Anyone remember the alternative TV themes challenge, from sometime last century I think? This "ambitious" contribution seems like it’s taken forever to produce but here it is, finally.
Thanks to the multifaceted @5guys Named Lars who never asked to be part of this but he (they) and I were chatting and he sent me various ideas and a very jazzy middle8 progression, to contrast with the not very jazzy rest.
Lyrically, I decided to concentrate on the Irene Adler character and some of Sherlock's less heroic sides (as I think Benedict Cufmhsoubxoisfchd's Sherlock does).
For musical inspiration I tried to ask myself how Camille Saint-Saëns must have felt when asked to write the theme for Jonathan Creek. Sherlock of course played violin and so could only be accompanied by a string quartet. I tried to inject some urgency and "chasiness" into the backing (and a key change, hurrah!). For a TV theme it seemed important to kick off with a relatively big chorus and to keep the whole thing short and punchy.
For this I didn’t really like the BBC Symphony strings - they are a huge orchestra with too many voices, and so for most parts I went back to the Sonivox Orchestral Companion which I think sounds “woodier” and less smooth (still a bit much for a string quartet but closer I think).
I decided to keep the traditional left to right panning of the string quartet. This does take the “bass” (cello) way out to the right which isn't very modern, but makes everything feel wider and roomier. As a curiosity, I used two free Black Friday plugins on the lead vocal: CLA Echosphere (just the slap delay) and Fresh Air (just a bit of middle and even less high).
So thanks for bearing with me while I catch up with last year’s competitions. Yet again, I have ambitions of being very productive this year...
All constructive and specific comments much appreciated!
The Only One (Alternative Sherlock Theme)
CH
The only one, who threw me off my case
The only one, who drew me to a different chase
The only one, who played outside the rules like me
The only one, who made men into fools like me
V1
I’m a missile not a battleship
My radar softens with companionship
I’ve come to tolerate fraternity
Romance was never of much use to me
CH
V2
Addiction sitting like a ticking bomb
I need immorality to keep me strong
Bored of being the smartest in the room
Temptation comes to fill the vacuum
M8
Domination,
Deception and drugs
Harlots and hounds
Detectives and thugs
What this city needs
Is a mistress and master
Who’ve got what it takes
To handle each other
FINAL CH:
Fools like me, you threw us off the case
Fools like me, you drew us to a different chase
Fools like me, never normally confused
Fools like me, I never understood your clues
The only one...
(c) Adam Farr / Chris Underwood 2021