What was the vocal version of the show's theme renamed?

The vocal version of The Andy Griffith Show’s theme was renamed “The Fishin’ Hole.” The original instrumental theme was composed by Earle Hagen for the sitcom’s 1960 debut and was best known for its cheerful whistling melody.

In 1961, actor Everett Sloane wrote lyrics after learning that the theme had no words. Andy Griffith then sang the vocal version, which appeared on the LP of music from the show released by Capitol Records. The title reflected the opening-credit imagery of Andy and Opie walking beside a pond with fishing rods.

The title is sometimes confused with the show’s general theme name, “The Andy Griffith Show Theme,” or with other fictional Mayberry references such as “The Mayberry March.” Those are related pieces or labels, but “The Fishin’ Hole” is the canonical title for the lyric version. Hagen’s original instrumental remained the version most viewers immediately recognized from television.