It's Alright

Album: New Tricks (2003)
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Songfacts®:

  • "It's Alright," the theme song for the BBC TV series New Tricks, was written by Mike Moran, whose credits include co-writing "Rock Bottom", the 1977 Eurovision runner up with Lynsey de Paul. The song begins:

    It's alright, it's okay,
    Doesn't really matter if you're old and grey...


    Which just about sums it up, as does the later reference to teaching - or rather not teaching - an old dog new tricks.

    The British TV series, which began with a pilot on March 27, 2003, follows New Scotland Yard's mythical Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad, which is staffed by retired police officers who have been recruited to look into unsolved crimes, including murders. Although this particular squad is fictitious, the concept is based firmly on fact. The advent of DNA profiling in particular has led to the Metropolitan Police, other British police forces, and police forces and crime detection agencies throughout the world - including the FBI - setting up similar Cold Case units, though for the most part they appear to be staffed by regular police officers.

    The British police never close the file on any unsolved murder, and periodically review even very old cases. In May 2010, a BBC investigation reported that there were more than one thousand unsolved murders in the United Kingdom, including one of a woman in 1866, and another of a market trader in 1914. Although many potential suspects have been named, the Whitechapel Murders (Jack The Ripper) are included on that list. In March 2010, a man was convicted of raping a woman in Bournemouth in 1992 following such a reinvestigation.

    Although New Tricks does have serious plots, the series also contains a fair amount of humour, usually revolving around in-house banter, and Moran's song does it justice. Dennis Waterman, who plays Gerry Standing, one of the team, was the obvious choice of vocalist, although the song was never released commercially. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 11

  • Alan 78 from Tr72ltThe music was composed by Brian Bennett (the Shadows drummer) and his son Warren. The tune was based on the Travelling Wilbury song the End of the Line. This is what the opening credits on the TV Series state.
  • Grant from Georgia UsaLove this song. Would love to get a copy to add to playlist. I’m 74 years old.
  • A. Johnson from Oakville, Ontario, Canada.Absolutely love the show, New Tricks.
  • Mary from North Bend, WashingtonAbsolutely love the song and the show!!
  • Hongkong Billy from Ohio, UsaThis song is almost a copy of “The End of the Line,” by The Traveling Wilburys.
  • Verna Demerchant from Aldergrove BcLove the song and the show. The humour is so subtle but as usual the British has the top marks.
  • James from FloridaI love the song. I wish a full version was available for purchase.
  • John Goodinson from Berkhamsted The song ‘it’s alright it’s okay’ , is it available to download or buy? Many thanks, john
  • Marilyn from 18707My morning wake up song to start the day: plus the skit with Little Britain that follows is my dose of a good laugh to start the day. Old people are easily entertained with good music and comedy.
  • Barry Cross from North WalesI'm a regular viewer of New Tricks and I've been wondering about the theme song It's Alright and its similarity to a song called End of the Line by the Traveling Wilburys.
    I've tried researching both songs and according to Wikipedia It's Alright is a 'version' of End of the Line, its certainly got similar words.
  • Ben from NldI'm old and gray but this song makes me feel young.
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