Credit: BBC
Riverside Music: The complete playlist for ‘Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing’
“I tell you, we are here on earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you different.” – Kurt Vonnegut.
Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing is one of the most defining TV shows of the modern era. It is novocaine for the soul, a warming feast for the eyes, and it chucks up plenty of laughs to boot. And I suppose it’s also about fishing. It first graced our screens back in 2018, and after only four short years, we pray that it will never leave. Long live the beloved goons Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse.
The joy of the show is in the ease of the watching. Without over-analysing a show that makes over-analysis seem like sacrilege, the series does seemingly define a lot about what we crave in modern entertainment. In years gone by, it seems commissioners would ask questions like, ‘Yeah, but what else do you do over than fish, fart about, and fall over?’ Now, those three tenets are enough for a masterpiece.
In short, the show is joyously pointless, it is brilliantly mind-numbing and fabulously dull. These previously ill-thought adjectives are now tonics and balms in the modern age. The world presented in a lot of entertainment is a brutal one, and the alternate reality of social media tries its best to ram a similar point home, but Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing avoids all dreaded opinions and basks in the beauty of friendship, farting about, the imbuing wisdom of nature, and the trifling matter of staying upright… in every sense. It is a pure joy.
In fact, it is a masterpiece—one of the finest TV shows of recent times, and it achieves this by seemingly not trying to be anything other than what it is and is what it is. Aside from the mirth and mateship that Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse irreverently provide, the music of the show also helps to whisk up the pillow-propped wonder of the show.
Thus, with that in mind, we have crafted a whopper list of the songs that have been featured so far. From a hell of a lot of Richard Hawley to the classics that Mortimer and Whitehouse have clearly asked for themselves, you can now create the dreamy atmosphere of the lilting show wherever you may be with the painstakingly crafted playlist below (Christmas Songs removed for year-round listenability). Enjoy.
‘Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing’ complete playlist:
- ‘Toulumne’ – Eddie Vedder
- ‘Skyreburn’ – RM Hubbert
- ‘Even the Darkness Has Arms’ – The Barr Brothers
- ‘Deep Feeling’ – Chuck Berry
- ‘Sleepwalk’ – Santo & Johnny
- ‘(What A) Wonderful World’ – Sam Cooke
- ‘Mozart: Concerto for Clarinet’ – CHA Medical Center
- ‘Liebesträume’ – Franz Liszt, Jorge Bolet
- ‘La Forza Del Destino’ – Renata Tebaldi
- ‘The Tales of Hoffman’ – Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Nocturne in E-Flat Major’ – Frédéric Chopin
- ‘Casta Diva’ – Maria Callas
- ‘Holly’ – Henry Mancini
- ‘Dreamsville’ – Henry Mancini
- ‘Song to the Moon from Rusalka’ – Joshua Bell
- ‘Champagne and Quail’ – Henry Mancini
- ‘This Guy’s in Love With You’ – Burt Bacharach
- ‘High Blood Pressure – Huey Piano Smith
- ‘Let’s All Chant’ – The Michael Zager Band
- ‘Blessed’ – Billy Elliston
- ‘Hope’ – Billy Elliston
- ‘As You See Me Now’ – Jools Holland & José Feliciano
- ‘The Very Thought of You’ – Al Bowlly
- ‘Midnight, The Stars, And You’ – Al Bowlly
- ‘Rapper’s Delight’ – The Sugarhill Gang
- ‘The Clouds Will Soon Roll By’ – Ambrose & His Orchestra
- ‘Apollo Jump’ – Lucky Millinder
- ‘I Never Had a Chance’ – Al Bowlly
- ‘Down By the Riverside’ – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
- ‘Old Man River’ – Don Byas
- ‘Lois Ann’ – George Shearing
- ‘How to Handle a Woman’ – Maury Laws
- ‘Some Days There Just Ain’t No Fish’ – Hoagy Carmichael
- ‘Mad Lad’ – Chuck Berry
- ‘Little Man You’ve Had a Busy Day’ – Ray Noble
- ‘Snowfall’ – George Shearing
- ‘Don’t Look Back’ – John Lee Hooker
- ‘Deep Feeling’ – Chuck Berry
- ‘Song That I Heard’ – The Barr Brothers
- ‘Begin the Beguine’ – Artie Shaw
- ‘Quiet Man’ – Roo Panes
- ‘Tonight’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Bewilder’ – Badly Drawn Boy
- ‘At Last’ – Etta James
- ‘Darlin’ Wait for Me’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Open up Your Door’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Juggernaut’ – Guy Garvey
- ‘Our Way to Fall’ – Yo La Tengo
- ‘Remorse Code’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Pauper’s Dough’ – King Creosote
- ‘Let Your Love Flow’ – The Bellamy Brothers
- ‘Topsy’ – Count Basie
- ‘Fruit Tree’ – Nick Drake
- ‘Low Beat’ – Adam Killip and Co
- ‘Church Pew Furniture Restorer’ – Saint Etienne
- ‘Big Chief’ – Professor Longhair
- ‘El Condor Pasa’ – Simon & Garfunkel
- ‘Not Goin’ Home Anymore’ – Burt Bacharach
- ‘There’s No Place Like Home’ – Robin Jeffrey & Tim Laycock
- ‘After You’re Gone’ – The Proclaimers
- ‘Thinking of You’ – Geoffrey Gascoyne
- ‘Man of the World’ – Fleetwood Mac
- ‘This Blue World’ – Elbow
- ‘Deep Creek Blues’ – Jelly Roll Morton
- ‘Song C’ – Bruce Hornsby
- ‘There’s a Storm a Comin’’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Hideous Glorious Part 1’ – The Barr Brothers
- ‘Get Happy’ – Judy Garland
- ‘I’m Getting Sentimental Over You’ – Tommy Dorsey
- ‘The Sermon’ – Jimmy Smith
- ‘I’ll Be Around’ – Yo La Tengo
- ‘Absent Friends’ – The Divine Comedy
- ‘Irish Eyes’ – Hermann Langschwert
- ‘Irish Landscape’ – Gareth Walters
- ‘My Little Teacup’ – Geoffrey Gascoyne
- ‘Sun on My Face’ – Seasick Steve
- ‘Holocene’ – Bon Iver
- ‘Pastoral Sunset’ – Ethan Jameson
- ‘The Dawning’ – Austin Ince & Frankie Hepburn
- ‘Days Like This’ – Van Morrison
- ‘I Love NYE’ – Badly Drawn Boy
- ‘Stuffy’ – Jimmy Smith
- ‘Netcha’s Dream’ – Coleman Hawkins
- ‘Too Sick to Pray’ – Willie Nelson
- ‘Flight Attendant’ – Josh Rouse
- ‘My Little Corner of the World’ – Ruby Murray
- ‘Last Orders’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Sometimes You Need’ – Rufus Wainwright
- ‘Always On My Mind’ – South Notts Brass Band
- ‘Green Grow the Rashes O’ – Eddi Reader
- ‘Old Pine’ – Ben Howard
- ‘Remember’ – Billy Elliston
- ‘Rider on the Wheel’ – Nick Drake
- ‘Darlin’’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Just Like the Rain’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘So Clear’ – Pentangle
- ‘Broken Boat’ – Nic Evennett
- ‘Fiction Reprise’ – Belle and Sebastian
- ‘So Forlorn’ – King Creosote
- ‘Bird’ – Billie Marten
- ‘Shadows Fall’ – The Proclaimers
- ‘Smoky Mountains’ – Charlie Jefferson
- ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ – Traditional
- ‘Here It Comes Again’ – Tracey Thorn
- ‘From Gold’ – Novo Amor
- ‘If I’m Still Around’ – The Proclaimers
- ‘Teenage Kicks’ – Nouvelle Vague, Mélanie Painn
- ‘Teenage Kicks’ – The Undertones
- ‘Grace Under Pressure’ – Elbow
- ‘Don’t Get Hung up in Your Soul’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘State Lines’ – Novo Amor
- ‘Cartoon People’ – Billie Marten
- ‘A Good Heart’ – Feargal Sharkey
- ‘Hope’ – Seasick Steve
- ‘Send Yourself Away’ – Seth Lakeman
- ‘To Build a Home’ – The Cinematic Orchestra
- ‘Leaving Today’ – The Divine Comedy
- ‘Will I See You Tonight?’ – Devendra Banhart & Vashti Bunyan
- ‘Bud’ – Fenne Lily
- ‘Hotel Room’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘The Last Waltz’ – Fairport Convention
- ‘Abre Las Manos’ – Devendra Banhart
- ‘Chariots of Fire’ – London Music Works
- ‘Walkin Man’ – Seasick Steve
- ‘Conrad’ – Ben Howard
- ‘New York Morning’ – Elbow
- ‘Changes’ – Seth Lakeman
- ‘Memorial’ – Devendra Banhart
- ‘Days’ – Kirsty MacColl
- ‘Don’t Leave the Light on Baby’ – Belle and Sebastian
- ‘Hands Up to the Ceiling’ – Tracey Thorn
- ‘Vera Brittain’ – Jessica Dannheisser
- ‘If I Didn’t Love You’ – Squeeze
- ‘Assume the Perpendicular’ – The Divine Comedy
- ‘Ave Maria’ – KPM Angels’ Chorus
- ‘You Won’t Remember’ – Bibio
- ‘River Flowing’ – Evan Jolly
- ‘Adagietto’ – John Keating
- ‘Thaïs Act 2’ – Jules Massenet
- ‘You, Me and the Stars’ – Thomas Hewitt Jones
- ‘Winter’s Eye’ – Ben Watt
- ‘Melancholy Sky’ – Goldfrapp
- ‘The King’s Speech’ – Joseph Alchstein
- ‘Wonder’ – Bill Connor
- ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’ – Andrew Gold
- ‘Friendship’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Nick Drake’ – Mogwai
- ‘Eleanor Put Your Boots On’ – Franz Ferdinand
- ‘Golden’ – The Boy Who Trapped the Sun
- ‘Old Scottish Air’ – Matyas Seiber
- ‘Run for Me’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Donald Where’s Your Troosers?’ – Andy Stewart
- ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Walking in the Dark’ – The Boy Who Trapped the Sun
- ‘Sleep Until Day’ – Robert White
- ‘For the Love of a Princess’ – James Horner
- ‘Break My Heart Right’ – James Bay
- ‘Antique Cobweb’ – The Boy Who Trapped the Sun
- ‘Lady Solitude’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Slow Down’ – Nat King Cole Trio
- ‘Night Bus’ – Lucy Rose
- ‘You Stand By Me’ – The Who
- ‘Long Journey Home’ – Del Amitri
- ‘Misty Blue’ – Dorothy Moore
- ’12 Concerti a Cinque’ – Tomaso Albinoni
- ‘Dream Lucky Blues’ – Julia Lee
- ‘Cello Concerto in E Minor’ – Rory Marsden
- ‘Starlight Serenade’ – Cy Miller
- ‘Baptiste’ – Paul Weller
- ‘Picturesque Moment’ – Skegss
- ‘Memory Lane’ – Paul Reeves
- ‘Don’t You Cry’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Darlin’ Wait for Me’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Taking it Easy’ – David Shepherd & David Law
- ‘Nimrod’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘I Gotta Be Me’ – Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé
- ‘Clay’ – Goldfrapp
- ‘All Right Now’ – Free
- ‘Favourite Ex’ – Maisie Peters
- ‘Lonely Lonely’ – Feist
- ‘Clearing Clouds’ – Audrey Riley & Philip Guyler
- ‘Baptiste’ – Paul Weller
- ‘Vanished into Everything’ – Roo Panes
- ‘Father and Son’ – Yusuf / Cat Stevens
- ‘Emigrate’ – Novo Amor
- ‘Grow Old with Me’ – Tom Odell
- ‘Lying in the Sunshine’ – Free
- ‘Entertainment’ – Tom Odell
- ‘Wait for You’ – Tom Walker
- ‘Drew’ – Goldfrapp
- ‘Wild World’ – Yusuf / Cat Stevens
- ‘Little Bit of Love’ – Free
- ‘Lovers’ Carvings’ – Bibio
- ‘Across the Tracks Blues’ – Duke Ellington
- ‘Waltz in A Flat Major’ – Johannes Brahms
- ‘Me and My Imagination’ – Donald Peers
- ‘You Only Live Twice’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Soulful Strut’ – Young-Holt Unlimited
- ‘Miss Goodhead Meets Bond – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Brandy Alexander’ – Feist
- ‘Box of Stones’ – Benjamin Francis Leftwich
- ‘Mouthful of Grass’ – Free
- ‘Last Orders’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Seasons (Waiting on You)’ – Future Islands
- ‘Ramble On’ – Led Zeppelin
- ‘Caravan Holiday’ – Stereophonics
- ‘Memory Lane’ – Paul Reeves
- ‘No-One’s Perfect’ – Stereophonics
- ‘Bletchley Park’ – Paul Reeves
- ‘Forever Young’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Master Pretender’ – First Aid Kit
- ‘Syrup & Honey’ – Duffy
- ‘Cracklin’ Rosie’ – Neil Diamond
- ‘Got to Go Where the Love Is’ – Van Morrison
- ‘Without Your Love’ – The Paper Kites & Julia Stone
- ‘Nobody Knows Me Like You Do’ – Birdy
- ‘Skyline Dawn’ – Vasco & Claudio Strueby
- ‘’My Bucket’s Got a Hole in it’ – Hank Williams
- ‘Elephant Gun’ – Beiru
- ‘Valse Lente’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Fade Together’ – Franz Ferdinand
- ‘Theme (From Captain Pugwash)’ – London Music Works
- ‘Lullabies for Stars’ – Nic Evennett
- ‘Across the Fields’ – 10,000 Maniacs
- ‘Laugh, Live, Love’ – Mud
- ‘Roll River Roll’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Summer Thunder’ – Roo Panes
- ‘Taking it Easy’ – Dave Shepherd & David Law
- ‘Oh My Love’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Vide Cor Meum’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Sound and Vision’ – David Bowie
- ‘Hot Heavy Summer’ – Ben Howard & Sylvan Esso
- ‘Cooper Down’ – The Boy Who Trapped the Sun
- ‘Cartoon People’ – Billie Marten
- ‘Kantori Ongaku’ – Devendra Banhart
- ‘KIN’- KT Tunstall
- ‘Soul Limbo’ – Booker T. & the M.G.’s
- ‘Here Comes the Sun’ – Steve Harley
- ‘Time Out from the World’ – Goldfrapp
- ‘Don’t Get Hung up in your Soul’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘I Don’t Know What It Is’ – Rufus Wainwright
- ‘Postcard from Paradise’ – Dan Cassady
- ‘For the Rest of Our Lives’ – Babybird
- ‘Song for the Summer’ – Stereophonics
- ‘Hanging on too Long’ – Duffy
- ‘Bread of Heaven’ – Alex James and Co
- ‘Deep River’ – Traditional
- ‘Fragments in Time’ – Cyrus Shahrad
- ‘Dark Road’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Apple of His Eye’ – Seth Lakerman
- ‘Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World’ – The Divine Comedy
- ‘Forty Long Days’ – Carl Yeung
- ‘Heavy’ – Orla Gartland
- ‘Flume’ – Peter Gabriel
- ‘Ar Lan Y Mor’ – Bryn Trefel
- ‘A Minute of Your Time’ – Tom Jones
- ‘Sentimental Man’ – The Blue Nile
- ‘Four Scottish Dances’ – Malcolm Arnold and Co
- ‘Alone’ – Rag’n’Bone Man
- ‘To the Bin my Friend, Tonight We Vacate the Earth’ – Mogwai
- ‘Crescent Moon’ – KT Tunstall
- ‘Goodnight’ – Idlewild
- ‘Twilight Mists’ – Daryl Griffith
- ‘Highland Cathedral’ – Ulrich Roever
- ‘Prelude’ – The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- ‘Sentimental Love’ – Gerhard Trede
- ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘Sentimental Fool’ – Lloyd Cole
- ‘Smooth is the Mood’ – Anthony Kerr
- ‘China Doll’ – Julian Cope
- ‘Is This Nice?’ – Devendra Banhart
- ‘Ashes on the Fire’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘As It Was’ – Harry Styles
- ‘Stardust Nights’ – Anthony Kerr
- ‘One Day Like This’ – Elbow
- ‘Velvet and Absinthe’ – Louis Vause
- ‘Why in the World’ – Lloyd Cole
- ‘Before’ – Richard Hawley
- ‘The Original’ – Roo Panes
- ‘Keep on Movin’’ – Five, Steve Mac
- ‘Life’s a Gas’ – T.Rex
- ‘What A Drag’ – Nathaniel Rateliff
- ‘Caravan of Love’ – The Housemartins
- ‘Last to Make it Home’ – Sam Fender
- ‘Lillies’ – Bat for Lashes
- ‘2000 Miles’ – Pretenders
- ‘Keeping the Dream Alive’ – Munchener Freiheit
- ‘Gone Fishing’ – Chris Rea
