I've been watching Inspector Morse again recently. I was always a big fan back in the day, both of the John Thaw / Kevin Whately double act of Morse and Lewis, and of Colin Dexter's clever novels with a melancholic tone. I've never watched either the sequel show, Lewis, or the prequel, Endeavour... but I may give them a go once I recover from the trauma of the final episode.
I've written before about how watching old TV shows, like listening to old music, is providing me a lot of comfort lately. An escape from the horrors of the modern world. And Morse definitely fits that bill. In one episode I watched recently, Lewis is horrified when he orders a couple of pints and gets charged £2!
The show's theme tune, written by Barrington Pheloung, spelled out the character's surname using Morse code. While never a chart hit, it did shift a fair few soundtrack albums back in the late 80s...
Here are some songs that mention the Inspector, starting with Paul and Jacqui... and a video that features Brookside's Ron & Bev Dixon, TV fans!
Like chewing gum that's stuck to sole of shoe
Like cotton wool and tube of superglue
Inspector Morse or Sherlock Holmes to clue
You and me were meant to be together
Another duo, Patrick & Eugene, have drawn comparison to both Monty Python and The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. This is how they spend their Saturday nights...
I don't have to go out drinking, could stay in of course
Feet up on the sofa, and watch Inspector Morse
Next, a Scottish punk band who have been cussing up a storm since 1981. Fair to say they don't think that TV cops are true representations of the UK police force...
Meanwhile, I'm not sure which TV show Strategic Plan are watching, but they wish it was as good as Inspector Morse...
This isn't Maigret or Inspector Morse
In fact it's more like Clouseau, without the jokes of course
Poirot and Miss Marple would have solved it all by now
But these cops haven't got a clue and they're still running round
For the kids (well, the kids 10 years ago), here's Skepta with his best chat-up line...
This ain't the drink talkin' here
But ever since I walked in here
I've been investigating you like Inspector Morse in here
And finally, the wonderful Grace Petrie, with another song Billy Bragg wishes he'd written...
Well, honey, it don't make any sense
'Cause you don't have to be Inspector Morse
To see that you and me, honey, we're flogging a dead horse
A pound a pint, Lewis!? That's definitely a crime!
I met Ron Dixon in a pub in Paris in 1988 after the Scotland v Brazil World Cup game!. He was with Terry Yorath and Eddie Gray.
ReplyDeleteThree pints for a pound when I started drinking.
ReplyDelete