Yeah he even mentioned in the video that he didn‘t come up with the theme himself but he still worked on it and gave it its unique sound, so as a fan of both top gear and christian as a person this was quite a nice surprise
Tonoit on bottom gear Hammond crashes my priceless limbo, *cut to clip of Richard Hammond crashing a Lamborghini followed by a the angry exclamation of “HAMMOND” by clarkson*
Imagine being this guy and being able to say "I made the Top Gear intro song." *Now that's a life worth being proud of, and one that everyone else in the world is right to be envious of.* Mr. Henson, thank you for your work. THANK YOU.
Without realising it your arrangement/composition is possibly the single piece of music I've heard the most times in my life. The show used to have "Star in a reasonably priced car".......at £600 you are the "Reasonably priced star". Be in no doubt that your work has touched people. My sincere thanks.
It's crazy to think that instead of composing a new theme song from scratch, they chose to rearrange Jessica and still pay royalties to the original composer.
The BBC has a weird relationship with copyrighted music. They use it a LOT in their programmes. I don't remember the exact details, but I think they have some deal with the major labels where when they pay for flat fee for the use of music in perpetuity, or it's something like that anyway. I don't remember exactly, but there's a reason why you hear copyrighted music in even obviously low budget bbc tv programmes all the time, music that you think would be far too expensive to justify
The BBC uses music so much over their extensive TV shows, radio etc that im sure they get a good deal to use pretty much anything they want@@Muzikman127
The BBC has long had a blanket agreement where they don't need to seek permission for use of copyrighted music (phonograms), instead they advise the publisher and copyright holder of the usage and pay a prearranged flat rate fee to MCPS & PRS which eventually reaches the various rights holders. In this case it sounds like the BBC (via TG's production company) paid a flat fee to the composer of the cover, possibly as a perpetual worldwide all formats buyout (fairly common). As a result they wouldn't need to pay any phonogram performance royalties via MCPS for using the cover version, only songwriter/composer royalties to Dickie Betts via PRS for all subsequent public performances. Sure, it's a chunk of money, but nothing like it might be had they not done a buyout.
@@PhilWare1 You're right. It's funny though, probably one of the few opening sequences for a series that I don't skip. Between Clarkson's humor and the legendary music, it really draws one's attention.
The Seek Wah was the early-2000s weird guitar effect of choice for many composers and arrangers. I’ve heard it on so many albums, West-End shows and TV themes.
Sidebar on similar principal: It's one of my favourite bits of film music work ever - in Grosse Pointe Blank, the Guns & Roses version of "Live & Let Die" transforms into a muzak version as Martin Blank (John Cusack) enters an Ultimart convenience store that used to be his house.
I love the "old Top Gear". It's a great achievement that you arranged it in the first place, but then you recreated it like it was no problem! And share the samples?! That's fantastic!
@@TheCrowHillCo Wow, nice to see the whole composing process, herd this theme million times, grown on TG show, every night i was waiting for it while everyone was sleeping (it was shown late at night on cable tv), ah good all times. Imagine my condition when i found out TG team was filming an episode in my native town in Ukraine in 2014, so of course i meet guys, it was amazing experience. Greetings from Ukraine !
Better, thank you. What a sly piece of work this video is. The Allman bros version was used on the show before its reboot. I wonder if the modern one is different enough to count as another composition.
I mean, he didn't, he recorded a slightly more modern sounding cover of an existing song by the Allman Brothers Band that was already being used for the show. If he'd written it, he'd be getting the royalties for its use
@@Muzikman127 yep fair enough, the focus of my comment was more about the £600 compensation from the BBC rather than whether he ‘wrote’ it or not. Seems criminal to be paid so little by such a large company. I work in this industry and have been asked if I have any pieces that sound like X with an offer of £2k-£4k, and I know a placement on a Pepsi advert for example is around £50k
@@michaelwagner5927 fair enough yeah. That'd still be over a grand in today's money, but I do agree that that's still pretty cheap, assuming his memory of the figures is accurate here ;)
@@michaelwagner5927 Also bear in mind that it's not £600 for the lot, it's what he got after splitting with his colleague who laid down the guitar tracks (which are the key feature of the song), studio time, etc. It was also originally a little motoring show no one gave a toss about, not one of the BBC's flagship programmes! Apparently he did it all in 4 hours? If they'd known what it was going to become I imagine they'd have splashed a few more quid on it! 😂
Yeah its weird how divorced from it I became, it was part of the sonic wallpaper of telly... to go back and re-own it was a strangely disconcerting experience.
This video, which was a great watch, led me to your Company. As an (extremely) amateur music producer, the free resources provided there are already an amazing addition to my recording repertoire. Thankyou so much!
Amazing how this guy reproduces his original creations on tech 20 years in the future. Thinking this was created on early 2000's tech, and he still smashed it!!
Is it the same computer package, I guess? (Newer version of course, but I guess (as an example) if you were using Adobe Photoshop then it would be similar to now. Video editor Final Cut Pro got a big reboot into "iMovie Pro" to much disarrangement though, but things like Abode Premiere and Avid would still work the same in terms of video editing.)
This intro is so iconic. Even now, in 2024, when I hear that intro - I just get overwhelmed with nostalgia and excitement. This was the perfect theme to compliment the Top Gear Trio: Jezza, Hamster and Slow. You gave this song "Jesisca" a new life and meaning for millions of people across the globe, to the point where most of the people around the world will never associate this song with its origins. To most people, it is "Top Gear." Masterful work, and something to be proud of for sure. Even though, like you said, you have since moved on to make better compositions for other thingsas time went on - this is definitely a staple in your long line of work. Just one of many cornerstones, I'm sure.
I used to feel so deeply excited every time I heard this intro as a kid, it was such a perfect way to start and end the show. In fact, even hearing it now makes me feel a little bit of a thrill! You did an amazing job, thank you
Absolutely incredible. And just another lesson that you never know how big or iconic what you're working on will be. Something that seems like just another job could end up being a massive part of entertainment history
Incredible how your tracked livened up the life of millions! It's borderline criminal just how little you were paid for the show considering how iconic the theme is, nevertheless thank you so much Mr. Henson!
You don't get paid more than a flat fee for doing something like this, unless you actually did something to warrant a songwriting credit and therefore royalty payments. It's just how the industry works.
After my best friend moved from South Germany to London 16 years ago i payed him a visit and we sat down after dinner and watched TV. He introduced me to Top Gear and instantly it became my most favorite TV show ever. The next years it became a habit to book a flight every 2 months to pay him a visit and just watch Top Gear on Dave or any other channel which has some old episodes in the schedule. The best thing was the music the team at the BBC have chosen for some of the episodes (like for the Disco Volante part) which introduced me to even more wonderful music and composers which are still played every day during work. There have been so many hours of listening to all of their voices, jokes and epic moments. I hoped that The Grand Tour would come close but sadly it never convinced me even though it started very promising. Thanks for sharing the process of creating the theme for it. Quality content as ever Christian.
You say you only spent 4 hours and that you're not quite sure why it did so well, and yes, arguably its probably not the most perfect 'musically', but that's not what makes music special. It's being a young kid, hearing that guitar sweep at the start from upstairs and sprinting down to watch the episode. The music is the constant in a show that has been there my entire life and because of that the music is always going to be a special part of my life. Thank you for arranging this music, you'll never quite know how much of an impact it has really had on people like me
I've heard the song during the show probably thousands of times and never once put too much thought into how the theme was composed. Great work! Cheers mate!
I'm so happy to see what you've done here. This 'little' song has almost defined my childhood and now I'm a musician myself finding out about the crow hill company, so now I'm loving this video and I'm loving your website as well
This was really interesting! Just goes to show how doing something seemingly innocuous can have such a massive impact and be remembered and loved for years to come!
I'm old enough to remember the original show and theme very well. When the re-boot came out I was a bit indifferent to the revamped theme, but over the years it has grown on me and has now become even more of a classic than the original in my mind. I guess mainly because I've heard it so many times, but seeing how it was put together is fascinating and what blows my mind is you did this in 4 hours and got paid only £600 for it. That is both incredible and criminal at the same time. What a legend. I don't think it's a bad thing to be known as "the Top Gear guy", but I certainly understand why you'd want to down-play it, because it's very easy to be typecast as a one trick pony. Clearly you're not though!
I wonder how common that is? “Done anything I’d know then mate?” and then you reel off all your best work, only to have to admit something that was just simply well-loved or just popular. I have the same thing happen to me at dinner parties. “Oh, so you compose for computer games! Anything I’d know?”, and I stare at this middle-aged accountant in front of me and hit him with my best compositions, only for him to shake his head and me eventually having to say, “Oh, and Lemmings…”. “Oh! I loved that game!” 😂
you're a legend man, the nostalgia that the top gear theme song brings me is insane, thank you for bringing me and millions of others amazing memories ❤
Wow Christian, what a wonderfull insight into your creation process, I'm 58 and loved making music on home computers startiing with the Atari 800Xl, and then the Atari ST. I also had no classical training, but thoroughly enjoyed exploring music making on anything with keys, even sneaking into churches and firing up church organs. The explosion of midi and daws massively empowered people like me to create unheard and unique sounds with out the practical limits and phenomenal huge costs of traditional studio hardware. Your origins rhymed with me and your success with iconic projects have been truley heart warming.
When I started watching your videos several years ago I knew you were special, but the Top Gear theme/best Jessica remix ever special is something else!
Thank you for makeing my childhood! This show was amazing and some of my earliest memories are waiting to see if my father would come home and finish work in-time to watch an episode with him!
600 £ for a composition but will forever be timeless. Thank you, sir and your colleagues. Top Gear was an automotive show I grew up watching as a child in Bangladesh 🇧🇩. Iconic.
Thanks for doing this Christian! For some reason I never knew you created this, but as an early adopter (watcher) of Top Gear in Canada and learning a bit about music from your videos over the years it’s a wonderful connection to discover. Cheers!
Had no idea what TH-cam would give me today but man this video delivered! Thank you Christian for you work! I know you said you don’t want to be remembered just for this but it had a huge influence on me. I can’t hear Jessica without thinking of your piece.
This x1000. Been a huge BT fan all these years and have watched every episode of this version of Top Gear multiple times. Crazy to never have known this until now!
There's very few TV theme songs that can give chills, build excitement and elicit so many emotions and even though the melody may not be "original", the composition is timeless in its inspiration to millions around the world.
this is my all time favourite tv show intro. its so energetic and catchy. listened to it so many times. its epic, cool, and a bit silly at the same time. its perfect. such a shame to hear that you and the guitarist did not receive royalties for each play. you deserved it! the original song writer would have never earned all those royalties if it werent for you.
Hey, just so you know, even to this day I associate this version Jessica with good times I had in my childhood watching it either alone or with my loved ones and it always perks me up even if I'm having a bad day. Thank you for making this version of Jessica and leaving an indelible mark on me.
This was one heck of a nostalgic trip. Hearing each little part added... it had that same feeling of waiting for the show to start each Sunday. Soo many people grew up with this piece of music and it shaped an entire generation.
So it was you!! Bleedin’ Nora! I hated it (meaning I wasn’t that keen on it) at first but grew to love the show and the trio so it of course became synonymous with that love. Never realised how big the gap was in between the theme at the start (heard only once) and the rising phrase at the end. Did I understand you got a flat fee but no repeats, but Theo does? Seems manifestly unfair as you played (samples) on it as well… well my 19yr old is going to love this video - I hope it goes viral and earns you some shekels! Well done, talk about fulfilling the brief 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I would love to see a video breaking down how you made the theme song to Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, which is deffo in my Top 10 TV Themes.
Been watching the series for like seems all my youth and well into the last season with Jeremy Clarkson in it. And always wondered how this was made. This video sparked a lot of inspiration and ideas and would love to see and hear more. Keep it up, you're doing great, wishing you all, the very best!
couldn’t click this fast enough? did you do the Grand Tour intro too? this was such a cool video to see the process of how this iconic sound came together
no way you made the top gear theme, absolutely love it, even after hearing it the 3.468.917 time!😃
You are right.
He didn't.
It was written by Chuck Leavell while he was in the Alman Brothers.
The famous begin part of the theme is a song called Jessica by the Allman brothers band
Yeah he even mentioned in the video that he didn‘t come up with the theme himself but he still worked on it and gave it its unique sound, so as a fan of both top gear and christian as a person this was quite a nice surprise
@@martinmcwhorteryikes. Someone is miserable.
Same
Tonight
I wear a hat
James wears a hat
And Richard is behind a low wall
Love that.
The best, thank you.
Tonight,
I drive a car,
James gets lost,
And Richard Crashes,
😂😂😂
I read this in Clarkson's voice...
"Tonight, i pay some bloke 600 quid for a song. Hammond wears a hat, and James learns about the french constitution."
Wait did they actually say this in an episode? if yes what?
Ow I’m intrigued too!
@@luca91214there was one where they where a hat. I think it’s where they made caravans.
This reminds me of a “smaller” train TH-camr, @Hyce777 and his 3/4 idiots show.
Tonoit on bottom gear Hammond crashes my priceless limbo, *cut to clip of Richard Hammond crashing a Lamborghini followed by a the angry exclamation of “HAMMOND” by clarkson*
Tonight, Dickie writes a song, Christian composes a new arrangement and Theo plays a guitar.
I've never clicked on a video so quickly
Fastest gun in the west!!
Mood
yep i had a poo-reset when i saw this pop up, had to hold it for 16 minutes and 23 seconds. was well worth it
You have a need for speed
you browsing history shows that you click on little girls videos quicker....
Imagine being this guy and being able to say "I made the Top Gear intro song."
*Now that's a life worth being proud of, and one that everyone else in the world is right to be envious of.*
Mr. Henson, thank you for your work. THANK YOU.
He put a goofy beat behind Jessica relax
Without realising it your arrangement/composition is possibly the single piece of music I've heard the most times in my life. The show used to have "Star in a reasonably priced car".......at £600 you are the "Reasonably priced star". Be in no doubt that your work has touched people. My sincere thanks.
I'd have to learn how to drive first!
@@TheCrowHillCo seems you can drive a DAW pretty fast 😎
I love that there's this elevator music version of Jessica playing in the background during the guitar store section of the video
Crazy find! It does sound like Jessica 😂 nice one!
They've hidden it all over the video among different segments of the video. So cool
5:18 for anyone wondering
It's crazy to think that instead of composing a new theme song from scratch, they chose to rearrange Jessica and still pay royalties to the original composer.
The BBC has a weird relationship with copyrighted music. They use it a LOT in their programmes. I don't remember the exact details, but I think they have some deal with the major labels where when they pay for flat fee for the use of music in perpetuity, or it's something like that anyway. I don't remember exactly, but there's a reason why you hear copyrighted music in even obviously low budget bbc tv programmes all the time, music that you think would be far too expensive to justify
The BBC uses music so much over their extensive TV shows, radio etc that im sure they get a good deal to use pretty much anything they want@@Muzikman127
The BBC has long had a blanket agreement where they don't need to seek permission for use of copyrighted music (phonograms), instead they advise the publisher and copyright holder of the usage and pay a prearranged flat rate fee to MCPS & PRS which eventually reaches the various rights holders.
In this case it sounds like the BBC (via TG's production company) paid a flat fee to the composer of the cover, possibly as a perpetual worldwide all formats buyout (fairly common). As a result they wouldn't need to pay any phonogram performance royalties via MCPS for using the cover version, only songwriter/composer royalties to Dickie Betts via PRS for all subsequent public performances. Sure, it's a chunk of money, but nothing like it might be had they not done a buyout.
Jessica was associated with Top Gear from day one so it made perfect sense to keep it...
@@PhilWare1 You're right.
It's funny though, probably one of the few opening sequences for a series that I don't skip. Between Clarkson's humor and the legendary music, it really draws one's attention.
The Seek Wah was the early-2000s weird guitar effect of choice for many composers and arrangers.
I’ve heard it on so many albums, West-End shows and TV themes.
Did every csi use it? And ncis? Cause now you mention it...
@@thepenguin9 CSI themes are The Who songs from the 70's and 60's...
Also mythbusters i believe
I remember it in v-rally 2 for the Dreamcast.
Loving the cheeky pizzicato cello version of Jessica lurking in the background during the 'field trip' x
Theo did that!
I smiled so hard when I caught onto it
Sidebar on similar principal: It's one of my favourite bits of film music work ever - in Grosse Pointe Blank, the Guns & Roses version of "Live & Let Die" transforms into a muzak version as Martin Blank (John Cusack) enters an Ultimart convenience store that used to be his house.
TONIGHT
Christian Henson lays down a track
Theo Le Derf plays a guitar
and The Crow Hill Company makes a video
I love the "old Top Gear". It's a great achievement that you arranged it in the first place, but then you recreated it like it was no problem! And share the samples?! That's fantastic!
Its fun to mess around with!
@@TheCrowHillCo Wow, nice to see the whole composing process, herd this theme million times, grown on TG show, every night i was waiting for it while everyone was sleeping (it was shown late at night on cable tv), ah good all times. Imagine my condition when i found out TG team was filming an episode in my native town in Ukraine in 2014, so of course i meet guys, it was amazing experience. Greetings from Ukraine !
@@Janevjura thats cool as
15:55 - "Tonight: ......"
James, wears a hat
@@hansgruber788 Richard wears a hat.
@@Mrpersonman0 ... and I wear a hat
Top Gear opening theme "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers Band. Composer Dickey Betts (arr. by Christian Henson)
Oooh I thought it was Dickie
Better, thank you. What a sly piece of work this video is.
The Allman bros version was used on the show before its reboot. I wonder if the modern one is different enough to count as another composition.
@@stevecarter8810 yes mate, they mentioned that in the video... Hardly sly was it.
Media composer? You rearranged Jessica by the Allman brothers, bravo! Compositional genius? 😅 😂😂
And the closing theme used to be “out of the blue” by Elton John/Bernie Taupin
This is peak content. Possibly my favorite TH-cam video.
Thanks!!😊
15:44 I never heard a version of Top Gear theme this crisp and clear before, thank you for putting this version up. :)
I’m liking this retrospective look into the Henson archive. More please.
We hear you!! 🙏
agreed!
As a self taught musician, this has given me much hope and a confidence boost. Thank you.
That 3rd drum loop just makes it so iconic.
I can’t believe you only got £600 for arranging such a perfect piece for such a legendary show
I mean, he didn't, he recorded a slightly more modern sounding cover of an existing song by the Allman Brothers Band that was already being used for the show. If he'd written it, he'd be getting the royalties for its use
Not meaning to denigrate his work to be clear, it's a cool arrangement, but he didn't write it, he recorded an arrangement of it
@@Muzikman127 yep fair enough, the focus of my comment was more about the £600 compensation from the BBC rather than whether he ‘wrote’ it or not. Seems criminal to be paid so little by such a large company. I work in this industry and have been asked if I have any pieces that sound like X with an offer of £2k-£4k, and I know a placement on a Pepsi advert for example is around £50k
@@michaelwagner5927 fair enough yeah. That'd still be over a grand in today's money, but I do agree that that's still pretty cheap, assuming his memory of the figures is accurate here ;)
@@michaelwagner5927 Also bear in mind that it's not £600 for the lot, it's what he got after splitting with his colleague who laid down the guitar tracks (which are the key feature of the song), studio time, etc. It was also originally a little motoring show no one gave a toss about, not one of the BBC's flagship programmes! Apparently he did it all in 4 hours? If they'd known what it was going to become I imagine they'd have splashed a few more quid on it! 😂
The earworm of the century 😄
Had no clue you made this Christian...well done 🙂
Er, it was Dickie Betts that wrote this
@@rodmunch6849That's what I thought! Christian was the arranger I believe.
Hearing this meant it was favourite show of all time about to start. Thank you!
Yeah its weird how divorced from it I became, it was part of the sonic wallpaper of telly... to go back and re-own it was a strangely disconcerting experience.
This video, which was a great watch, led me to your Company. As an (extremely) amateur music producer, the free resources provided there are already an amazing addition to my recording repertoire. Thankyou so much!
Glad to have you as part of the crew! 🙏 glad you’re enjoying the tools we made 😊😊
Amazing how this guy reproduces his original creations on tech 20 years in the future. Thinking this was created on early 2000's tech, and he still smashed it!!
Is it the same computer package, I guess? (Newer version of course, but I guess (as an example) if you were using Adobe Photoshop then it would be similar to now. Video editor Final Cut Pro got a big reboot into "iMovie Pro" to much disarrangement though, but things like Abode Premiere and Avid would still work the same in terms of video editing.)
It's amazing that despite being vary much of it's time it doesn't feel dated at all. Great job Christian!
The key to not being dated is to never be fashioable in the first place.
@@TheCrowHillCo some things just transcend fashion ❤️
Fashion goes in cycles though, people are getting nostalgic for the sounds of the late 90s and early 00s.
@@TheCrowHillCo that's actually a really solid piece of advice!
It does sound dated lets not be silly
This intro is so iconic. Even now, in 2024, when I hear that intro - I just get overwhelmed with nostalgia and excitement. This was the perfect theme to compliment the Top Gear Trio: Jezza, Hamster and Slow. You gave this song "Jesisca" a new life and meaning for millions of people across the globe, to the point where most of the people around the world will never associate this song with its origins. To most people, it is "Top Gear."
Masterful work, and something to be proud of for sure. Even though, like you said, you have since moved on to make better compositions for other thingsas time went on - this is definitely a staple in your long line of work. Just one of many cornerstones, I'm sure.
I used to feel so deeply excited every time I heard this intro as a kid, it was such a perfect way to start and end the show. In fact, even hearing it now makes me feel a little bit of a thrill! You did an amazing job, thank you
Absolutely incredible. And just another lesson that you never know how big or iconic what you're working on will be. Something that seems like just another job could end up being a massive part of entertainment history
Rarely what you think is going to be your big break turns out that way too.
This video combined all of my loves, being a musician and a Top Gear fan. I just wish’ed the video didn’t end! Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Gave me chills as it all came together
Tonight
I point at some fields
Richard minces around a corner
And James describes his ideal night-in
Incredible how your tracked livened up the life of millions!
It's borderline criminal just how little you were paid for the show considering how iconic the theme is, nevertheless thank you so much Mr. Henson!
Horses for courses.
You don't get paid more than a flat fee for doing something like this, unless you actually did something to warrant a songwriting credit and therefore royalty payments. It's just how the industry works.
After my best friend moved from South Germany to London 16 years ago i payed him a visit and we sat down after dinner and watched TV. He introduced me to Top Gear and instantly it became my most favorite TV show ever. The next years it became a habit to book a flight every 2 months to pay him a visit and just watch Top Gear on Dave or any other channel which has some old episodes in the schedule. The best thing was the music the team at the BBC have chosen for some of the episodes (like for the Disco Volante part) which introduced me to even more wonderful music and composers which are still played every day during work. There have been so many hours of listening to all of their voices, jokes and epic moments. I hoped that The Grand Tour would come close but sadly it never convinced me even though it started very promising. Thanks for sharing the process of creating the theme for it. Quality content as ever Christian.
When he's got the Seek Wah section playing at 4:45, I've got the dumbest grin on my face while headbanging. 😂
Thank you algorithm for placing this in my feed and seeing great work recreated for my tv
You say you only spent 4 hours and that you're not quite sure why it did so well, and yes, arguably its probably not the most perfect 'musically', but that's not what makes music special. It's being a young kid, hearing that guitar sweep at the start from upstairs and sprinting down to watch the episode. The music is the constant in a show that has been there my entire life and because of that the music is always going to be a special part of my life. Thank you for arranging this music, you'll never quite know how much of an impact it has really had on people like me
14:40 Another great example why old saying "if it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing well" is still correct.
I've heard the song during the show probably thousands of times and never once put too much thought into how the theme was composed. Great work! Cheers mate!
The end anticipates audience applause. It’s so well thought out in its entirety. Kudos!
I'm so happy to see what you've done here. This 'little' song has almost defined my childhood and now I'm a musician myself finding out about the crow hill company, so now I'm loving this video and I'm loving your website as well
Thank you. You created something that'll stay forever in my heart. It's such a big part of the experience listening to the theme and the introduction.
This was really interesting! Just goes to show how doing something seemingly innocuous can have such a massive impact and be remembered and loved for years to come!
I'm old enough to remember the original show and theme very well. When the re-boot came out I was a bit indifferent to the revamped theme, but over the years it has grown on me and has now become even more of a classic than the original in my mind. I guess mainly because I've heard it so many times, but seeing how it was put together is fascinating and what blows my mind is you did this in 4 hours and got paid only £600 for it. That is both incredible and criminal at the same time. What a legend. I don't think it's a bad thing to be known as "the Top Gear guy", but I certainly understand why you'd want to down-play it, because it's very easy to be typecast as a one trick pony. Clearly you're not though!
I wonder how common that is?
“Done anything I’d know then mate?” and then you reel off all your best work, only to have to admit something that was just simply well-loved or just popular. I have the same thing happen to me at dinner parties. “Oh, so you compose for computer games! Anything I’d know?”, and I stare at this middle-aged accountant in front of me and hit him with my best compositions, only for him to shake his head and me eventually having to say, “Oh, and Lemmings…”.
“Oh! I loved that game!” 😂
ha ha ha ha! My Dad was a very fine theatre actor but will always be remembered as the medallion man in Fawlty Towers.
We getting an insight on how Top Gear theme was made before we get to play GTA 6. I love this.
you're a legend man, the nostalgia that the top gear theme song brings me is insane, thank you for bringing me and millions of others amazing memories ❤
I remember you promising this video a few years ago. And finally its here. Thank you so much! Fantastic work!
remembering the episode with slash and watching him play it was just so amazing
what a legend. my favorite theme ever. god bless this guy and the Allman Brothers.. and Jeremy, James and Richard.
I love any video like this. They’re so valuable and helpful to aspiring media composers!!!
Thankyou
So pleased to here, that is completely our intention.
Wow Christian, what a wonderfull insight into your creation process, I'm 58 and loved making music on home computers startiing with the Atari 800Xl, and then the Atari ST. I also had no classical training, but thoroughly enjoyed exploring music making on anything with keys, even sneaking into churches and firing up church organs. The explosion of midi and daws massively empowered people like me to create unheard and unique sounds with out the practical limits and phenomenal huge costs of traditional studio hardware.
Your origins rhymed with me and your success with iconic projects have been truley heart warming.
Finally we see how the Top Gear theme was made, I have been waiting for this since Christian mentioned it on his original channel years ago ❤
Thank you i can now put a face to the man the myth the legend. Thank you for so many years of joy.
Keep this man safe he had been the reason so many of us enjoy top gear today I’ve never rewatched a yt 3 times but this this was worth it 🎉🙏
When I started watching your videos several years ago I knew you were special, but the Top Gear theme/best Jessica remix ever special is something else!
You should have heard the quartet arrangement.
The orchestral stabs are very art of noise :)
Indeed. Anne Dudley got me into this industry,.
Thank you for makeing my childhood! This show was amazing and some of my earliest memories are waiting to see if my father would come home and finish work in-time to watch an episode with him!
I never thought the Top Gear theme would have such an interesting story behind it. Well done!
600 £ for a composition but will forever be timeless. Thank you, sir and your colleagues.
Top Gear was an automotive show I grew up watching as a child in Bangladesh 🇧🇩. Iconic.
Thanks for doing this Christian! For some reason I never knew you created this, but as an early adopter (watcher) of Top Gear in Canada and learning a bit about music from your videos over the years it’s a wonderful connection to discover. Cheers!
Had no idea what TH-cam would give me today but man this video delivered! Thank you Christian for you work! I know you said you don’t want to be remembered just for this but it had a huge influence on me. I can’t hear Jessica without thinking of your piece.
I love the intro music and the fact that you used loops from BT makes it even better!
This x1000.
Been a huge BT fan all these years and have watched every episode of this version of Top Gear multiple times. Crazy to never have known this until now!
BT is an incredible producer. Cool it's his drums behind there.
Its so iconic it’s never going to be outdated.
There's very few TV theme songs that can give chills, build excitement and elicit so many emotions and even though the melody may not be "original", the composition is timeless in its inspiration to millions around the world.
AWESOME video!!! i really enjoyed hearing the track with different parts muted, it was so lovely !! Thanks for making this!! :D :D
Thank you for enjoying it! 🫵
The intro is absolutely ICONIC!!! Im sorry but he should be paid a lot more for creating such a masterpiece
Nice work Christian. You got the chops dude.
this is my all time favourite tv show intro. its so energetic and catchy. listened to it so many times. its epic, cool, and a bit silly at the same time. its perfect. such a shame to hear that you and the guitarist did not receive royalties for each play. you deserved it! the original song writer would have never earned all those royalties if it werent for you.
Listen to the original Allman Bros track sometime! It is so sweet and beautiful !
Hey, just so you know, even to this day I associate this version Jessica with good times I had in my childhood watching it either alone or with my loved ones and it always perks me up even if I'm having a bad day. Thank you for making this version of Jessica and leaving an indelible mark on me.
Don't worry, Christian, you'll always be the "Alien Isolation" composer first and foremost in my mind!
This was one heck of a nostalgic trip. Hearing each little part added... it had that same feeling of waiting for the show to start each Sunday. Soo many people grew up with this piece of music and it shaped an entire generation.
So it was you!! Bleedin’ Nora! I hated it (meaning I wasn’t that keen on it) at first but grew to love the show and the trio so it of course became synonymous with that love. Never realised how big the gap was in between the theme at the start (heard only once) and the rising phrase at the end. Did I understand you got a flat fee but no repeats, but Theo does? Seems manifestly unfair as you played (samples) on it as well… well my 19yr old is going to love this video - I hope it goes viral and earns you some shekels! Well done, talk about fulfilling the brief 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
PS Kudos to the interviewer :)
Doh! Of course you were talking about the composer!
Thanks for the Logic Pro download - it's very generous of you to share it and so interesting to play with :-)
I’ve been waiting for this video for years
We hope the wait paid off 😊
This is amazing. I had no idea you did this and it's fantastic to celebrate it, even if it was only 4 hours of your life.
I would have brought this up in every conversation, how am I just learning this now? legend!
shy
Those words towards the ends are very encouraging as someone who can’t play instruments, but has been learning to use a DAW since 2018
for sure
Love the BoC and Aphex records sitting in the background
I was pleasantly surprised to see them :)
boards of canada is the best
Genius work! It blends so well, and they timed their filming to the song perfectly
Wow I never knew you did this. Well done old boy
He didn't make it, just replayed and remixed. The Allman Brothers recorded this song "Jessica" in the 1970s.
Never in my life has a theme song put such a smile on my face immediately when i hear it. Thanks
I would love to see a video breaking down how you made the theme song to Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, which is deffo in my Top 10 TV Themes.
It's criminal how little you got for such an iconic song. Hopefully this video brings some well deserved recognition... and money!
Christian, you're a naughty boy for keeping us in the dark for so long... :)
It's been on the Wikipedia page it's there to search. It's an arrangement.
I was shy.
@@TheCrowHillCo :).
Been watching the series for like seems all my youth and well into the last season with Jeremy Clarkson in it. And always wondered how this was made. This video sparked a lot of inspiration and ideas and would love to see and hear more. Keep it up, you're doing great, wishing you all, the very best!
TONIGHT! ON ½GEAR!
-I drive to Rumania on a trycicle
-Hammond breaks his whole bottom half again
- And James pays 39.000¥ to a monk in Indonesia
Oh my word, I so enjoyed watching this! It was a perfect combination of what you did, how you did it and background insights.
No way!!! Bro we totally want to see a list of your full credits please. And more vids like this!
www.imdb.com/name/nm0378194/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Two pints to immense ❤
Its rare that i watch a video completely to tye end, skipping nothing. This was riveting! Great work!
Tonight
A dog looks over a wall
We drive some chairs
And the Stig does a skid in a supercharged Jag
Perhaos the most iconic intro ever. Loved gearing how much went into it. Very cool video!
couldn’t click this fast enough? did you do the Grand Tour intro too? this was such a cool video to see the process of how this iconic sound came together
No didn't do that.
very well produced video, was cool watching you recreate it
What a boss! And spinning the latest Aphex as well I see.
This is amazing, thank you for sharing!
The end always reminds me of Rainbow!
You're SO RIGHT!!! I'm never gonna un-hear that now!
As a music producer with a degree in the subject who has also watched top gear pretty much since I was born, this video is perfect.