Who Sang The Theme Tune For Only Fools And Horses

Alright, mate, let's dive into the world of Trotters' fame and fortune. You know that iconic theme tune that gets your toes tapping and your heart racing, ready for another caper with Del Boy and the gang? The one that's been echoing through our tellys for decades? Well, buckle up, 'cause we're about to find out who's responsible for that little earworm.

Meet the Maestro

So, who's the musical genius behind the Only Fools and Horses theme? It's none other than John Sullivan, the show's creator and writer. Now, you might be thinking, "Hang on a sec, I thought he was just the bloke who came up with all the laughs and the brilliant storylines?" Well, you're not wrong, but it turns out John was a man of many talents.

You see, before he was penning the hilarious misadventures of the Trotters, John was actually a musician. He played the trumpet and even had a brief stint in a band called Blue Genes. Now, I'm not saying he was the next Louis Armstrong, but he certainly had a knack for tunes.

From Trumpet to Typewriter

Now, here's where it gets interesting. John was working as a milkman at the time, and he'd often hum the theme tune while making his early morning deliveries. One of his customers, who happened to be a BBC producer, heard the tune and thought it was a belter. He encouraged John to write it down and send it in for the new sitcom he was working on - yep, you've guessed it, Only Fools and Horses.

John, ever the humble chappie, thought his customer was having a laugh. But no, he was deadly serious. So, John sat down, wrote out the tune, and sent it off. And the rest, as they say, is history.

But Wait, There's More!

Now, here's where things get a bit tricky. You might have heard that the theme tune was actually written by Nick Lipton, a professional musician who worked with John on the show. But here's the thing - Nick's version was just an arrangement of John's original tune. So, while Nick certainly played a big part in bringing the theme to life, the credit for that catchy little ditty goes to our man John.

Nick, bless him, even admitted that he'd had a few drinks one night and claimed he'd written the theme tune. But he soon came clean, saying, "I was a bit tipsy, and I thought it would be a good idea to say I'd written it. But I didn't. John Sullivan wrote it." So there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth (or should that be the Trotter's mouth?).

From Milkman to Musician

Isn't it a brilliant story? It just goes to show that you never know where life's going to take you. One minute you're delivering milk, the next you're writing the theme tune for one of the nation's favourite sitcoms. It's enough to make you raise a glass of champagne to the milkman, isn't it?

And there you have it, folks. The next time you hear that iconic tune, you'll know it's the work of a man who swapped his trumpet for a typewriter and created something truly special. Cheers to you, John Sullivan. You're a Trotter by trade, but a maestro by nature.

And Finally...

So, there you have it. The tale of how the Only Fools and Horses theme tune came to be. Isn't it a brilliant reminder that talent can come from the most unexpected places? It just goes to show that you never know when your big break might come knocking. So, keep your ears open, and who knows? You might just hear the next big thing - and it might even be you!

Until next time, folks. Over and out.