TV Cream

A bit of business

Notes on the World Cup

Specifically, musical ones.

TV Cream is preparing its own attempt at a signature tune for the BBC’s World Cup coverage, in much the same way as it did two years ago for the Olympics (with, presumably, much the same results).

However, apart from the fact the tournament is happening in Africa, the resident musician in TV Cream Towers has next to no knowledge about this feted occasion.

So he’s asking for suggestions as to what should he should include as regards both lyrical and musical content. Motifs, sound effects, bits of business, all that sort of thing. What, in short, are the key ingredients to a successful World Cup TV theme?

Seeing as it’s in Africa, there’s presumably an expectation for liberal (in all senses) use of that black male voice choir close-harmony singing off of Graceland.

Other than that… tribal drums? Jive talking? Patois? How politically incorrect does this have to be, dammit?!

All suggestions gratefully received. By way of inspiration, this, presumably, is still considered to be the best BBC World Cup theme to date. With added Jimmy Hill and Christmas tree!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p53i7ura2CY

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. John Rivers

    May 19, 2010 at 8:30 am

    Toto?

  2. Graham Kibble-White

    May 19, 2010 at 9:08 am

    Should certainly be tribal chanting which segues into crowds roaring. Do you think you could pull off an ace tempo slow-down too, like in the version above?

  3. Adrian

    May 19, 2010 at 10:22 am

    Don’t forget the bongo drums..

  4. Chris Jones

    May 19, 2010 at 5:37 pm

    Do a Les Dawson version of ‘Something inside so strong’. That’ll do.

  5. UriGagarin

    May 21, 2010 at 10:16 pm

    South Africa has a big Dutch and Portuguese as well as English element as well , so 2 Unlimited, Oasis and um……a Portuguese group.

  6. Applemask

    May 23, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    LBM’s rendition of Shosholoza is the perfect tune for the World Cup, with the crescendo in the middle-eight almost tailored for heralding the commercial break, and if it’s unused by either the BBC or ITV (as appears to be the case) then the world is mad.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IszBOXGRe7w

  7. OldApplejack

    May 26, 2010 at 6:51 am

    Given how England’s World Cup campaigns often end up, somebody should go for the Smith & Jones p*sstake of Paul Simon and LBM – “Hopeless, hopeless…”

    The 1982 BBC theme was my favourite for a very long time. It was only relatively recently that I discovered it was a Lloyd Webber composition. I went off it a bit after that.

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