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 is celebrating its 35th anniversary this week.


Over the years, many stories, voices and sounds have come and gone on the show. But there has remained one constant — our theme music.

 theme was written by BJ Leiderman in 1979. At the time, he was a struggling college student who wrote jingles on the side. He gave a demo tape of his music to a friend who worked at NPR.
On that tape was one little musical phrase that eventually became the 

After it was selected, Leiderman wrote lyrics to accompany his little ditty:

Let me stay in bed ... and ... sleep (I don't like to daydream)

That we will not be friends ... for ... long

Remember when ... we used to sleep forever?

For crying out loud, please would you shut up

No news, no features, I've had enough ...

But, say, who wrote your great ... theme ... song???


Since that time, Leiderman has composed many other public radio classics. He has written themes for 

.
Next year, he'll release his first album. It's called 

A previous Web version of this story said BJ Leiderman's album is called 

Arts and Culture

NPR Staff

Author

Over the years, many stories, voices and sounds have come and gone on the show. But there has remained one constant: our theme music written by BJ Leiderman in 1979.

Who is that guy behind the 'Morning Edition' theme, and why is he singing?

Go Deeper.

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