The title sequence to the programme was very innovative, incorporating quite psychedelic animated imagery sequenced closely to Andrew Bown's theme. The lyrics to the title music were written by the series' creator Trevor Preston - not the only time he and Bown collaborated in this way. For Bown, now playing with Status Quo, this seems to be a rare excursion into composing for television - the only other credit appears to be the title song for the LWT music show Supersonic.

Trevor Preston's lyrics to the series title music were as follows:

VERSE 1

Jet white dove
Snow black snake
Time has turned his face
From the edge of mystery
Where running is no race

VERSE 2

Ageless night
Careless day
Fate reaches out a hand
To touch the edge of destiny
A story with no end

CHORUS

Tarot cards
Tarot the diamond man
Tarot guards
Wherever he can
Tarot cards
Tarot the diamond man
Tarot guards with mystic hands

VERSE 3

Falcon sun
Leopard moon
Minds searching for tomorrow
Take what you can from yesterday
The rest beg - steal - or borrow

VERSE 4

Iron roads
Asphalt sky
Windows made from water
Son of secrets - mystery's child
Ruler of eight quarters

 

[CHORUS]

VERSE 5

Velvet roofs
Tattooed streets
Patterns made from words
Laughter echoes in the dark
Life hovers like a bird

 

[REPEAT CHORUS]
"TAROT"
Lyrics: Trevor Preston
Music: Andrew Bown
Released 10th July 1970 on the Parlophone label, cat no. R5856
b/w "Lulli Rides Again" - an instrumental written by Andrew Bown
 
Image of the A-Side label of the released version of the "Tarot" single - click to 'Theme Single' archive
Image of the A-Side label of the promo version of the "Tarot" single - click to 'Theme Single' archive


The lyrics, above, were not Preston's only draft. Another set of lyrics exists for the song, presumably these were an earlier draft to the above, but it is possible these were some later re-write. In this alternative set, the first two verses are identical to those shown above. After that, we get a slightly different chorus:

Tarot cards
Tarot the mystic man
Tarot guards
Wherever he can
Tarot cards
Tarot the mystic man
Tarot guards with diamond hands

The next two verses each contain some lines used in the TV version - but with some additional ones as well:

Velvet roofs
Tattooed streets
Captured in an eye
Where shadows whisper secrets
To the hooded sky

Ivory earth
Crystal trees
Patterns made from words
Laughter echoes in the dark
Life hovers like a bird

The lyrics continue with a repeat of the chorus then verses three and four as they appear in the "familiar" version.

The following are a set of images from the title sequence used during the programme's third season. A number of people have suggested to me that there was an alternative sequence used during the first two seasons, Lila Paws went a stage further and sent me this - does it jog any memories? Please email me