Why don't you ... ? Mid 70s theme tune

[I. R. Fincham]

Anybody remember the show "Why don't You...?" in about 1975 or so. It was a long running show, but I'm specifically talking about that particular period.

Specifically, I would like to know about the theme tune. It had an instrumental theme. This was before the song. Does anyone know if it was a rendition of an existing tune, or was it original?

You can hear a brief part of the tune used in the end credits of a later episode here from about 53sec. I think when it was the main theme, it had slightly better instrumentation.

[George 1978]

I know that it ran for a good 20 years until the mid 1990s (although they may have been repeats by then) - always seems to be a stalwart of school holiday morning TV on BBC 1 when children's programmes were on both sides albeit repeats and imports, only interrupted by sport, election coverage, strikes and Royal Weddings, and were often against Sesame Street or foreign cartoons on the other side.

I assume that the Birmingham gang represented the East Midlands as well? - it was a bit like a kids' version of Nationwide, sans the news?

[Semi42]

I recognise the tune I think it was WDY? Specific and not a rendition of an existing tune .
the main theme tune was burned so hard in to our memories that there’s no doubt that even without the lyrics, we’d know what it’s from . Not so much the closing tune but enough to spark the memory

[Cartimand]

Anybody remember the show "Why don't You...?" in about 1975 or so. It was a long running show, but I'm specifically talking about that particular period.

Specifically, I would like to know about the theme tune. It had an instrumental theme. This was before the song. Does anyone know if it was a rendition of an existing tune, or was it original?

You can hear a brief part of the tune used in the end credits of a later episode here from about 53sec. I think when it was the main theme, it had slightly better instrumentation.

You mean the instrumental snippet played on a kazoo?
Does sound familiar. Think it could be from some American musical from the 50s or 60s.

[Cartimand]

Found it - thanks to Google's "What's that tune" app.
It wasn't originally from a musical, but was part of Dvořák's Symphony No.9 in E minor (1893). It has been used in a couple of movie soundtracks.
Check out the melody from 4:23 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLWpgWuUaU4

[George 1978]

Also, did they always seem to make chocolate Rice Krispies/Cornflakes cakes in most episodes as part of their cooking slot, or was it something that I just seem to remember when it happened to be on?

[I. R. Fincham]

Found it - thanks to Google's "What's that tune" app.
It wasn't originally from a musical, but was part of Dvořák's Symphony No.9 in E minor (1893). It has been used in a couple of movie soundtracks.
Check out the melody from 4:23 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLWpgWuUaU4

Brilliant. Thank you.