The Fall Guy Theme Song Lyrics
Behind the Music: Meaning & Story
The The Fall Guy theme song, famously known as “Unknown Stuntman,” is a definitive piece of 1980s television history. What makes this track particularly unique is that it was performed by the show’s lead star, Lee Majors. Composed by Gail Jensen, David Somerville, and the show’s creator Glen A. Larson, the song blends a classic country sound with lyrics that pay tribute to the unsung heroes of Hollywood—the stunt performers who take the hits while leading men take the glory.
Premiering on ABC in the USA and on January 2, 1982, in the UK, the series followed Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter to make ends meet. The lyrics are famous for their cheeky name-dropping of 80s icons like Farrah Fawcett (Majors’ real-life ex-wife), Sally Field, and Bo Derek. It highlights the irony of Seavers’ life: he makes stars like Robert Redford and Clint Eastwood look “so fine” on screen, while he ends up “bandaging his knee” in the shadows.
The show enjoyed a successful five-season run, totaling 113 episodes of high-octane excitement and legendary truck jumps. Although the series concluded on May 2, 1986, the theme song has endured as a nostalgic anthem. It perfectly encapsulated the show’s blend of action and humor, ensuring that while the stuntman might be “unknown,” his theme song would never be forgotten.
