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The Second Doctor played a slow tune on his recorder near the conclusion of the London Event. It was in part a diversion to prevent Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart from overhearing his discussion with Jamie McCrimmon on the Piccadilly Circus tube station platform. (TV: The Web of Fear)
After possessing the Thirteenth Doctor and getting access to the Doctor's TARDIS many centuries later, the Spy Master procured various artefacts from previous incarnations of the Doctor, including the Second Doctor's recorder. After being stranded by Yasmin Khan, he produced the recorder from his clothes and proceeded to play this song. (TV: The Power of the Doctor [+]Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who Centenary Special 2022 (BBC One, 2022).)
While visting Kastarion 3, the Fifteenth Doctor sang the song to himself while standing on a Villengard smartmine in an attempt to keep himself calm, and the device from detonating. (TV: Boom [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who series 14 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)
Behind the scenes[]
The song as played on bagpipes.
The tune played by the Second Doctor in The Web of Fear, and the Spy Master in The Power of the Doctor, is "The Skye Boat Song", a nineteenth century Scottish folk song. However, the song is never referred to by name in either story. By the time the tune made a re-appearance in The Power of the Doctor, it had become known as the theme song from the television series Outlander.
External links[]
- BBC Radio 4 exploration of "The Skye Boat Song", available globally on demand