almanac)
- "Brainstem" (Brain pointing saying "Yes!", "Pons and cortex visual... Brainstem!" clip)
- "Battle for the Planet" (Brain's signal launches, Pinky looking up)
- "Yakko's Universe" (The shot of the planets)
- "Animaniacs Theme Song" ("Meet Pinky and the Brain who want to rule the universe" clip)
- "Opportunity Knox" (Brain looks on in astonishment at the gold, the mice struggling to lift the gold which falls on them)
- "The World Can Wait" (The mice running to Billie's cage)
- "Bubba Bo Bob Brain" (Brain pointing at the chart)
- "Jockey for Position" (Pinky running atop the globe while Brain throws a magnet)
- "Pinky and the Cat" (Pinky making a funny face in Rita's bowl)
- "Pavlov's Mice" (Brain angrily scowling as his right eye enlarges)
Pinky and the Brain... And Larry[]
Apart from Larry’s interjections the lyrics here are exactly the same. Note that the lines for Larry are done by Rob Paulsen in a Yakko-type voice. In addition to much of the usual footage used in the intro, new footage of Larry is inserted into the theme song through animation directed by Russell Calabrese.
- Singers:
- They're Pinky and the Brain, (And Larry!)
- Yes, Pinky and the Brain, (And Larry!)
- One is a genius, the other's insane. (And the other one’s Larry!)
- They're laboratory mice, (So is Larry!)
- Their genes have been spliced, (Along with Larry’s!)
- They're dinky,
- They're Pinky and the Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!)
- Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!)
- Brain. (And Larry!)
- Before each night is done, (Larry’ll wake up.)
- Their plan will be unfurled, (All three of them.)
- By the dawning of the sun, (Larry likes the sun.)
- They'll take over the world. (Larry will help!)
- They're Pinky and the Brain, (And Larry!)
- Yes, Pinky and the Brain, (And Larry!)
- Their twilight campaign
- Is easy to explain: (Larry will explain it!)
- To prove their mousey worth, (Along with Larry.)
- They'll overthrow the earth. (And so will Larry!)
- They're dinky,
- They're Pinky and the Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!) Brain, (And Larry!)
- Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain... (And Larry-Larry-Larry-Larry-Larry-Larry-LARRY!)
- Pinky: NARF!!! (Larry says Narf too!)
Other[]
Versions from Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain[]
Versions from Animaniacs (Reboot)[]
Opening dialogue[]
- Pinky:
- Gee, Brain, what do ya wanna do tonight?
- The Brain:
- Same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world!
Regular Version[]
This version is re-recorded from the original Animaniacs.
- Yakko, Wakko, and Dot:
- They're Pinky and the Brain,
- Yes, Pinky and the Brain,
- One is a genius, the other's insane.
- They're laboratory mice.
- Their genes have been spliced.
- They're dinky.
- They're Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain...
- Yakko:
- Brain.
"Backwards Pinky" Version[]
- Pinky:
- It's Stinky
- Stinky and the Brain!
Album Releases[]
- Variety Pack (Spin-Off Version, Extended)
- The Animaniacs Go Hollywood (Spin-Off Version)
- The Animaniacs Faboo! Collection (Spin-Off Version, Extended)
- Cartoon Network Cartoon Medley (Spin-Off Version, Extended)
- Animaniacs Season One (Soundtrack from the Animated Series) (Reboot Version)
- Animaniacs: Seasons 1 – 3 (Soundtrack from the Animated Series) (Reboot Version)
Trivia[]
- Clips from the Wang Film Productions Co., Ltd. version of the intro would later be used in the Arabic dub of the Animaniacs theme song opening.
- Clips from the Wang Film Productions Co., Ltd. version of the intro would later be used in Cartoon Network's rendition of the "Introducing the Warners" song in a promo.
- In the 2003 Russian dub of Episode 18, Episode 24, Episode 27, Episode 40, and Episode 75, the audio for the Wang version of the intro was inconsistent with the TMS visuals.
- An earlier version of the intro for the Animaniacs reboot featured a new take-on with the cage zoom-out from the original TMS intro, and the storyboard used footage from that intro as placeholder footage.[1]
Audio[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tweet by Scott O'Brien. Published November 23, 2020.
- ↑ Lammle, Ron (01-04-2018) Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Animaniacs. Mental Floss. Retrieved August 17, 2022.