Neighbours

Album: Neighbours (1985)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Tony Hatch may not be quite the most famous composer to come out of Pinner, but sandwiched between Charlie Dore and Elton John isn't a bad record, either for him or for a town which at the 2001 census had a population of less than twenty thousand. And although his name isn't quite as recognizable as Sir Elton's, the television theme song he composed with his then wife and lyricist Jackie Trent holds a record that Pinner's even more famous son has not managed to aspire to: In December 2009, "Neighbours" was voted the world's most recognized TV Theme Song, albeit by an Australian TV magazine.

    The song also found its way into Hansard. In June 1989, John Smith MP, then British Shadow Chancellor, saw fit to quote from its lyrics during a Parliamentary debate on the Political Honours (Amendment) bill, although he appears not to have actually sung it.

    Between the program's inception in 1985 and 2010, there were no less than six slightly different versions of the song recorded for the soap. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"They're Playing My Song

It wasn't her biggest hit as a songwriter (that would be "Bette Davis Eyes"), but "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" had a family connection for Jackie.

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.