It's the end of the world, but I'm in bed
"For the Sake of Britain, let's ALL stay in Tune", shrieks Melanie Phillips, tearing into the decision of the BBC to scrap its 'UK Theme', the 'medley of music which Radio 4 greets the day'.Apparently Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer said that it had 'served its purpose'. Mel is not happy.
Served its purpose? This was tantamount to saying that Britishness itself had served its purpose.Indeed:
The tunes now threatened by the BBC form part of our national memory. That memory must be protected, not removed. Otherwise, instead of a society that binds us to each other, we will find ourselves helplessly picking through its fragments.
First though, before this rant, she has a confession.
I have never heard the UK Theme.
Update (courtesy of TBG): The Times reports:
RADIO 4’S UK Theme is to be rerecorded by a one-hit wonder from the Nineties in the hope that chart glory may save the medley from being axed. Mike Flowers, formerly of The Mike Flowers Pops...will join the composer Gavin Sutherland and the Royal Ballet Symphony Orchestra to lay down the track. The B side will be the shipping forecast theme, Sailing By. The music download service iTunes has expressed interest.
However it also notes:
Only 188,000 people listen to the UK Theme folk medley, according to the first published figures for the music.
posted by Matthew @ 1/30/2006 10:08:00 PM
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