Why does the opening theme on M*A*S*H* sometimes end on a high note and sometimes on a low note?

Opening credits for a lot of shows change from season to season. One example is “The Unit”, which replaced its entire theme song. The M*A*S*H folks may have re-recorded the theme song for various reasons; too long, too short, bad fidelity of the original recording or whatever. The composer or arranger may have decided to take the re-recording opportunity to make a slight adjustment to the music, perhaps to “fix” something they didn’t like.

‘Cause suicide is painless,
it brings on many changes,
and I can take or leave it if I please.

I’d bet, also, the upbeat theme music of early seasons was TV’s version of the mise en scene, a subtle reminder to TV execs and viewers alike that M*A*S*H ostensibly was a comedy.

In those days, black comedy on the small screen freaked out your average TV exec, and that’s why the tone in the first few seasons was much lighter than the Altman film. Once CBS brass were assured of solid ratings, the producers and writers were freer to go darker, especially as the country got farther away in time from the Vietnam War, which was what Altman’s film was really critiquing.

Huh, whaddya know? My TV/film degree is actually good for something once in a while!

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn’t hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger…watch it grin