The DuckTales Theme was written and composed by Mark Mueller, and sung by Jeff Pescetto in Disney's 1987 original version of DuckTales. For DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, a longer instrumental version of the song was created. For the 2017 reboot, Mueller re-arranged the music and lyrics slightly, and the song was re-recorded by Felicia Barton[1].
Several alternate version revival has opened specific episodes of the 2017 series, such as Halloween and Christmas specials.
Lyrics[]
1987 Version[]
DuckTales - Theme Song - Disney+ Throwbacks - Disney+
- Life is like a hurricane
- Here in Duckburg
- Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
- It's a duck-blur!
- Might solve a mystery,
- Or rewrite history!
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- LuckTales!
- D - D - D - Danger!
- (Lurks behind you)
- There's a stranger,
- (out to find you!)
- What to do?
- Just grab on to some...
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- LuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Not pony tales or cotton tales,
- no DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
Disney Afternoon Version (1991-1992)[]
This variant was resung by Jeff Pescetto in 1990 and was used for The Disney Afternoon.
DuckTales - Disney Afternoon Intro (1992)
- Life is like a hurricane
- Here in Duckburg
- Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes,
- It's a duck-blur!
- Might solve a mystery
- Or rewrite history!!
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- LuckTales!
- D-D-D-Danger! Lurks behind you!
- There's a stranger out to find you!
- What to do? Just grab on to some
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- LuckTales!
- Not PonyTales or CottonTales No,
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
1987 Extended Version[]
- Life is like a hurricane
- Here in Duckburg
- Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
- It's a duck-blur!
- Might solve a mystery,
- Or rewrite history!
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- Lucktales!
- When it seems they're heading for,
- the final curtain,
- Good deduction never fails,
- that's for certain!
- The worst of messes
- Become successes!
- D - D - D - Danger!
- (Lurks behind you)
- There's a stranger,
- (out to find you!)
- What to do?
- Just grab on to some...
- DuckTales!
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- Lucktales!
- D - D - D - Danger!
- Watch behind you
- There's a stranger,
- out to find you!
- What to do?
- Just grab on to some...
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- LuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- Lucktales!
- Not pony tales or cotton tales,
- no DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- LuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
- Not pony tales or cotton tales,
- no DuckTales! (Woo-hoo!)
2017 Version[]
Theme Song DuckTales Disney XD
- Life is like a hurricane
- Here in Duckburg
- Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
- It's a duck-blur!
- Might solve the mystery,
- Or rewrite history!
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- Lucktales! (Woo-oo!)
- D - D - D - Danger!
- Lurks behind you
- There's a stranger,
- out to find you!
- What to do?
- Just grab on to some...
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good,
- Not pony tales or cotton tales,
- no DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
2017 Extended Version[]
Felicia Barton - DuckTales (From "DuckTales" Extended Version Audio Only)
- Life is like a hurricane
- Here in Duckburg
- Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
- It's a duck-blur!
- Might solve a mystery,
- Or rewrite history!
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- Lucktales! (Woo-oo!)
- When it seems they're heading for,
- the final curtain,
- Good deduction never fails,
- that's for certain!
- The worst of messes
- Become successes!
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- Lucktales! (Woo-oo!)
- D - D - D - Danger!
- Lurks behind you
- There's a stranger,
- out to find you!
- What to do?
- Just grab on to some...
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- LuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring, bad and good
- Not pony tales or cotton tales,
- no DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
2017 Variant Version[]
- Life is like a hurricane
- Here in Duckburg
- Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
- It's a duck-blur!
- Might solve a mystery,
- Or rewrite history!
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring-do bad and good
- Lucktales!
- D - D - D - Danger!
- Watch behind you
- There's a stranger,
- out to find you!
- What to do?
- Just grab on to some...
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Every day they're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of derring, bad and good,
- Not ponytails or cottontails, no,
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
2017 Short Version[]
A variant used only in The Great Dime Chase!, The Town Where Everyone Was Nice!, Friendship Hates Magic!, Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!, Double-O-Duck in You Only Crash Twice!, They Put a Moonlander on the Earth!, The Split Sword of Swanstantine!, and New Gods on the Block!
Lyrics
Life is like a hurricane
Here in Duckburg
Racecars, lasers, aeroplanes,
It's a duck-blur!
Might solve a mystery, or rewrite history!
DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
Everyday they're out there making DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
Tales of daring-do bad and good luck tales! (Woo-oo!)
2017 Christmas Version[]
A variant sung in the style of 1950s Christmas songs, in the season 2 episode Last Christmas!.
Holiday Theme Song DuckTales Disney Channel-0
Lyrics
- Life is like a candy cane
- Here in Duckburg
- Snowflakes, presents, Santa's sleigh
- It's a duck-blur!
- Might make bells jingle,
- Or trap Kris Kringle!
- DuckTales!
- Christmas Eve, we're out there making
- DuckTales! (Woo-oo!)
- Tales of Christmas Past and Yuletide
- Lucktales!
2017 Glomgold Theme Song Takeover[]
A variant of the theme song played in the episode GlomTales!
Glomgold Theme Song Takeover 💸 - DuckTales - Disney Channel
Song Lyric
- Life is like an evil scheme,
- Here on GlomTales.
- Sharks, and bombs, and Scrooge's screams,
- It's cannae Glom-fail.
- Cannae beat my grand plan,
- To beat the Scotsman.
- GlomTales
- Technically I'm Scottish as well.
- GlomTales
- Uh, Scrooge stinks, Scrooge stinks, Scrooge stinks, Scrooge stinks.
- GlomTales
- What's next? Oh yeah!
- C-C-C-CG. It's so fancy.
- Once Scrooge sees this, there's no chancy.
- Cannae compete with the glory of,
- GlomTales!
- Bravest, strongest, and most modest.
- GlomTales!
- Okay, we ran out of budget,
- But kids six to ten will love it!
- GlomTales!
Launchpad Theme Song Takeover[]
This version is part of the Disney Theme Song Takeover series on Disney Channel's YouTube account.
Song lyric
- Life is like an aeroplane, here in Duckburg.
- Airplanes, airplanes, aeroplanes, it's a duck-blur.
- Might fly an airplane, or crash an airplane.
- Airplanes er DuckTales ugh.
- Now I'm on a boat with Dewey.
- DuckTales Woo-oo!
- Hey a scooter. Whoops, ka-blooey
- DuckTales Woah!
- I'll catch up in a second or two.
- You guys look out some guy's behind you.
- Even worse here comes the key change.
- DuckTales Woo-oo!
- Jump in a plane for the refrain.
- DuckTales Woo-oo!
- We ducks have tails. I just got that.
- That's why the name of the show is
- DuckTales Woo-oo!
Clips used in the 1987 series intro[]
| Corresponding lyric | Clip description | Source episode |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Scrooge and the nephews | Intro only |
| Life is like a hurricane... | Scrooge running from a tidal wave in his Money Bin | "Earth Quack" |
| ...here in Duckburg | Launchpad's helicopter flying over Duckburg | "Robot Robbers" |
| Race cars... | The Beagle Boys taking off in their car | "Hero for Hire" |
| ...lasers... | Dewey firing the furniture-mover ray | "The Money Vanishes" |
| ...aeroplanes, it's a... | Launchpad diving his plane | "Top Duck" |
| ...duck-blur | Scrooge gets zapped while Gyro watches | "Armstrong" |
| Might solve a mystery... | Scrooge and the nephews going down a dark stairway | "Hotel Strangeduck" |
| ..or rewrite history | Gyro as a knight (episodes 1-65) | "Sir Gyro de Gearloose" |
| Bubba carries a giant egg but slips and drops it (episodes 66-100) | "Marking Time" | |
| DuckTales! Woo-hoo! Everyday... |
Scrooge going for a swim | "Earth Quack" |
| ...they're out there making DuckTales! |
A shark chases the ducks' submarine and Webby kisses it | Intro only |
| Woo-hoo! | Huey, as a matador, runs from... (episodes 1-65) | "Send in the Clones" |
| Bubba throwing up his arms (episodes 66-100) | "Marking Time" | |
| Tales of derring... | ...a Beagle Boy who changed into a dragon (episodes 1-65) | "Send in the Clones" |
| Bubba clubs one of Mung Ho's troops (episodes 66-70) | "The Duck Who Would Be King" | |
| Gizmoduck surviving an explosion (episodes 71-100) | "Frozen Assets" | |
| Fenton pointing a musket (episodes 71-100) | "Liquid Assets" | |
| ...do-bad and... | A giant Beagle Boy holding Scrooge in his hand | "Earth Quack" |
| ...good luck tales! | Magica laughing while Poe rests on her finger (episodes 1-70) | "Send in the Clones" |
| Gizmoduck gives the nephews a lift (episodes 71-100) | "Full Metal Duck" | |
| N/A | Scrooge and Huey battling the Beagle Boys in a bakery | Intro only |
| D-d-d-danger! Watch behind you! | Huey climbing to escape the Beagle Boys (episodes 1-65) | "Send in the Clones" |
| Bubba running from the T-Rex (episodes 66-100) | "Marking Time" | |
| There's a stranger out to find you! | The nephews awaken a mummy and it chases them | Intro only |
| What to do, just grab on to some... | Scrooge and El Capitan running and jumping to escape the collapsing floor | "Too Much of a Gold Thing" |
| DuckTales! Woo-hoo! | The Beagle Boys' robot mechs do a high-five (episodes 1-65) | "Robot Robbers" |
| Fenton springing up in the chair (episodes 70-100) | "Liquid Assets" | |
| Tootsie licking Webby's face (episodes 66-100) | "Bubba Trubba" | |
| Everyday they're out there making DuckTales! Woo-hoo! |
Huey, Gyro, and Little Bulb watching as Scrooge swims after a dollar in space but then an alien grabs it | Intro only |
| Tales of derring do-bad and... | Scrooge riding a mine cart underground | "Earth Quack" |
| ..good luck tales! | A tiger hugs Huey, Dewey and Louie | Intro only |
| Woo-hoo! | Webby ducks inside a picnic basket | "Dinosaur Ducks" |
| Not pony tales or cotton tales, no, | Scrooge and Glomgold climbing up to grab a lamp | "Master of the Djinni" |
| DuckTales! Woo-hoo! | Scrooge and the nephews in the Money Bin under the logo | Intro only |
Trivia[]
- Teen Titans GO! parodied the 1987 version of the song in the episode "Missing"
- In Disney XD's reuploads of DuckTales 2017 Season 1 and Disney +'s Throwback upload of the 1987 intro, the captions say "not phonytails" instead of ponytails.
- In Disney XD's reuploades of DuckTales 2017 Season 1 the captions also say "We Might Solve a Mystery" instead of "Might Solve a Mystery".
- In Disney +'s Throwback upload of the 1987 intro the caption also say "Woo!" instead of "Woo-oo!" or "Woo-hoo!".
- Season 3 is the longest season to go without using the regular intro. They used the short version for Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks! and Double-O-Duck in You Only Crash Twice!, before using the regular version in The Lost Harp of Mervana!.
- The Glomgold Theme Song Takeover mentions that the song is owned by McDuck Enterprises.
- The visuals of the 2017 version was originally much different. One earlier version involved the family chasing the #1 dime around the globe while another involved the characters jumping in and out of photos in a Duck photo album. These two concepts were combined in the finalized version.[2]
- Della was added to the intro in Season 3.
- The German Intro of the 1987 series implies that both Pluto and Goofy would appear in this version despite being not the case.[3] The latter would appear in the 2017 version.
- The song was heavily inspired by Hall & Oates' You Make My Dreams Come True.
External links[]
- The Story of the DuckTales Theme, History’s Catchiest Single Minute of Music by Darryn King. Vanity Fair. August 9, 2017
References[]
- ↑ Hollywood Reporter: DuckTales Theme Song Gets an Update for Disney XD Reboot|=Hollywood Reporter
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/FrankAngones/status/1244301831062220801
- ↑ Quote: "Pluto und Goofy, alle sind bei dir." (Pluto and Goofy, everyone is with you)