Doctor Who Theme 8 - Closing Theme with Middle 8 (1970-1980)

[grandpagohan1]

Man, Why does hyperspace always look so freaky?

[BadNews88]

R.I.P. Elisabeth (Sarah Jane Sladen) Sladen (1942-2011)

[utubesnamepolsux]

And, rather specifically, it's the *Baker* middle-eight; I like the Baker theme just slightly more than the Pertwee, and for me, either blows every other version I've ever heard right clean out the water.

That's probably youthful canalization; I watched them on PBS in the late 70s, when I was about 12. But for me, the others are sort of like going to a Hooters Of America restaurant, instead of the real thing. :-)

[DarthJedi2005remixes]

@utubesnamepolsux The Baker and Pertwee themes were exactly the same...

[utubesnamepolsux]

@DarthJedi2005remixes Well, perhaps the on-air was remixed, or equalized differently, or what have you... Pertwee and Baker were the only 2 doctors I ever watched on-air, and I remember, then, thinking they'd changed the music.

Given all the work the resto team documents having done on the DVDs, I don't think they constitute a valid source for that data anymore, so... anyone got the production notes? :-)

[DarthJedi2005remixes]

@utubesnamepolsux I think you are right about the differing EQ on each episode, but from all the documentaries I've seen they all seem to infer that the same master tape was used every week.

[utubesnamepolsux]

@DarthJedi2005remixes Be darned... Of course, it could just be that what we're listening to *now* is the best work of Mark Ayres, and it differs so much from what I remember (or what people have posted that were off-air grabs) that that's why I think so...

In any event, it makes a damn fine ringtone, and thanks for posting it. :-)

[JHollowayNetwork]

The Middle Eight was no longer used in The Closing Credits in Season 10.

[QuikVidGuy]

Wait... Is the middle eight that whoosing at the end? Or is it the part at 0:29?

[DarthJedi2005remixes]

@QuikVidGuy It's the bit that begins at around 0:20 and ends around 0:40, if that helps.

[QuikVidGuy]

@DarthJedi2005remixes The part that sounds Superman-ish?

[DarthJedi2005remixes]

@QuikVidGuy Never thought of it that way before! If you like, yes.

[utubesnamepolsux]

@QuikVidGuy Those with some musical background will understand it as "the bridge"; the part that's in the major key, in the middle. I'm assuming the bridge is in C and the main theme in Amin, but I don't have an instrument handy against which to check.

[DarthJedi2005remixes]

@utubesnamepolsux The theme is in the key of E minor I believe, not sure about the middle 8 / bridge.

[utubesnamepolsux]

@DarthJedi2005remixes Ah. Then the bridge is probably in Gmaj. It's an augmented major third up. Well, that's not the right phrasing, probably, but it's up a major third, and then into the major key.

[nicknasty14]

wow, remember watching this in england early 80s as a kid. everytime we visited my relatives out there. what memories! loved dr. who!

[theguycalledchris]

The very beginning of this is the one which most reminds me of the new theme.

[werewolfantipaladin]

the theme with the middle 8 only showed up on a couple of Tom's stories before the Peter Howell theme came in 1980. I believe they were Invasion of Time ep 6 and The Armageddon Factor ep 6.

[early1morning]

@werewolfantipaladin just curious, what is "middle 8"?

[PooKneader]

@early1morning I think it's the little 'heroic' part in the middle.

[CHEESOdorito]

During the Jon Pertwee seasons they only included the middle 8 twice!!! I'm not sure about Tom Bakers'...

[AlexRGravlin]

God, I wish the new season themes would have the Middle Eight.

[palehorse864]

I think the ending themes do, but they really need to find a place for it in the intros. I've been trying to trim down the theme for a cellphone ringer, but must find room for the entire middle eight. It might end up with just being the middle eight by the time I'm done though.

[AlexRGravlin]

Maybe in Britain. On BBC America, I've never heard the Middle Eight.

[CHEESOdorito]

@AlexRGravlin well they changed it at the beggining of David Tennants' season.

[TheOnComingStorm121]

They do.

[eyeball226]

@AlexRGravlin

I believe they re-edit the show for America to fit advert breaks in. They probably speed up the credits and then put a shorter version of the music on as well. I think you're used to faster credits sequences than us.

[eyeball226]

@AlexRGravlin They have done for the past couple of years, I don't see why they'd get rid of it now.

[CHEESOdorito]

@AlexRGravlin

...but they do??

[bbqplatypus318]

@AlexRGravlin It shows up in the end credits. They're going with a new arrangement for the theme, though. We'll have to wait 'til Saturday to find out. ;)

[rockerseven]

@AlexRGravlin in the full versions of the themes its there

i coulda sworn ive heard it during the closing credits before as well...

[hoggys2much]

Thank you for this: I have been searching for ths for ages.

[vodkamad]

i am lazy, and can't be arsed to check the dvd - was this theme used on "Spearhead From Space" end credits?

[BadNews88]

Note to missfashunoitall:

Singing? Well, yeah, kinda...kinda..

When Peter Howell re-tooled the theme in 1980, he sang through a vocoder and synthesisers -- more like a "ooo wee ooo" thing -- as the 'main lead instrument'..

[missfashunoitall]

Now its coming back to me, yes I know what your talking about, thank.

[missfashunoitall]

I was born in 1980 but remember my Dad watching this show on pbs....did they ever have someone singing "Doctor Whoooo,Whooo"? Or did I just make that up?

[DarthJedi2005]

There was a single released by the KLF (under the name the TimeLords) in 1989 called "Doctor in the TARDIS" where they sang it. Search it, i'm sure you'll find a video that'll jog your memory!

[missfashunoitall]

Yes, thats the one :) Thank you

[GrandDizzy]

@DarthJedi2005 Actually, I think the song was called Doctorin' The TARDIS.

[BadNews88]

Note to DarthJedi2005:

Yep, I'm a *witness!*

It *was* used in "Invasion Of Time" & "Armageddon Factor"..

I fondly remeber the end of "Invasion..." as The Doctor left Gallifrey with his soon-to-be-unpacked-and-assemb­led K-9 Mark II...cackling with wide-eyed mad glee in the last shot just as the credits were to start...

That was so coo-ell!

And Thanx fer this, m8..

[hoggys2much]

Correct absolutely correct. I have the Armageddon Factor on tape when I recorded it years ago on UK Gold. And I couldn't believe it when I herd the middle eight,

[stevepjk]

John Noakes played Dr Who?

Get Down K9

[regentv980]

sorry i was drunk lol

[parish180]

The end sting sounds really cool when you play it backwards.

[regentv980]

how do you play it backwards lol

[parish180]

Get a file of the closing theme and put it in Windows Sound Recorder or any other audio software.

[DalekSupreme52]

When was this used in the Tom Baker era?

[DarthJedi2005]

At the end of part six of "The Armageddon Factor" and I believe it was to be used on the aborted "Shada". It was mainly used as an "end-of-series" theme or when they had more than the usual number of cast or crew.

[DarthBombshell]

It was also used in the last part of Invasion of Time, I think.

[regentv980]

not used in the Tom Baker era,only used in the first part of the John Noakes era

[regentv980]

i mean John Noakes lol

[regentv980]

John Pertwee,i am drunk lol

[DalekSupreme52]

Jon Pertwee even!

[regentv980]

yes you are right,about time all the Jon Pertwee stories came out on dvd

[JAYROX1969]

With Shep as his assistant? Lol!

[regentv980]

like it woof woof

[DarthJedi2005]

Yes it was used in the Tom Baker era, at the end of the last parts of "The Invasion of Time" and "The Armageddon Factor". And I have the DVDs to prove it!

[regentv980]

thanks,which was the last Jon Pertwee story to have the middle eight please

[JAYROX1969]

I woUld have said, PLANET OF THE SPIDERS.

[regentv980]

not as late as that but thanks

[WrongRoadRailways]

It was also used in episodes 5, 6 & 7 of 'Inferno'

[Kohntarkosz]

It was used several times during the period when Leela was the companion. I think it was used in more than just The Armegeddon Factor, but I'm not sure. I just remember being a kid and watching the show on PBS, and being surprised when they switched to this version of the closing theme. I've always wondered why they didn't use it always.

[ramadamadingdong]

@regentv980 - It was used on The Invasion of Time episodes 3, 4 and 6, and The Armageddon Factor episode 6. That's only four out of 144 (between Robot in 1974 and Horns of Nimon in 1980) Tom Baker episodes where they used it.

[stevepjk]

@regentv980 John Noakes?

getting your dr who and your blue peter a bit muddled there

[alphamone]

even though it is late, most people recognize this version as they either grew up with the older arrangements that used the middle 8 (often even in the opening due to thee not being a seperate arangement for the opening and closing), or they grew up with the later themes, which had the middle eight in them all the time.

[AidanLunn]

what on earth do you mean? There were obviously separate versions of the opening and closing themes during this period. The opening version of this theme is in the video box h>e>r>e>, at the top of that list. Apart from Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann and sometimes during the Hartnell and Troughton eras, the middle eight was never heard during the opening titles and was rarely heard during Tom Baker's time (excluding his final series).

[JonnySpazzbourne]

Neat!