Desert Island Discs - 1964's alternative theme tune - BBC Home Service
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- Desert Island Discs was the brainchild of Roy Plomley and it has been a fixture on the wireless in Britain since 1942. A programme that's as familiar and comfortable to generations of Brits as an old pair of slippers.
The BBC wouldn't mess with such a beloved national treasure, would they?
Oh yes - of course they would!
In 1964 that oh-so-familiar theme tune was changed. Gone were the gentle waves ... the herring gulls were replaced by tropical birdsong, and a new arrangement of the theme tune (By The Sleepy Lagoon by Eric Coates) was used. It must have caused outrage amongst the gentlefolk of Tunbridge Wells and Droitwich Spa.
Back in those days the BBC occasionally listened to its audience and of course the familiar intro and theme tune were restored after a short absence.
Over the years Desert Island Discs has moved from The BBC Forces Programme to The BBC Home Service to The BBC Light Programme back to The Home Service and finally to Radio 4.
The avuncular Roy Plomley remains by far the longest serving presenter - 43 years from 1942 to 1985 (except for one episode where he was the castaway and Eamonn Andrews hosted the programme). Always erudite and polite, Roy Plomley was only 28 when Desert Island Discs began, yet he sounded older than his years.
Subsequent presenters have been:
Michael Parkinson (1986-1988)
Sue Lawley (1988-2006)
Kirsty Young (2006-2018)
Lauren Laverne (2018-present)
As you will hear in these clips, in the early years the continuity announcer spoke over the theme tune to explain the premise of the programme - ie if the guest were a castaway on a desert island which eight gramophone records would they choose to take with them.
The host encouraged the castaway to talk about their life and career, but in earlier years much was made of whether the guest thought they would cope on a desert island.
25th May 1964, The David Jacobs edition was broadcasted. He selected his Favourite track: God Be in My Head by Temple Church Choir, Book: A Hundred-and-One Things a Girl Can Do, Luxury: Piano and family photographs.
It was actually pointed out that you don't _get_ herring gulls on a desert island: the rearrangement was more accurate! But people _like_ the original tune. Similar changes have been attempted with Match Of The Day (the original was restored!, albeit with extra crowd etc. effects), and The Archers (the new recording stayed - it wasn't actually a new arrangement, just a better recording: the original was a bit poor hi-fi wise. But people still objected!).
Change anything on Radio 4 at your peril …
Yes indeed! Who'd be a controller of Radio 4?
Interesting you mentioned Match Of The Day....I do remember they tried to introduce a brass band-like version of the theme in the 70s but hurriedly replaced it....can't find it anywhere....probably just as well!! 😂
Ah! For the days of Heligoland on the Light Programme's Shipping Forecast ... ;o)
Is there a recording of the episode in which all of John Wells' disc choices were Stockhausen? I would have had to move to another island if Wells had pitched up on mine.
I don't know if the recording exists, but I agree!!
Slightly longer intro, that's all.
Yes the original has been trimmed over the years and the announcer's explanation has been dropped ... but the 1964 version (at the end of the video) was of course a completely different version!