The Full Version Of The Family Ties Theme Song Is An Underrated Must-Listen For '80s Kids

The minute-long theme song that opened every episode of the long-running 1980s sitcom "Family Ties" conjures up fond and nostalgic memories for those of a certain age — the same people who would be delighted to know that there's a full-length version of the tune. It's a fascinating and somewhat bewildering experience to hear a longer, spaced-out take on a chunk of music embedded into the brains of millions of '80s kids who fondly remember watching the 1982 to 1989 sitcom that starred Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton, the conservative son of former hippie parents Steven and Elyse Keaton. The recognizable part from TV and reruns arrives about 42 seconds in and plays out, and then it's back to being a dreamy, moody, and enveloping love song, one that's performed with such passion, heart, and sensuality that it doesn't seem like the kind of tune that would've been picked to introduce a squeaky-clean family sitcom. 

There's just a lot of extra, uncovered middle to the song, officially called "Without Us," and plenty of softly chugging guitar and that iconic "sha-la-la-la." Here's a look into the history, surprises, impact, and enduring magic of the forever warm and fuzzy "Family Ties" theme song — and the extended version.

Boomer-era crooner Johnny Mathis hated some of his most famous songs, but he loved singing with Deniece Williams, an associate of Earth, Wind, and Fire. The duo released an album of duets in 1978, "That's What Friends Are For," which yielded the No. 1 hit, "Too Much Too Little Too Late," adding a comeback chapter to the story of Johnny Mathis. Williams racked up some hits too, and both stars were in demand when "Family Ties" producers reunited them to perform one more sappy duet. 

The four-minute version of the lush and smooth "Without Us" was made available for the first time on a 2023 reissue of "That's What Friends Are For." Loaded with nostalgia-inducing 1980s soft-rock tropes like processed guitars and walls of twinkling keyboards, "Without Us" was written in 1982 for "Family Ties" by Tom Scott and Jeff Barry, who previously developed the theme songs for "The Jeffersons" and "One Day at a Time."

The edited version is so closely associated with the sitcom — and the longer one performed with such conviction — that it's hard to believe this wasn't the original. The first 10 episodes of "Family Ties" bore a slightly different version by Dennis Tufano of the '60s band the Buckinghams and Mindy Sterling, best known for her work as Frau Farbissina in the "Austin Powers" movies. From Episode 11 on, "Family Ties" fans got the beloved Mathis and Williams attempt.