Do you have feathers in your hair? News Posted by John Hoare on 9th May 2007, 11:20 It depends if I’ve been entertaining the owls. Anyway, from Time Hole, on Terrorform: Pre-existing music included a firm favourite – ‘Copacabana’. On original transmission, a version by none other than James Last was used, although copyright allowance saw later versions using an alternative, similar-sounding, version. We’ve been hunting for this original broadcast for ages here at G&T, but with absolutely no success. And then I found it, completely randomly, on YouTube! Although is that actually Copacabana? It doesn’t sound like it to me – it sounds like generic musak, but then, erm, I can’t say I know the James Last version of Copacabana that well. It’s really weird hearing it. Like that time when I first watched a version of Demons & Angels which included the line “The part of you that lusts after meaningless sex” (which was cut out of the 94 repeat version – the only copy I had for ages), it’s strange when you know an episode so well, and then something different happens in it…
Yikes! That’s neither Copacabana, nor, in fact, the original UK broadcast version! The YouTube poster is Candian, so this may be a change made for broadcast and/or HVS in the region pre-2000. Certainly it’s always easier to clear tracks for a country than for EVERY country; maybe the distributor/channel back then didn’t want to absorb the additional music costs. Interesting…
Wow! This really *is* interesting. I love it when things like this come up – you think you know a show, and then you find out something new like this. I suppose it also brings up the question as to whether there have there been any *other* music changes in Dwarf – although I suppose it’s unlikely, as nearly all of it is Howard Goodall, easily-licensed library music, or, erm, written by Craig or Danny. But I bet you there have been edits overseas to Dwarf eps for timeslot (either taste/decency, or purely for timing) – like the UK Gold edits. It’d be interesting to find out more about that.
I cant’ watch the UKgold version of Red dwarf episodes… I just know something’s been cut, and i can’t watch it without seeing the version i remember. That strange salsa/calypso music kinda throws you if you’re not expecting it. Odd.
At some point, I’ll come up with a proper list of *all* the UK Gold edits. I only know of “Let’s get out there!” and “It’s my duty!”, but I’m sure there’s loads more. And then, next time they broadcast one of the edited eps after 9pm, I’ll mention it to them…
Yikes! That?s neither Copacabana, nor, in fact, the original UK broadcast version! No, it’s not (the song, anyway; you’d know more about the episode versions), and that’s the first time I’ve ever heard anything other than ‘Copacabana’ on that episode, which is pretty much my favorite! Though I thought sure I had, I must not have watched it on my DVD, if it’s not actually ‘Copacabana’ on that. *Weird*… it feels really wrong hearing something else there, as that’s the only version I was ever used to, and as you said, John, “it?s strange when you know an episode so well, and then something different happens in it?” ‘Copacabana’ just added this extra element of humor somehow, I think because of the cheese factor. :)
Could Aardman please re-release The Wrong Trousers on DVD with “Happy Birthday to You” reinstated as the tune for Gromit’s birthday card? And “How Much is that Doggy in the Window?” and the proper organ music from the penguin’s radio? As hearing stupid alternative pieces of music are really jarring. Ta very muchly. PS – the original soundtrack for The Wrong Trousers can be heard as background when the commentary is playing. Does anyone know whether commentary tracks have different rules for soundtrack content? Eg is there a loophole that would allow the original version of Copacabana to appear on the commentary track of Terrorform?
> Does anyone know whether commentary tracks have different rules for soundtrack content? Not at all. You’d still have to pay a fee. I think they generally hope such things won’t be noticed – having mixed the commentary down before clearing the content fully. The Bridget Jones commentary is hilarious. Not only were the end titles segments recut America – so the (American-recorded) commentary refers to something totally different to what we’re seeing in R2 – but the UK movie includes a misguided redub. “Cunt” is changed to “cow”, presumably for certification reasons…but the word is clearly audible on the commentary whic is mixed down to the American track! > the original version of Copacabana to appear on the commentary track of Terrorform? Um…doesn’t the American version of Terrorform on DVD match the UK version? The glass masters are, as far as I know, literal NTSC conversions of the British edition – save that one bonus feature on Series I – and so the episodes are the same.
>The glass masters are, as far as I know, literal NTSC conversions of the British edition – save that one bonus feature on Series I And which one is that?
> And which one is that? Because two minutes of checking online for yourself would be too exhausting? :-) It’s the Drunk music featurette. As reported at the time, the song couldn’t be cleared for America. Shame.
