<Table> <Tr> <Td> "The Legend of the Johnson Boys" (1962) The Legend of the Johnson Boys1962 </Td> <Td> "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" (1962) The Ballad of Jed Clampett1962 </Td> <Td> "Pearl Pearl Pearl" (1963) Pearl Pearl Pearl1963 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> "The Legend of the Johnson Boys" (1962) The Legend of the Johnson Boys1962 </Td> <Td> "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" (1962) The Ballad of Jed Clampett1962 </Td> <Td> "Pearl Pearl Pearl" (1963) Pearl Pearl Pearl1963 </Td> </Tr> <P> "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" was the theme song for The Beverly Hillbillies TV show and movie, providing the back story for the series . The song was written and composed by Paul Henning, and recorded by bluegrass musicians Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, with Lester Flatt on vocals . The song was sung by Jerry Scoggins for the opening of the series . The single version, released to radio and retail sale, merged both the opening and closing lyrics of the theme song from the television series . The first two verses (starting with "Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed" and "Well the first thing you know, old Jed's a millionaire") comprised the opening theme, while the closing theme ("Now it's time to say goodbye to Jed and all his kin ...") served as the third verse . A banjo - led bridge serves as the fill between verses and as the fade - out coda . </P> <P> Although the first two seasons of The Beverly Hillbillies lapsed into the public domain, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" did not and is typically edited from public - domain releases of these episodes . </P>

Who wrote the theme song for the beverly hillbillies