You can't teach an old dog a new TV theme song: Viewers are furious and disappointed about the 7de Laan theme song change – and so is the nation’s confused dogs that’s longer howling along or calling their owners.
In a dramatic change the SABC2 weekday
Afrikaans soap 7de Laan on Monday
evening dropped its iconic Louis van Rensburg composition performed by the
Soweto String Quartet for the past 15 years, completely confusing South
Africa's dogs.
Gone is the violin-infused ditty, replaced by
a new unknown Joe Niemand composition and opening sequence from Hey!Fever and 7de Laan viewers and their animals hate
it.
"Please bring the theme song back," said
Linda Cornwell. "The new one does not fit the show. It's a real pity you didn't
ask your loyal fans about this before making a final decision".
Armand De Vries said the new opening sequence
looks like "a Fruit & Veg commercial".
"Please bring back the 7de Laan tune," said
Ravina Maharaj. "The show isn't the same without its signature music".
“The old song was much better. I don’t know
why people always have to change things that work," remarked Vicky Lochner. "Now I will never know when 7de Laan starts."
'My dog doesn’t
recognise the tune'
The theme song change is part of changes the
SABC, which commissions the show, ordered the Danie Odendaal Produksies soap to
undergo in the middle of last year to try and lift the still big but flat
viewership. 7de Laan viewers however
were instantly vocal about disliking the change, while their dogs fell
silent.
"Please change the theme tune back to the old
tune," said Mandy Robinson. "My dog would let me know when 7de Laan is on. She doesn't recognise the new tune and I missed
yesterday's episode".
Louis Mienie said dog MacGuyver is upset. "He's been singing it for 10 years every day".
"Our two four-legged children don't like it," said Santie Jansen.
"Usually when the theme song came on the ears went up and
then I said 'No, it's not time yet' and then their heads fell back down. But
when the theme song then played again at the end they went crazy because then
they knew it was time for a bit of tea of Milo. But tonight they just waited
and waited because there was no [familiar] theme song to announce that it's tea
time. I told them to listen nicely to the new music".
"I’m going to miss my dogs barking when 7de Laan starts," says Jaco Loots.
"Why did you change the song? Our dog and my
daughter always sang together and now they sit and wait. We don't like the new
song at all," says Maxine van der Berg.
"Oh 7de
Laan what has happened to the soundtrack to 7de Laan?” asked Kavuki
Staffords. "Now my dog doesn’t know what time it is. She used to hear it since
she was a puppy and sit in front of the TV. She is now 8 years old and
confused."
"I’m so sad the theme song of 7de Laan changed," said Elmarie
Mafeking. "My 3 month old baby boy loved it so much."
