Editing Father Ted (section)

===Music===
In 1994, the writers asked alternative rock band [[Pulp (band)|Pulp]] to compose the theme music for ''Father Ted'', requesting a parody of a typical sitcom theme. When Pulp said no, they contacted [[Neil Hannon]], frontman of Northern Irish [[chamber pop]] band [[The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy]]. Hannon's first effort, a jaunty composition, was rejected on Geoffrey Perkins's advice. Hannon composed a second theme, which the team found acceptable. This theme was recorded by Hannon and co-producer [[Darren Allison]] at [[The Jesus and Mary Chain]]'s private studio. One of [[William Reid (musician)|William Reid]]'s guitars was selected by Allison and Hannon to carry the main tune, which was played by Hannon. Both themes were also reworked, with new lyrics, for inclusion on The Divine Comedy's 1996 album ''[[Casanova (The Divine Comedy album)|Casanova]]'': the final ''Father Ted'' theme became "Songs of Love", while Hannon's rejected theme became "A Woman of the World".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashortsite.com/songs/?keyword=fatherted |title=Father Ted Theme |work=ashortsite.com |access-date=10 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106005804/http://www.ashortsite.com/songs/?keyword=fatherted |archive-date=6 November 2013}}</ref><ref>As stated by Neil Hannon in the documentary ''Half Minute Melodies'', [[BBC Radio 4]], 3 February 2000. Hannon offered a choice of tunes to the producers; his personal preference was for "Woman of the World".</ref>

In 2010, Linehan discussed the dramatic effect this choice had on the tone of the series: "'Woman of the World' was kind of like a jaunty, plinky-plonky song, and we wanted that song. He [Hannon] gave us two choices: he gave us that, and 'Songs of Love', and we wanted the plinky-plonky song because our idea was we were making fun of sitcoms. We were saying, you know, we don't like sitcoms. This is a parody of sitcoms. This is a kind of satire on sitcoms. And I remember Geoffrey [Perkins] looking really glum and sad about this, you know? And then he said, 'Why do you want to make fun of your characters?' He said, 'People will love these characters.' And that was just a real revelation for me, and after that, whatever he said went, as far as I was concerned."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZR84X49WZI| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/HZR84X49WZI| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title=Graham Lineahn in Conversation With ... IFTA (Part Two)|author=IFTAAwards|work=youtube.com|date=13 September 2010|access-date=7 October 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[The Divine Comedy (band)|The Divine Comedy]] also contributed most of the show's original music, including the songs "Big Men in Frocks" (for the episode "[[Rock-a-Hula Ted]]"), "[[My Lovely Horse]]" and "The Miracle is Mine" (for "[[A Song for Europe (Father Ted)|A Song for Europe]]"), and "My Lovely Mayo Mammy" (for "[[Night of the Nearly Dead]]").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashortsite.com/discs/?page=fatherted |title=Father Ted |work=ashortsite.com |access-date=10 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005173347/http://www.ashortsite.com/discs/?page=fatherted |archive-date=5 October 2013}}</ref> Neil Hannon also provided Ted and Dougal's vocals in the dream sequence version of "My Lovely Horse", which was produced by Allison and Hannon, and later appeared as a [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] on the band's single "[[Gin Soaked Boy]]".