East Enders Theme Tune - Remixes and Remakes

Remixes and Remakes

Due to its popularity, the tune was turned into a song, titled "Anyone Can Fall in Love". The lyrics were created by Don Black, and it was recorded in 1986 by EastEnders cast member Anita Dobson who portrayed Angie Watts in the show, and produced by her husband, Queen guitarist Brian May. It reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, and Dobson appeared on Top of the Pops. In 1988, the tune was transformed again, this time becoming a hymn called "Glory Be", which was performed on the BBC's Songs of Praise.

In 1993, Simon May was asked to produce a jazzed up version of the EastEnders theme, which spawned yet another vocal version (Sharon Benson's "I'll Always Believe in You"). The new theme tune proved somewhat unpopular with the viewers and was replaced with a reorchestration of the original theme. Many of the synthesised sounds which always proved popular in music and on TV in the 1980s were taken out to fit in with the acoustic sound that became popular again in the 1990s. This was only 11 months later, from 11 April 1994. Starting from that date, the synth drums that preceded the closing theme was added to the beginning of the opening theme. From 7 September 2009, the theme tune was rescored by May to include stronger drum beats and more background percussion.

The theme has also been remixed into a much slower and less dramatic version for use with EastEnders Revealed and a rock version for use with EastEnders Xtra. Subsequent spin-offs, Ricky & Bianca and EastEnders: Slaters in Detention, have used the softer guitar version. The 2010 Internet spin-off, EastEnders: E20, features a new remix of the theme tune, which was chosen by the show's producer, Deborah Sathe, executive producer, Diederick Santer, Simon May, director Michael Keillor and BBC Radio 1Xtra's DJ Ace from entries in a competition launched on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show. The winner was announced on 4 December 2009 as Carl Darling.

DJ Osymyso—known for remixing popular culture—produced a mashed-up version of the theme, which turned the infamous fight between Peggy Mitchell and Pat Butcher into a breakbeat dance track. The theme was part of a routine by stand-up comic Bill Bailey during his Bewilderness shows. Bailey describes how depressing he finds the theme and imagines lyrics he feels are fitting: "Everyone is going to die/We're all gonna die/In a variety of different ways". He then proceeds to supply an alternative version of the theme which he feels is more appropriate, embodying the multicultural nature of the East End of London by using Eastern modes, sitar and tabla. The theme has also been remixed by the somewhat famous remix group encompassing Jason Dunne, Leo Corcoran, and, although added to the group after this remix was compiled, Nathan Sweeney. This remix alternates between the theme tune and the song "Wake Up" by Rage Against the Machine. In 2009, American alternative metal band Faith No More performed the theme tune at the Reading Festival.

According to PRS for Music it has 99 different recordings of the EastEnders theme tune registered on its system.

In 2010 in the lead up to the shows 25th silver anniversary, Patsy Palmer (Bianca) Sid Owen (Ricky) appeared on the Alan Carr show for an interview and decided to have an old "Knees up" round the piano to do their own version of "Anyone Can Fall In Love" which proved to be popular with the audience. Including a glass statue "Wellard" singing along.