The Lady soundtrack has legendary songs and an iconic theme tune with big link to the royals
The Lady might leave you in the mood for football...
The Lady, ITV’s drama about ex-royal dresser and murderer Jane Andrews, has an amazing soundtrack – including a theme you’ve definitely heard before.
The four-part series follows Andrews (played by Mia McKenna-Bruce), a retail worker who dreams of fame and fortune. Her life changes when she lands a job at Buckingham Palace, working as one of Sarah Ferguson’s (Natalie Dormer) dressers.
The pair quickly establish a cheeky, close rapport – but, be warned, this story doesn’t have a happy ending. Years down the line, Andrews finds herself in court, charged with the murder of her boyfriend, Tom Cressman.
In short, it’s a wild ride. The Lady charts Andrews’ rise and catastrophic fall with a soundtrack full of bangers – if you’re looking to add a few of them to your playlist, you’re in the right place.
Why Champions League fans will recognise The Lady soundtrack
‘Zadok the Priest’, which plays in episode 1 shortly after Andrews joins the team at Buckingham Palace, will sound very familiar to footie fans.
It’s the piece of music that directly inspired the UEFA Champions League theme.
In 1992, composer Tony Britten was tasked with coming up with a theme for the league. He leaned heavily on Zadok the Priest'(excluding, The champions!, obviously).
The original composition came from George Frideric Handel, and it was written for the coronation of King George II in 1727. Handel composed four coronation anthems in total.
For King Charles’ coronation, this is the order they were played in:
- Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
- Zadok the Priest
- The King Shall Rejoice
- My Heart is Inditing
The Lady soundtrack: Every song in the ITV series
The Lady takes place across three decades: the ’80s, ’90s, and early aughts.
Fittingly, its soundtrack somewhat endeavours to capture the musical spectrum of all three time periods. There’s a Britpop classic from Blur, an all-time classic from Tears for Fears, and other tunes you’ll recognise.
Episode 1 songs
- Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
- The Only Way is Up – Yazz
- Don’t Get Me Wrong – The Pretenders
- Zadok the Priest – George Frideric Handel
- Take on Me’– A-ha
- You Got It – Roy Orbison
Songs in episode 2
- What Is Love – Haddaway
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Tears for Fears
- Song 2 – Blur
Episode 3 songs
TBC
Music in episode 4
TBC
The meaning behind the songs is plainly obvious. Everybody Wants to Rule the World, a song all about mankind’s inherent desire for power, plays when Andrews gets a taste of fame from paparazzi.
You Got It, a song about being loved and taken care of, plays as Andrews helps Fergie pick out her outfits – which appears to be a small nod to Julia Roberts’ shopping spree in Pretty Woman, which was accompanied by Roy Orbison’s title track.
Given Zadok the Priest plays during the anointing of a monarch at a coronation, you could even argue its inclusion indicates Andrews becoming one of the royals (at least in her own head).
Who composed the score for The Lady?
Chris Roe composed the score for ITV’s The Lady.
He may not be a household name like Hans Zimmer and John Williams, but Roe’s work is prolific, serving as composer on 47 projects.
This includes Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson’s The Salt Path, Trigger Point, and Joanna Scanlan’s After Love.
As his website explains, he’s a multi-instrumentalist – as confident playing a piano as he is with any string instrument, and comfortable with a full orchestra or a remote, one-man set-up.
Read more: The best movies to stream for free on ITVX now
