Theme
Does anyone have any info on the Mulberry theme, as in what the name of the song is? I'd appreciate any help I can get on this.
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MovieChat Forums > Mulberry (1992) Discussion > Theme
Hi Matthew,
It's nice to find out that people are discussing such an old series! I co-wrote all the music for Mulberry. The title song is called "Mulberry Days" and is sung by the lead actor Karl Howman. However, it was originally conceived with a more 'theatrical' voice, like Michael Crawford, and we did do a full length version which we were hoping to release with series 3.
Unfortunately, series 3 never happened, so the song never happened either! Shame...
Best wishes,
Chris
Chris, you did a great job with the music, not just the theme song, but all the background music. I've always enjoyed listening that right along with the dialog, and it really seems to fit the show. To me, the music sounds sweetly old-fashioned, which tends to be the same way I see the show.
The lyrics to the theme song are wonderful too. I didn't have access to the internet at the time I first saw the show, so I ended up getting the lyrics by starting and stopping the tape so that I could write them down as he sang...lol.
And since you were there at the time, I have a question that maybe you can answer. I've always wondered why the first "Alice" did not do the second series, and I've never been able to find an answer on the web. Was she just not available?
I've never been able to decide which actress is my favorite in the part. It usually ends up being whichever one I'm watching at the moment! They both did a great job with it, and I don't prefer one over the other.
Hi Marie (?)
Thank you for the kind words about the music. Glad you enjoyed it! I'm sure you would have liked the full version of the song as well.
Regarding 'Alice', the Director felt that the first actress did not 'fit' with the rest of the cast. I personally didn't see the problem, although the second 'Alice' was very nice when I met her!
Best wishes,
Chris
Yep, it's Marie.
Thank you, Chris! I've wondered ever since watching the show why two different actresses played the part, so it's nice to finally know. I have read a few books about various British comedies, and Mulberry only gets mentioned in passing, if at all.
I agree with you; I never saw any problem with the first actress "fitting" with the rest of the cast, and it was a bit jarring to see the role switched in the middle of things.
I first saw the show on our local PBS station, and it ran all the episodes together, so I didn't know til later that there were two separate series made. When I saw the first Mary Healey episode, I was trying to figure out who she was, and then when she was referred to as Alice, I was really going "Huh???"
It was an absolutely wonderful show, and it's too bad that there were so few episodes made. My favorite episode is the "Springtime" one, and my least favorite is the "Painting" one. Miss Farnaby has come a long way, but I just can't see her insisting that Mulberry (or Bert, for that matter) pose nude for her art class.
It's not that I can't see her painting a nude model; it just seemed to be totally out of character for her to insist that her own staff do it.
Anyway, thank you for the info, and if you ever run into any of the Brit Com TV Powers That Be, tell them that we want more Mulberry!!!
Hi again Marie,
Yes, Mulberry is one of those strange series that doesn't seem to get mentioned so much under 'comedy', maybe because it was also a drama? There were another 6 episodes planned, which would have finished the 'story', but the new BBC executives of the time decided to axe it. The producer/director John Hobbs was very upset, especially as the ratings were very good, and overseas sales were also very strong. BBC worldwide even offered to pay for one of the new episodes to be made!
We were also hoping to release a CD of the song, performed by a leading theatre singer, but alas...it was not meant to be. Ah well...
Thanks again for watching and listening!
Chris
Wow! Finding out that it's Karl Howman singing the theme song makes the show even more likable..he does a great job and the theme is beautiful.
I've just returned from a long visit home (to Arkansas) where the local PBS station has the best Britcom lineup I've encountered so far (I live in Chicago now). I got the opportunity to see Mulberry for the first time, and it just furthers the realization that the British REALLY know what they're doing when it comes to television..the actual creators that is, if not the powers that be-they cut it off before it properly ended?!?
Someone who worked on the show is right here on this message board? That's really amazing! Thanks for sharing about Mulberry. It's great of you!
No problem Jade. Very happy to hear you enjoy our music! One day, I will have the excuse (and the money!) to get Michael Crawford to record the full length, fully orchestrated version of the theme.
Maybe if enough of you pestered the BBC with emails, hehehe...
Chris
Chris,
It is wonderful music for this delightful show. Could you tell me if there is any linguistic history behind the term "Mulberry days"? I've been trying to figure that out since I first saw the show (and now have it on DVD!!!). I haven't been able to find anything. Can you help?
Aaltje
Hi Aaltje,
I seem to remember that 'Mulberry Days' appeared somewhere in the script when we first read it, and means the 'twilight years' of one's life. That's what we were told by the Director anyway!
Glad you like the music! BTW, it appears that the DVD has been done specifically for the USA market, and as I never had a complete collection of the series on VHS, have ordered the DVD set for myself also!! You would think I'd have got a freebie, huh? Funny thing is that if it wasn't for this website, I may never have known about the DVD release!
Are there any 'extras' on the DVD or merely the 13 episodes?
Thanks,
Chris
Chris,
The only extra of the DVD is an interview with McEwan and Howman in 1992, between the airing of the 2nd/3rd or the 3rd/4th episode.
Can you say how it all ends up? It is such a shame that it was cancelled and I feel so cheated! While it is pretty obvious what will happen, it is the how that is so interesting.
Aaltje
Thanks for that info Aaltje. It has been such a long time now, that I really can't remember exactly how the story was going to end! I think Miss Faranaby gets a longer 'extension' though.
Best wishes,
Chris
Chris, I meant to ask you, have you worked on/done music for any other Britcoms?
I'm still waiting for my DVD set to arrive; I couldn't find it locally, so I had to order it through Amazon.
It's too bad that there aren't more "extras", but I'm looking forward to the interviews with the two principals.
Marie
Hi again Marie,
Yes, I co-wrote the music for the next series by the same team that did Mulberry. Called 'Down To Earth' with Richard Briers, but this unfortunately got axed after only 7 episodes! I also had the privilege of composing part of the score for what could be called a major Britcom, hehehe, "The Importance of Being Earnest" with Reeese Witherspoon, Rupert Everett etc. A very nice movie, if you haven't already seen it!
Best wishes,
Chris Nicolaides
Hi Chris!
Add me to the list of your fans. The theme to Mulberry is sweet and rather catchy. I got my DVD last week and the theme has been going through my head ever since!
I've really enjoyed your posts. I came on here to see if it was indeed Karl singing the theme, so you've set my mind at rest. I also enjoyed hearing that "Mulberry Days" equates with the twilight years.
I hope your DVD arrives soon. Will your DVD player play Region 1 DVDs? I hope so. Thanks again for your posts!
Cheers,
Jodi
Thanks for the kind words Jodi! Sorry to hear the theme is stuck in your head, hahaha!! Interestingly, I've been doing some string arrangements for a wonderful singer called Jeff Maclean, based in the USA, and I feel his voice would be perfect for the full length version of Mulberry Days. I'm hoping that his producer will agree and that we could record Jeff. It appears that some of you might just by the CD!
Yes, my DVD player will play all regions thankfully, Jodi. BTW, are you UK based?
Cheers too!
Chris
Thanks for the lyrics Chris. They're lovely! It's also nice to read all the lyrics rather than just hearing the first verse or two. The lyrics subtly tell the story of the show, don't they? I like it!
I'm not UK based. I'm a native of Wyoming, of all places! I love British television, though I don't get BBC America.
I emailed the BBC asking if there was any possible way they could produce more episodes of Mulberry, but they misunderstood and said if I want to see Mulberry run again I should contact BBC America. *sigh*
So Chris, can you play all sorts of different instruments? I was a musician through college, but wasn't a music major. All my friends who were music majors can play everything. (Though not everything well!) It's amazing to me. Composing seems like trying to write a novel where English, Russian, French, Spanish, and German are all blended together. How do you composers keep the different instruments straight as you compose?
Hi again all,
Glad you like the complete lyrics! Funny hearing from Americans who are fans of UK television. I'm a Brit (Greek Cypriot extraction though!) who loves American TV! I'm a big fan of Frasier amongst others, and my favourite current TV programme is House M.D. Fantastic writing/direction/acting/music etc.
Jodi, I grew up playing piano, violin and recorder, though I only play the piano\keyboard these days. Thanks to technology though, it's possible to do pretty convincing orchestral work within a personal studio these days. In fact, you can hear some of my work from the BBC drama "The Impressionists" here:
http://s5.quicksharing.com/v/1264313/PX_IMP_EP2_DEGASCRIES_10193802_DEC2_M8.mp3.htmll
http://s15.quicksharing.com/v/9581372/PX_IMP_EP2_RENOIRNINI_10225218_DEC2_M2.mp3.html
http://s15.quicksharing.com/v/5217439/PX_IMP_EP2_RAILWAY1_10325609_DEC2_M3.mp3.html
http://s15.quicksharing.com/v/301634/PX_IMP_EP2_RAILWAY2_10381218_DEC2_M3.mp3.html
http://s15.quicksharing.com/v/4747385/PX_IMP_EP2_REVIEWS_10435021_DEC2_M2.mp3.html
http://s15.quicksharing.com/v/5926476/PX_IMP_EP2_BALLET_10055713_DEC2_M2.mp3.html
http://s15.quicksharing.com/v/5090978/CAMILLEDIES.mp3.html
http://s15.quicksharing.com/v/2737291/PX_IMP_EP2_DEGASINTRO_10064624_DEC2_M5.mp3.html
It was a really nice project to be part of, and stars Julian Glover who has been in many big movies, including Troy. It tells the true story of the French painters, and their struggle, and I'm guessing should be on in the USA some time this year.
As to how a composer knows what to do with each instrument. I guess it's a combinmation of intuition, knowledge and lots of trial & error! Well, it is in my case, although I'm sure John Williams doesn't have this problem!!
Best wishes to all. Oh, my Mulberry DVD just arrived. Will check it out this evening.
Chris
I met Geraldine McEwan briefly after one of her theatre performances and asked her about it, and she said that Miss Farnaby died in the end. That could have been after an extension, though, of course.
Since this series was a story that was actually going somewhere and was only ever expected to run for three seasons (at least, that's what Miss McEwan said), the decision to cut it after two seasons seems to be idiotic, especially if it was popular. It's exactly the sort of offbeat humour that tends to have a strong, if not necessarily extensive, following. And it was a very sensitive treatment of death, unlike some of the stuff out there these days.
Now that Miss McEwan is more widely known because of the Marple series (which I assume is why they finally brought out Mulberry on DVD after more than 10 years), I wonder if the writers of the series could do a novelisation of the entire story so we finally find out how it ended.
Is there anywhere to download the theme song? I absolutely love it!
shareChris,
I live in Fort Worth Texas USA and I love Mulberry too. I am fascinated with the subtlety of the humor and demeanor of its characters. This is a series worthy of my time and I watch it whenever it's available. I was hoping to find the words to the theme song. I think they are fabulous.
David Land
[email protected]
Hi David and others!
Thanks for the nice words about the song, David. Here are the lyrics of the full song, which may one day make it onto CD....
Mulberry Days (Chris Nicolaides & Chris Adonis)
Some say they touch the sky
Some say they see the wind
A whisper of spring is near
Can you hear it say
These are Mulberry days
Some say they’ll understand
Some hold an open hand
A shimmer of moonlit haze
Can you hear it say
These are Mulberry days
Why does it have to end
Where is the dream that you held in your hand
Don’t be afraid, I’ll be there for you
Here in my world
Some say they’ll touch the moon
Some say it ends too soon
A shimmer of moonlit haze
Can you hear it say
These are Mulberry days
Why does it Have to end
Where is the dream that you held in your hand
Don’t be afraid, I’ll be there
I’ll show you the magic
Feel around you, a touch of the moment
Come take my hand and you’ll see
You will see
Some say they’ll touch the sky
Some say they’ll see the wind
A whisper of spring is near
Can you hear it say
These are Mulberry days
These are Mulberry Days
Oh, very nice, Chris!
Thank you for posting all the lyrics.
Dear Mr. Nicolaides:
Love the show and love your theme--is there any thought of publishing the sheet music for the theme? You can hear piano solos of it scattered throughout various episodes and I would love to be able to play it at home. Any thoughts? All the best, Sheryl Aumack, Westchester, CA
Hi Sheryl,
Wow, this is very flattering. Thank you! I think you're the first person to ask me for the sheet music, and as Mulberry is not a HUGE series, no one would publish it. It just wouldn't be worth their time. Unfortunately, I recorded the music on a very different computer system many years ago, and don't even have the old 'data' files anywhere! However, it is not difficult to play. the chords are very straightforward, and I'm sure you can figure out the melody. The first chords are (starting when Karl sings 'Touch the Sky') F, G, C then on the repeat it changes to F,G, A minor. Then F,G, C again and finallly on 'Can you hear it say...' the chords are D minor, G, D minor, G, C. Very easy!
Good luck!
Chris
Chris, it's just a blast having you on this board! Thanks for being so generous with sharing your song lyrics and chords. Wish I could play the piano!
shareHehehe! No problem.
Chris
Hi Chris and all,
I've really enjoyed the posts for this one of a kind (and very cool) show. It's a treat to be able to say thanks to you for the music, it's always such an important part of a show and creates so much of the character and feel. I just missed the last episode tonight (running late returning from out of town) and running across this thread makes up for the disappointment. Yay! I'll be looking for "The Impressionists" next.
All the best,
Dan Gordon
Thank you very much Dan! I hope you enjoy The Impressionists when it comes to town, also.
Kind regards,
Chris
Hi Chris (hopefully you're still on here)
I wonder if I'm the first person in the UK to get onto this board? I've watched a copy of the US DVD and it's wonderful to be able to see this series again after such a long time.
The two series stood out from everything around them at the time, and they do now, I think. They were gentle, quiet and understated and your music for it was just perfect in its own simplicity. Not everyone would have dared to entrust it to Karl Howman, but how well he sang it. Truly a case of "less is more".
What a shame that it's only been released in the US, though. The ways of the BBC are strange. But it's delightful to discover that so many people in North American also appreciate it as well.
I do hope that a share of the royalties has come your way. There aren't many TV themes which have stayed in my mind for that long. Thanks for the song, and thanks for posting the full lyrics.
Chris
Plymouth, England
Hi Chris,
Nice to hear that the series has some UK fans! Not surprising I guess, as we were getting around 9-10 million viewers in the UK. Thank you too for the kind words about the music. Interesting you feel that Karl sings the theme well. I remember getting a call from the director telling me that Karl was having trouble with the song in rehearsal, and I had to try and 'coach' him the day before the recording session. He was struggling a little, and a few notes of the melody had to be changed to make it easier for him, but it turned out OK, although my co-writer and I did have a different type of voice in mind...but the director insisted Karl sing it.
Yes, I too hope that some royalties make it to us...guess I might need to contact the BBC! Thanks for the reminder!! BTW, in case anyone was wondering why there was no incidental music in the first 3 or 4 episodes, the broadcast dates were brought forward by about 2 months and we had no time to do anything!
OK, thanks again.
Chris
I have to say that I love this show! I also really like the background music, especially when Miss Farnaby and Mulberry were following Alice. I thought it went perfectly together and was very funny. I wish this show would have continued. It was very touching and funny and not many shows can do that.
Vinnie
Thanks Vinnie! I seem to remember trying give it a 'Pink Panther' feel at that point, for obvious reasons!!
Chris
lol yeah...i'm really into film and TV composition and I thought it was really good.
vinnie
I fell in love with Mulberry the first time they showed it on the local US PBS station. The theme music fit perfectly with the tenor of the show. It wasn't grand or flashy just sweet and simple. I'm glad BBC does ( or did) do shows like that..it would never have been made in the US, or in Canada where I live. And as for Micheal Crawford singing the series 3 theme..I'm glad it never happened, Karl Howman did a good job.
Ron
Hi Ron,
Glad you enjoy the show and the music. Thanks! Just to clarify, the theme music was not going to change if series 3 happened. The original song demo, which the director and actors fell in love with, was sung with a more 'theatrical', yet gentle voice. Karl's voice is very different, and would not have worked well for the fully orchestrated, full length song we wanted to release as a single.
One day, when I get the chance to record the original 'vision', I'll let you guys download it, OK?!
Best wishes,
Chris
Thanks Chris! It's been a ball chatting with you on this thread.
shareI loved 'Mulberry' at the time, when I was aged about 10, and was thrilled to buy it on DVD last year. As a fan of Charlton Athletic, I had the good fortune to meet Karl Howman on his way in to a game last Autumn and he kindly signed it for me. In fact, when I approached him he was very surprised to see a 'Mulberry' DVD and showed it to his wife. This was before it was then released here in the UK. It's a great theme tune and Karl sings it really well. It kind of fits that it's sung by the actor playing the lead character.
shareA shame that season 3 never happened. I just got the DVD from Netflix as I saw it on PBS in VA, but my stations in MD never showed it. It's a great, low key, soft comedy. I love the theme and wish it was produced in full. Great music and very fitting for the show. If you are still reading this, Chris, I hope you do get to do the full length version. It's just a beautiful tune.
shareHi Catalyna. I get emails from IMDB that there is a response on the thread. Glad you enjoyed the series, and very strange that you posted this. I recently pitched a song to a well known Tenor and looks like it will be recorded. I started thinking of other suitable material and thought that he may like the Mulberry theme. Who knows what may happen...
BTW, you can see/hear clips of more recent TV/film work on my website www.ChrisNicolaides.co.uk
Best wishes,
Chris
Hi Chris! Just checking in and was thrilled to read your last post! I'm rooting for you! Congrats on the new recording by the Tenor and hope he likes the Mulberry theme as well.
I will have to try to remember to get on my computer at home and check out your new website. (I'm at work right now, being bad enough as it is.)
Cheers! --Jodi
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Thank you for your thank you! Unfortunately, I have been too busy (thankfully!) on other projects to re-record the Mulberry theme, although a composer friend in the USA works with a singer who has the perfect voice for Mulberry. I have mentioned it and he may have a go at it in the New Year. I will certainly be back to tell you if it happens!
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and New year!!
~Chris
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Apologies for my late response. I'm sorry to hear that the Mulberry theme is 'stuck in your head'! I'm glad you like Karl's rendition of the song, though one day, when I get the time, I would like to record the full version with a great singer. One day...
Just too busy with other work etc.
Best Wishes,
~Chris
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