Doctor Who The Pop Star
Why, oh why did those words ever have to come together?
I’m not referring to Ms Billie Piper, no, she was a pop star before Doctor Who, I’m talking about… well let’s have a look shall we:
Firstly we will speak of Roberta Tovey and her Mega-huge gargantuan hit “Who’s Who”.
“You’ll always be a friend of mine…
Who?
Doctor Who.”
Quite the lyrical genius behind those words let me tell you. Although I have to confess to a secret enjoyment of this song, perhaps it is just a nostalgic feel, or perhaps I am easy to please.
Never the less this song came about during a high point for Doctor Who and all it’s Dalek hype. If a TV show or Movie tried this sort of thing in today’s world people would laugh and through rotten fruit about the place.
Moving on.
“Through cosmic waste the TARDIS flies
To taste the secret source of life
A presence science can’t deny exists
Within, outside, behind
The latitude of human minds… I am the Doctor”
Ok.
That would be yet another lyrical masterpiece, entitled “Who is the Doctor,” this time sung… er, spoken by the infamous Jon Pertwee.
Now I enjoy Mr. Pertwee as the Doctor as much as the next guy, but unfortunately while trying to start a musical career for himself he was shoehorned into thinking that songs about Doctor Who would be a good Idea.
Sadly this did not work and as far as I can tell, the only song worse then this one would have to be William Shatner’s cover of “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.”
“LuCy…in the…Skyhh…. With Diamonds”
Enough of that.
I can’t say that I would have picked up every album, but at least he could have had more of a chance not living in the shadow of Doctor Who.
Next on the list is that aw inspiring “I’m Gonna Spend My Christmas With A Dalek” by The Go-Go’s. I have to confess to another closet enjoyment of this song as well.
“I’m gonna spend my Christmas with a Dalek… I’ll kiss him on his chrome-implated head And take him in to say “Hi” to Mum And frighten Daddy out of his bed!”
Not only do the Go-Go’s sing their little hearts out but a Dalek does as well. Bless it’s… um, I guess they have a heart.
Daleks.
Where would all of us be without them? And how could Christmas ever be the same with out that song?
Now how about “Doctorin’ the Tardis” by the Timelords?
The romp roaring, crowd exciting, drum intense, Doctor Who excitement song. For those that remember , it was featured in the making of “Silver Nemesis”, and for those who would like to forget…. Sorry for talking about it.
Lets explore the lyrics for a sec:
“Doctor Whooo-oo
Doctor Who
Doctor Whooo-oo
The TARDIS!”
Short, sweet and to the point. What point? Anyway. Not the best thing ever but certainly not the worst, and it served it’s purpose… well?
How many of you out there knew that Frazer Hines had a Pop Idol career? Show of hands, come on, let’s see them. Put them down now we can’t see them.
The website where I found his songs sadly no longer exist, however I do think that the name is still worth mentioning, “Frazer Hines Rock God”. That about sums it up really, or does it?
Poor Frazer was another Doctor Who actor swindled into thinking that he needed to do songs about Doctor Who in order for people to buy his stuff.
And once again this thinking did not help our favorite Frazer Hines to achieve his goal.
I will say one thing for him out of the three songs that I have heard he really isn’t bad. In fact his songs sound very much like a sign of the times they were made in, even reminding me at times of the Monkees.
With “hits” like:
“Who’s Dr. Who?”
“Punch And Judy Man”
And even a song about and sung by the character Jamie McCrimmon entitled “Time Traveller”, how could you go wrong? Well…
“I’m a time traveller honey and I can’t get away from your love
I’m the pride of the Highlands, that’s the truth
I do all my traveling in a telephone booth
But I’m a time traveler honey
and I can’t get away from your love”
….. Ok so these go on my list of songs that I find a secret enjoyment of, want to make something of it?
All of the above mentioned songs that hold a place in my heart are really just part of the fun that Doctor Who brings. I wouldn’t define my musical sense by any of them by any means, but if they were to find their way to my ears I wouldn’t shun them.
I recommend hearing them at least once, you can laugh at them, play then to annoy others, bury your head in shame, or keep them in a special place for your own private listening.
But the last is still to come. Perhaps the best as well.
As a special and honorable mention would have to be the techno cover of the Doctor Who theme song by Orbital called “Doctor ?”.
Any one who has bought all of the Who DVDs has heard this song on the 40th anniversary montage clip special, and that is just one place that it has featured. The band plays it as an encore at their live performances and as they say “the crowd goes wild.”
The song has a powerful and intense feel to it that just makes you want to watch the show every time you here it. This song has to capture the award for the most enjoyable Pop song to come from a TV show.
Well at least it goes head to head with “David Duchovny why won’t you love me” by Bree Sharp.
Well that’s it. 42 years of the show and it’s history and this is all there is to show for songs, perhaps there is more, but I’d be hard pressed to find some that tug at our heart string like these do.
So search the Internet and seek out these songs, for whatever enjoyment level you will take from them. But remember do it at your own risk and sanity.