Doctor Who theme song by Ron Grainer & Delia Derbyshire

There are few pieces of music more original or recognizable than the 1963 Doctor Who theme song. With its haunting tones and backwards analog whispers, it will forever be looked upon as a sonic masterpiece.

Although originally written by composer Ron Grainer, the song truly came to life under the guidance of musician and composer Delia Derbyshire, above an old roller rink in the now defunct BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

In an age before synthesizers and computers, and long before Kraftwerk or Aphex Twin, Delia painstakingly captured each note by splicing segments of analogue tape containing recordings of various sounds, white noise, and oscillators. The resulting theme song gives a television series which is historically riddled with budgetary constraints a sense of legitimacy.
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Delia never received a dime in royalties for her contributions and died relativity unknown. But her work (and not just with Doctor Who) will influence electronic music forever.