Favorite Who Theme Rendition or Version...? Worse?

[Joel_Kirk]

My favorite rendition is obviously the Tom Baker version. It's so mysterious, it's simple, it's alien, it's timeless, it doesn't overstay it's welcome. (And when the longer version happens, that welcome is extended...)

My second favorite is the version used for the final season of Tom Baker and pretty much the era of Peter Davison. That version is very much 80s, but it is cool in it's own way....(And, I occasionally listen to the extended version on Youtube).

There is a nod for the David Arnold version, which was done for the 8th Doctor; the audiobooks. That particular version is darker and could have been done for Colin Baker's Doctor or even Capaldi's Doctor...

As for those renditions I don't care for:

I actually think the version(s) for Tennant and Capaldi are a bit much; a little too bombastic. They take the theme for Doctor #7 and ramp it up.

Now, with that said I probably tolerate Matt Smith's version because the theme fit the younger version of the Doctor. And #9's theme fit the new version of Who overall. (I'm pretty sure there are those who could probably make the same argument for Tennant's version as I did for Smith's).

Anywho, what is your favorite rendition of the Who theme? Worse or disliked version?

 

[NightJim]

Favourite is David Arnold's for 8's audios. The worst is the one used for Colin Baker's last series, that one was awful. Or maybe incredibly bad one of later McCoy, but I think that one was more the visuals I didn't like than the actual tune.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

All-time favorite is Peter Howell's version, for basically the Fifth Doctor, and a little of the Fourth and Sixth. That version still is awesome.

Next would be the Gold's first rendition, which was basically for the Ninth Doctor, and a lot of the Tenth. That one's sentimentally a favorite. I also love the other rendition that run until Tennant left.

The only one rendition that I don't like at all is the TV Movie's. Its pseudo-epic, and its just not exciting at all - thankfully, David Arnold's alternative for the Eighth Doctor was used in Big Finish, and that was MUCH better.

 

[Iamnotspock]

1963 (Delia Derbyshire) by far, followed by 2005 (Murray Gold).

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

A little choice to made here...

[yt]v=a1AnTi1X2QM[/yt]

[yt]v=PPbiuAY_AWY[/yt]

missing the current one though

 

[The Wormhole]

When asked which version of the theme I like more, I can never decide between two: the Sylvester McCoy one and the one used in the 96 movie. I know those aren't typically nominated as the best among fandom, but I love them. They're just really cool. I also really love the opening sequence for the McCoy era.

As for worse, well there is the one used for Trial of a Time Lord, which isn't actually bad, just weird. None of the versions used during Smith's era ever really grew on me, either.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

Of course there's this too... my fave...

[yt]v=kSpc7VV4PuU[/yt]

 

[Lonemagpie]

The 67-79 version, and the Nu Who season 4 version.

 

[tomalak301]

Favorite Doctor who Theme: Eccleston/Tennant (Season 1 - 4)
Least Favorite: Matt Smith's Season 5 lightning theme.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

So many different likes and dislikes....

 

[tomalak301]

So many different likes and dislikes....

Does part of that have to do with when someone became a fan fo the series? For example I've only watched Doctor Who a short time, so it's quite a small sample size to choose from. It's also why I'm really digging the current version of the theme. It's another option to chose from, even though I still like the Season 1-4 version the best.

 

[doubleohfive]

Easily my favorites are Series 4:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hkrIqcZIC8[/yt]
​

...and Series 7, Part 2:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QGbsNIZ-uo[/yt]
​

It is somewhat aggravating that having dutifully collected all the modern-era Who soundtracks, this theme is curiously (and frustratingly) absent from the three albums it could have possibly appeared on.

It's not there on "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe"/"The Snowmen," double-release, nor on the "Series 7" album, or (apparently, anyway) on the upcoming "The Day of the Doctor"/"The Time of the Doctor" double-release.

Six discs in all, some which also include iTunes bonus tracks, and still no official release of that iteration of the theme. Am I missing something, or is it weird to anyone else?

Also: the opening for Series 8 is ass.

 

[tomalak301]

I forgot about the Season 7 theme. Yeah that's a pretty good theme, at least the second half of it.

 

[Redfern]

SharksFan, you've presented a valid theory. I started watching in 1982 when WFSU first aired the earliest Tom Baker serials. So it was that theme, a slight trimming of the Delia Derbyshire arrangement, that I first heard. And much like the expression, "You never forget your first Doctor," that's the theme that I most associate with the series. And when one learns how that arrangement was created, it makes it even more impressive. Almost every note was a separate snippet of magnetic audio tape spliced together to create a whole tune, and each of those "notes" were generated "organically" and then tweaked to sound unearthly. No "sampling", no digital keyboards. Thankfully Ms. Derbyshire is finally getting the recognition she really deserves, so sadly its posthumously.

Besides, it was good enough to serve the series for 17 years straight without major revision.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Allyn Gibson]

My favorite version is either Traffic Experiment's "Vashta Narada (which sounds like Pink Floyd) or Bendy's "Docteur Qui" (which sounds like Vince Guaraldi).

My least favorite is David Arnold's.

 

[Shazam!]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzZ0mvtMCQU[/yt]

 

[F. King Daniel]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtP9Gjmakmg[/yt]

 

[diankra]

Besides, it was good enough to serve the series for 17 years straight without major revision.

It got a fairly major revision in early '67 (again by Derbyshire) when an extra layer of glissandoes was added on (and a smaller one around 1970 when the screams were added to give it a definitive end, rather than just a fade out at varying lengths). Much as I love the purity of the original 1963 version, it always sounds a little 'bare' compared with the 67-80 version to me...

 

[Redfern]

As most of us probably know, Ron Grainer composed the theme music for Doctor Who, but it was Delia Derbyshire's arrangement that made it the classic it has become.

But here's a version from the album "The Exciting Television Music of Ron Grainer" (1980). If the description offered is at least somewhat accurate, this is what Grainer himself would have arranged using conventional instrumenents.

If it sounds oddly familiar, recall that Grainer also composed the score for "The Prisoner". This interpretation reminded me of the cult classic Patrick McGoohan series.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1SZs4xudf8[/yt]

I think we should be grateful Ms. Derbyshire got the job.

Sincerely,

Bill

EDIT: Disregard was I just posted and note the observations in post # 23.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Fave...
Pertwee 1970 version, everything from the otherworldy music and sound effects to the errie visuals still send that child like shiver up my spin when i here it, takes me right back to the 70s.
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FLNTlu6rjE[/yt]



Worse..
C Baker 1986 version, just do not like the theme at all, just sounds too tinny, no omph or bass, thankfully Baker himself was a cracking Dr.
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnNjva5-6VU[/yt]