Mention Worzel Gummidge to anyone over the age of forty and they will remember with fondness Jon Pertwee's bombastic television show. Christmas 2019 saw actor Mackenzie Crook reboot the show with two specials. What many casual viewers may not have noticed was that the soundtrack was composed by The Unthanks.
Commissioned by Crook to compose the music for the new series the resulting release ‘Worzel Gummidge’ was written by Unthanks pianist and producer Adrian McNally along with Rachael Unthank. The completed compositions were then record by the full band for broadcast use.
Using minimal instrumentation and sparse vocals, the music mixes natural themes with the ethereal. ‘The Scarecrow Knows’ implies wisdom on the ageless guardian of the field, while ‘The Crop Circle Waltz’ hints at magical powers linked to the environment. The rhythmic ‘Oats and Beans and Barley Grow’ and ‘Ripening Corn’are almost fairytale-like as the poetic vocals harmonise around the growing process.
Given that this is an abridged soundtrack collection, ‘Worzel Gummidge’ probably won’t appear in many music collections, but the sheer beauty of this work so elegantly composed by The Unthanks that manages in twenty-one minutes to explore the natural and mystical world is a truly wondrous piece of work that deserves to be listened to.
To enjoy ‘Worzel Gummidge’ in the context of the television series you can watch it now on BBC iPlayer.