Summary

The article discusses the author's personal connection to soundtracks and music scores from films and TV series, emphasizing the impact of "Falling Slowly" from the musical "Once" and the theme from "Doctor Who."

Abstract

The author reflects on the indelible impression that certain soundtracks and musical scores have left on them, particularly highlighting the song "Falling Slowly" from the film and musical "Once." The piece delves into the emotional resonance of the music, which has become a constant presence in the author's life. Additionally, the author shares their deep appreciation for the "Doctor Who" theme music, noting its iconic status and the various iterations it has undergone. The article also touches on the author's binge-watching experience during lockdown, where they consumed 12 seasons of "Doctor Who," and concludes with a humorous nod to the show's influence on their perception of everyday objects.

Opinions

The author admits to being captivated by the song "Falling Slowly" from "Once," considering it an "ear worm" that lives rent-free in their mind.
They hold the "Doctor Who" theme in high regard, describing it as a piece that can evoke a sense of mystery and excitement even in those who are tone-deaf.
The author's love for "Doctor Who" is described as almost unrivalled, showing a strong personal attachment to the series.
They find humor in the way the show's sound effects, like the Tardis's Vwoorp and the Sonic Screwdriver's whirring, have become iconic sounds associated with the series.
The author lightly mocks their own dedication to "Doctor Who," suggesting that their intense viewing session may have contributed to the demise of their laptop's logic board.
They make a playful remark about the show's title, "Doctor WHO?," as a recurring joke within the fandom.
The author extends an invitation to readers to support them by buying a coffee through a provided link, indicating a desire for engagement and appreciation from the audience.
They recommend an AI service as a cost-effective alternative to ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4), suggesting its value to those who enjoyed the article.

Song Story: The Best Soundtracks

Ear worms dig deep

I’ll go right into it. Despite my weeks long hiatus on the platform thanks to the the return to “normalcy” here in Melbourne (a.k.a back to work/school/work/work/work/more work), I’ve decided to answer the prompt that Squeeze the Avocado has been pestering me about:

What are some tv-series or movies that got stuck in your mind thanks to their soundtracks and music scores?

You might call me a snob for picking a musical for my prompt response, but the ear worm that is Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová from John Carney’s Once lives in my mind rent-free most days.

To be fair, there is a 2007 film version of Once that pre-dates the musical, so the technicalities of the prompt are answered in full.

For the uninitiated, here’s a short synopsis about Once from Music Theatre International:

From the very first note, Once draws you in and never lets go. This emotionally captivating musical is the only show to have music that won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Olivier Award and a Tony Award.

On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, underscored by emotionally charged music.

Featuring all of the magical songs from the critically acclaimed film, including the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly,” this achingly beautiful, joyously uplifting show strikes an unforgettable chord in audiences and speaks to the power of music to connect us all. A show like that only comes around Once.

Once | Music Theatre International

I have had the great pleasure of watching the musical live in Dublin, Ireland back in 2016, whilst I simultaneously enjoyed a summer stint working at a little museum in the heart of Dublin.

While I do not have photograph evidence of my Once viewership thanks to a rather ambitious phone thief, I have, however, managed to scrounge up a picture of Beyoncé’s concert that I also attended that very same week. So let’s all pretend they’re one and the same. Sacrilegious, I know.

Beyoncé at Beyoncé’s concert in Dublin, Ireland, 2016. Photo by author.

Here’s a rendition of the performance that left its mark on my mind some 5 years ago:

While we’re relinquishing great music to Anglo-Saxon creators, I might as well throw in Ron Grainer and Eric Winstone’s sold-to-Delia Derbyshire-and-turned-into the Doctor Who theme tune:

Fans and foes of the Doctor will rejoice, or recoil in horror when faced with the recognisably distinct theme song packed full of bizarre whirring, a harmony of strings pulled in blissful minor key to emulate mystery and excitement in even the most tone-deaf individuals.

My love for the Doctor Who franchise is almost unrivalled by other TV series, and my ability to complete the revived era during the first few weeks of one of the first few lockdowns that Melbournians were launched into, is simultaneously honourable and appalling.

For anyone wondering, I made it through 12 seasons, over a 100 episodes, and 5 Doctors in a record couple of weeks. I also killed the logic board on my laptop during that period of binge watching, but I strongly believe it an utterly unrelated occurrence.

An additional note on Doctor Who’s theme song: they have been reworked multiple times, yet the genesis of the Doctor-Dalek (and much more) conflict remains buried in the very heart of the score.

In other words, it is still recognisably, Doctor Who.

A bonus? That ever-present onomatopoeic Vwoorp the Tardis makes, alongside the whirring of the Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver are both sounds of music to my ears (not to be confused with the Sound of Music, yet another of those musicals with distinguishable, damned ear worms. You know, Doe a deer, a female deer.).

For those wondering, Doctor WHO? The joke’s on you.

Or perhaps on me, considering I can’t look at my regular screwdriver without thinking of the Doctor. But which one? There are just so many.

Carlos Garbiras, Wei Xiang, Christopher Robin, Marc Barham, Will Hull, Arthur Dewson, Kamna Kirti

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