The Songs Of Sodor

The music of Thomas the Tank Engine has always been an integral part of the TV Series charm. However, in 1993, the composers Mike O’Donnell and Junior Campbell went one step further and began writing and composing special songs for the series.

The new songs were first heard on a special CD / Cassette release, released in 1993. The songs tied in with a special story which played between the new songs, with the different stages of the story being relevant to the subject matter of the songs themselves. The story centred upon ‘The Best Kept Station Competition’, where Thomas was taking the Fat Controller all over the Island to visit every station on the railway, it was told by Michael Angelis.

The Best Dressed Station Competition

Storylines By Helen Knowles

(Released 1993)

1. Thomas’s Anthem (Thomas, We Love You)

2. Gone Fishing

3. Really Useful Engine

4. That’s What Friends Are For

5. Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

6. Toby

7. Let’s Have A Race

8. Rules & Regulations

9. The Island Song

The songs soon found their way onto the Thomas video releases of Series 4. The only two which were never committed to music videos were ‘Rules and Regulations’ and ‘That’s What Friends Are For’. Some of the songs such as Gone Fishing included specially-shot footage by David Mitton and his crew, but largely, went by existing scenes from episodes and some extended or unused scenes from episodes.

After the success of the songs in the Series 4 releases, Britt Allcroft commissioned Mike and Junior to do more for Series 5. Again, as Thomas was not being aired on terrestrial television in the United Kingdom or United States, these songs acted primarily as a means of giving children something extra to enjoy on the VHS releases and later, DVDs.

SERIES 5 SONGS

(Released 1998)

Night Train

Accidents Will Happen

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining (Never Lose Hope)

It's Great To Be An Engine!

The Snow Song

Donald's Duck

Sir Topham Hatt

Come For The Ride

Harold The Helicopter

Percy's Seaside Trip

In both the UK and USA, a special VHS (Later a DVD in the USA) containing majority of the songs composed by Mike and Junior up until that point was released. Again, the songs played upon character themes from the series, giving Bill and Ben the tank engine twins a music video - (Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining), they also paid tribute to a Series 3 storyline with Donald’s Duck, and songs such as Night Train went on to be used as underlying themes for the TV Series.

The Series 5 songs were placed onto audio cassette also to give them their own standing, with another special story told by Michael Angelis, with the dialogue and situations revolving around the subject matter of the songs themselves again. This release went under the title of Surprise Adventures, and saw Thomas trying to deliver the post around the Island in the grips of Winter just after Christmas. But all does not bode well, with Dilly the Duck becoming trapped on ice and Percy derailing from the track. All the same, Thomas manages to get through with help from his friends.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad saw a completely different composer step in to perform the music, this being Hummie Mann. Hummie’s themes were all of his own original style, however, he was encouraged by Britt Allcroft to use as much Campbell & O’Donnell themes as he could. A particularly welcoming addition to the film’s repertoire was a special new recording of Really Useful Engine, which was sung by front-man of the band, The Bare Naked Ladies, Steven Page, backed by a group of younger voices as per the standards of the Series.

The songs for the Movie came from a variety of singers and song-writers, including Britt Allcroft’s son, Ben Wright and his band – Oba Ben. However, second to Steven Page, the most high-profile act involved on the soundtrack was the UK Girl Band, Atomic Kitten, who performed a cover-version of Kylie Minogue’s The Locomotion. The song was never realised as a single, but it did feature in the end credits of the movie. Full interviews with some of the singers and songwriters involved on the Movie’s soundtrack can be found on the Magic Railroad Mini Site.

THOMAS & THE MAGIC RAILROAD

Original Soundtrack

(Released 2000)

Really Useful Engine - Performed by Steven Page

Some Things Never Leave You - Performed by Joe Henry

Main Title - Hummie Mann (Theme)

Lily Travels to the Island of Sodor - Hummie Mann (Theme)

Burnett and Lady/Diesel 10 and Splodge - Hummie Mann (Theme)

Diesel 10 Threatens Mr. C/Lily and Patch - Hummie Mann (Theme)

Through the Magic Buffers - Hummie Mann (Theme)

Shining Time - Performed by Maren Ord

I Know How the Moon Must Feel - Performed by Dayna Manning

Summer Sunday - Performed by Ben Wright / Dominic Gibson / Dominic Goundar / Gerard McLachlan / Rob Jenkins

The Locomotion - Performed by Atomic Kitten

Chase, the Clue and the Happy Ending - Hummie Mann (Theme)

Following the Movie, the TV Series returned, and brand new songs were composed by Mike O’Donnell and Junior Campbell. However, after the takeover by HIT Entertainment in 2002, the endorsement and release of the songs and music videos dwindled. In the UK, since 2002, only one of the Series 6 songs – Winter Wonderland – has been on an official DVD / VHS release. While the release of the songs continued in the United States, not all of the songs have been released in that territory either. However, a special VCD release from Asia, copies of which cropped up on E-Bay have provided some solace to the UK fans who would otherwise not have been able to view or hear the new songs.

SERIES 6 SONGS

(Produced 2002)

James The Really Splendid Engine

Little Engines

Down by the Docks

Winter Wonderland

Boo!, Boo! Choo-Choo

Never, Never Give Up

The songs for Series 7 largely paid tribute to the new characters introduced to the fold. Salty the Dockyard Diesel and Fergus the Railway Traction Engine both received their own songs and music videos, while the Red Balloon from Series 6 was also given the treatment. Series 7 was to be the last series to feature Mike O’Donnell and Junior Campbell on the production staff. They left the series having produced 39 songs and innumerable themes for Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. The format of the upcoming Series 8 would see a new composer and song-writer introduced.

Two special CDs featuring some of the songs composed and written by Mike and Junior have been released in the UK and USA. They are Thomas’s Train Yard Tracks and Roundhouse Rhythms.

SERIES 7 SONGS

(Produced 2003)

Five New Engines in the Shed

The Red Balloon

There Once Was an Engine Who Ran Away

Troublesome Trucks

Salty

The Whistle Song

In 2004, Ed Welch took over the production of new songs for the TV Series. Ed has worked on numerous TV programmes, composing hundreds of themes as well as songs. For the first HIT Entertainment produced series, the emphasis was placed upon external themes, relevant to those being explored in the half-hour blocks airing on PBS and Nick Jr (UK) and not as much upon characters or situations as Mike and Junior had done before him. However, Gordon and Emily did manage to get their own songs throughout Series 8.

And as Ed Welch worked independently of the new composer, Robert Hartshorne, the songs that he composed the series did not feature as part of the TV Series’ new themes. However, one of Ed’s themes did end up as the new theme tune for the Series, Engine Roll Call, which would be played at the end of every half-hour block as a constant feature of the TV Series.

SERIES 8 SONGS

(Produced 2004)

Sounds

Emily

Surprises

A World Around You

Determination

Patience

Ode to Gordon

Engine Roll Call

The first HIT Entertainment produced special – Calling All Engines – released in 2005 for the 60^th Anniversary of Thomas and Friends, saw yet more songs composed by Ed Welch, all of which were relevant to what was going on in the storyline. This was the first time also that Engine Roll Call would be changed, with the lyrics and footage altered to accommodate Diesel 10, the storyline situation and the new Sodor Airport. It also marked the first appearance of the new 7-road Tidmouth Sheds in the Engine Roll Call song.

CALLING ALL ENGINES - SONGS

(Produced 2004)

Busy

Trying (Trying to Do Things Better)

The Dream Song (DVD Bonus Feature)

Together (Together We Made it Happen)

New Engine Roll Call

Series 9 continued with the same routine of having Ed Welch produce songs that were relevant to situations and storyline themes in the half-hour blocks. Series 9 however, saw Ed using an interactive interstitial to draw influence from to produce the song, Togetherness, which centred around Edward and Henry working together to get their job done.

SERIES 9 SONGS

(Produced 2005)

Brave

Day and Night

Party Time

Pride

Every Day's a Special Day

Sharing (Buffer Up and Share)

Togetherness

The Work Song

One Friendly Family

Prior to the release of Series 10 in either the UK or USA, special Direct-To-DVD releases were made with Jack and the Pack, the Sodor Construction Crew episodes filmed in 2003 while Phil Fherle was still Producer. Especially for the release, Ed Welch composed a new song, The Work Song which was based around the activities of Jack and his Construction Crew friends. So far, this song has only been released in the United States.

Series 10 has been the final series that Ed has composed a complete set of new songs for. However, he would remain involved with Thomas and Friends in 2007.

SERIES 10 SONGS

(Produced 2006)

Doing it Right
Favorite Place
Harold (H is for Harold)
Navigation
Old and New (There's Always Something New)
Responsibility (Happy and Sad)
Strength

In 2007, Ed Welch produced a special song for the Direct-To-DVD release, Engines and Escapades, which was poised to centre directly upon the Narrow Gauge Engines, with six episodes due to air in Series 11 being released as a special DVD release instead. This would be his only contribution to Series 11, which would repeat previous material such as songs and interstitials in the TV Broadcast.

DIRECT-TO-DVD SONGS

(Produced 2006 and 2007)

The Work Song (Jack and The Pack - 2006)
Narrow Gauge Engines Song (Engines & Escapades - 2007)

Ed Welch’s final contributions to the Series so far have been part of the final model animation special – The Great Discovery. Again, the same principle was applied here as had been previously in Calling All Engines, with relevant songs breaking up the storyline. This also featured a slightly altered version of Engine Roll Call to accommodate Stanley, the new engine introduced in the course of the Special. He would not compose any new songs for Series 12, which again relied upon repeating previous material from Series 8 to 10, and would have no part in 2009 special, Hero Of The Rails.

THE GREAT DISCOVERY SONGS

(Produced 2007)

Racing to the Wharf (Thomas and James are Racing - US/Canadian Title)

Jobs a Plenty (There's a Job for Everyone - US/Canadian Title)

Where, Oh Where is Thomas?

Engine Roll Call (Altered with "Henry, Toots and Edward puffs..." and "Stanley, He's the New One There...")

Thomas, You're the Leader! (Roll Call Rap)

The Great Discovery release also marked the beginning of something new, with special songs being composed and written in different genres and styles. The first of these was “Thomas – You’re The Leader” produced and arranged by Peter Woodroffe and Charlie Grant as a rap / hip-hop piece, played over the end of the credits for The Great Discovery feature. The song came as a surprise to many, but was well-received by fans who enjoyed the departure from the usual Thomas song fayre. A remixed version of “Thomas – You’re The Leader” is due to feature in the Series 13 CGI releases next year.

In 2009, members from Sodor Island Forums in the UK were invited to the Premiere of the 2009 CGI Special, Hero Of The Rails. There, we were able to get a few quick words from Robert Hartshorne, who had composed, arranged and written the only song of the feature, Go Go Thomas! Robert admitted that when he first started working on the series, he didn’t want to write music aimed directly at children. Therefore, as per the tradition set by The Great Discovery, he went on to write a 1950s style Rock ‘n’ Roll piece instead, which would appeal to both children and adults. The song was performed by Sam Blewitt.

2009 also saw Thomas take part in a very special song for the BBC’s Children In Need, along with an assortment of other British animated characters such as Postman Pat, Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder, the Wombles, Bagpuss, Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car. This song was not only significant because of the A-List Cast, but because it marked a few very special things for Thomas specifically. It was the first new production that the model animation was used in since the official switch to CGI, it was the first production outwith Series 12 to feature Thomas’s model with CGI implements, and it was the first time in 20 years that Ringo Starr had voiced the character!

Ringo returned to the role briefly to provide the vocals on Thomas’s singing for the song, along with the likes of Bernard Cribbins, who returned after an even longer break to voice the Wombles! Upon its initial charting, the single reached No.18 in the UK charts, but soared the following week to achieve the No.1 spot, knocking The X Factor Finalists (2009) off the top spot with their charity single, covering the Michael Jackson hit, You Are Not Alone.

SERIES 13 SONGS

(Produced 2009)

Roll Along
Thomas, You're The Leader (Re-Edit)

With the CGI relaunch of 2009, Robert Hartshorne took over control of the songs for the series. In the same spirit as Go, Go Thomas! he produced a new song for the new Series 13, Roll Along, which is another Rock ‘n’ Roll venture with the same vocalist from Go, Go Thomas! as opposed to using the vocals of the children. In addition, an edited version of “Thomas – You’re The Leader” featured on the Splish Splash Splosh DVD release - ommitting the mentions of the Narrow Gauge Engines and Stanley, neither of whom are committed to CGI rendering just yet.

A number of Ed Welch’s songs from Series 8 to 10 were also re-released with CGI footage in the music videos, however, unlike before there was no new dedicated footage for the songs, with visuals coming directly from scenes used in the TV Series owing to time constraints placed upon Nitrogen Studios for Series 13.