EastEnders theme tune

Inception

The co-creator of EastEnders, Tony Holland, was impressed with composer Simon May and graphic-designer Alan Jeapes for their work on the titles and music for the spy thriller Cold Warrior. May was told that EastEnders was going to be an edgy drama, and came up with a piece of music that reflected that, but it was rejected. Producers wanted something melodic, "to bring people in from the kitchen or garden", and wanted it be "more feel-good" to contrast with the actual programme. May looked at his Cockney friends and felt they were "warm and loyal" people, so said his inspiration came from "my subliminal understanding of what the Cockney character is about." He offered an attempt that conveyed everything about the East End that the producers wanted; "bells, whistles, hand-claps, sitars, steel drums and an underlying feel of being on a merry-go-round." May actually began writing the music that was used for the theme tune when he was seven years old, around 34 years before EastEnders first aired, and based it on the scales that his music teacher had taught him.

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". 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.

Title music and hits

The original title music was used until 1991. A stereo version was used for 3 months in 1991 before a new version came into use, sounding much more similar to the original, this version having a slightly different ending.

On 11 May 1993, a completely new recording was instated which was jazzier than the previous version. The famous "doof doofs" were significantly tweaked. This version of the music proved unpopular but was used on screen for 11 months.

From 11 April 1994, the synth drums that preceded the closing theme was added to the beginning of the opening theme. The new theme at the time was a version based on the original, with more up to date elements. This was the longest-lasting version to date, being used for 15 years before another revamp took place.

From 7 September 2009, the theme tune was rescored by May to include stronger drum beats and more background percussion.

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 Ricky & Bianca and EastEnders: Slaters in Detention have used the softer guitar version. 2010 internet spin-off EastEnders: E20 features a new remix of the theme tune, which was chosen by producer Deborah Sathe, executive producer Diederick Santer, Simon May, director Michael Keillor and BBC Radio 1Xtra's DJ Ace from entries in a competition launched on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show. The winner was announced on 4 December 2009 as Carl Darling.

DJ Osymyso—known for remixing popular culture—produced a mashed-up version of the theme, which turned the infamous fight between Peggy Mitchell and Pat Butcher into a breakbeat dance track. 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 of London by using Eastern modes, sitar and tabla. In 2009, American alternative metal band Faith No More performed the theme tune at the Reading Festival.

Songs

In 1986, the lyricist Don Black added lyrics to the tune to create the song "Anyone Can Fall in Love". It was recorded in 1986 by EastEnders cast member Anita Dobson who portrayed Angie Watts in the show. It reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, and Dobson appeared on Top of the Pops. Marti Webb, who recorded "Always There", May's theme to Howard's Way, covered "Anyone Can Fall in Love" on her album Always There.

In 1988, the tune had another set of lyrics added to produce a hymn called "Glory Be To God On High", which was performed on the BBC's Songs of Praise.

The 1993 "jazzy" arrangement spawned another vocal version (Sharon Benson's "I'll Always Believe in You").

In 2010 in the lead up to the shows 25th silver anniversary, Patsy Palmer (Bianca) Sid Owen (Ricky) appeared on the Alan Carr show for an interview and decided to have an old "Knees up" round the piano to do their own version of "Anyone Can Fall In Love" which proved to be popular with the audience. Including a glass statue "Wellard" singing along.

Other versions

A jazzy swing version was used for the 1988 spinoff CivvyStreet.

According to PRS for Music it has 99 different recordings of the EastEnders theme tune registered on its system.

Julia's Theme

"Julia's Theme" refers to an alternative version of the usual theme, which was named after one of the show's creators, Julia Smith. It has been used in place of the regular theme 66 times as of 17 November 2016. This theme sees a change to the way an episode ends. Normally an episode ends with drums which are known to many as Doof Doofs. Julia's theme ends an episode with a slow buildup played on piano, usually for a particularly emotional event. There have been a few variations of the music used during its run, the original used between 1985-1987 and 1992-1996, the second used from 1995-2008 before being revamped in 2009 and last heard in March 2015, a third version from 2000-2006 before a revamp in 2010 which was last heard in October 2016.

Simon May's 1984 memo to the producers giving a breakdown of the various versions of the theme he had prepared refers to this as the "romantic pre-empt". The full version of the theme was featured on the B side of the original 1985 BBC theme tune 45 and also included on the compilation album Simon's Way the following year.

Episodes where Julia's theme has been used

Additionally a slightly distorted version of the theme plays in "The Ghosts of Ian Beale", a Children in Need special (14 November 2014), when Lucy Beale leaves and walks into the white light during her father Ian Beale's concussion-induced dream. It does not lead onto the end of the episode.

Alternative endings

Occasionally, singular episodes of EastEnders have used a different theme tune for the closing credits, or the initial drum beats are missing or have been replaced by something else.

Kathy's Theme

Used on Friday 10 April 1998 as Kathy leaves Albert Square behind for a new life in South Africa. As she departed London City Airport with Phil looking on, the theme started and Kathy took one final look at the place she called home, the East End of London; this theme is often mistakenly believed to be the "Jazzy" version of Julia's Theme which never got the chance to be used in 1993 however Julia's Theme was used twice in 1993 and neither time was this version.

Peggy's Theme

"Peggy's Theme" is a variation of Julia's Theme, written by Simon May. It was featured in Barbara Windsor's farewell episode, transmitted on 10 September 2010, where it replaced the entire theme tune, unlike Julia's Theme which only replaces the drum beats. The introduction of the theme has since been used on a number of occasions in place of the usual Julia's Theme, only replacing the drum beats. The full "Peggy's Theme" was used again at the end of the episode dated 19 May 2016 as Phil Mitchell reads the letter from Peggy following her death, and again on 4 July 2016 as Phil says his final goodbye to Peggy following her funeral.

"Peggy's Theme" features on the album The Simon May Collection and was also released as an EP along with other EastEnders songs including "Anyone Can Fall in Love".

Pat's Theme

On 31 December 2011, it was announced May had reworked the show's theme tune for Pat Evans's (Pam St. Clement) final EastEnders episode. The new version, called "Pat's Theme", played out at the end of the character's last episode broadcast on 1 January 2012. An EastEnders spokesperson told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy, "It's only right that as we say goodbye to the iconic Pat Evans we pay tribute to such a character with a wonderfully touching special theme tune." The theme features a piano and no other instruments. It was also used as the opening theme to a documentary show, EastEnders: Farewell Pat, that aired on BBC1.

Legacy

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. A 2000 UK poll named it as the sixth most popular TV theme of all time. In a 2008 poll by PRS for Music the EastEnders theme was the most recognisable piece of music in the UK, beating the national anthem "God Save the Queen" as well as the theme tunes for Match of the Day and Coronation Street. Composer Simon May commented: "When EastEnders first appeared in 1985 it was such a great buzz walking down the street or being in a supermarket hearing people whistling or humming the theme. I've been amazingly lucky that thanks to the huge success of the show the theme is still popular and in the national psyche."