The truth IS out there. After a few people (Mitch, James C.) have noted the similarity it wasn’t until I watched the show myself that I realized how similar Downton Abbey‘s theme is to the X-Files intro. According to wikipedia the X-Files theme reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart. Really???
Here’s a fun tidbit about the X-Files theme music from its Wikipedia page:
The theme song’s famous whistle effect was inspired by the track “How Soon is Now” from The Smiths‘ 1985 album Meat Is Murder. After attempting to craft the theme with different sound effects, Snow used a Proteus 2 rack-mount synth that featured an effect called “Whistling Joe”. After hearing this effect, Carter was “taken aback” and noted it is was “going to be good”. According to the “Behind the Truth” segment on the first season DVD, Snow created the echo effect on the track by accident. He said that the song had gone through several revisions, but Carter felt that something was not quite right. Carter walked out of the room and Snow put his hand and forearm on hiskeyboard in frustration. The keyboard, however, had an echo effect setting that had accidentally been activated. The resulting riff pleased Carter; Snow said, “this sound was in the keyboard. And that was it.” – Wikipedia
THAT’S what the Downton theme sounds like! It was bugging me all day.
Ahhh, you can rest now 🙂
My sister thought I was crazy for thinking this sounded like The X-Files, but I knew others had to have heard it. And Google found that Gillian Anderson was originally supposed to play Lady Grantham (Cora), so I’m even more convinced now that someone there is an X-Files fan.
Nice tidbit on the Gillian Anderson thing!
Also, Downton Abbey’s theme is very similar to the music of “The Piano” movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdWLwRexMRA (around 0:38)
That’s exactly what *I* thought as soon as I heard the D A theme, Mario! The connection between Gillian and Cora is cool – really wish it had been Gillian!
That song is called The Promise (the heart asks for pleasure first) by Michael Nyman. Love that piece.