R.I.P. DON MEREDITH "Turn out the lights... the party's over"

R.I.P. Don Meredith... Thanks for all the Monday nights! ABC/ESPN tribute to the legendary "Dandy Don"
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

[@densel.crocker1782]

Miss those great Monday night's. You knew when the game was out of hand Don was gonna sing that song.

[@youngproscia]

Dandy, Frank, and Howard… the greatest broadcasting team ever for MNF. RIP all !! We miss you always

[@charlesking5328]

Miss them even more everytime I have to hear Troy Aikman & Joe Buck call a game 😢

[@TheWolfFAC]

The greatest football announcing team that ever was: Gifford, Cosell and Meredith. RIP Howard and Don.

[@stormeddy]

My father in law(assistant line coach at SMU then) and My wife when she was 12 signed Dandy Don to his SMU college football scholarship at Dandy's parents home. My wife still 12 then who is now in her 70's said she fell in love with him after his signing and the team joked during some of the games that my wife had more muscle and shape in her legs than ole skinny legs Meridith--they had such fun teasing each other.

[@mathewblackman2794]

Dylan - priceless 🤠

[@cherylfarrell1274]

@@stormeddy I never was a 'Pokes fan BUT how can anyone not like "Dandy Don"!!! Jim Farrell

[@anthbig]

One of the finest Texans of all time! Don...'YOU WERE GREAT PEOPLE!!"

[@mathewblackman2794]

Dandy Don - in 2020 we could use you now. Much love. Never forgotten.

[@warrenash5370]

Same in 2023.

[@craigkleber9316]

What a real character, genuine not artificial as summed by some agent or PR creep. He was just himself. Great guy.

[@erictalkington5674]

Yeah, I think that's why I enjoy listening to his old football games he called. I love this history of listening to and watching the old games, but I love his games the most. Super Bowl XIX, "Alright Owa!" haha love it. It seemed like everything was better back in the day before my time. Before multiple generations who came from the early actors and actresses and athletes who are all spoiled living some rich life without ever having to earn it. That doesn't apply to all, famous people nowadays, but most. People being rich and famous just for being rich and famous. No character at all in pop culture or in Hollywood these days. A few, but not nearly the majority. I'd much rather kick it with the Rat Pack in their prime than probably anyone famous now. Except maybe Clapton. That's it. To be in Vegas and hangin out with the Rat Pack in the 50's and 60's had to be awesome!

[@philromero6350]

One of the greats, both on and off the field. MNF will never be as good as those days with Howard, Don, and Frank in the booth.

[@VidBrats]

Hard to believe all three of them are gone... Ugh I feel old :(

[@billgoforth7426]

I agree the best I don't even watch football. Anymore I'm over it. It was way different than

[@billgoforth7426]

Look at all the jewelry I have. It's turned into a joke..

[@bobbywall172]

Got to meet Dandy Don at a Reynolds RJR Tobacco co. Big softball event, white shoes, pants and red blazer,!A great personality☝️☝️❤️

[@johnnypastrana6727]

He sure was fun to listen to. I miss all of those guys though.

[@shannonreynolds624]

Johnny Pastrana They were one hell of a team, it was historic. I think Howard saw a lot in Don and Frank and wanted them to be great. They were protective about each other.

[@WDRowlett]

Johnny Pastrana Dandy Don was crazy. Back in the day, when you could just knock on someone's door and they would actually answer it, a group of buddies and I knocked on his door and asked him to throw the football in his front yard. We were 7 year old kids. And I still don't believe it to this day but he said "ok boys but I only have 10 minutes".

[@VidBrats]

WDRowlett Wow, that is an awesome story. And you are so right about how people were back in the day. Thanks for sharing that!

[@deanaugust]

WDRowlett that is amazing story, thanks for sharing. Shows what kind of guy Dandy Don was. I miss those early MNF with Don, Howard and Frank, they were great together.

[@johnnypastrana6727]

Howard Cosell was not so kind to Meredith and Gifford in his autobiography and in fact called Dandy Don Texas mean and he thought both jocks sided against him. Who knows though? I loved their work though...

[@dankiniry3618]

Don was true guy. We need his attitude today. A good man that is truly missed.

[@irvinetustin]

Thank you for posting this video. I remember Don Meredith singing "The Party's Over" on Monday Night Football when I was a kid. I always thought it was Don's song. I didn't know it was originally sung by Willie Nelson until now :-)

[@roberthickson8471]

Those three built MNF into a success because of the great chemistry they had.

[@carafrance7697]

I love you Dandy. Sure do miss you being in this world.

[@BOOMNERD51]

My Dad and I loved him on Mon Night Football! ❤️

[@clinicaleducator1237]

We ARE talking about 3 legends. Will NEVER be duplicated or replaced. TURN OUT THE LIGHTS................................THE PARTIES OVER!!! God to I miss these guys.

[@VidBrats]

So do i...MNF on ESPN can't hold a candle to this trio. They set the benchmark.

[@arneyoga1204]

We miss you terribly Don. You were FOOTBALL.

[@engjfj]

I had a huge crush on Don from the time I first saw him and the Mt. Vernon Tigers play Sulphur Springs and he would call timeout to throw up. I was 12 and he was probably a sophomore, and once in a while I would see him when our MYF groups met together. And when he signed with SMU, it was icing on the cake. Time flies and I thanks for the memories.

[@SPICYTUNAROLL69]

He was awesome...I could never wait for that play late in the game that sealed the outcome so I could hear him start singing, lol.

[@MrCcoolg]

I loved Dandy Don. He, like Howard, told it like it was & he didn't hesitate to talk about his former team when they weren't performing at their best. Most of all he was HILARIOUS especially when he started singing Turn Out The Lights...The Party's Over! Most of the time he sang that if a game started getting lopsided toward the end. Too funny. RIP Don

[@iamgabrielf]

Back when football was fun.

[@williamreed2004]

The best to look forward to Monday nights

[@daveorsag8235]

DON MEREDITH I hope you got your championship in heaven you deserved you were a good man cared for all of your teammates God bless you Danderoo

[@ronchapman6525]

Meredith had that swashbuckling cowboy charm. Great memories.

[@vikings844]

The 3 guys in the booth along with the creative genius of Chet Forte and Roone Artledge set the gold standard that made the NFL the most popular sport in the world!

[@VidBrats]

I wanted to be Roone Arledge when I was young. He was my icon when he headed ABC Sports.

[@justaguy6100]

Ah man it was great to see Lee Roy Jordan too, my childhood hero at linebacker.

[@christophergraham94]

Outstanding!

[@frankdenardo8684]

Dandy Don was the man. We miss him along with Howard Cosell, Keith Jackson, and Frank Gifford.

[@TheJazzlady40]

there was nobody like dandy don meredith

[@MrNocsar]

i remember him saying "Good Morning, good morning to you We're all in our places With sunshiny faces, good morning to you" great person

[@jimweaver3315]

Grew up with these guys. Those were the days when real men played football because they loved it. Not because of money, nor endorsements. Just because they loved the game.

[@tomlea3713]

My, how things have changed...

[@isaacsilverman9976]

Stupid...

[@elijahcraig2584]

Exactly! Like the saying goes, those guys played for the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.

[@elijahcraig2584]

Don was the greatest. I was a Cowboys fan as a kid in Ohio. Everyone else were Browns fans. Loved Coach Landry and Don and Roger and Bob Hayes, Lee Roy Jordan. Those were REAL football players. No broadcast lineup will ever touch the original MNF crew. Back then I was a diehard NFL fan and today I won't waste a second of my life on the NFL. I don't understand why and how ANYONE watches that garbage. I watch college football now. A thousand times more entertaining. RIP Don.

[@texasstadium]

Great comment! I was a Cowboys fan from 1960 through 1988. I'm from Akron, Ohio and my family disowned me. I got onto the Cowboys when a neighborhood kid had an APBA football game. We drew teams and I got Dallas. I was twelve years old. The Cowboys were mine ever since. Well, until they fired Landry.

[@Samuel-I]

Monday night football used to be GREAT from the booth to the field. Those three were perfect.

[@VidBrats]

I agree. Miss them a lot. MNF on ESPN is nothing compared to when it was on ABC.

[@carchavtube]

I read the book "Monday Night Mayhem," and buy were those days funny. Who recalls the time in Denver when he said, "Welcome to the Mile High City, and I really am...!" Don, Godspeed. We'll miss you terribly.

[@danarcotta1283]

He was the Best!

[@JosephDungee]

Don RiGHTFULLY retired in 68'....They treated him like crap in Dallas and never appreciated what he did and the wonderful heart and personality he was....It was sickening' to hear the Dallas fan's bow him and to see the expression on his face tells it all.

[@craigkleber9316]

Didn’t know that. Shame on Dallas

[@dozzie161]

Classic. Real men played the game. No kneeling babies ...

[@Jiltedin2007]

The NFL has now lost it's personality! DON MEREDITH, YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN! From a Redskin Fan

[@craigkleber9316]

I miss guys like this. Just being himself, not guided by market research.

[@markpridgen809]

Their will never be another.....

[@thommitchell8339]

Jack and Hank Stramm, absolutely the best at a time when listening to the games on the radio and watching on tv was necessary to not have to listen to excess chatter.

[@rockvilleraven]

Jack Buck, you mean but I did like Hank Stram as a analyst. And Brent Musburger in the studio at the half. Brent is now the radio voice of the Las Vegas Raiders.

[@scottbaker1800]

I just felt 5 years old again😂

[@geo_ashburn]

Cosell and Meredith were great together. My nephew saw some old video and wishes he were born in the 60's. He'd see that and have great music growing up.

[@jimvelie5654]

I watched a lot of football over the years.I don't know if part of it was when i was young and looked up to football player and sports in general much more then now., I loved Dandy Don partly because he was a Cowboy but the 3 of them were a great team on Monday night,sure was fun to watch back then.

[@VidBrats]

When I think of MNF I always think of Don, Howard and Frank. After Cosell left in '83 and Meredith in '84 MNF was never the same.

[@nbafreak41]

Turn out the lights!!!! The party's over...They say that all good things must end! RIP Dandy Don!

[@geo_ashburn]

@carchavtube There was a Cleveland Browns Reciever named Fair Hooker. During a MNF Browns Game, Gifford brought up his name on a play and Don said "There's no such thing as a Fair Hooker." Classic Dandy Don.

[@johnhardman825]

I remember that one! Also the first season in Houston, Oakland was way out in front in the 4th quarter and somebody flip the bird. Meredith said "Look we are number one".

[@veggieoilerfan2940]

TheRealJamDawg He actually said that Fair Hooker was a great name. Urban legend claimed that he joked that he never met one. That urban legend was actually false.

[@billworden2155]

There was a game in the Houston Astrodome with the Raiders bearing the Oilers 38-0 and at the two minute warning the camera panned the end zone and there was one guy left in the stands and he saw the camera on him and he gave the middle finger to the camera and while the booth was quiet Don says "well there's one Oiler fan who thinks his team is still number one."

[@VidBrats]

Bwahaha! Great stpry. Classic Dandy Don!

[@utopiaharley]

Great vid... Don was and still is my hero!

[@kevinburrell7271]

Love that original MNF theme music

[@WizzoPro9476]

Gotta Love it!

[@williamnicoll7622]

Dandy Don tells it like it is

[@4IAMATITOK]

RIP Frank and thanks

[@wallybell3255]

Miss You Don

[@edwardjnarrojr3135]

Dandy Dan

[@sludge4125]

I liked! Here’s how you can tell that a player is *not* a hall of famer; when clowns who like him and want him to be in the hall of fame start bringing up nonsense that can’t be measured. “But, but, but, sure, the numbers aren’t there, but, but, but, oh, wait, he had intangibles. Yeah, that’s it, he had intangibles.”

[@jiggs49us]

God - I miss those days with Monday night football. Never happen again in our woke culture today.

[@ClassicRocker61]

IMHO, Dandy Don MADE MNF. The only Dallas player I'll ever like

[@BOOMNERD51]

RIP, Don! ❤️

[@Thebenefitman54]

He was the greatest Quarterback ever.I know you might argue that Rodger was but Dandy Don had no superstars Offensively but Bob Hayes. Don inspired the character in North Dallas Forty played by Mac Davis.

[@lamontburton1233]

The Delta Huddle character was based on Bob Hayes.Sadly Tommy Reamon who played Huddle got blackballed shortly after the film's release.

[@lamontburton1233]

I forgot to mention that he played for the 49'ers as a wide receiver.

[@tsav32]

Seth Maxwell (the QB character) sings “Turn Out the Lights” in the novel, as well.

[@dharrell2000]

Dandy Don was Monday Night Football

[@jimweaver3315]

Bullet Bob Hayes another true player.

[@davidlroot]

AND ALSO REMEMBER THAT HE PLAYED FOR SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY!!!!!! At the beginning of this video was a clip of him singing SMU's utmost beautiful alma mater song (also available here on KZbin)!!!!!

[@VidBrats]

@carchavtube Hahaha... I remember that too. Don was a kick in the pants. He played off Howard Cosell so well and kept things light.

[@davidjames4267]

Check, check, can you hear me? Check. " turn out the lights, the party's over " David James West, a Christian man

[@WatchVenusSpa]

Even Madden in his prime couldn't match Don!

[@anthonysmith756]

Great team. Sad to see what we have now on MNF.

[@johnklaas814]

Rest in peace Donald, Hamburger Apprentice.

[@clydeb7713]

He lead the original Americas Team.

[@cotiaratv3651]

🌹🌹🌹

[@jaxjags123]

R.I.P

[@VidBrats]

@corkbender Joe Buck couldn't hold a candle to Don, Howard and Giff.

[@TheUltimateCrash1990]

ugh Joe Buck.....

[@VidBrats]

@@TheUltimateCrash1990 Haha!

[@rockvilleraven]

The Cowboys were created to make sure the AFL Texans didn't get any traction in Big D, they were owned by Lamar Hunt, after they won the title in year 3, they moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs after getting a sweetheart deal from that town, 2 years free rent at Municipal Stadium and 25000 guaranteed season tickets.

[@mt901k]

im watching the last 30 seconds as a depressed Giants fan

[@davidjames4267]

Amen, David James West, a Christian man

[@valeriemacenzie2479]

Josh Turner turn out the lights the party's over

[@jasonlassiter9229]

They’re all gone now 😢...They were the greatest trio of football broadcasters...Not the best team though...I still give that to John Madden and Pat Summerall.

[@seanoconnor2531]

i recall a MNF game when i was a kid and the cameraman focussed in on a young woman in the stands with outstanding breasts i mean that's what he was showing and not a group or crowd shot. and the MNF crew went silent.... then Don Meredith, after a huge knowing pause, said"ohhhh my goodness" in that Texas drawl ...that was all that needed to be said....frickin' hilarious. I'm sure it's in the archives somewhere at ABC, wish they would post that....

[@vikings844]

That is halarious and you are right! That is all that had to be said! Dandy Don was great in the booth! Anybody that was a MNF fanatic must watch the movie 'Monday night mayhem'

[@brianherrington7226]

Ms Angela Kim FYI Craig Morton quarterbacked the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl against the Colts during the 1970 season and holds the distinction of being the only QB to take two franchises to their first Super Bowls the other being Denver and he played 19 seasons. Romo on the other hand has never gotten past the Divisional round in the playoffs. And Danny White still holds the record as the winningest Cowboy QB. Dandy Don still holds 3 Cowboy records as well.

[@dwightcurrie8316]

Former Dallas Cowboy Peter Ghent wrote a book about the Meredith Years (Kinda...it's a fictionalized account) titled "North Dallas Forty" caused quite a Kerfuffle when it was released. A movie of the same name starring Nick Nolte and Mac Davis was later released with some box office success. Davis' character is a thinly disguised portrayal of Meredith & Nolte plays a Running Back & may be loosely interpreted to be Ghent....Or Not If you're a fan or admirer of Dandy Don, know a little of the story & would like to know more I'd say it's a good idea to both read the book & see the film. Maybe the film first But Remember both are fictionalized accounts, which to me means there's Truth buried quite close to to the top of the ground. All you have to do is pay attention to details

[@daveyray10]

That would be cool if the cowboys wore throwbacks tomorrow against the eagles , and if Sam Hurd #17 dedicated a touchdown to Don Meredith #17. R.I.P

[@itsmylife1776]

@VidBrats But his dad Jack was pretty good! I have to admit I liked hearing Jack Buck and Hank Stram on the radio when I could not watch the game on tv.

[@japanbrats]

Don always lightened things up next to the verbose Howard Cosell and the always serious Frank Gifford. Monday Night Football was never the same since it switched from ABC to ESPN.

[@Auriaprottu]

@TheJaredwise... Fool, I don't care if he did or didn't. He was the greatest sidekick MNF ever had. And it still loks like a joint to me.

[@Jiltedin2007]

@VidBrats No, but Father Jack could give Our Classic Monday Night Crew of Howard Cossell, Frank Gifford and Don Meredith a run for their money on Radio!

[@steviejoesampson5428]

But one night it was late in the fourth he cut loose and the other come back and the one and only time he was wrong.

[@Kelski1998]

Fox could do everybody a favor and fire Biased Buck and replace him with Dick Enberg or a Dick Enberg type who televises the game flawlessly!

[@VidBrats]

@Auriaprottu True that LOL... Incidentally, the L.A. Times did a profile on Meredith the other day that suggested he was one wild and crazy guy off camera and that he wasn't above indulging in a few vices. Just sayin... ^_-

[@terrymac9429]

sorry, Eddie LaBaron was the 1st QB in Dallas

[@VidBrats]

You might want to tell ABC Sports. They produced this.

[@rockvilleraven]

Pro football team in Dallas? What about the AFL Texans?

[@joshuabranson74]

I cant believe my Parents as kids had to watch TV like this. The quality of it is very Dark and very depressing. Its unwatchable almost as much as the PlayStation 1. Have you ever seen on YT people going back and playing Playstation 1 lol How the Hell was that shit graphics system even fun to play? Seriously how was playing as a dark Smudge on the TV Screen fun.

[@elijahcraig2584]

Poster child for today's dumbed down generation.

[@Kelski1998]

@carchavtube Those were the days you could get away with that and it was hilarious!

[@starlitgoddess69]

where is the song??

[@argelbargel7680]

Meredith was good, but he just couldn't beat the Packers.

[@lordvoldemort578]

@Jiltedin2007 What? we still got ochocoon?

[@docfrazier99]

When was this?

[@VidBrats]

When did Don Meredith die? I posted this video nine years ago. He died Dec. 5, 2010.

[@Inquisitor6321]

@Jiltedin2007 Ditto from an Eagles fan!

[@shelbythomas]

no.

[@Jiltedin2007]

@lordvoldemort578 Chad Johnson(Ochocinco) has very much cleaned up his act in New England. Bill Belichick did something that Marvin Lewis could not do, and that was to discipline him. Now "Ochocinco" doesn't open his big mouth anytime the Press comer to Patriots Training Camp, he keeps his nose to the Grindstone and works on playing with Tom Brady and the Patriots. Now, if there's a way we could keep Carson Palmer happy!

[@russs7574]

.....and now we have Joe Buck. *sigh*

[@Auriaprottu]

Or maybe my sarcasm meter is broken. Or you need to use a smiley of some sort.

[@theblacksheep1000]

@mt901k HAHA same here!