Best of Murray Gold – Top 20 Doctor Who Soundtracks

Welcome back Whovians!

Like they say, all good things eventually come to an end. Along with Steven Moffat, Murray Gold has bit adieu from Doctor Who.

Music has been an integral part of Doctor Who. It is one of the shows that has given us some masterpieces in terms of music and isn’t given its due credit (much like the show itself).

Murray Gold served as a composer ever since the series revived in 2005. Although I am extremely saddened by his exit, I am also looking forward to the fresh ideas of the new composer, Segun Akinola.

Murray Gold has had the perfect mixture of epic and sombre music. He made us laugh, cry, run and afraid with his brilliant tracks. While there are many more silent achievers which didn’t quite make the list but these sure are his crowning achievement.

With a discography so iconic, doing a top ten was very difficult. And since I am a coward, I have made a top 20 Murray Gold composed tracks till series 9. I won’t be including series 10 as the soundtrack for the album hasn’t been released yet. I have also not included tracks of Daleks, Cybermen and other villains.

Although I have provided YouTube links to refer to the tracks, prefer listening to them on their CDs or on streaming sites like Spotify and Apple Music. Without any further ado, allons-y!

 

20. Abigail’s Song (Silence is all you know) (Episode ‘A Christmas Carol,‘ Series 5)

Inspired by Charles Dickens novel of the same name, A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite Christmas specials, along with The Return of Doctor Mysterio. This episode marks the acting debut of Welsh singer Katherine Jekins, who also sings this track. This song might be my favourite carol which is actually not a carol. Katherine’s voice is angelic and so so beautiful. No wonder Abigail magically enthralled not only Kazran, the fish, but also us as viewers.

 

19. Martha’s Theme/The Doctor Forever (Series 3 and 4)

This is one of my favourite themes. You just have to listen to it to know why Doctor Who music is so beautiful. It’s one of the most low-key compositions by Murray Gold. It oozes pure love albeit unrequited. Martha’s theme is beautiful and special in its own way like Martha herself. So special that The Doctor Forever, which is the Doctor’s theme in series 4 borrows a lot from Martha’s theme. 

 

18. The Impossible Girl/Clara’s Diner (Clara’s Theme)

If you’ve read my posts on Doctor Who before, you know I HATE Clara! There is no doubt on that matter on my end. However, her theme? It might be one of the most beautiful themes a companion had the privilege to have. Especially the guitar rendition one in Hell Bent moved me to tears. And that’s saying something as Hell Bent is an episode that I absolutely HATE and DETEST with every fibre of my being. The track has the mysteriousness of the impossible girl. The heartbreak of the loss of memory of Clara makes this track even more beautiful. This is my most unbiased opinion about anything Clara-related.

 

17. The Long Song (Episode ‘The Rings of Akhaten,‘ Series 7)

This is one of the few actual songs written by Murray Gold for the show. It’s a beautiful song sung by the delicate vocals of a child, accompanied by a choir for the chorus. It is a part of ‘The Rings of Akhaten’ one of the most terrible and mind-numbing episodes that the disastrous series 7 produced, in my opinion. But this song was the episode’s only saving grace. It also brought to life the best and the heartfelt speech by the Eleventh Doctor. The Long Song is so beautiful that they also included a part of it during Eleven’s regeneration. If only the main episode was not sleep-inducing…

 

16. The Greatest Story Never Told (Episode ‘Forest of the Dead, Series 4)

This piece was used through the second half of the season and is structured around a melody that keeps returning to represent The Doctor’s past love hinted at in Silence in the Library. – Murray Gold

A melody. Melody. I really don’t know if this was intentional or a massive coincidence. Whoever rewatched Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead know why this piece of music and the accompanying scene is heart-wrenching. Even during the first watch, when we barely knew the character, this music showed why this new character is a very important person in the Doctor’s future. The track is emotional and speaks an entire story without uttering a single word. A story that we get to witness in the future series. But for now, it tells of a love story that has been both completed and barely started.

Bonus: The Moffat Loop

 

15. The Doctor’s Theme (Series 1 and 2)

This is one of Murray Gold’s most sombre and quiet tracks. The track primarily features vocals and soft music without any drums. Unlike the themes of companions and other themes of the Doctor, this one resonates a lot with the Doctor’s character. It is as mysterious as the Doctor himself (Or herself, now that she is a woman) and has a sad undertone to it. Even after watching the Doctor in a lot of series, it is very rare to see who he really is. I wish they used it more with Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi’s Doctors as well.

 

14. Melody Pond (Episode ‘A Good Man Goes to War,‘ Series 6)

If there is any piece of music that is beautiful, full of emotion, melancholy and epic, it’s this. This track ends with so much hope. I remember watching A Good Man Goes to War and being awfully shocked because that was a plot twist I didn’t see coming. This track is perfect with the revelation. Along with Melody Pond revelation, River reprimanding the Doctor about the consequences of his actions as we rarely get to see is also enhanced by the already sombre mood set by the music.

 

13. Vale Decem (Episode ‘The End of Time – Part 2,’ Series 4)

 

I don’t want to go. Vale Decem means ‘Farewell Ten.’ This is a farewell track to the most popular and beloved Doctor of his time. This operatic track ends midway with an epic rendition of ‘The Doctor’s Theme’ during the regeneration. This track is the perfect one for David Tennant’s farewell. “This song is ending…but the story never ends.”

 

12. Enigma of River Song/Restaurant with a View (Series 6 and 9)

This is River Song/Melong Pond’s theme. As the name suggests, her enigma. The track shows her importance in Doctor’s life. Her undying love for him. The soothing music showcases a vulnerable and a soft side of a strong character like River Song. It’s magical in every way. Interesting thing: Enigma of River Song was played at her birth and another version of it, Restaurant with a View was played at her last date with the Doctor before her death.

 

11. Goodbye Pond (Episode ‘Angels Take Manhattan,‘ Series 6)

I have a love-hate relationship with this track. It has bits of a sadder version of Amy’s theme. Pond family’s final goodbye. No more paradox, no cheating. Amy takes a leap of faith for Rory, leaving behind Doctor and River. This piece of track is gold, it will definitely make you cry as this is an even more heart-wrenching farewell than I daresay, Doomsday. Or maybe I am just biased (which I am).

 

10. Songs of Captivity and Freedom (Episode ‘Planet of the Ood,‘ Series 4)

The song is sung by the Ood in the episode. The lyrics are in Latin. The soundtrack is divided into two parts: captivity and freedom. The haunting vocals, convey the emotions of captivity and freedom. If it can make tough Donna cry, we’re nothing compared to her. Some part of this track is also used in the series finale episode ‘Journey’s end’. I’m not crying, you are! According to composer Murray Gold: “Through the translation circuits, the Ood language is rendered into Latin, which is the closest in style and spirit to Classical Ood (as opposed to modern Ood) so that’s how we, and Donna, hear the song.”

 

9. Break Free (Episode ‘Heaven Sent,‘ Series 9)

‘Heaven sent’ is one of the masterpieces where nearly everything is perfect. From the script to the acting, everything is marvelous. The score for the entire episode is one of Murray Gold’s finest. It will feature a lot on this list. Break Free accompanies what I call a Oscar-worthy performance by Capaldi. This track gets me everytime. It is when the Doctor realises how badly he is trapped in the castle. It is when he realises there is only one way out – and that is to endure the suffering for long. How long? A year? a hundred years? a hundred thousand years? a million years? a billion years? He doesn’t know. He just knows he has to go ahead and die escaping. With that kind of motivation, Mondays seem doable.

 

8. This is Gallifrey: Our Childhood, Our Home (Series 3)

Master and Doctor. Gallifrey. This is a beautiful score. One of the most iconic ones. Murray Gold did a best job with this one. The score evokes a lot of emotions that can’t be explained here. It has a quality of loss, grief, glory and hope which makes it memorable. My favourite retelling of this track is ‘A Secret that he’ll take to his Grave’ in the episode Name of the Doctor. The slow and quiet music with hints of piano combined with Matt Smith’s emotional performance was heartbreaking. This cements how important it is for him to protect the revelation of his name.

 

7. Same Old Day/Two Events in Life (Episode ‘Heaven Sent,’ Series 9)

As I mentioned before, Heaven Sent will feature more than once on this list. Because Heaven Sent = Good music. This is one of my most favourite tracks because it clearly conveys the helplessness of the situation the Doctor is in. It is one of the rare times when the Doctor is helpless and clueless. He is figuring out things with us. Same Old Day and Two Events in Life are variations of each other. I love the blend of hearty violins and the organ (I’m not sure if I’m right) over Peter Capaldi’s awesome speech and acting. The music is beautiful, soulful and mesmerising and one of the many highlights of the episode.

 

6. The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box) (Series 6)

Season 6 was an interesting season as a whole. A single major storyline which spanned out throughout the season instead of culminating was a rare first in the modern era. Matt Smith’s era was filled with great music and amazing storylines. The Majestic Tale is a spin-off of I am the Doctor. It’s slow, embodies a storyline and as the name suggests, majestic. It makes you feel invincible and powerful. It’s one of my favourite themes of the season.

 

5. Doomsday (Episode ‘Doomsday,‘ Series 2)

Rose is stuck on a parallel world. Rose and Doctor are separated forever. Not really, but this scene is still the most powerful scenes that Doctor Who treated us with. Rose breaking down on the wall and the Doctor’s accepting her fate emotionlessly accompanied with this track is a beautiful combination. Unlike other sad music, this isn’t in your face or epic. It is where Murray Gold strips it down to something very minimalistic. It starts with haunting vocals, followed by guitar and synth which surely will move you to tears. Easily Murray Gold’s finest works.

 

4. Amy in the Tardis (Series 5 and 6)

One review: listening to this in the morning or on a lovely Sunday afternoon coffee break increases positive moods and better life expectancy. Just kidding (not really). However, it doesn’t take a genius to know that it is a very stunning track which is so beautiful, it can evoke unauthorised tears. The piano notes are beautiful and the gradual vocals are haunting and sweet. It also ends with a tiny inclusion of I am the Doctor which makes it even better.

 

3. A Good Man (Twelve’s Theme) (Series 7 to 10)

Am I a good man?

This is something can be straight out from something like MCU’S Avengers. It just speaks one word: Run! In my opinion, Peter Capaldi’s debut series was ambitious but fell flat because most viewers were not expecting a 180 degree from Matt Smith happy-go-lucky and quirky run. While I’m still a bit unsure about my feelings on Capaldi’s dark Doctor, this theme is undoubtedly perfect for his era and his Doctor. Murray Gold hit gold with this one.

 

2. The Shepherd’s boy (Episode ‘Heaven Sent,’ Series 9)

“How many seconds in eternity?” the shepherd’s boy says..

Another gem from Heaven Sent. If you are a religious fan of the show, you’ll know the overwhelming demand by the fans to release this soundtrack. Even though the track was unreleased for about 2 years, fans continued to make covers of the track. The track is so popular being the highlight of Peter Capaldi’s run on the show, that the makers reused it for his farewell/regeneration speech. When they finally released the soundtrack for series 9, the official Doctor Who YouTube channel uploaded the song with the actual footage of the episode.

Talking about the song itself, it is one of the most beautiful soundtracks that I have personally loved. If you want an example of a perfect build up, this is it! The music made the accompanying scene a masterpiece in Doctor Who’s history. Go have a listen.

 

1. I am the Doctor (Eleven’s theme) (Series 5 to 7)

Hello, I am the Doctor. Basically, run.

Matt Smith’s era was truly blessed with brilliant episodes and wonderful music. Murray Gold made his run even more memorable with this awesome composition. This iconic theme was a trademark of Matt Smith’s entire run as the Doctor. From his first episode The Eleventh Hour, this soundtrack has helped the Doctor look cool, smart, powerful and invincible. This is a soundtrack that has been overused and retold in so many ways in different rendition and it never fails to impress you. When you hear this tune, you know something is getting unfolded or the Doctor is up to something and you are enthralled by the music itself. When you reminisce about Matt Smith’s era, you can’t not hear this tune ringing in your head. I am the Doctor truly deserves the #1 spot on this list.

*****

The beauty of this show is that you don’t have to like the soundtracks in this order. And hey! Music is subjective. Let me know what is your favourite track. If you have your own favourite ranking, do share in your comments below. Your opinion is valid! However, trolls and rude commentators will be EXTERMINATED!