The Secret Meaning Of 'Schlemiel! Schlimazel!': Unpacking The Iconic Laverne & Shirley Theme Song Lyrics

The "Laverne & Shirley" theme song, "Making Our Dreams Come True," remains one of the most recognizable and beloved pieces of television history, a vibrant musical postcard from 1950s Milwaukee. As of December 2025, the song is enjoying a fresh wave of appreciation, highlighted by a recent tribute from major rock bands, solidifying its place not just as a nostalgic jingle but as a genuine pop culture anthem. This deep dive into the iconic lyrics reveals the song's hidden meaning, the brilliant minds behind its creation, and the enduring legacy of the two best friends who just wanted to 'do it their way.' The opening chant—"Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!"—is a curious, unforgettable piece of television lore that immediately sets the tone for the lives of Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney. Beyond the famous hopscotch sequence and the bottle of Shotz Brewery milk, the words tell a story of ambition, clumsiness, and the unwavering bond of friendship, perfectly encapsulating the spirit of the hit *Happy Days* spin-off.

The Full Lyrics: "Making Our Dreams Come True"

The theme song, officially titled "Making Our Dreams Come True," was sung by the then-unknown pop singer Cyndi Grecco. It perfectly captures the optimism and struggle of two working-class women in 1950s America, trying to make a life for themselves while navigating the pitfalls of dating, factory work, and general mishap.

Here are the complete, official lyrics to the iconic theme song:

• (Chant) One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight!
• Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!
• We're gonna do it!
• (Chorus)
• Give us any chance, we'll take it.
• Give us any rule, we'll break it.
• We're gonna make our dreams come true.
• Doin' it our way.
• (Verse 1)
• Nothin's gonna turn us back now.
• Straight ahead and on the track now.
• We got a dream that's worth the chasin'.
• We're gonna move, we're gonna fly.
• We're gonna reach for the sky.
• (Chorus)
• Give us any chance, we'll take it.
• Give us any rule, we'll break it.
• We're gonna make our dreams come true.
• Doin' it our way.
• (Outro)
• Yeah, doin' it our way.
• (Vocalizing/Instrumental fade out)

The Cast of Laverne & Shirley: A Biographical Snapshot

The theme song is inextricably linked to the fantastic cast who brought the characters to life. The show ran for eight seasons, from 1976 to 1983, and its stars achieved legendary status.

• Penny Marshall (Laverne DeFazio): Born October 15, 1943, in The Bronx, New York. She was the sister of famed director/producer Garry Marshall. After *Laverne & Shirley*, she became a highly successful film director, helming blockbusters like *Big* and *A League of Their Own*. She passed away on December 17, 2018.
• Cindy Williams (Shirley Feeney): Born August 22, 1947, in Van Nuys, California. She continued acting after the show, appearing in numerous television and stage productions. Her autobiography, *Shirley, I Jest!*, was published in 2015. She passed away on January 25, 2023.
• Michael McKean (Lenny Kosnowski): Born October 17, 1947, in New York City. He is an acclaimed actor, comedian, and musician, known for his roles in *This Is Spinal Tap*, *A Mighty Wind*, and, more recently, *Better Call Saul*. He is one of the few main cast members still alive and actively working.
• David Lander (Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman): Born June 22, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York. He and Michael McKean created the Lenny and Squiggy characters while in college. He continued acting and voice work until his death on December 4, 2020.
• Eddie Mekka (Carmine "The Big Ragoo" Ragusa): Born June 14, 1952, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was a talented dancer and singer. He passed away on November 27, 2021.

Decoding the Iconic Yiddish Chant

The most distinctive and often-puzzling part of the theme song is the Yiddish phrase shouted during the opening sequence as Laverne and Shirley skip down the street: "Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!" This phrase was actually an invention of Penny Marshall, who remembered the chant from her childhood in The Bronx. The words are a perfect, humorous summary of the characters' personalities and their fortunes in life.

Schlemiel and Schlimazel: The Clumsy and the Unlucky

The first two words are Yiddish in origin and have distinct, yet related, meanings:

• Schlemiel (or Schlameal): This refers to a clumsy person or a bungler. It's someone who habitually spills things. Laverne, with her tough exterior and often-misguided schemes, certainly fits the bill as the bungler.
• Schlimazel (or Schlemazel): This refers to a consistently unlucky person. It's the person who the schlemiel spills the drink *on*. Shirley, the more cautious and sensitive of the two, often finds herself the unfortunate victim of Laverne's (and the world's) mishaps.

The old Yiddish saying perfectly illustrates the difference: "A schlemiel is a person who often spills his soup; a schlimazel is the person the soup is spilled on." The pairing of the words immediately tells the audience that these two friends are a perfect, complementary pair of well-meaning losers.

Hasenpfeffer Incorporated: A Comedic Punchline

The final part, "Hasenpfeffer Incorporated," is a playful, Americanized addition.

• Hasenpfeffer: This is a traditional German stew made from marinated rabbit. It's a nod to the show's setting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a city with a large German-American population, and the girls' working-class, European-immigrant neighborhood.
• Incorporated: The addition of "Incorporated" (or "Inc.") is a comedic flourish, suggesting that their collective state of being—clumsiness and bad luck—is a formal, official business venture. It’s a joke that they’ve built a company out of their misfortunes, which they navigate together.

The Musical Masterminds: Fox, Gimbel, and Grecco

The infectious energy of "Making Our Dreams Come True" is no accident; it was crafted by a powerhouse duo of TV theme song creators and delivered by a unique voice.

The Songwriters: The Kings of TV Themes

The theme was written by composer Charles Fox and lyricist Norman Gimbel. This pair was responsible for some of the biggest television and film hits of the era, establishing a strong topical authority that connects *Laverne & Shirley* to the broader pop culture landscape.

• Charles Fox: A prolific composer whose credits include the themes for *Love, American Style*, *Wide World of Sports*, and, most famously, the theme for *Happy Days*—the show from which *Laverne & Shirley* was spun off.
• Norman Gimbel: The lyricist who penned the words for the show, as well as the English lyrics for the bossa nova classic "The Girl from Ipanema" and the song "Killing Me Softly with His Song." He also worked with Fox on the theme for *Happy Days* and *Angie*.

Their combined expertise allowed them to perfectly blend a catchy pop melody with lyrics that captured the characters' determined, rule-breaking spirit ("Give us any rule, we'll break it").

The Voice: Cyndi Grecco

The theme song was the signature hit for singer Cyndi Grecco, who was an unknown artist when she recorded the track in 1976. The song was such a success that it became the title track for her debut album, *Making Our Dreams Come True*, released on Private Stock Records. The track, featuring The Ron Hicklin Singers on backing vocals, peaked at No. 25 on the US *Billboard* Hot 100 chart, making it one of the few TV theme songs to become a significant pop hit in its own right.

The Enduring Legacy and Modern Tributes

Decades after the show ended, the theme song continues to resonate, proving its status as an enduring piece of Americana. The lyrics remain a simple, powerful message about friendship and aspiration. The most recent and notable tribute came from two major rock acts: The Killers and Violent Femmes. In a true "full circle" moment, the two bands—one an international sensation and the other a legendary Milwaukee-based group—performed a live cover of the "Laverne & Shirley" theme song during a concert in Milwaukee, the very city where the show was set. This modern-day rock tribute underscores the theme's timeless quality. It’s a song about two underdogs, and that message of determined optimism—"We're gonna make our dreams come true / Doin' it our way"—is a universal sentiment that transcends genre and generation. The fact that the song is still being celebrated in concert halls today, nearly 50 years after its debut, ensures that the spirit of Laverne and Shirley, the clumsy and the unlucky, will continue to inspire new fans to skip down the street and do it their way.

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