Pete Shelley Tour de France Theme

[@jameswilkinson8306]

Summer 1988, come home from school, have tea, watch TDF on channel 4, pedal off on my Raleigh Competition as fast as I could with this tune in my head. Happy days ❤

[@lewis72]

Raleigh Competition in 1988 ? Bloody hell, must have had rich parents ! :-p I had to make to with a 1984 Raleigh Pulsar but by 1989 I'd saved up enough for an '89 Record Ace Moderne (Reynolds 653), which I still have. I've now quite a collection of '80s Raleigh roadies: - Quasar - Sirocco ('84 & '87 models) - Corsa - Competition (1985) - Road Ace (1985) - Team Replica ('85 Panasonic)

[@chrishitchen3503]

Absolute tuuuuuuune and will always be the TDF theme for me ♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@racefaceec90]

for me this will always be my tdf theme tune. rip mr shelley 😢

[@Tomokiinlondon]

Bring it back, bring it back. Captures the spirit of cycling so well

[@kevincockburn7805]

This tune is the tour de France. Epic.

[@andrewmurray5542]

Anything since has just sounded inferior. Simple as that.

[@johnbrabbin2642]

Pete was old school mate of mine. We never knew how talented he was

[@ewant07]

Still love this so much - the best theme to a TV sport show ever!

[@parallelsuns1]

I assumed this was composed by Kraftwerk. Moroder or similar electronic experts but was quite shocked when I found out it was Pete Shelley. The geat days of the Tour de France on channel 4 - Miguel Indurain, Richard Virenque, Pedro Delgado etc

[@carter83419]

What a tune! This takes me back to 86 and the TDF on channel 4 in the uk, a time when we only had 4 channels. Mr Lamond won an epic battle with the Badger and my 11 year old self would fall in love with cycling and the voices Liggett and Sherwen. Rip Paul and Pete. 🥲

[@iftykhan180]

Thank you - this is the first time I’ve heard the full version in high quality. That said for those of us who remember the tours of the time - the Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen overdubbed commentary gave this an enhanced dramatic quality. One of the best themes to a great race, programme and period. It’s made me appreciate Pete Shelley too.

[@pauloliver6813]

Absolutely right. Mid to late 80's...it was cool to watch the Tour on Channel 4...and I think this theme tune made it very, very cool...

[@brunol9876]

Well said pal

[@stevenfinch9026]

Well said mt

[@keef71]

and gary imlach

[@Exupace]

An utter classic, right up there with the theme for the RAC rally Propaganda- Jewelled.

[@stenwald]

Childhood memories with my dad. Still have them. Good times.

[@jessofthedurbs]

Same 😊

[@DexterFrobisher]

Great 1986 instrumental version of Pete's song 'Give It To Me' which was the b-side of his 1984 single 'Never Again'.

[@bradfordrabbitt85]

Yep - Give it to me was I believe the b side to…IDK. Have the vinyl in the garage

[@martinbroadhurst695]

This is such a top tune by the beautiful Pete Shelley, reminds of those wonderful evenings thinking i was Greg Lemond et all in the late 80's

[@AllyLamont]

Ah, this makes me so happy. Lovely memories of watching Lemond, Indurain, Abdujaparov, Jalabert et al on the Tour back in the day. RIP, Pete Shelley.

[@paulputnam8211]

Those names, the memories !

[@jameswhyman4127]

Cipollini!!

[@Jimmy67Lisboa]

Claudio Chiappucci!

[@marks3620]

Glued to channel 4 highlights in 89 for the Lemond and Fignon final that was unbelievable this tune is just awesome and sums those days up.

[@jasonedwards6870]

totally...and just to add Pedro Delgado.

[@ferguscrystal6315]

And Frere Jacques at the end. Pete you ticked all the boxes!

[@x4dd]

Oh yesss, the 1980s summer memories ❤

[@TwatterFreeZone]

What a fabulous piece of inspirational music, A genius. Thank you Pete. RIP.

[@damodmc]

Two words come to mind... Djamolidine Abdoujaparov.

[@petecurran3995]

The Tashkent Terror, as Phil would say! 👍🏻

[@stevecooper7038]

Or Abdupushemov 😂

[@green823jade]

Genuius

[@pch84]

I play this often during any live cycling stage. It always fits perfectly.

[@davecommentator]

Just perfect - and you can even pedal a bicycle in time to it.

[@neiledwards4923]

It says it all doesn't it. The 80s was just on a different level to anything since!

[@brianartillery]

This track was released in a different version in 1984 as 'Give It To Me'. It was the B-Side of the 12" version of 'Never Again'. A tremendously hard dance track, and it's wonderful. Different versions of this were released under the name 'ZIP'.

[@dm5204]

Iconic song. As a kid it was the coolest tv theme for a sport that I didn’t even participate in competitively. Loved the bikes too...chrome forks and spokes glistening in the sun as they catapulted themselves up a mountain all in the knowledge that their bikes cost more than my dads car!

[@simbeasley8632]

I am so sorry that you passed away, this is such a fantastic tune and I will remember your musical genius forever 😘

[@danchadwick6289]

This is pure Quality

[@andrewhill3678]

I've looked and looked for this version for so many years, having found Buzzcocks 'Give it to me', I now have this! Thank you so much for posting such a high quality version. I too remember watching the huge battle between Lemond and Fignon in '89 on Channel 4 with Sherwen (RIP) and Liggett commentating. I so wish that this would be the signature intro tune to the Tour's television coverage once again.

[@dan32113]

Robert Millar in his Z team shirt , out sprinting Delgado to win in Queen stage @ Superbagneres stage 10. Also Roche from 87 Tour, needing oxygen. Classic sporting memories. They should do a record store day release of this great Tune...

[@cathalsweeney6]

Anyone rember Stephen roache epic ride in the tour de france ?

[@salfordladsclub4966]

@@cathalsweeney6 Up La Plagne..everyone thought Delgado had a bigger lead than he had due to fog interfering with the radios,Roche literally rode to a standstill chasing Delgado and required hospital treatment after,he won the Tour that day though..what memories.

[@lesdeans3102]

What fabulous memories come flooding back. Le Tour going over Tourmalet and Aubisque. The Peloton snaking up Alpe D,Huez. And the best commentators in the business. Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin. My 3 greatest of all time? Il Campionissimo. Maitre Jacques and the Cannibal.

[@christianmatheron6444]

“They will take big risks on the descent with some riders reaching speeds of up to 60mph.” Paul Sherwen during pretty much every single mountain stage at the TDF.

[@redapeck6911]

The current ITV4 TDF music is great, but this is even better. Thanks for the upload ☺️

[@mcosgrove91010]

Thank you so much for sharing this - I don't know if I would have ever gotten to hear it otherwise.

[@GTP_Mars]

Thanks for finding and sharing this absolute gem - I loved it when I used to watch TdF on Channel 4 but as far as I know it was never credited, or atleast I never knew until now that it was Pete Shelley's work. What an epic track, I love the combo of Moroder-esque synths and guitars, and the timings of some shifts are just amazing. Love it, thanks again for making my day/week!

[@petecurran3995]

Outstanding and beyond! 👍🏻

[@tonyobrien2587]

To be added to my favourite 'cycling' tracks. Great for hi tempo riding.

[@pdsnpsnldlqnop3330]

PLEASE CAN I HAVE THE REST!!!

[@paulputnam8211]

Pete Shelley is new to me but what a theme ! I can the Peloton snaking down a mountain pass with any one of the cycling greats at its head. Terrific stuff !

[@EyeAmNotAlone]

Classic!!!!

[@andyledger2307]

One for the turbo trainer playlist.

[@TheEssexSpurs]

Its Roche its Steven Roche.

[@webm8]

wow thanks, only been able to share my VHS copy recorded from the opening credits.

[@REDWEDGE18]

I never knew it was Shelly from the Buzzcocks, totes cool !!!

[@MAN2pointZero]

do you know who owns the publishing rights to it? It deserves a release

[@NPractitioner]

Tune

[@keef71]

Allez Robert! Based on a song called Give It To Me - there used to be a version years ago, but i've never found it again

[@androomunro]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZTPf5uPls-qpZY

[@cwmapp]

I was the same as Peter Shelley... but without his courage.

[@incqbait_Ltd]

Petition to bring this back to the Tour - update the current version - its good but a bit flat, this is far superior for Le Grand Boucle

[@andrewmurray5542]

Agreed - well with the bit to bring it back. The current one isn't good,. It's lacks the dynamism and evocation of speed that Shelley's time has. I think it was adapted from a Buzzcock's song (or a Shelley solo record) rather than written specifically for the Tour. But yes, far superior- no doubt about that.

[@andrewmurray5542]

So much better than the ITV4 Tour theme. The current one sounds so wimpy and lacks any excitement or oomph. By contrast, Shelley's theme had that feeling of speed and movement; had more finesse. Would love to see ITV4 start using this again.

[@lewis72]

As best as I can figure, it started from this, by the Buzzcocks: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJKsfqJ4iNOoesk Then went to this when Pete went solo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZTPf5uPls-qpZY

[@markdriscoll3081]

Lewis72 don’t forget Zip were a short-lived Shelley band, around 1986-88 and this is their (his) handiwork kzbin.info/www/bejne/emHKpJSseMyWbc0

[@pauloliver6813]

It isn't easy to find the evolution of such an iconic tune. Thanks for the leads. Of course, it's Pete Shelly with all that entails, but I'm not ashamed to admit that in the mid 80's the evolved version of this was just the joyously cool theme music of Channel 4's Tour De France coverage...when I was young and C4 and Tour De France were exotic.

[@corac4]

Wow! Never realised this, thanks

[@lewis72]

@@corac4 You're welcome. Quite an interesting progression, isn't it ?

[@stevecooper7038]

I am no longer infected.

[@michaelperkins4854]

I was today years old when I found out that Pete Shelley did this.

[@jasonmullaley3234]

Hinault