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Comedy theme tunes

Started by Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer, August 03, 2004, 08:52:40 PM

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Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer

I was watching a video of the 2nd series of Operation Good Guys, which isn't terribly funny on the third viewing (great idea, bad execution) it struck me that the opening theme tune is really good. Not 'really good' as in Laila or Imagine, or Beethoeven's 9th (it's a bit flippant to compare TV themes with them anyway), but as in perfectly suited to the show, setting exactly the right tone. Although it's not a stand alone tune, it is great for a comedy show.

I think the same goes for Men Behaving Badly and Bottom (both opening and closing themes), which have pieces of music you can enjoy for 30/60 seconds, rather than wishing it were over quickly, and which are contagiously hummable or whistleable without being extremely irritating (MBB tune is memorable without being annoying; the Friends theme sticks like bloody superglue and is teeth-gnashingly banal).

It got me thinking that the best comedy shows also have great theme tunes, because as much as care and love has been put into the music, as has been into the writing, acting and directing. Steptoe & Son, The Young Ones, The Day Today, Brass Eye (I know the dramatic theme tunes of the last two were part of the joke); One Foot in the Grave; Fawlty Towers and Monty Python's Flying Circus all had great theme tunes. I mean, I wouldn't necessarily go out and buy them on CD (although, admittedly, some I would), but they suit the show perfectly, and are so good they are an intrinsic part of the show. Recently most shows just slap a crap* bit of muzak on and can't wait for the 'jokes' to start (ie. My Hero). There are some shit shows with good music - Nighty-Night, for one, and vice-versa - but on the whole, a worthwhile show = worthwhile theme tune.


My favourite theme is from the League of Gentlemen, which sets the tone with pinpoint accuracy, with quite gothic classical-style music with a modern edge (I've no idea what I'm talking about, but it's a good theme). Any other offers or thoughts for good (or really bad, for that matter) comedy themes?

*sorry that's implying there's good muzak.

another Mr. Lizard

I think the theme to 'Rising Damp' fits what you're saying here - a bit of tinkling on the old joanna really sets the mood for 25 minutes of seedy bedsit antics, I always find.

And am I correct in thinking that early episodes of 'Only Fools And Horses' had a great jaunty sax instrumental on the opening titles, not the songs we're familiar with now? Again, this worked superbly in conjunction with the show itself (if I've remembered it correctly)

A Passing Turk Slipper

I thought the Faces song used as the Grass theme tune worked well. I can't stand the music used on the Keith Barret Show, it is just annoying and crap and the melody consists of one note.

Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer

I haven't heard the Rising Damp theme in years, probably due to the show being rarely repeated on terrestrial. That's a shame actually, because I've only seen a few and it's something (like Reggie Perin) I'd like to watch through. Still, they're avaliable on vid. I don't know about the early Only Fools...., but I've just remembered the excellent Drop the Dead Donkey theme, which also incorporated a sweep around the office and into the studio, which I always liked. Perhaps this should be a 'Comedy Themes & Opening Title Sequences' thread.

Goldentony

ive always enjoyed red dwarfs theme tune the most

worst one is that fucking frank skinner one, shane

Godzilla Bankrolls

Quote from: "A Passing Turk Slipper"I can't stand the music used on the Keith Barret Show, it is just annoying and crap and the melody consists of one note.

It's Bryan Ferry, isn't it? I could be wrong. Good song, lazy choice.

Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads has an amazing tune, which has been covered by Snuff and The Lightning SEEDS. The Filthy, Rich and Catflap theme is growing on me too.

Oh, and the Goodies themes. "It's whatever turns you on..."

another Mr. Lizard

Yeah, it's Bryan Ferry on the Keith Barret titles - I suppose it's excusable since the show is all about couples and relationships, and the song is 'Let's Stick Together' so it makes a sort of thematic sense, whether you actually like the track or not.


The 'Whatever Happened To the Likely Lads?' theme is a fantastic choice for this thread - encapsulating the whole idea of the show in one amazing song, where the music and, perhaps unusually for this sort of thing, the lyrics, are utterly in tune with the scripts, plots, and character relationships. I'd love to hear Teenage Fanclub cover the tune.

Darrell

Quote from: "Beloved Aunt"The Lightning Ideas

Who?

Jaffa The Cake

Quote from: "Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer"the excellent Drop the Dead Donkey theme.
As soon as I saw the thread title, this is the theme I thought of. Perfect for the show.

The theme to coupling's really annoying, and very little thought went into the theme of The Office. I'm trying to remember the theme to the High Life, because I can't remember if it was really good, or really annoying.

A Passing Turk Slipper

Quote from: "another Mr. Lizard"Yeah, it's Bryan Ferry on the Keith Barret titles - I suppose it's excusable since the show is all about couples and relationships, and the song is 'Let's Stick Together' so it makes a sort of thematic sense, whether you actually like the track or not.
I quite like the song with the vocals but the instrumental track used is just bloody annoying and sounds really cheap and crap.

Utter Shit

I always loved the theme music for The High Life (we're living the hiiiiiiigh life, we're living it weeeeeeeell, Jaffa)...but I suspect this is more because I associate it with the series' other major song, Piff Paff Poff, which is undoubtably the greatest piece of musical art ever committed to paper.

Jaffa The Cake

Oh I remember piff paff poff as if it were yesterday.

mikeyg27

Quote from: "Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer"My favourite theme is from the League of Gentlemen, which sets the tone with pinpoint accuracy, with quite gothic classical-style music with a modern edge (I've no idea what I'm talking about, but it's a good theme).

Except for the 3rd series. The funk remix of the theme really pissed me off.

Utter Shit, I'd forgotten all about piff paff poff. Cheers for the reminder.

neveragain

The theme tune to Ever Decreasing Circles is, like the opening sequence, simple yet beautiful in an extremely sad way.

Rats

I always liked spitting image, there's lots of little clips here too
http://www.80snostalgia.com/classictv/spittingimage/sounds.html

Jemble Fred

Thought Blackadder would have been mentioned by now – Howard Goodall's Opus as far as I'm concerned. One day it will come, and I can't wait – a massive BBC orchestra recording of 'The Blackadder Suite', a long impressively bombastic medley of all the themes, with lyrics, from 'The Sound of Hooves...' to Private Baldrick dropping his triangle, via the New World version for Blackadder The Third, and finally ending in the triumphant final movement, as heard on the end credits to Back And Forth. Say what you like about Back and Forth, the music was nice...

dan dirty ape

'Only Fools And Horses' definitley had a sax instrumental for a theme tune for the first series. I think the opening song and 'Hookie Street' were grafted on for subsequent repeats and the videos though, but when they repeated the first series in the early 90s one of the episodes still had it on because I distinctly remember thinking 'what the fuck is this?'

SimonJT

I've completely drawn a blank on the Men Behaving Badly theme tune... er... how did it go?

Jemble Fred

Quote from: "SimonJT"I've completely drawn a blank on the Men Behaving Badly theme tune... er... how did it go?

Der der deeerrr der-der-der der-der der der-der,
Der der deeerrr der-der-der der-der der der-der,
Der der deeerrr der-der-der der-der der der-der...
And then it goes all wibbly.

I have to say, both John Sullivan OFAH themes are great songs, in my opinion. Evem Just Good Friends has a pathetically ironic soupy charm.

Jaffa The Cake

Ratta-tat-tatta-tat-tat,
Da da daa da da daa da da daa da da...

Edit: Aww, too late.

TJ

Quote from: "Jaffa The Cake"Ratta-tat-tatta-tat-tat,
Da da daa da da daa da da daa da da...

asghfashgf! NELE!!111

SimonJT

Ah, yes, I remember it now. Although my first thought on reading Jemfred's post was "isn't that Van der Valk...?"

SimonJT

King of the Hill, there's another show with a decent theme tune.

Lt Plonker

Quote from: "another Mr. Lizard"The 'Whatever Happened To the Likely Lads?' theme is a fantastic choice for this thread - encapsulating the whole idea of the show in one amazing song, where the music and, perhaps unusually for this sort of thing, the lyrics, are utterly in tune with the scripts, plots, and character relationships.

I'd like to echo your thoughts and say it's one my favourites too. The original is in my Soulseek folder, if anyone wants it. Or, I think AY had it for download at some point. I can't really remember.

Morrisfan82

Just mirroring a couple of comments already made; I *love* the opening theme to Bottom, I think it's just a fantastic piece of music anyway, but the downtrodden bluesy-ness really lends something to the tragedy of Richie & Eddie's lives.

I also really love the original opening theme and title sequence to Red Dwarf (series 1 & 2). It's just so bleak and powerful.

Quote from: "SimonJT"King of the Hill, there's another show with a decent theme tune.
Hee hee, I can just-about play that really badly on guitar. In a sort of only-using-the-bottom-E-string way. Sounds great really fast with loads of crunchy distortion on it though.

Lord Spong

Quote from: "dan dirty ape"'Only Fools And Horses' definitley had a sax instrumental for a theme tune for the first series. I think the opening song and 'Hookie Street' were grafted on for subsequent repeats and the videos though, but when they repeated the first series in the early 90s one of the episodes still had it on because I distinctly remember thinking 'what the fuck is this?'

Ah, that explains something.  A mate of mine once downloaded a Fools and Horses screensaver, which consisted of various pictures of Del, Rodney and Granddad, flashed up onscreen to a very odd sitcomish tune which none of us had ever heard before.  I did wonder at the time if this was the original theme tune, but wasn't sure because every episode I'd ever seen had the 'Stick a pony in my pocket...." song as the title music.  

Another mystery solved, thanks to CaB!!!

Marty McFly

www.markeverclear.com/TV/

a few there. a strange lengthy version of the MBB theme, whatever happened to the likely lads, and the high life theme.

incidentally, if anybody else has a higher quality rip of the likely lads theme i'd love to hear it. i believe i downloaded the above one from another tv themes post on the old CAB board.

and, if anybody has any requests, why not post them here and i'll see if i can upload them, i have a fairly big comedy collection.

-Mark

Gavin

Quote from: "Jemble Fred"I have to say, both John Sullivan OFAH themes are great songs, in my opinion. Evem Just Good Friends has a pathetically ironic soupy charm.

Don't forget Citizen Smith: "Come the glorious day..."

Hoogstraten'sSmilingUlcer

Muteki wrote:
QuoteJust mirroring a couple of comments already made; I *love* the opening theme to Bottom, I think it's just a fantastic piece of music anyway, but the downtrodden bluesy-ness really lends something to the tragedy of Richie & Eddie's lives.

I also really love the original opening theme and title sequence to Red Dwarf (series 1 & 2). It's just so bleak and powerful.

The credit sequence and theme of Bottom are fantastic, one of the best for a sitcom. I always love the closing theme, excellent Bum Notes music. It's interesting you say the Red Dwarf opening was bleak and powerful, because I remember watching it when Lister was on the side of the ship painting it and they do that slow pan-out, when I was 7ish and finding that really weird and scary, this tiny little guy compared to the gigantic ship in the middle of infinite space. Actually the infinity and apparent emptiness and stillness of space has always scared me quite a lot, but that's for another thread.

Robot Devil

I love the Red Dwarf theme as well, something about the reverby guitar sound in the intro music fits the show well.

But my all time favourite has to be the King of the Hill theme as well, it's a genuinly good standalone song.

Incidentally, if you download this free program: http://www.power-tab.net/downloads.php you can get the King of the Hill theme tab with solo here: http://www.powertabs.net/pta.php?page=song,11182 (Note: the only mistake in this tab is, as someone there says, the rhythm under the solo is in upbeats.