Theme from Z-Cars Theme from Z-Cars "Theme from "Z-Cars"" was the theme tune to the long-running BBC television drama "Z-Cars". Based on the traditional folk song "Johnny Todd", which was in a collection of traditional tunes by Frank Kidson dated 1891 called "Traditional Tunes: A Collection of Ballad Airs". Kidson's notes for this song say: "Johnny Todd is a child's rhyme and game, heard and seen played by Liverpool children. The air is somewhat pleasing, and the words appear old, though some blanks caused by the reciter's memory have had to be filled up." There is also what appears to be a version
The Avengers (TV series) television theme was issued on Fontana in 1963. A very faithful cover version was released by Johnny Gregory. When Rigg joined the series in 1965, new theme music by Laurie Johnson was introduced. This was based on a previously released title, on LP called "The Shake" (which capitalised on "The Shake" dance craze of the 60s). For the colour series (1967), a percussion section was added to accompany the new teaser sequence at the start of each episode. Johnson re-scored the theme when Linda Thorson joined the series, adding a counter-melody on trumpet, based on the leitmotif for Tara King