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Simon May
The cover of May's 1994 compilation album, New Vintage
Born:	Devizes, Wiltshire
Occupation:	Composer
Nationality:	British
Genres:	Film and television
Website:	http://www.simonmay.co.uk

Simon May is a British musician and composer, best known for composing some of British television's best known theme tunes, including EastEnders and Howards' Way.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 EastEnders 1.2 Post-EastEnders 2 Simon May's work includes: 2.1 Television 2.2 Films 2.3 Stage Musicals 3 External links

Born in Devizes, Wiltshire and a pupil of Dauntsey's School, May won a choral scholarship to Cambridge University, where he acquired a degree in modern languages. While teaching languages and music at Kingston Grammar School, he co-wrote a musical named Smike with a colleague (Roger Holman). Following the publicity Smike attracted, May was contacted by the BBC, who televised the play in 1973. The show has subsequently been staged many times by youth drama groups.

While working at ATV, he was asked to compose some music for Crossroads. Stephanie de Sykes got to number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1974 with the subsequent "Born with a Smile on my Face", which was used within a storyline on the show. Almost a year later, her second single, "We'll Find Our Day" (from Smike) got to #17.

Kate Robbins performed another of May's songs for Crossroads: "More than in Love," which was co-written by Barry Leng and got to number 2 in 1981. May himself performed "Summer of my Life", charting at #7 in October 1976, though his follow-up, "We'll Gather Lilacs", flopped.

He co-produced Amii Stewart's "Knock on Wood", which reached number one in the USA.

Tony Holland and Julia Smith commissioned May to write the theme to EastEnders. Don Black put lyrics to the popular theme, and Anita Dobson (who portrayed Angie Watts in the show) reached No. 4 in August 1986 with "Anyone Can Fall in Love."

With Barry Rose, the theme was adapted into a hymn, "Glory be", which was performed on Songs of Praise and released on single.

Another soap storyline gave May a hit in 1986. Nick Berry ("Wicksy") topped the charts with "Every Loser Wins" after shamelessly plugging it in EastEnders (a storyline which Holland openly hated). It won the Ivor Novello Award for best selling single of 1986.

In 1994 the theme itself was given an unpopular 'jazzy' update, with the original soon restored.

Lyrics were also added to May's theme to Howards' Way; Marti Webb reached number 13 with "Always There" in 1986. The theme was only used over the credits on some episodes of the show. The orchestral version (performed by the Simon May Orchestra) was used over the opening titles of the first season, with the energetic orchestral "Barracuda" over the closing credits.

He wrote lyrics for the final episode of Eldorado. Performed by Johnny Griggs, "When You Go Away" encapsulated how many felt about the axing of the show:

"It was over before it had begun

And often love can go that way"

Mike Read wrote lyrics to May's Trainer theme. "More to Life" was performed by Cliff Richard. The theme won May his third TRIC award for Best TV Theme, after previous success with EastEnders and Howards' Way.

In 1994, New Vintage, a compilation of some of May's work was released to coincide with his "A Night Away From The TV" UK tour. Unfortunately the tour wasn't a commercial success and some dates had to be cancelled. A Pebble Mill special documentary was produced by the BBC around this time discussing his career and the tour.

He has recently reached number one in Belgium with "Fragile Not Broken," sung by Natalia.

He is currently a part of "Music on Screen", along with Simon Lockyer and John Brant, and also works part time as tutor at a special needs school in Surrey.

• Caught in the Act
• The Dawning

• Rip van Winkle
• Smike [also dramatised for BBC television]

• Music On Screen Official website, with many music clips
• City Speakers International

v • d • e EastEnders
Characters
Ian Beale | Dot Branning | Pat Evans | Phil Mitchell | Peggy Mitchell | Lucy Beale | Peter Beale | Ben Mitchell | Jim Branning | Billy Mitchell | Charlie Slater | Garry Hobbs | Mo Harris | Patrick Trueman | Minty Peterson | Gus Smith | Mickey Miller | Bobby Beale | Yolande Trueman | Jane Collins | Darren Miller | Keith Miller | Stacey Slater | Naomi Julien | Dawn Swann | Honey Mitchell | Deano Wicks | Bradley Branning | Kevin Wicks | Carly Wicks | Bert Atkinson | Chelsea Fox | Denise Fox | Libby Fox | Rob Minter | Max Branning | Tanya Branning | Abi Branning | Lauren Branning | Sean Slater | Janet Mitchell | Stella Crawford | May Wright | Preeti Choraria | Li Chong | Shirley Carter | Jay Brown Past characters | Pets | Families
Crew members
Julia Smith | Tony Holland | Matthew Robinson | John Yorke | Louise Berridge | Kathleen Hutchison | Kate Harwood | Diederick Santer | Simon May
Locations
Residences | Buildings | Albert Square | Walford | London E20 | Walford East tube station | The Queen Victoria | Scarlet
Storylines
1980s | 1990s | 2000s | Christmas | Off-set storylines | Two-handers | The Firm | The Banned | Sharongate | Who Shot Phil? | Shannis | Get Johnny Week Births, marriages and deaths
Spin-offs
Television spin-offs | Dimensions in Time | EastEnders Revealed | A Question of EastEnders | EastEnders Xtra Merchandise | Books | "Anyone Can Fall in Love" | "Every Loser Wins" | "Something Outa Nothing"
Further information
History | In popular culture | Theme tune
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