far from the Philip Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet, the 1944 film adaptation of Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely, which stars Dick Powell as Marlowe. Powell himself would later portray a "singing detective" on radio's Richard Diamond, Private Detective, serenading his girlfriend, Helen Asher (Virginia Gregg), at the end of each episode. A reference is made in the last episode to a novel by Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. This may be meant to suggest that Marlow is an unreliable narrator. Influence Although The Singing Detective did not meet with spectacular viewing figures, it proved influential within the television industry. The serial met with considerable critical praise in America. Steven Bochco has credited the serial as the chief inspiration for Cop Rock (1990), although unlike The Singing Detective, Bochco's drama features specially recorded musical numbers rather than existing work. The serial was adapted into a 2003 American film featuring Robert Downey, Jr. and Mel Gibson, with the locations changed to the United States. The British rock band Elbow took their name from a line in the series that declared elbow the "loveliest word in the English language". Music As well as its dark themes, the series is notable for its use of 1940s music, often incorporated into surreal musical numbers. This is a device Potter used in his earlier miniseries Pennies from Heaven. The main theme music is the classic "Peg o' My Heart", of Ziegfeld Follies fame. The upbeat music as the theme for such a dark story is perhaps a reference to Carol Reed's The Third Man, with a harmonica in the place of a zither (The Third Man is indeed referenced in a number of camera shots, according to DVD commentary). Director Jon Amiel compiled and spliced the generic thriller music used throughout the series from 60 library tapes he had brought together. The following is a chronological soundtrack listing: "Peg o' My Heart" – Max Harris & his Novelty Trio (theme song; instrumental) "I've Got You Under My Skin" – The BBC Dance Orchestra directed by Henry Hall "Blues in the Night" – Anne Shelton "Dry Bones" – Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians "Rockin' in Rhythm" – The Jungle Band (Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra) "Cruising Down the River" – Lou Preager Orchestra "Don't Fence Me In" – Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters "It Might as Well Be Spring" – Dick Haymes