Family Guy Opening Theme

The beginning of the Family Guy theme song, which was written by Walter Murphy, is an obvious parody of All in the Family. Peter and Lois sing around a piano with their family, much like the theme in the aforementioned show.

In the middle of the theme song Stewie Griffen is heard saying laugh and cry. Many people have mistaken these words for effin cry, a reference to a bad word, because of closed captioning and hard to hear lyrics. Creator Seth Macfarlene addressed this issue by making the theme sound better for the newer seasons and saying that the theme was always laugh and cry. Many fans and critics alike, however, still believe that the original words were indeed effin’ cry and this was changed due to the public response.

As with the show itself, the theme has been known to change to mock other popular shows and media from time to time. Keep a close eye out during the beginning and you may be able to see a different theme!