The theme tune for the opening credits of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing was written by Dan McGrath and Josh Phillips, the composing duo also responsible for the theme tunes for Take Me Out, A League of Their Own, All Star Mr & Mrs and Alan Carr: Chatty Man.
The theme tune is written in a catchy Latin style and is split into four main sections: an introduction, a verse, a chorus and an ending. Because the theme is used over the top of a visual sequence introducing all the contestants, it is a lot longer than most other TV opening credits. As a result, McGrath and Phillips were able to slow down the tempo and do more with it, as they explain here:
‘We thought Latin was the way to go because it’s such an exciting, vibrant style, and it wasn’t going to become tiresome,’ says Dan McGrath. ‘It gave us scope to give it a top line without having a vocal,’ adds Josh Phillips. The top line is played by the brass section.
Some of the other programmes McGrath and Phillips have written for:
Take Me Out
A League of Their Own
All Star Mr & Mrs
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Alan Carr: Chatty Man
Authors
Freya ParrDigital Editor and Staff Writer, BBC Music Magazine
Freya Parr is BBC Music Magazine's Digital Editor and Staff Writer. She has also written for titles including the Guardian, Circus Journal, Frankie and Suitcase Magazine, and runs The Noiseletter, a fortnightly arts and culture publication. Freya's main areas of interest and research lie in 20th-century and contemporary music.
