@joshyoungfsmail The time signature swings between 4/4 and 7/4. The main song itself is in 7/4 with 4/4 couplings and a 4/4 bridge. I can play this on the Piano and if you're not used to counting time signatures it does get confusing! For the record, a 6/8 time signature is the same as 3/4 in normal time (it just doubles up). You are right in that it's 3/4 and then 4/4, but that's how most drummers count 7/4 in their heads anyway. Remember, you add them as you would fractions. Hope that helps ^^
@tomatzu Sorry to add to this mess but it's in fact in 7/8 with a Polyrhythm phase of 8:6! A Clue is in the Piano chord strikes which he has obviously used to keep himself in time! :D Metronomes weren't as user friendly back then, as they would often be routed through the same channel & end up in the mix! It could also be interpreted as 14/8. The rest is spot on mate. Well done.
wow thanks so much for that load, I love the original Bill theme tune though I do like the 90s version too but I never heard the original in full with that seperate bit, in the first series theres only one episode where they use that lesser know middle bit as music during one of the breakers and you dont hear it ever again so I didnt realise it was even part of the original mix. The first few series of The Bill were fnatastic and fresh and this theme tune was so cool in english synthetic way
Thanks for posting the full-length version of the Bill theme tune, which nobody seems to remember apart from me. In later series of the Bill, the theme tune was corrupted into a far inferior version, the original is still the best! They should have stuck with it.
I heard this on a random episode of "Top Gear" and instantly fell in love with it. The beat is just sooo addicting and the full song is absolutely wonderful! I LOVE this song!
love the keyboard solo part got the feeling ive heard that somewhere elsefor all those ppl who have facebook sign up save the bill gotta save the show cause what itv r planning to replace it with will be a bunch of crap
Apparently the current theme tune for The Bill is going to be scraped and a new tune will take its place - and the show will have incidental music when it becomes post-watershed.
Bah, haven't watched the show in ages, but I doubt I'd wanna watch again. Sad times.
Aaaahh the good old days of The Bill!,I remember watching the orginal three series on ITV back in the 1980's,this theme was released during the 1980's on a record collection called The TV Hits Album - as far as I know this was the last and only time the orginal theme from The Bill was released.
I actually picked the LP of it off eBay at the beginning of the year. Only cost me a few quid and it features a track called "Rock Steady" - another Morgan/Pask composition!
@CBel27 I've got the 7" of it as a Christmas present. The fact that I'm nearly 18 (eg born years after this started) and asked for this for Christmas... well... yeah.
can't hear the theme in this.
VGMGarden 2 months ago
I loved the 2002 theme tune. similar to this one.
Scrabbler27 2 months ago
The time signature isnt 7/4. Its One bar of 6/8 followed by a bar of 4/4. 7/4 would be far to slow to correctly score...
joshyoungfsmail 3 months ago
@joshyoungfsmail The time signature swings between 4/4 and 7/4. The main song itself is in 7/4 with 4/4 couplings and a 4/4 bridge. I can play this on the Piano and if you're not used to counting time signatures it does get confusing! For the record, a 6/8 time signature is the same as 3/4 in normal time (it just doubles up). You are right in that it's 3/4 and then 4/4, but that's how most drummers count 7/4 in their heads anyway. Remember, you add them as you would fractions. Hope that helps ^^
tomatzu 1 month ago
@tomatzu Sorry to add to this mess but it's in fact in 7/8 with a Polyrhythm phase of 8:6! A Clue is in the Piano chord strikes which he has obviously used to keep himself in time! :D Metronomes weren't as user friendly back then, as they would often be routed through the same channel & end up in the mix! It could also be interpreted as 14/8. The rest is spot on mate. Well done.
therealKINDLE 3 weeks ago
wow thanks so much for that load, I love the original Bill theme tune though I do like the 90s version too but I never heard the original in full with that seperate bit, in the first series theres only one episode where they use that lesser know middle bit as music during one of the breakers and you dont hear it ever again so I didnt realise it was even part of the original mix. The first few series of The Bill were fnatastic and fresh and this theme tune was so cool in english synthetic way
bluejeckett 5 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
The Bill was shit!
1988bluemoon 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
the only bill theme i ever liked, the last two was absolute shite, no offence to bill fans and also Charles Morgan and Andy Pask
Pittking86 9 months ago
for some reason this melody and this song's sound instantly reminds me of the '80's.
Tubetheweb 10 months ago
its actually called over drive xD so many people think its overkill...
mattkaythetimelord 11 months ago
@mattkaythetimelord There's a picture of the 45 at 45cat.com/record/db9100 - seems to be 'Overkill' according to the sleeve
bovster79 10 months ago
way better than 2010 version it sucks
kaiyan246 1 year ago 3
wow this reminds me of songs off vice city
mmodell88 1 year ago
Oh my goddddd, the middle 8 is hypnotic.
jaetee83 1 year ago
Woah! Never knew the funky break existed! Still the best version of all.
gavsky23 1 year ago 2
this is sick
lukespooky 1 year ago
bring back the bill someone start a facebook page if we can get iron maiden to xmas no1 we can get the bill back
hally112s 1 year ago
makes a good bass layer to play the melody with guitar , sax or both
jmm1233 1 year ago
I have got this record on a single
palexandersquires 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Still Can't Believe Its gone! Shame on you ITV1
RIP THE BILL
(We Want YOU back)
InspectorMonroe 1 year ago
Thanks for posting the full-length version of the Bill theme tune, which nobody seems to remember apart from me. In later series of the Bill, the theme tune was corrupted into a far inferior version, the original is still the best! They should have stuck with it.
Feisty1967 1 year ago 8
Isn't it two bars of 6/8 followed by two bars of 2/2?
rlt197 1 year ago
@rlt197 7/4 then 4/4.
antjeisback 9 months ago
It's the theme tune equivalent of Law and Order in the USA..Best crime show theme tune in the UK
andyc163 1 year ago 2
written in 7/4 it sounds better than the basic western 4/4 signature that the current theme tune has.
jakamneziak 1 year ago 3
@jakamneziak Shuddup Bill Bailey
jezzerusuk 1 year ago
Is it me or does this ironically sound a lot like a song "The Police" (or Sting) would make?
ScrewAttackEurope 1 year ago 3
@ScrewAttackEurope
At 02.04 it sounds like Level 42 to me.
sharfrs1 1 year ago
@sharfrs1 LMAO, so it does! :D
ScrewAttackEurope 1 year ago
i hate the new version thats the only thing wrong with the bill first heard this on the chris moyles show few weeks back
hally112s 1 year ago 3
I heard this on a random episode of "Top Gear" and instantly fell in love with it. The beat is just sooo addicting and the full song is absolutely wonderful! I LOVE this song!
Thanks a lot for uploading, johnmartin1097! :)
BloodRedVampress 1 year ago 4
love the keyboard solo part got the feeling ive heard that somewhere elsefor all those ppl who have facebook sign up save the bill gotta save the show cause what itv r planning to replace it with will be a bunch of crap
hally112s 1 year ago
RIP the bill
rikstan87 1 year ago 2
sickest tune in the bill series
Kuuloo 2 years ago 2
Kinda reminds me of a really grim, rainy Police.
MovingThroughKashmir 2 years ago
Didn't the KLF borrow that bit in the middle with the arppegiator!
michael6mac 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Things move on guys get into the real world and into the year 2009!!!!
thecrowncrew 2 years ago
okay ive only heard the newer versions 1999+ but this is wayyy better
Visidan 2 years ago 21
certinley is and beter than a new shite version!
55022RSG 2 years ago 34
This is amazing
WalmartXXX 2 years ago 8
Fantastic tune!
jannasvensonuk 2 years ago 10
Brilliant. The 80s are the best.
SegaMegadriveMic 2 years ago 11
super
waddas95 2 years ago 6
Used to love this show but turned into a soap opera. They should just kill it off now.
DUMBARTON1RANGERS0 2 years ago 8
Whoa, wasn't expecting the bit starting 1:55 at all! Class.
DJKrisopolis 2 years ago 10
Apparently the current theme tune for The Bill is going to be scraped and a new tune will take its place - and the show will have incidental music when it becomes post-watershed.
Bah, haven't watched the show in ages, but I doubt I'd wanna watch again. Sad times.
angelicMisha 2 years ago 3
With a cast full of Hollyoaks rejects, changing the theme puts the final nail in the coffin.
RIP The Bill.
davidn87 2 years ago 10
epic win
TheLegendOfRenegade 2 years ago 4
ello ello
sulz132 2 years ago 4
Aaaahh the good old days of The Bill!,I remember watching the orginal three series on ITV back in the 1980's,this theme was released during the 1980's on a record collection called The TV Hits Album - as far as I know this was the last and only time the orginal theme from The Bill was released.
MSL73 2 years ago 3
Good old days. Brilliant!
woolycock 2 years ago 2
WA-HEY!!
AimeeTBF 3 years ago 3
Can you all handle the funk?
That second bridge is kinda wierd, but i like.
mimkyodar 3 years ago 3
f*** me. Srsly, I love that tune so much!
angelicMisha 3 years ago 3
Was this ever released? I need to get a copy of it... so good :(
Especially the middle 8.
MattWindsor91 3 years ago 3
No as this version is in fact library music,
623058 3 years ago
I think it was released, someone on Youtube has an LP of it on a video, bet it would be very hard to get a copy now though!
Andyc18 2 years ago 2
I actually picked the LP of it off eBay at the beginning of the year. Only cost me a few quid and it features a track called "Rock Steady" - another Morgan/Pask composition!
CBel27 2 years ago 8
@CBel27 I've got the 7" of it as a Christmas present. The fact that I'm nearly 18 (eg born years after this started) and asked for this for Christmas... well... yeah.
MattWindsor91 2 years ago 4
@MattWindsor91 Where did you get that????? Sell it to me?
mattbonser87 2 years ago
@mattbonser87 It was on eBay, and I'm afraid I'm going to be clinging onto it for the forseeable future... sorry!
MattWindsor91 2 years ago
best version of theme tune going i really love 0:55 to 1:10,and further on in the tune,it's well composed.Classic stuff
Many thanks for putting this on You Tube,very nostalgic.
stormatrix 3 years ago 6
Comment removed
thebill1996 3 years ago 3
they should have aired this
so gooood
thebill1996 3 years ago 6
Do u have the one from 1988? If u do can u send it to us pls or post it?
westrack44 3 years ago 4
it online now
thebill1996 3 years ago
Already downloaded it now using Zamzar.10*
Hoddersrevenge 3 years ago