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EE - Was the Jazzy Theme really that bad?

SOAPYFANSOAPYFAN Posts: 2,095
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I remember a few months ago when all the talk about revamping the programme and some said the Jazzy theme would actually suit the programme now.

But why was it so unpopular in 1993.

Was it because it sounded uplifting and EastEnders is a dark programme?

Or was it because the doof doofs had been changed and the whistle was omitted.

Some may disagree with me here but (this is a seperate question but along the same line)

Does anyone think the 2011 Emmerdale Theme is a Jazzy version of previous versions. I like it but I remember a huge amount of controversy which soon disapeared after a few weeks.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,836
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    Yes it was that bad.
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    AngelicPrincessAngelicPrincess Posts: 7,434
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    If it was Eastenders - American Dallas style then it would have been perfect.
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    felixrexfelixrex Posts: 7,307
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    It's revolting. It makes me want to stick knitting needles in my ears.

    It sounded too much like a cheesy daytime TV theme, anytime I hear those awful duff-duffs at the end of an episode it just makes me laugh. And then vomit.
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    AngelicPrincessAngelicPrincess Posts: 7,434
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    felixrex wrote: »
    It's revolting. It makes me want to stick knitting needles in my ears.

    It sounded too much like a cheesy daytime TV theme, anytime I hear those awful duff-duffs at the end of an episode it just makes me laugh. And then vomit.

    Yes even the duff duff drums were alterated. That clip of it supposedly being a dramatic Phil and Grant moment with that Jazzy duff duff kinda ruins the moment.
    This clips shows the opening Jazzy theme
    Then 30 seconds closing and that awful duff duff with Phil and Grant. Makes it laughable, close up on Steve McFaddens face to that music.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeOpciY3qZ4&feature=fvwrel
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 963
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    It was all a bit to soapy and smooth edges for my tastes. I honestly think this place would explode with vitriol if the BBC tried to reintroduce it now. I'm not saying it wasn't worth experimenting with at the time, but dropping it was the right call.
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    felixrexfelixrex Posts: 7,307
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    Yes even the duff duff drums were alterated. That clip of it supposedly being a dramatic Phil and Grant moment with that Jazzy duff duff kinda ruins the moment.
    This clips shows the opening Jazzy theme
    Then 30 seconds closing and that awful duff duff with Phil and Grant. Makes it laughable, close up on Steve McFaddens face to that music.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeOpciY3qZ4&feature=fvwrel

    Hahahaha. It is truly awful. It was always made so much worse when there was a particularly grim ending - and then in comes those duff-duffs and that awful cruise-ship/daytime TV music.
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    blue_angelblue_angel Posts: 3,898
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    I think the duff duffs were the worst part of it (and that's saying something!). It was like a drum kit falling off the back of a lorry onto a passing jazz quartet.
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    noodkleopatranoodkleopatra Posts: 12,742
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    I don't think it was a bad theme tune, it just didn't suit EastEnders.

    I must admit I loved the song they released to the Jazzy theme - "I'll Always Believe In You"... It was no "Anyone Can Fall In Love", though...
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    CreamteaCreamtea Posts: 14,682
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    It was amazing what they could do on a Casio keyboard in the early 90s! It was an OK theme, just not for EastEnders. Saxophones theme tunes were all the rage back then, taken from American TV shows obviously :rolleyes:. Neighbours did the same thing at around the same time.
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    rolergirlrolergirl Posts: 5,205
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    bring back anita dobson ~# anyone can fall in love #
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    kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,257
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    It really was that bad, yes. I can't exactly put into words why but it just didn't fit somehow. I would rather have had Anita Dobson's Anyone Can Fall In Love at the end of each show than that. So glad it only lasted a few months.
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    SOAPYFANSOAPYFAN Posts: 2,095
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    kitkat1971 wrote: »
    it only lasted a few months.

    Thats what I don't get

    It lasted 11 months - It seems funny that so many disliked however it managed to stay for nearly an entire year.

    Look at Home and Away
    when the theme tune was updated in 2007 so many people complained that it was changed within a few weeks.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,867
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    Never listened to it before, but omg. Good, but not for EE.

    It just reminds me of something like Jessica Fletcher and murder she wrote..
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    PizzatheactionPizzatheaction Posts: 20,157
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    I preferred it.

    Still do. :)
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    felixrexfelixrex Posts: 7,307
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    SOAPYFAN wrote: »
    Thats what I don't get

    It lasted 11 months - It seems funny that so many disliked however it managed to stay for nearly an entire year.

    Look at Home and Away
    when the theme tune was updated in 2007 so many people complained that it was changed within a few weeks.

    To be fair, I don't think 'complaint culture' was quite as rife back then. People would complain, yes, but generally it was about things that were genuinely a bit dodgy and worthy of attention. Nowadays, people will complain en masse about bloody anything; the tiniest gripes become worthy of official complaint these days. "Dear BBC, I really don't like the wallpaper in Dot Cotton's living room and find it deeply distressing to look at, which is detracting from my enjoyment of a show that I, as a license fee payer, am funding...."

    If they reinstated that theme tune now, or introduced a new one that was equally as 'unusual' in comparison to the regular theme tune; I guarantee the BBC would be harpooned with complaints and would probably change it back within the month.
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    kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,257
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    SOAPYFAN wrote: »
    Thats what I don't get

    It lasted 11 months - It seems funny that so many disliked however it managed to stay for nearly an entire year.

    Look at Home and Away
    when the theme tune was updated in 2007 so many people complained that it was changed within a few weeks.

    Well they'd spent quite a lot of money updating it and there was a lot of publicity - the first edition was immediately after Dot had left and it ws all 'new era' type thing so they were hardly going to admit defeat immediately.
    Plus, don't forget the Internet was in it's infancy back then, the only way viewers gave feedback was Points of View, ringing in to the Duty Board, writing to Radio Times so these things tended to take longer - they weren't able to monitor immediate response the way they do now.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,867
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    felixrex wrote: »
    To be fair, I don't think 'complaint culture' was quite as rife back then. People would complain, yes, but generally it was about things that were genuinely a bit dodgy and worthy of attention. Nowadays, people will complain en masse about bloody anything; the tiniest gripes become worthy of official complaint these days. "Dear BBC, I really don't like the wallpaper in Dot Cotton's living room and find it deeply distressing to look at, which is detracting from my enjoyment of a show that I, as a license fee payer, am funding...."

    Oh I wish people would do that with the wallpaper in the Mitchells lol.

    I can't truly believe that people will go out of their way and actually complain about something really that tiny. Yeah i get complaining to family or online but not full out, lets write to the BBC. Surely the BBC should just laugh it off and consider them to be in the minority and quite frankly they need to get a life. Just my opinion however.
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    kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,257
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    Felixrex and I basically crossed saying the same thing.
    Other thing at that time was they wondering what the hell to do about the mess that was Eldorado - that was a huge disaster for the BBC - rather more important than people not liking the EE theme tune change.
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    kitkat1971kitkat1971 Posts: 39,257
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    Oh I wish people would do that with the wallpaper in the Mitchells lol.

    I can't truly believe that people will go out of their way and actually complain about something really that tiny. Yeah i get complaining to family or online but not full out, lets write to the BBC. Surely the BBC should just laugh it off and consider them to be in the minority and quite frankly they need to get a life. Just my opinion however.

    Well people complained about Pat's new living room paper being identical to the last lot, kind of missing the point that it was deliberate to show how set in her ways she was, hence funny :)
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    lozblokelozbloke Posts: 78
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    I had the CD single that went with this, "I'll Always Believe In You"....however as an updated theme to EastEnders, it just didnt fit....always reminded me of Knots Landing!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,867
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    kitkat1971 wrote: »
    Well people complained about Pat's new living room paper being identical to the last lot, kind of missing the point that it was deliberate to show how set in her ways she was, hence funny :)

    people actually complained about that? they actually took time out of their day to complain about it?!? Christ
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    lozblokelozbloke Posts: 78
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    To echo my above point, imagine duff duffs before this.....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIPtX8V7Yc4
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    felixrexfelixrex Posts: 7,307
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    kitkat1971 wrote: »
    Well they'd spent quite a lot of money updating it and there was a lot of publicity - the first edition was immediately after Dot had left and it ws all 'new era' type thing so they were hardly going to admit defeat immediately.
    Plus, don't forget the Internet was in it's infancy back then, the only way viewers gave feedback was Points of View, ringing in to the Duty Board, writing to Radio Times so these things tended to take longer - they weren't able to monitor immediate response the way they do now.

    Yep, precisely. The internet has made it infinitely easier to complain about anything and everything these days, if you are so inclined. You don't even have to pay for a stamp anymore.

    It has also enabled the orchestration of 'mass protests'. For instance; it would be fairly easy to organise for a group of a few hundred disgruntled viewers to send a generic 'complaint' email to the BBC to get a big reaction, whereas back in 1993 they were only likely to get a few people phoning into Points of View or writing to the BBC or a newspaper. It would have taken a fair while longer for the producers to really gage any public reaction to something than it does now, where any unpopular move can be complained about at the click of a button.
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    blue_angelblue_angel Posts: 3,898
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    felixrex wrote: »
    To be fair, I don't think 'complaint culture' was quite as rife back then. People would complain, yes, but generally it was about things that were genuinely a bit dodgy and worthy of attention. Nowadays, people will complain en masse about bloody anything; the tiniest gripes become worthy of official complaint these days. "Dear BBC, I really don't like the wallpaper in Dot Cotton's living room and find it deeply distressing to look at, which is detracting from my enjoyment of a show that I, as a license fee payer, am funding...."

    .


    I stand by my letter. My licence fee pays for a cm2 of that wallpaper. I know my rights.

    ;)
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    felixrexfelixrex Posts: 7,307
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    blue_angel wrote: »
    I stand by my letter. My licence fee pays for a cm2 of that wallpaper. I know my rights.

    ;)

    Sorry, I didn't mean to put your private correspondence with the BBC out in the open! My apologies..
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