How I Made The TOP GEAR Theme

22 years ago Christian Henson smashed together three drum loops, some orchestral stabs, a synth bass, and a guitar through a Seek Wah for a poky little motoring show on BBC2. This small section of music was part of a larger suite of re-arrangements of The Allman Brother's "Jessica". The files are long lost on frozen spinning drives so Henson and the Crow Hill Team fastidiously sifted through sample collections re-creating a musical signature of what became the most distributed factual entertainment program of all time. This is how Christian made the #topgear theme.

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CONTENTS:

0:00 So 20 years ago...
01:05 How you can get under the cover of the Top Gear theme
01:23 What is Top Gear?
01:58 What is a media composer?
02:35 Drums
03:48 How I got the gig
04:22 What is a Seek Wah?
05:17 The hunt for the humbucker
06:32 Orchestral stabs
07:02 Water tank hits
07:19 Did Top Gear make me rich???
08:00 Synth bass
08:19 The original concept
09:22 The guitar sessions
10:50 Comping guitars into the track
11:12 The mystery orchestral bit
11:36 What do you need to study to become a media composer?
13:07 Mixing
13:42 What happened next?
14:23 Why I have put off making this video for 5 years...
15:27 How to download the assets FREE
15:45 Playout.

[david_schneider]

no way you made the top gear theme, absolutely love it, even after hearing it the 3.468.917 time!😃

[grdprojekt]

Tonight
I wear a hat
James wears a hat
And Richard is behind a low wall

[Chacaraman]

"Tonight, i pay some bloke 600 quid for a song. Hammond wears a hat, and James learns about the french constitution."

[Hilldrum]

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.

[jaywright]

I've never clicked on a video so quickly

[ChrisKeziahHyde]

Tonight, Dickie writes a song, Christian composes a new arrangement and Theo plays a guitar.

[polyphonics]

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 £600 you are the "Reasonably priced star". Be in no doubt that your work has touched people. My sincere thanks.

[Huntersky]

I love that there's this elevator music version of Jessica playing in the background during the guitar store section of the video

[mogmason]

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.

[skylightmusicshowree]

Loving the cheeky pizzicato cello version of Jessica lurking in the background during the 'field trip' x

[jantakoi]

Top Gear opening theme "Jessica" by The Allman Brothers Band. Composer Dickey Betts (arr. by Christian Henson)

[collinssaunders]

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!

[bobfrode]

The earworm of the century 😄
Had no clue you made this Christian...well done 🙂

[michaelwagner]

I can’t believe you only got £600 for arranging such a perfect piece for such a legendary show

[Dirnkus_Ginish]

It's amazing that despite being vary much of it's time it doesn't feel dated at all. Great job Christian!

[stevesutube]

I’m liking this retrospective look into the Henson archive. More please.

[vigneshramanathan]

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!

[hns_]

That 3rd drum loop just makes it so iconic.

[keaton]

This is peak content. Possibly my favorite YouTube video.

[elcasho]

Hearing this meant it was favourite show of all time about to start. Thank you!