1991-2002 was THE BEST opening..EVER. I remember coming home from school when "light through the leaves" was the opening and watching this with my mom. This was when Roger Thorpe kidnapped Holly and Christina, chased Rita in the house of mirrors, amongst other shocking crimes. We watched every day for years till I went off to college. We both stopped watching around the early 2000s for one reason or another but mainly because the show was not as good as it had been. Seeing these openings brought back so many memories of us screaming at the TV on Fridays when they always had a great cliffhanger. Miss those times, miss my mom.
Yes, this one was my childhood and the most memorable for me. Honorable mention is the early 80s one with the trees and the mid-late 80s one. They should have left the 90s one through the rest of the show just modernizing the visuals. Those ones after that were not memorable at all.
The 80's openings sure bring back a lot of memories. I always made it home from school to catch the second half of the show(i had to watch it because my mama was watching it! LOL). Miss this show a lot!
After 72 years and more than 18,000 episodes, Guiding Light holds the distinction of being the longest running daytime drama in American broadcast history. During it's time from it's days on the radio to it's final episode in September of 2009, generations of viewers tuned into GL every weekday to follow the romance, heartache, and rivalries of the most powerful families of Springfield.
General hospital is on their 61st year this season. Since a lot of stuff is moving to streaming, they will probably be around forever. Peacock is the only thing that saved the Days of Our Lives. I don't see why Guiding Light and As the World Turns couldn't get a revival. In the UK Coronation Street is 64 years old and the radio drama the Archers has passed Guiding Light at 73 years running.
@@AngryRantsAndStuff Days is celebrating its 60th anniversary next year. The biggest event from their upcoming milestone season (Season 60, 2024-25) would be the death and funeral of Doug Williams (Bill Hayes, who died early this year); those episodes will supposedly air around late November and early December. Young & the Restless is 51 years old, still a top soap on CBS, airs also on streaming, Paramount +.
@@seanm6215 ABC and NBC are afraid to cancel them. They had no problem canceling their other long-running shows though. With streaming networks existing and television being a dying medium, some of this crap is going to be around forever... even if no one is watching it. CBS is actually launching a new soap soon, after the Talk goes off the air.
Thank you SO much for compiling this!!! I have missed The Guiding Light for years! My afternoons have never been the same since this went off the air. I was tearing up badly watching this and many of the superb actors/actresses who are no longer with us. I was born in 1972, and out of all of the CBS soaps my Mom and both grandmothers watched, it was always GL that was my favorite. I will forever miss the Bauers and Reardons, and for me, the Spaulding and Lewises were very near and dear to my heart. ♥️. Thank you again! 💗😘😍
My nonna lived for this show! In her country it was called Sentieri and when it was cancelled there were questions asked in parliament. 18 months later they stopped making it. I will always have fond memories of watching it in Italy with her and her sisters. Thank you for posting.
My late sister was ADDICTED to this show back in the mid-70s until my nephew was born in 1986. Whenever my late mother was teaching summer school, she (my sister) would keep an eye on me, and it would be GL in the afternoon (as always) or ColecoVision with my niece. Great times! Yet the one thing was the theme from 1975-1981...always stuck in my mind, all through school until I graduated high school in 1984...the music defined me and made me who I am today. Cool, calm, loving, and compassionate. THANK YOU for this gem!!!
1991-2002 was my generation. Remember seeing it all the time at my Nannon’s house then falling asleep because the show would bore me. But I always remembered the Light house.
Of all the long gone soaps, I miss GUIDING LIGHT the most. I arrived home from school from grades 6-12 early enough to watch it. I was a fan of Y&R until 5 yrs ago. You couldn't pay me to watch it now. General Hospital & Days of Our Lives are the shows I currently watch.
Oh my word. I'm almost in tears over my nostalgia from the 80s openings. I was in elementary school and Guiding Light was the only soap I made it home in time to watch in its entirety. Ahhh, so many fond memories. Thank you so much for sharing these!
Mariell Clement The opening of the final flashed the openings from present to the past and, the end flashed the past openings to the present, in order. that was awesome.
I cried my heart out the last week, especially the last show. When 3pm eastern times comes around, and I realize it, my heart still hurts that i won't be turning it to GL.
I’m sitting here at home in Chicago, having coffee on a gloomy n snowy day replaying this video over an over bringing myself back in time. Idk why but, these themes bring a cozy and happy feeling all over again.
Thank you so much for putting all these together. You did an amazing job. I started watching Guiding Light in 1976 or 1977 when I would come home from school and my mom would be watching it. She quit watching it in the beginning of 1980 (so she never got to meet the Lewises), but I stuck with it - on and off, but still - till the very end. I still miss it to this day.
My favorite "The Guiding Light's" opening & closing sequences were from the year 1975. The theme music sounded so much softer & more soothing than ever before and I'm really & truly loving it. Not only it gives me goosepimples, but it also makes me wanna cry tears of joy & sorrow all at the very same time. Good times, baby, good times. Thanks for the memories, baby.
I just noticed it but if you look at one of the images to the 1991-2002 opening, it is a sun through trees. Very similar to the late 1970s opening. I hope this was on purpose then it would make this opening more awesome.
Same here! This brings back such good memories. I didn't start watching till the mid 80's. I remember so many times watching after I got home from school. That was definitely my "HAPPY Hour". 😃
I wish a lot of things like kids playing like they used to they don't know how to do that either and good soaps I'm not like by young people they like the trash
My all-time favorite daytime soap. Those very early openings....I've never seen. Wow. My favorites were the disco theme and the slower, sweeping theme that replaced it. Thx for the upload.
There was actually a final arrangement of the "My Guiding Light" melody used during most of the '80s. There was the fully orchestrated version used approximately 1983-1986 (my all-time favorite), the more electronic version used approximately 1986-1989, then a version used approximately 1990-1991 that was a little more lush in orchestration than the electronic one.
81-83 was fantastic that would had gotten me in the mood to watch. 💃 1991-02 yes I totally remember this opening as a child since CBS soaps were always playing.
No, but they did have a tremendous theme song. It was titled "Aphrodite's Waltz," and was played by an organist named Bernice Yanocek who sounded like she was STANDING on the keys. ruclips.net/video/Zb3IlLYbiBw/видео.htmlm37s
@BruhTV I was aware of only the main 4 that my mom watched: Young & Restless, Bold & Beautiful, As The World Turns & Guiding Light. Capitol & Edge Of Tomorrow were also on CBS at one point.
Yes, that is my favorite too. It captures what soap operas were supposed to be DRAMAS with some touches of suspense, comedy, and horror, but at its core DRAMA. The 90s theme wasn't too bad either, but the later ones were too preachy and almost too religious in a bizarre way. The disco theme from the early 80s was a hoot too. I miss these shows, but I didn't like GL being filmed the way it was during the last couple of years. Classic show ruined on purpose in my opinion.
There were actually two versions of the 1975-81 GL opening sequence: 1975-77 - with vocals & 1977-81 - instrumental. I think that the announcer dropped the article 'The' at some point during the period, too, to correspond with the text.
@@paco3343 , wow that would be something to hear the vocal one! The instrumental makes me a little teary eyed every time I hear it. It reminds me of being a kid and watching soaps with my mom when I would come home from school.
Loved all the montages. I was born in '68, so the montages throughout my lifetime would be the ones from 1967-2009. Liked the one from 1975 with the sun shining thru the trees and the ones from the 1990's and early 2000's with the lighthouse and montage of the characters. Thanks for including the final opening of the final episode.
I started watching guiding light when I was just six years old with my teenage aunts lol they would let me watch this with them in their bedroom till I was a grown-up myself with my own family my own house and when I was 35 years old I mourned a soap opera, it’s was like a death in the family, it hurt I thought these characters will be with me till my old age LOL thank you for the memories.
Seeing the mid/late '70s "Sunlight Through the Leaves" theme again makes me smile, as that's when I first became hooked, during the Ed/Rita/Roger Holly years. I loved that one, almost as much as I hated the ghastly disco theme that followed it.
I agree. That whole era has been forgotten I think in the history of GL. Its all over now. What ever happened to Rita as I lost touch on it all back then.
WOW! How interesting. Was it Rita that had to hook a ride to a wedding on a firetruck? I have a memory of that.If it was on now I would watch it again. CBS did not embrace online and still does a shitty job of it.
My favorite one is the 83-85 one with quint and nola waltzing at the end. That music just fits gl to a T. Happy hopeful sad and romantic. I miss gl so much!!
The 91-02 opening was ahead of it's time for daytime soaps. I liked the 2002 opening and was sad it only lasted like a year. The 2003 opening was the worst, followed by the last one in 2008/9. The splashy 2006/7 was awesome with a great theme song. Am I the only one that listens to soap opera theme songs for fun? Lol. They just bring back so many memories of being with my mom and grandma, now both deceased, when I was a kid. The acting was great, the storylines creatively complex and challenging, the characterization multi-layered, the families multigenerational. The women, and some of the men, actually, talked about the characters like they were extended members of the family. I distinctly remember every body cooking holiday dinners in the kitchen discussing the soaps. "Did you see what victor (y&r) did the other day?" , "James tried to kill Barbara (atwt) in that bullring!" , "alan (gl) is a man I love to hate, but he is so sophisticated!" Oh, the treasured memories!!!
1991-2002 was my favorite, especially closing theme with the actors and actresses pictures. Was annoyed in 1997 when Paul Rauch took over as executive producer and cut the opening to 15 seconds and took out the pictures in the closing credits.
1984 was the year when Susan Piper fell into the quicksand. GL had some great years. 1991-2002 theme was popular... wish 2002-2003 theme could've lasted longer, as the 2003-2005 theme was, IMO, wasn't that great... 2005-2007 theme was good too. And hard to believe it's been 8 years since this show ended.
The 1974-75 opening at 2:12 is the first one I ever remember seeing. Appears this was the last one that still included "The" in the show's title before it simply became "Guiding Light".
Loved Guiding Light in the '80s. I was in high school and would be home in time for a full hour of the Guiding light. I loved India, she was my favorite. A simpler time with great memories.
1975-1981 was my favorite. the "Sunlight Through the Leaves" theme. Do they still make "Duz" soap anymore? I haven't seen the edge of night in many many years. I miss Guiding Light.
Watching the openings and theme songs, There were two things that really were prevalent in "Guiding Light". One: It was the "Hold On to Love theme song" That theme song is older than I thought. It's been around since 1983. It's nearing 35 years with that theme song. Two: The most important thing. It's trademark: "THE LIGHTHOUSE" That is the thing that identifies with "Guiding Light" The 75-90 themes and songs were great(with the exception of the "Disco era"), but it just didn't have it's "look" When the lighthouse came back, "The Guiding Light Look" came back. Teaming it up with "Hold on to Love" was the icing on the cake. "Guiding Light: without the lighthouse is like "Days of Our Lives without the hourglass or As the World Turns without the spinning globe" The Lighthouse was the identity.
Me, too! It was a great visual update to the 91-02 version, and such a regal theme song, reminding us that GL, in case we forgot, was THE grand mother of soaps!
margaret brown The mid 90s version and before was a great time for the show. The later years really weren't all that great, although the last episodes were pretty good. I really thought the show lost its identity from late nineties until it's cancellation.
I consider Justin Deas to be one of the greatest soap actors ever,but he was in good company with all the members of this stellar cast! BRING BACK GL !
I like Justin Deas and Buzz. Great actor along with the late Beverlee McKinsey, and her successor Marj Dusay. My favorite character on the show is Holly, played by the fabulous Maureen Garrett
I started really watching "Guiding Light" in college, the 91-02 theme is the best of the group. The two underrated ones are the 86-90 and 2002-03 themes.
I remember being upset when the new producer at the time decided to change the 2002 opening to the 2003 opening. There was nothing wrong with it but it happened that it was the decision he wanted to make more than a year after the opening debut. I like the them song of the 2003 opening but there is that missing lighthouse that got on my nerves.
The last two brought tears to my eyes because it left the air by 2009. Oh well! I watch Judge Judy from three until four. Still miss you Guiding Light.😭😢😪
I always wondered why soap opera parodies always have an electric organ, I thought it was one of those things that never happened but someone did as a joke once, well now I understand they actually did do that. My favorite is 1991-2002 but the later ones are awesome as well. I was born in 1996 so that's why I love it so much. When I was really little, I loved watching the lighthouse spin. I didn't really pay attention to the soap opera itself and would just go outside and play but I just loved watching that lighthouse spin in the beginning.
My favorite opening was the FIre Island Lighthouse with the blue hue background. As the lighthouse is getting closer the title is on the left while playing La Lumiere.
I don’t know why they didn’t just keep the 1983-1986 one. Most TV programs would kill to have opening music like that. It’s pretty much up there with “Nadia’s Theme” from The Young and the Restless, and that show has never given up that music.
My favs were the early 80's one where they had those action scenes, the one from the early 2000's where you had the flashing lighthouse (an attempt to go back to its roots) with the main characters' faces in the flashing lights (with Dame Joan Collins @ 7:27 - she was on the series for a few months), the one with all the holding hands and the next to the last one with the song "only love can save the world".
I still have those favs but upon re listening I also favor the 1975-81 one that has soothing music - perfect for relaxation. On the action ones involving fire or explosion they are a tad too bit scary for me. I noticed on some of these some of the women were dressed as if they were Southern belles - nothing wrong with that but to me the term can connote helplessness when it's more interesting to watch take charge women. The lighthouse ones -going back to the show's roots - is good but there is a risk regarding flashing lights of triggering in some people migraines or epileptic seizures. On the "lozenges" ones including that of Dame Joan Collins, it's a shame they didn't think to incorporate the CBS Eye logo in the lenses on account of the show airing there.
5:55 I was born in Seattle in 1973, where I grew up. Japanese-American. Male. I liked this version. I thought it had an "ending" to the song, but my mother told me that it "just kept going." It makes me think about weekdays when I was home (summer or spring or winter break, likely), and heard this song mid-afternoon.
My three favorites: 1. 1991-1997 -- I did not like the shortened version of the Hold On to Love theme 2. 1986-1989 -- I first started watching in 1987, and I thought this version of My Guiding Light was catchy. 3. 2003-2005 -- Reminded me of the 1991-1997 Hold On to Love theme (in visual only). Music was catchy, too.
I use to watch this back in the 80's with my family. It was great back then Phillip and Beth, Roger Thorpe one of my favorite bad guys on soaps. I could only imagine how much the entire series would cost for all the years,
@@merricat3025 At that big party at the Country Club where he was UNMASKED. Wow. I get shivers thinking about that scene: ruclips.net/video/NEylqDaR15c/видео.html
1991-2002 was clearly the best one. How good was it? When I was a kid whenever I was home sick from school, I never watched soap operas but promptly at 2pm I would turn to CBS to hear this theme song. I remember that lady dancing at the end use to always intrigue me. Was she a villain? A bond girl? Maybe I should watch it. But then the magic of the opening title wore off quickly and I turned back to Tiny Toon Adventures.
1991-2002 was THE BEST opening..EVER. I remember coming home from school when "light through the leaves" was the opening and watching this with my mom. This was when Roger Thorpe kidnapped Holly and Christina, chased Rita in the house of mirrors, amongst other shocking crimes. We watched every day for years till I went off to college. We both stopped watching around the early 2000s for one reason or another but mainly because the show was not as good as it had been. Seeing these openings brought back so many memories of us screaming at the TV on Fridays when they always had a great cliffhanger. Miss those times, miss my mom.
Iconic.
I loved 1985 with Reba Shane and Kyle Sampson. I recorded on VHS everyday.
@@jnorton8402 Kyle and Reva were great..loved them on the (amish?) farm.
That was my favorite opening as well
Yes, this one was my childhood and the most memorable for me. Honorable mention is the early 80s one with the trees and the mid-late 80s one. They should have left the 90s one through the rest of the show just modernizing the visuals. Those ones after that were not memorable at all.
The 80's openings sure bring back a lot of memories. I always made it home from school to catch the second half of the show(i had to watch it because my mama was watching it! LOL). Miss this show a lot!
U. We're. Eastern time weren't you
My late Grammal was a CBS soap watcher btw
It’s Jan 2023 and I STILL want our Guiding Light BACK dang it !!!!
Me too 👍
I miss Reva & Josh, Gus & Harley, and Olivia & Natalia.
I want As the World Turns back too! I’ve only watched CBS soaps and I miss GL and ATWT so much since they went off the air.
They must of done something right they lasted 72 years be safe.
2021 here. I still miss it.
91-02 theme was the one I grew up on. My mom (RIP) was a huge watcher of the soap operas in my childhood.
My grandmother LOVED GUIDING LIGHT
After 72 years and more than 18,000 episodes, Guiding Light holds the distinction of being the longest running daytime drama in American broadcast history. During it's time from it's days on the radio to it's final episode in September of 2009, generations of viewers tuned into GL every weekday to follow the romance, heartache, and rivalries of the most powerful families of Springfield.
General hospital is on their 61st year this season. Since a lot of stuff is moving to streaming, they will probably be around forever. Peacock is the only thing that saved the Days of Our Lives. I don't see why Guiding Light and As the World Turns couldn't get a revival. In the UK Coronation Street is 64 years old and the radio drama the Archers has passed Guiding Light at 73 years running.
@@AngryRantsAndStuff I wouldn't be surprised if either GH or Days passes the 70 mark.
@@AngryRantsAndStuff Days is celebrating its 60th anniversary next year. The biggest event from their upcoming milestone season (Season 60, 2024-25) would be the death and funeral of Doug Williams (Bill Hayes, who died early this year); those episodes will supposedly air around late November and early December.
Young & the Restless is 51 years old, still a top soap on CBS, airs also on streaming, Paramount +.
@@seanm6215 ABC and NBC are afraid to cancel them. They had no problem canceling their other long-running shows though. With streaming networks existing and television being a dying medium, some of this crap is going to be around forever... even if no one is watching it. CBS is actually launching a new soap soon, after the Talk goes off the air.
It was originally about a minister and his congregation. It always ended with his giving a sermon.
This was my Mom's favorite soap. [Well she always watched CBS] I tune in from time to time to watch this and think of her. She passed 2002.
Same! My mom passed away in 2005. She loved the CBS soaps but I think GL was her absolute fav, and mine too till the last few years of it.
My mother brought on up on CBS soaps. All of CBS soaps were great.
Thank you SO much for compiling this!!! I have missed The Guiding Light for years! My afternoons have never been the same since this went off the air. I was tearing up badly watching this and many of the superb actors/actresses who are no longer with us. I was born in 1972, and out of all of the CBS soaps my Mom and both grandmothers watched, it was always GL that was my favorite. I will forever miss the Bauers and Reardons, and for me, the Spaulding and Lewises were very near and dear to my heart. ♥️. Thank you again! 💗😘😍
My nonna lived for this show! In her country it was called Sentieri and when it was cancelled there were questions asked in parliament. 18 months later they stopped making it. I will always have fond memories of watching it in Italy with her and her sisters. Thank you for posting.
My late sister was ADDICTED to this show back in the mid-70s until my nephew was born in 1986. Whenever my late mother was teaching summer school, she (my sister) would keep an eye on me, and it would be GL in the afternoon (as always) or ColecoVision with my niece. Great times! Yet the one thing was the theme from 1975-1981...always stuck in my mind, all through school until I graduated high school in 1984...the music defined me and made me who I am today. Cool, calm, loving, and compassionate. THANK YOU for this gem!!!
1991-2002 was my generation. Remember seeing it all the time at my Nannon’s house then falling asleep because the show would bore me. But I always remembered the Light house.
Of all the long gone soaps, I miss GUIDING LIGHT the most. I arrived home from school from grades 6-12 early enough to watch it. I was a fan of Y&R until 5 yrs ago. You couldn't pay me to watch it now. General Hospital & Days of Our Lives are the shows I currently watch.
Oh my word. I'm almost in tears over my nostalgia from the 80s openings. I was in elementary school and Guiding Light was the only soap I made it home in time to watch in its entirety. Ahhh, so many fond memories. Thank you so much for sharing these!
I remember watching soaps sparingly when I was a kid in the 80s because I had to. Now, I watch but they seem a lot more serious less fun.
@@chriscornelius2518 same
Yep!! I miss it too!!
Yeah I remember those 80s openings too I was a kid, my mom watched those things consistently and would kill anyone that disturbed her
Same here. RIP Guiding Light.
The last one for the final episode was very sad, as it flashed from present to past. My eyes welled up with tears. So bittersweet. GOODBYE GL!😢
Mariell Clement The opening of the final flashed the openings from present to the past and, the end flashed the past openings to the present, in order. that was awesome.
It was like loosing your family in a second
I cried my heart out the last week, especially the last show. When 3pm eastern times comes around, and I realize it, my heart still hurts that i won't be turning it to GL.
@@rurhcook5354 That's a good analysis.
I'm with you, Marielle Clement, and I really & truly love you.
I’m sitting here at home in Chicago, having coffee on a gloomy n snowy day replaying this video over an over bringing myself back in time. Idk why but, these themes bring a cozy and happy feeling all over again.
BruhTV around 1990
Thank you so much for putting all these together. You did an amazing job. I started watching Guiding Light in 1976 or 1977 when I would come home from school and my mom would be watching it. She quit watching it in the beginning of 1980 (so she never got to meet the Lewises), but I stuck with it - on and off, but still - till the very end. I still miss it to this day.
My favorite "The Guiding Light's" opening & closing sequences were from the year 1975. The theme music sounded so much softer & more soothing than ever before and I'm really & truly loving it. Not only it gives me goosepimples, but it also makes me wanna cry tears of joy & sorrow all at the very same time. Good times, baby, good times. Thanks for the memories, baby.
I just noticed it but if you look at one of the images to the 1991-2002 opening, it is a sun through trees. Very similar to the late 1970s opening. I hope this was on purpose then it would make this opening more awesome.
Watched during my (now 40 and 41 years old) babies’ nap time. It was my own little guilty pleasure.
I miss all the soaps. I grew up watching them. i wish we had the good old days back.
janey quinn I loved the soap culture of old. It was nice when the Big 3 networks were playing them in the sfternoons.
janey quinn At least there's General Hospital and Days Of Our Lives.
Same here! This brings back such good memories. I didn't start watching till the mid 80's. I remember so many times watching after I got home from school. That was definitely my "HAPPY Hour". 😃
I wish a lot of things like kids playing like they used to they don't know how to do that either and good soaps I'm not like by young people they like the trash
I never was a big fan but did see a few episodes of this.Those insipid talk shows suck.I never did like Let's Make a Deal.
The late 70s "Ritournelle" by Charles Paul (the light through the leaves) was the best!
Avatar610 I thought so too!
It always reminded me of a maxi pad commercial. I wasnt a fan.
I agree, that will always be my favorite.
I'm loving it, baby!!!
I love you, Avatar610!!!
The 75-81 and 91-02 themes are the most memorable IMHO.
My favorite Guiding Light opening is the 91-02 opening
Chad Baughman That one was great. The show really went down hill in the 2000s.
It was the most popular version of all time.
That's my favorite too. Love Josh and Reva.
Me too! I loved the lighthouse theme, with the 2003-2005 opening as my second favorite.
That's the one I first remember as I was about 8 when I started paying attention to it, coming home after school
I will ALWAYS love the 1986 through 1990 opening title and theme song for "Guiding Light"!
I did too.
My all-time favorite daytime soap. Those very early openings....I've never seen. Wow. My favorites were the disco theme and the slower, sweeping theme that replaced it. Thx for the upload.
There was actually a final arrangement of the "My Guiding Light" melody used during most of the '80s. There was the fully orchestrated version used approximately 1983-1986 (my all-time favorite), the more electronic version used approximately 1986-1989, then a version used approximately 1990-1991 that was a little more lush in orchestration than the electronic one.
Just love seeing all these old shows & the sponsors for them take me back in time! Thank you for Sharing!
My favorite is 1975 - 1981. always thought the sun glistening through the leaves was beautiful
81-83 was fantastic that would had gotten me in the mood to watch. 💃
1991-02 yes I totally remember this opening as a child since CBS soaps were always playing.
This was awesome to watch. So many memories. I wish it was back on.
The years 1991-2002 was my favorite Guiding Light intro.
I wish they would bring Guiding Light back and As the world turns back miss them soaps
I miss AWTW. 2:00pm EST will always be As The World Turns time
Let's not forget Theeeeeeee Eddddge....Of Night!
And 10:00am EST, will always be Guiding Light
Maybe when Jesus comes back?
Me 2
I remember my Great Aunt telling me that she listened to this on the radio before there was television.
My heartaches at the loss of Guiding Light.i grew up with Springfield.i miss it so much
That disco version from 81-83 is a banger! That was actually pretty dope.
My favorite
I remember the episode featuring Quarterflash!
It had me cracking up! 🤣 😂🤣 I only started watching in the 80s.
Here's the B52's playing in that disco (The Towers Club) on Guilding Light in 1982! ruclips.net/video/0rEaGfQvaP4/видео.html
@@BosApollo omgg, that's gold! 💖
Guiding Light actually started on radio in 1937.
AngryRantsAndStuff there was no visual open back then
No, but they did have a tremendous theme song. It was titled "Aphrodite's Waltz," and was played by an organist named Bernice Yanocek who sounded like she was STANDING on the keys. ruclips.net/video/Zb3IlLYbiBw/видео.htmlm37s
This show is older than dirt
@@Jamesbrowntv radio episodes still exist. Right now the only thing available dates back to 1940.
I miss Guiding Light.
I remember the 1991-02 intro. I would spend the summer at my grandparents, and remember seeing this damn show come on every day at 2pm lol.
91-02 was my favorite opening it would come on at 3 cause I'm an hour ahead
I think my favorite is the 1975 to 1981 theme song. It's so beautiful.
I started watching Guiding Light in 1981 when I was seven years old.
I remember all the ones from about 1981 going forward. Amazing how emotional you can get listening to opening or closing credits
My mom followed the CBS soaps as far back as I can remember. Thank you for this compliation.
@BruhTV I was aware of only the main 4 that my mom watched: Young & Restless, Bold & Beautiful, As The World Turns & Guiding Light. Capitol & Edge Of Tomorrow were also on CBS at one point.
@BruhTV Love Of Life was before my time. I wasn't born until December 1979.
@BruhTV Cool.
1983 to 85 is the best opening
robert samsak ikr it has that Gone with the Wind feel to it
Yes, that is my favorite too. It captures what soap operas were supposed to be DRAMAS with some touches of suspense, comedy, and horror, but at its core DRAMA. The 90s theme wasn't too bad either, but the later ones were too preachy and almost too religious in a bizarre way. The disco theme from the early 80s was a hoot too. I miss these shows, but I didn't like GL being filmed the way it was during the last couple of years. Classic show ruined on purpose in my opinion.
Yes, the music is beautiful here.
Love the 75-81 opening music! So peaceful, I could listen to it forever. Next favorite is 91-02.
I feel the same way. And a few of the really old lighthouse themes from the very early days weren't half bad.
There were actually two versions of the 1975-81 GL opening sequence: 1975-77 - with vocals & 1977-81 - instrumental. I think that the announcer dropped the article 'The' at some point during the period, too, to correspond with the text.
@@paco3343 , wow that would be something to hear the vocal one! The instrumental makes me a little teary eyed every time I hear it. It reminds me of being a kid and watching soaps with my mom when I would come home from school.
@@InnerBeauty39 Here's the link to it - enjoy:
ruclips.net/video/-77yDp8g1bo/видео.html
I remember it, too, from my childhood.
@@paco3343, thank you!
I watched for over 40 years. The 'Only Love' intro still brings me to tears every time.
😥😥
Loved all the montages. I was born in '68, so the montages throughout my lifetime would be the ones from 1967-2009. Liked the one from 1975 with the sun shining thru the trees and the ones from the 1990's and early 2000's with the lighthouse and montage of the characters. Thanks for including the final opening of the final episode.
I started watching guiding light when I was just six years old with my teenage aunts lol they would let me watch this with them in their bedroom till I was a grown-up myself with my own family my own house and when I was 35 years old I mourned a soap opera, it’s was like a death in the family, it hurt I thought these characters will be with me till my old age LOL thank you for the memories.
6:27 That’s the one I remember, right there. The best opening of GL.
Me too ❤
Me too ♥
Seeing the mid/late '70s "Sunlight Through the Leaves" theme again makes me smile, as that's when I first became hooked, during the Ed/Rita/Roger Holly years. I loved that one, almost as much as I hated the ghastly disco theme that followed it.
Right. The disco theme was not a good follow-up. Other than the disco ball itself, I was not a big fan of it.
I agree. That whole era has been forgotten I think in the history of GL. Its all over now. What ever happened to Rita as I lost touch on it all back then.
WOW! How interesting. Was it Rita that had to hook a ride to a wedding on a firetruck? I have a memory of that.If it was on now I would watch it again. CBS did not embrace online and still does a shitty job of it.
Mar Thivierge I know, right? I hated the disco theme too!!
Oh Lord, the Jack Ubont theme with the disco ball was hideous and so wrong for this show. Many of the opening themes in its later years were awful.
My favourite openings were from the late 1970's with the light shining through the trees. I wish I had the score.
My favorite one is the 83-85 one with quint and nola waltzing at the end. That music just fits gl to a T. Happy hopeful sad and romantic. I miss gl so much!!
My Favorite is 1975-81
LOVE the Bauer Years... Bert, Ed and Rita, Mike and Elizabeth, Roger and Holly and Ed, Alan and Hope. Great #memories
The 91-02 opening was ahead of it's time for daytime soaps. I liked the 2002 opening and was sad it only lasted like a year. The 2003 opening was the worst, followed by the last one in 2008/9. The splashy 2006/7 was awesome with a great theme song. Am I the only one that listens to soap opera theme songs for fun? Lol. They just bring back so many memories of being with my mom and grandma, now both deceased, when I was a kid. The acting was great, the storylines creatively complex and challenging, the characterization multi-layered, the families multigenerational. The women, and some of the men, actually, talked about the characters like they were extended members of the family. I distinctly remember every body cooking holiday dinners in the kitchen discussing the soaps. "Did you see what victor (y&r) did the other day?" , "James tried to kill Barbara (atwt) in that bullring!" , "alan (gl) is a man I love to hate, but he is so sophisticated!" Oh, the treasured memories!!!
Not the only one! I’m listening too!
I kind of liked the 1986 to 1990 theme.. it was bouncy and fun.
When I was a kid my mom would watch soaps all the time. Guiding Light, Bold and the Beautiful, Young and the Restless and probably more.
1991-2002 was my favorite, especially closing theme with the actors and actresses pictures. Was annoyed in 1997 when Paul Rauch took over as executive producer and cut the opening to 15 seconds and took out the pictures in the closing credits.
I love late 1983 the Barbados storyline RIP Susan Piper was a bitch
1984 was the year when Susan Piper fell into the quicksand. GL had some great years. 1991-2002 theme was popular... wish 2002-2003 theme could've lasted longer, as the 2003-2005 theme was, IMO, wasn't that great... 2005-2007 theme was good too. And hard to believe it's been 8 years since this show ended.
The 1974-75 opening at 2:12 is the first one I ever remember seeing. Appears this was the last one that still included "The" in the show's title before it simply became "Guiding Light".
Thank you so much I was passionate about GL. This brings so many happy memories back.
This shows how things changed at 80's . From culture to people and public expectations .
I love Guilding light theme song from 1991 through 2002 the best I miss it.
Bring back Guiding Light!! 💗
i agree. they need to fix some storylines. i would like them to do what dallas did when the brought back bobby ewing.
Soaps are dying. Different generation
Nobody wants to see this garbage
@@back2the80s for good reason, they were just on to make money and post commercials.. trash
But it wouldn't be the same since so many characters are gone 😔
Loved Guiding Light in the '80s. I was in high school and would be home in time for a full hour of the Guiding light. I loved India, she was my favorite. A simpler time with great memories.
A great and beautiful actress.
Loved India Von Halkein as well as Sonni/Solita played by the mesmerizing Michelle Forbes
i start watch 2002-2003 my grandma loved this soap
Guiding Light had a couple of very beautiful theme songs, especially the closing versions! I especially liked RITOURNELLE!
83 to 85 was the best
1952-54- It was a treat to eat lunch in the living room with my Grandma; dessert was often sliced bananas with chocolate chips.
1975-1981 was my favorite. the "Sunlight Through the Leaves" theme. Do they still make "Duz" soap anymore? I haven't seen the edge of night in many many years. I miss Guiding Light.
Watching the openings and theme songs, There were two things that really were prevalent in "Guiding Light". One: It was the "Hold On to Love theme song" That theme song is older than I thought. It's been around since 1983. It's nearing 35 years with that theme song. Two: The most important thing. It's trademark: "THE LIGHTHOUSE" That is the thing that identifies with "Guiding Light" The 75-90 themes and songs were great(with the exception of the "Disco era"), but it just didn't have it's "look" When the lighthouse came back, "The Guiding Light Look" came back. Teaming it up with "Hold on to Love" was the icing on the cake. "Guiding Light: without the lighthouse is like "Days of Our Lives without the hourglass or As the World Turns without the spinning globe" The Lighthouse was the identity.
Happy 86th birthday, Guiding Light!!!
I wish that 2002 opening would've lasted longer than it did!
Same; the 2002-2003 lighthouse opening was the perfect modern day soap opera opening.
Agreed. They pulled that way too soon in favor of the super-cheap '03-'05 version
Me, too! It was a great visual update to the 91-02 version, and such a regal theme song, reminding us that GL, in case we forgot, was THE grand mother of soaps!
I miss Guiding Light so much :(
I was a diehard CBS soaps guy. I remember watching The Young and the Restless, As The World Turns, and Guiding Light back to back every day.
I loved watching every episodes of As The World Turns and Guiding Light non stop.
Guiding Light had everything.
Thank you for posting this. Brings back a lot of memories.
Happy 84th Anniversary Guiding Light! January 25, 1937-September 18, 2009
My moms favorite soap. Miss her terribly after losing her life as a result of medical malpractice. Wish I could talk to her now.
Rest In Peace Alan Spaulding.
I wish Guiding Light was back on the air
Steph I do too!!
margaret brown The mid 90s version and before was a great time for the show. The later years really weren't all that great, although the last episodes were pretty good. I really thought the show lost its identity from late nineties until it's cancellation.
Agreed. By the 2000s it more or less became a poor mans DAYS OF OUR LIVES
Stephannie For sure. Can't figure out how Days is still running though. What drivel.
Chris Cornelius The San Cristobal storyline was the beginning of the end. I liked David Andrew MacDonald's character though. Edward, was it?
I was born in 1992. I remember the 1991-2002 intro because my mom would watch CBS Soaps while cleaning house.
September 18, 2009 is the final episode of Guiding Light
I started watching Guiding Light when I was seven years old in 1981.
You go! I was six back in 1967 with my mom. I thought it was so boring at first, then I got hooked, until the very last episode in 2009.
I consider Justin Deas to be one of the greatest soap actors ever,but he was in good company with all the members of this stellar cast! BRING BACK GL !
I like Justin Deas and Buzz. Great actor along with the late Beverlee McKinsey, and her successor Marj Dusay. My favorite character on the show is Holly, played by the fabulous Maureen Garrett
I started really watching "Guiding Light" in college, the 91-02 theme is the best of the group. The two underrated ones are the 86-90 and 2002-03 themes.
My favorite is the 86 - 90 followed by 2002 - 03
I remember being upset when the new producer at the time decided to change the 2002 opening to the 2003 opening. There was nothing wrong with it but it happened that it was the decision he wanted to make more than a year after the opening debut. I like the them song of the 2003 opening but there is that missing lighthouse that got on my nerves.
Charles allen jr I loved the 87 uptempo version of Hold On To Love.
The theme from 1983-1991 was called My Guiding Light. Hold On To Love was from 1991-2002. Both themes were created by Rob Mounsey.
Thanks for posting Judy Evans gave the performance of her career on guiding light 👍💗
The last two brought tears to my eyes because it left the air by 2009. Oh well! I watch Judge Judy from three until four. Still miss you Guiding Light.😭😢😪
I always wondered why soap opera parodies always have an electric organ, I thought it was one of those things that never happened but someone did as a joke once, well now I understand they actually did do that. My favorite is 1991-2002 but the later ones are awesome as well. I was born in 1996 so that's why I love it so much. When I was really little, I loved watching the lighthouse spin. I didn't really pay attention to the soap opera itself and would just go outside and play but I just loved watching that lighthouse spin in the beginning.
Please bring back As The World Turns and Guiding Light
My favorite opening was the FIre Island Lighthouse with the blue hue background. As the lighthouse is getting closer the title is on the left while playing La Lumiere.
My great-uncle Albert used to have a house on Fire Island way back in the 60’s
Every soap opera has a hospital.
GL was the second oldest broadcast program in the USA.
The Grand Ole Opry was/still is the oldest ....
The lighthouse in the 1967-1971 opening I believe is Heceta Head in Oregon
I don’t know why they didn’t just keep the 1983-1986 one. Most TV programs would kill to have opening music like that. It’s pretty much up there with “Nadia’s Theme” from The Young and the Restless, and that show has never given up that music.
My favs were the early 80's one where they had those action scenes, the one from the early 2000's where you had the flashing lighthouse (an attempt to go back to its roots) with the main characters' faces in the flashing lights (with Dame Joan Collins @ 7:27 - she was on the series for a few months), the one with all the holding hands and the next to the last one with the song "only love can save the world".
I still have those favs but upon re listening I also favor the 1975-81 one that has soothing music - perfect for relaxation. On the action ones involving fire or explosion they are a tad too bit scary for me. I noticed on some of these some of the women were dressed as if they were Southern belles - nothing wrong with that but to me the term can connote helplessness when it's more interesting to watch take charge women. The lighthouse ones -going back to the show's roots - is good but there is a risk regarding flashing lights of triggering in some people migraines or epileptic seizures. On the "lozenges" ones including that of Dame Joan Collins, it's a shame they didn't think to incorporate the CBS Eye logo in the lenses on account of the show airing there.
5:55 I was born in Seattle in 1973, where I grew up. Japanese-American. Male. I liked this version. I thought it had an "ending" to the song, but my mother told me that it "just kept going." It makes me think about weekdays when I was home (summer or spring or winter break, likely), and heard this song mid-afternoon.
My three favorites:
1. 1991-1997 -- I did not like the shortened version of the Hold On to Love theme
2. 1986-1989 -- I first started watching in 1987, and I thought this version of My Guiding Light was catchy.
3. 2003-2005 -- Reminded me of the 1991-1997 Hold On to Love theme (in visual only). Music was catchy, too.
I use to watch this back in the 80's with my family. It was great back then Phillip and Beth, Roger Thorpe one of my favorite bad guys on soaps. I could only imagine how much the entire series would cost for all the years,
I can remember the first time Rodger Thorpe came back from the dead. It was a shocker
@@merricat3025 At that big party at the Country Club where he was UNMASKED. Wow. I get shivers thinking about that scene: ruclips.net/video/NEylqDaR15c/видео.html
Guiding Light: A classic soap opera 57 years.
I don't know why, but the light of the 1991-2002 opening used to scare the crap out of me when I was a kid.
1991-2002 was clearly the best one. How good was it? When I was a kid whenever I was home sick from school, I never watched soap operas but promptly at 2pm I would turn to CBS to hear this theme song. I remember that lady dancing at the end use to always intrigue me. Was she a villain? A bond girl? Maybe I should watch it. But then the magic of the opening title wore off quickly and I turned back to Tiny Toon Adventures.
The girl dancing @ 6:50 is absolutely gorgeous. I'm also wondering who she is.
Evidently, it is Harley Cooper, played by Beth Ehlers.
83 - 85 opening only watched Gl remember the storylines still
1983-1986 is my favorite