What's your favourite John Williams SONG?

[Thor 7,497]

What's your favourite SONG by John Williams?

 

Note: I do NOT include 'choral chants' in this query (so no "Duel of the Fates", "The Abduction of Barry", "Temple of Doom" etc. -- "Exultate Justi", "Gloria", "Dry Your Tears, Africa" , "Christmas at Hogwarts" etc. are borderline)

 

These are the alternatives:

 

 

FILM:

 

"John Goldfarb Please Come Home" from JOHN GOLDFARB, PLEASE COME HOME (1965)

"None But the Brave" from NONE BUT THE BRAVE (1965)

"Not With My Wife You Don't" from NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T (1966)

"My Inamorata" from NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T (1966)

"Big Beautiful Ball" from NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T (1966)

"Two Lovers" from HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966)

"Penelope" from PENELOPE (1966)

"A Guide for the Married Man" from A GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED MAN (1967)

"Make Me Rainbows" from FITZWILLY (1967)

"A Place of My Own" from HEIDI (1968)

"Daddy's Gone A-Hunting" from DADDY'S GONE A-HUNTING (1969)

"Uno di Qua, l'Altra di La" from STORIA DI UNA DONNA (1970)

"Love's The Only Game in Town" from PETE'N'TILLIE (1972)

"Wednesday Special" from CINDERELLA LIBERTY (1973)

"Nice to be Around" from CINDERELLA LIBERTY (1973)

"I Want To Spend My Life With You" from THE PAPER CHASE (1973)

"The Long Goodbye" from THE LONG GOODBYE (1973)

"Dream Away" from THE MAN WHO LOVED CAT DANCING (1973)

"Can You Read My Mind" from SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978)

"Hold You" from THE FURY (1978)

"I'm Tired" from THE FURY (1978)

"If We Were In Love" from YES, GIORGIO (1982)

"Ewok Celebration" from STAR WARS, EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983)

"We Don't Wanna Grow Up" from HOOK (1991)

"When You're Alone" from HOOK (1991)

"Childhood" from HOOK (1991)

"Stick With Me" from HOOK (1991)

"Low Below" from HOOK (1991) 

"Pick 'em Up" from HOOK (1991) 

"Believe" from HOOK (1991)

"The Never Song" from HOOK (1991)

"Mothers" from HOOK (80s, then 1991)

"Star of Bethlehem" from HOME ALONE (1990)

"Somewhere in my Memory" from HOME ALONE (1990)

"Christmas Morning" from HOME ALONE (1990) [unreleased]

"Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" from HOME ALONE 2 (1992)

"Christmas Star" from HOME ALONE 2 (1992)

"In the Moonlight" from SABRINA (1995)

"How Can I Remember" from SABRINA (1995)

"Look Down Lord" from ROSEWOOD (1997)

"Freedom Train" from ROSEWOOD (1997)

"Light My Way" from ROSEWOOD (1997)

"For Always" from A.I. (2001)

"Hogwarts Forever" from HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE (2001)

"Cast a Christmas Spell" from HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE (2001)

"Double Trouble" from HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (2004)

"Winter's Spell" from HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (2004)

 

TV:

 

"Golden West" (at 1:23) from WAGON TRAIN (1959), with Stanley Wilson and Frederick Herbert

"Tomorrow" (at 29:00) from WAGON TRAIN (1959), with Frederick Herbert

 

OTHER:

 

"Come Tuesday" (19??)

"The Way of a Wand'rer" (1962), source unknown

"The Same Hello, The Same Goodbye" (late 70s)

"America - The Dream Goes On" (1982)

"We're Lookin' Good" [vocal version] (1987)

The SEVEN FOR LUCK song cycle (1998)

The entire THOMAS AND THE KING musical (1975)

 

BORDERLINE:

 

"Exultate Justi" from EMPIRE OF THE SUN (1987)

"Gloria" from MONSIGNOR (1982)

"Temple of Doom" from INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984)

"Immolation (With Our Lives, We Give)" from SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)

"Dry Your Tears, Afrika" from AMISTAD (1997)

"Duel of the Fates" from STAR WARS, EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999)

 

What am I missing?

 

Ultimately, I think my favourite remains "Star of Bethlehem", but I have a soft spot for the 60s pop songs.

[Incanus 5,714]

11 minutes ago, Thor said:

FILM:
 

The unreleased song from HOOK (name escapes me at the moment)

There are at least three I can remember:

Low Below to the tune of the pirates' theme,

Stick with Me that is supposedly written to the melody of the Hook Theme (i.e. Smee's Plan),

and Childhood for the Childhood theme which is most extensively explored in Remembering Childhood.

 

As to my favourite song it is a tough call. While Williams writes excellent melodies I have always felt song writing isn't really his forte let alone musicals.

 

But The Long Goodbye and Nice to Be Around (sung by someone else than Paul Williams), The Same Hello, The Same Goodbye are perhaps my very favourites apart from Williams' choral works like Look Down Lord.

[Sandor 797]

'How Can I Remember' from Sabrina is my favorite.

[Thor 7,497]

Quote

and Childhood for the Childhood theme which is most extensively explored in Remembering Childhood.

 

Ah. "Childhood" was the one I was thinking about. I've heard an amateur rendition of this. The other two, I've not heard.

[Thor 7,497]

Just now, Sandor said:

'How Can I Remember' from Sabrina

 

Of course! Added.

[Sandor 797]

Songs you might add:

 

I'm Tired and Hold You from The Fury

Love Is The New Game In Town from Pete N' Tillie

Christmas Star and Merry Christmas from Home Alone 2

Two Lovers from How To Steal A Million

[Incanus 5,714]

Just now, Sandor said:

Songs you might add:

 

I'm Tired and Hold You from The Fury

Those songs are composed by Joseph Williams if I am not mistaken.

[Sandor 797]

Just now, Incanus said:

Those songs are composed by Joseph Williams if I am not mistaken.

 

No, I think he sang them, but composed by John. 

[Thor 7,497]

4 minutes ago, Sandor said:

Songs you might add:

 

I'm Tired and Hold You from The Fury

Love Is The New Game In Town from Pete N' Tillie

Christmas Star and Merry Christmas from Home Alone 2

Two Lovers from How To Steal A Million

 

OK, added. Wasn't it just confirmed that the PETE'N'TILLIE song is NOT by Williams?

[Sandor 797]

"We May Never Love Like This Again" is not a Williams song Thor. 

[Incanus 5,714]

5 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

OK, added. Wasn't it just confirmed that the PETE'N'TILLIE song is NOT by Williams?

Yes.

[Sandor 797]

4 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

OK, added. Wasn't it just confirmed that the PETE'N'TILLIE song is NOT by Williams?

 

Oh yeah I remember, although it is completely based on Williams theme from Pete N' Tillie. 

[Incanus 5,714]

9 minutes ago, Sandor said:

 

Oh yeah I remember, although it is completely based on Williams theme from Pete N' Tillie. 

Here is the post from the Pete N' Tillie thread where Matessino explains the situation.

 

16 minutes ago, Sandor said:

 

No, I think he sang them, but composed by John. 

Ah OK. I always assumed these songs were entirely by Joseph.

[Thor 7,497]

5 minutes ago, Sandor said:

"We May Never Love Like This Again" is not a Williams song Thor. 

 

Right you are. Removed.

 

I love all these additions and corrections, but don't forget to mention your own favourites!

[Sandor 797]

Just now, Thor said:

 

Right you are. Removed.

 

I love all these additions and corrections, but don't forget to mention your own favourites!

 

I did already.  How Can I Remember from Sabrina.

[Incanus 5,714]

8 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Right you are. Removed.

 

I love all these additions and corrections, but don't forget to mention your own favourites!

As I mentioned above The Long Goodbye, Nice to Around and The Same Hello, The Same Goodbye.

[Thor 7,497]

Great.

 

I've added Youtube links to all the songs above (that I could find), making this the awesomest John Williams song resource ever!

[Sandor 797]

25 minutes ago, Thor said:

Great.

 

I've added Youtube links to all the songs above (that I could find), making this the awesomest John Williams song resource ever!

 

Great..!! 

[Thor 7,497]

I've always been particularly impressed by the two songs from WAGON TRAIN (now linked above). Sounds like something from early Disney or Broadway.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Sandor 797]

25 minutes ago, Thor said:

I've always been particularly impressed by the two songs from WAGON TRAIN (now linked above). Sounds like something from early Disney or Broadway.

 

Is the music composed by John Williams..?

[Thor 7,497]

10 minutes ago, Sandor said:

 

Is the music composed by John Williams..?

 

Yes. The instrumental versions are featured on the WAGON TRAIN soundtrack. Not sure he wrote the lyrics, though. He wrote these songs in collaboration with Stanley Wilson, but has sole credit on the album.

 

29 minutes ago, BloodBoal said:

You forgot the "Whip-crack-away" song.

 

From the same episode, or was that another one (I've forgotten)?

[Sandor 797]

4 minutes ago, Thor said:

 

Yes. The instrumental versions are featured on the WAGON TRAIN soundtrack. Not sure he wrote the lyrics, though. He wrote these songs in collaboration with Stanley Wilson, but has sole credit on the album.

 

 

From the same episode, or was that another one (I've forgotten)?

 

Ok thanks..! Was it ever released on CD..?

[Thor 7,497]

5 minutes ago, Sandor said:

 

Ok thanks..! Was it ever released on CD..?

 

Hmmm...if this is legit, apparently so:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Wagon-Train-Original-Music-TV/dp/B00BNKW9FU/ref=tmm_acd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

 

I only have a LP-to-CD transfer myself.

 

(I also forgot to mention Frederick Herbert as one of the co-composers of the songs)

[Miguel Andrade 1,263]

From his film work I would say The Long Goodbye and the two songs from Sabrina as my favorite ones.

But if you include the non film material, then the Seven for Luck song cycle is my top favourite.

 

[Incanus 5,714]

1 minute ago, Miguel Andrade said:

From his film work I would say The Long Goodbye and the two songs from Sabrina as my favorite ones.

But if you include the non film material, then the Seven for Luck song cycle is my top favourite.

 

I just wish there was a legit recording of the complete Seven for Luck.

[Thor 7,497]

9 minutes ago, Incanus said:

I just wish there was a legit recording of the complete Seven for Luck.

 

I wish there were ANY recordings of this, legit or not. There are only 2-3 songs available on the Rita Dove/John Williams video from the 90s. The remaining songs are completely UNHEARD (unless you were there at the Kathleen Battle concert from which the video took its footage).

[nightscape94 965]

All of the carols written for the Home Alone movies are excellent.  Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas is one of the catchiest tunes he's ever written, and I love Star of Bethlehem.  However, as cheesy and dated as the song version is, For Always gets me every time.

[TownerFan 4,983]

My favorites are "The Long Goodbye", "How Can I Remember?" and "If We Were in Love".

 

It must be noted though that several of the songs he did in his career weren't purposefully written as songs, but actually more like added lyrics to the main theme/melody of the film.

 

39 minutes ago, Thor said:

I wish there were ANY recordings of this, legit or not. There are only 2-3 songs available on the Rita Dove/John Williams video from the 90s. The remaining songs are completely UNHEARD (unless you were there at the Kathleen Battle concert from which the video took its footage).

 

The soloist at the premiere was Cynthia Haymon-Coleman. The piece was initially planned to be performed by Kathleen Battle, but apparentyl she bailed out as the songs were more difficult than she was expecting.

 

Keith Lockhart conducted selections from the song cycle at Tanglewood several times, from what I gather. Williams planned to record it with the Pops at one point during the late 90s (I seem to remember that Sony even announced it), but the album was apparently aborted late in the game.

[Jay 37,355]

I don't REALLY love any of his songs, but for sure, for me his four original Home Alone songs stand tall above the rest.  I only really like them at Christmas time though.

 

Now I do love all things Hook, including the 3 songs that made it into the film (Thor didn't include Pick Em Up in his main post for some reason) for what they are, but the ones that got dropped are all better.

[mstrox 6,651]

What about YUB NUB?

 

I probably only REALLY like the four Home Alone songs (Star of Bethlehem, Somewhere in my Memory, Merry Christmas Merry Christmas, and Christmas Star). Somewhere in My Memory probably has the edge for favorite, though.

 

I like Can You Read My Mind and For Always, but more in spite of the vocals.  And the pop version of Can You Read My Mind can go kick dirt.

[Thor 7,497]

23 minutes ago, Jay said:

I don't REALLY love any of his songs, but for sure, for me his four original Home Alone songs stand tall above the rest.  I only really like them at Christmas time though.

 

Now I do love all things Hook, including the 3 songs that made it into the film (Thor didn't include Pick Em Up in his main post for some reason) for what they are, but the ones that got dropped are all better.

 

I'll add "Pick 'em Up". I also need to add "Merry Christmas Merry Christmas", I guess. But then I should perhaps also consider including "Dry Your Tears Afrika", "Exultate Justi" etc. after all.

[Jay 37,355]

You guess?

[Thor 7,497]

Yeah, I edited the post. The HOME ALONE songs/corales are pretty much in the same 'borderline' territory as, say, "Exultate Justi".

 

13 minutes ago, mstrox said:

What about YUB NUB?

 

Is that Williams?

[Stempel 136]

Nice To Be Around

The Long Goodbye

If We Were  in Love

The Same Hello, The Same Goodbye 

 

[Jay 37,355]

2 minutes ago, Thor said:

The HOME ALONE songs/corales are pretty much in the same 'borderline' territory as, say, "Exultate Justi".

 

Huh?

[Thor 7,497]

I'm saying I need to draw a line somewhere. If I include the HOME ALONE corales (which I now have), I might as well include "Exultate Justi". And if I include that, I might as well include "Duel of the Fates". And if I include that, I might as well include "The Abduction of Barry". And if I include that, I might as well include the weird vocalizations in IMAGES.....

[Jay 37,355]

That doesn't make any sense!

The Home Alone songs are undeniably, unquestionably SONGS in every single possible sense and definition of the word.

 

Duel of the Fates and The Abduction of Barry are not!

[nightscape94 965]

Those things in Home Alone are most definitely songs, no grey area.  Why would you think they weren't?  Just because they involve a chorus and not a solo voice?

[Thor 7,497]

True, but can you see the "progression" I lined out there? How is "Exultate Justi" not a song if the HOME ALONE songs are? And if "Exultate Justi" is a song (with its limited amount of lyrics), how can "Duel of the Fates" not be (also with a limited set of lyrics)? etc.

[nightscape94 965]

I understand there's a line, since the inclusion of chorus/lyrical vocal solos can be used in any type of music that doesn't have to be categorized as a "song", but the Christmas carols in Home Alone are not remotely close to that line.

[Jay 37,355]

I don't care if you consider Exultate Justi a song or not, its just ridiculous that you questioned if the Home Alone songs were songs or not!  I mean, come on!

[Thor 7,497]

Ha, ha...why so angry, Jay?

 

I don't question that the HOME ALONE songs are songs; I'm just saying there's a relatively small leap from those songs to something like "Exultate Justi". And from there, you can go on and on.

 

Ah, screw it; I'll just add a separate section for the 'borderline' vocal tracks.

[nightscape94 965]

Also, if you're curious, I had a similar topic that I posted in 2005.  I even included Exsultate Justi

 

 

[Thor 7,497]

Just now, nightscape94 said:

Also, if you're curious, I had a similar topic that I posted in 2005.

 

Figures! I searched for songS (in plural) rather than song. Sorry about that.

[nightscape94 965]

Not really a problem since it was 12 years ago!  I just listed it as a reference in case you were interested in the poll results.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,522]

Thor, would you like to add LAPTI NEK,  YUB NUB, and DRY YOUR TEARS, AFRIKA, to your list?

[Thor 7,497]

Just now, Richard said:

Thor, would you like to add both LAPTI NEK, and YUB NUB to your list?

 

Isn't "Lapti Nek" by Joseph Williams? And as I asked before, did Williams write "Yub Nub"?

[Jay 37,355]

Your OP has 1992 listed for Hook instead of 1991.

[Thor 7,497]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

Your OP has 1992 listed for Hook instead of 1991.

 

Thanks, fixed!