EastEnders theme tune
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| “EastEnders” | ||
|---|---|---|
| Song | ||
| Album | New Vintage: The Best of Simon May | |
| Genre | Theme tune | |
| Composer | Simon May and Leslie Osborne | |
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"EastEnders theme" Beginning of the theme. - Problems playing the files? See media help.
The EastEnders theme tune was composed by Simon May in 1984. He was assisted by Leslie Osborne.
The theme is largely based upon percussion, strings and the piano, it is widely known for its dramatic use of sound, particularly the drums that begin at the end of an episode — increasing in tempo — which adds a sense of importance, suspense and drama to the cliff-hanger. This in itself, has been parodied and used by television shows since, such as in a Friends spoof that featured on SMTV Live.
All of the chords used in the piece of music are diatonic, with no chromatic alterations; it has been said that this "adds to the directness of the music".[1] The main melody is scored for a piano, which has been described as having a "pub sing-a-long feel" to it. The tune is also doubled by a whistle, and there are two rhythmic permeations, a dotted crotchet-quaver moving the music forward, and a two-quaver hand-clap on the fourth beat of every other bar.[1]
It is recognised as an iconic piece of music, largely establishing itself based upon shocking and surprising cliff-hangers that have featured dominantly throughout the years.
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[edit] Remixes and remakes
Due to its popularity, the tune was turned into a song, titled "Anyone Can Fall in Love". The lyrics were created by Don Black, and it was recorded in 1986 by EastEnders cast member Anita Dobson who portrayed Angie Watts in the show, and produced by her husband, and Queen guitarist, Brian May. It reached number four in the charts, and Anita appeared on Top of the Pops.
In 1988, the tune was transformed again. This time it became a hymn called "Glory Be", which was performed on the BBC's Songs of Praise.
In 1993, Simon May was asked to produce a jazzed up version of the EastEnders theme, however, it proved somewhat unpopular with the viewers and was replaced with a remix of the original theme tune only 11 months later, from 11 April 1994.
DJ Osymyso – known for remixing popular culture — produced a mashed-up version of the theme, it turned the infamous fight between Peggy Mitchell and Pat Butcher into a breakbeat dance track.
The theme has also been remixed into a much slower and less dramatic version for use with EastEnders Revealed and a rock version for use with EastEnders Xtra. Subsequent spin-offs, EastEnders: Ricky and Bianca and EastEnders: Slaters in Detention have used the softer guitar version.
The theme was part of a routine by stand-up comic Bill Bailey during his Bewilderness shows. Bailey describes how depressing he finds the theme and imagines lyrics he feels are fitting: "Everyone is going to die/We're all gonna die/In a variety of different ways". He then proceeds to supply an alternative version of the theme which he feels is more appropriate, embodying the multicultural nature of the East End by using Eastern modes, sitar and tabla.
[edit] Julia's theme
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"Julia's theme" "Julia's theme", an occasionally used introduction to the main theme. - Problems playing the files? See media help.
"Julia's theme" refers to an alternative version of the usual theme, which was named after one of the show's creators, Julia Smith.
This theme sees a change from the drums that are usually featured instantly at the end. Julia's theme ends an episode with a slow build up played on piano, usually after the departure of a character or a particularly emotional event.
[edit] Events where Julia's theme has been used
| Date | Circumstances |
|---|---|
| 11 April 1985 | Ian Beale was seen crying into the arms of his grandmother Lou after a heart-to-heart, because Ian's father Pete disapproved of Ian becoming a chef. |
| 20 June 1985 | Sue Osman tells her husband Ali that she has a lump in her throat and can't cry for her recently deceased baby, Hassan. |
| 1 August 1985 | In order to make a despondent Sue Osman acknowledge her grief, Dr. Legg forced her to hold baby Annie. As she comforted the crying baby, she broke down in tears. |
| 3 October 1985 | Michelle Fowler had met Den Watts at the canal to tell him that she was pregnant with his baby. |
| 2 January 1986 | Pauline Fowler has a heart-to-heart with her son Mark on Southend beach |
| 6 February 1986 | Lofty Holloway asked a pregnant Michelle Fowler to marry him. |
| 8 April 1986 | Michelle Fowler agrees to marry Lofty Holloway |
| 17 April 1986 | Whilst alone in the bar at the Queen Vic, Lofty and Michelle shared a kiss before she left. |
| 22 July 1986 | Sue Osman told Michelle Fowler that she had a phantom pregnancy. |
| 23 September 1986 | On the night before Michelle Fowler's wedding to Lofty Holloway, the father of her child, Den Watts, said "Good luck, good health and everything you've ever wished yourself". |
| 2 July 1987 | Dot Cotton and Ethel Skinner reminisced about life in the war in a two-hander episode. |
| 20 August 1987 | Magda Czajkowski asked Simon Wicks to move in with her. |
| 20 August 1992 | Arthur Fowler reluctantly turned down Christine Hewitt's advances, but he kissed her passionately before he left. |
| 25 December 1992 | Mark Fowler rescued Mandy Salter from her mother's abusive boyfriend and took her back to Walford, where they hugged under the Christmas tree in Albert Square. |
| 18 February 1993 | Pauline Fowler and Pat Butcher had a heart-to-heart after Pat ran over and killed a girl. |
| 22 June 1995 | Nigel Bates told his stepdaughter Clare that her mother Debbie had died in a hit-and-run accident. |
| 20 June 1996 | Arthur Fowler's funeral. |
| 17 October 1996 | Cindy Beale ran away with her sons Steven and Peter to start a new life in France. |
| 10 April 1998 | Kathy Beale left Walford with her son Ben to start a new life in South Africa. |
| 30 April 1998 | Nigel Bates, Clare Tyler, Julie Haye and Josh Saunders left Walford for a new life in Scotland. |
| 4 February 1999 | Grant, Peggy and Courtney Mitchell scattered Tiffany's ashes at Peacehaven. |
| 10 September 1999 | Bianca Butcher left Walford with her son Liam to start a new life in Manchester. |
| 28 November 2000 | Sonia Jackson broke down after giving Chloe up for adoption. |
| 21 December 2001 | Jim Branning proposed to Dot Cotton on the London Eye. |
| 1 February 2002 | Peggy Mitchell said farewell to Frank Butcher in Spain. |
| 6 May 2002 | Sonia Jackson and Jamie Mitchell decided to end their relationship. |
| 21 June 2002 | Anthony Trueman proposed to Zoe Slater. |
| 16 August 2002 | Little Mo returns from prison. |
| 14 February 2003 | Mark Fowler left Walford to end his days travelling the world. |
| 14 November 2003 | Alfie Moon interrupted the wedding of Andy Hunter and Kat Slater to declare his love for Kat. Alfie and Kat decided to get together, and Kat jilted Andy. |
| 24 June 2005 | Zoe Slater left Walford to start a new life in Ibiza. |
| 9 December 2005 | Pat Evans, Jake Moon and Stacey Slater returned to Walford after an emotionally-charged week involving Frank Butcher's return for Janine's murder trial, Chrissie Watts admitting to the murder of Den, and Jean Slater's attempted suicide, all outside Walford. |
| 16 December 2005 | Nana Moon died in Alfie's arms. |
| 9 June 2006 | Grant and Courtney Mitchell left Walford to start a new life in Portugal. |
| 2 February 2007 | Martin and Sonia Fowler left Walford with their daughter Rebecca to start a new life in Manchester. |
| 1 April 2008 | Frank Butcher's funeral . |
[edit] Alternative endings
Occasionally, singular episodes of EastEnders have used a different theme tune for the closing credits.
| Date | Circumstances |
|---|---|
| 8 May 1995 | The square celebrated VE Day. The theme tune was replaced with a wartime waltz. |
| 31 December 1999 | When Mel Beale left her husband Ian on the strike of midnight on millennium eve, the regular closing drum beats were replaced by the tune of Auld Lang Syne. |
| 7 September 2000 | In the episode that marked the last appearance of Ethel Skinner, a war time orchestral piece of music was used over the credits. |
| 9 November 2000 | When Ian Beale was declared bankrupt, the regular drum beats were replaced by a piano build up, different from the typical Julia's theme. |
| 31 January 2008 | This single hander episode featuring Dot Branning did not use the theme tune for the closing credits, instead, the song "Pretty Baby" was used. |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Pam Hurry, Mark Phillips, Mark Richards (2001). Heinemann Advanced Music . Heinemann Educational Publishers. ISBN 9780435812607.
