"Banning Back Home" The worst of Williams

[Quintus 5,399]

For all the sublime music Williams has written for the movies, he has still composed a few duds (hey, even the Don of film music isn't perfect!). I don't mean entire scores, just cues. There is the odd piece he's wrote which I've never gotten into, or I just don't like. "Banning Back Home" from Hook is one of them. It just sounds so un-Williams like - its mall muzak for Christs sake!

Obviously some posters are gonna tell me that Williams deliberately wrote this as a lighthearted, easy listening piece and that it suits the film material quite well. Well I'm sure it does, but that doesn't necessarily make it good to listen to on headphones.

So what cues do you dislike from the Williams catalogue? Maybe you even dislike whole scores he's wrote?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Banning Back Home is an odd cue, but it's still better than the pop version of Can You Read My Mind.

I also can't stand the songs The Morning After and For Always.

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

The morning after is not by Williams. It is the Towering inferno song, right? It won an oscar and Williams unfortunately, doesnt have 6.

Banning back home isnt bad and about being un-williamsy, i prefer to think about Williams versatility...

Can you read my mind pop version is good when sung by Maurice Govern or Shirley bassey

[Quintus 5,399]

That is indeed a good point, you could say the piece harks back to Williams' jazz days. But that doesn't mean I have to like it

Oh and the lyrical version of Can You Read My Mind sounds terrible no matter WHO sings it

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

The compositition is soo beautiful that it is still good when sung with those lyrics. Not recited as Margot kidder did :?

(when i said 'Banning' was not bad i forgot to say 'in my opinion', i didnt meant that you all had to like it...)

[pi 0]

I like BBH. I dont like Anakins Theme from TPM.

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

3,1416 you dissapoint me...

[futuremartymcfly 0]

I agree with the lyrical version of CYRMM, it always sounds horrible if its "sung". I happen to like banning back home, but worst williams cue would have to go to Lapti Nek...

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

Lapti nek is nice. And ages better than Jedi Rocks...

Heck i even like John Goldfarb please come home song... There must be something wrong with me LOL

[Quintus 5,399]

ARGHHH! I keep trying to reply and take part in my own thread but I keep getting logged out. Its been annoying me for months now. No wonder I hardly frequent this place. Its a shame coz I enjoy the discussions which go on here.

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

long in not from the upper thing in the page but in the bottom left of it.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The morning after is not by Williams. It is the Towering inferno song, right? It won an oscar and Williams unfortunately, doesnt have 6.

It's from The Poseidon Adventure, and you're right. It's not Williams. I stand corrected.

- Marc, who still doesn't like it, though.

[futuremartymcfly 0]

And ages better than Jedi Rocks...

Everything is better then Jedi Rocks, but that doesn't count of course...

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

The morning after is not by Williams. It is the Towering inferno song, right? It won an oscar and Williams unfortunately, doesnt have 6.

It's from The Poseidon Adventure, and you're right. It's not Williams. I stand corrected.

- Marc, who still doesn't like it, though.

It is used in Towering Inferno...

http://www.screenarchives.com/fsm/detailCD.cfm?ID=180

Luke, who just realised the song is From Poseidon Adventure but used as Source music for Towering inferno...

And the one that won the oscar must be the other song, 'We may never lovel ike this again'

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

And the one that won the oscar must be the other song, 'We may never lovel ike this again'

Actually, both did.

*shudder*

[Henry B 50]

"Banning Back Home" is catchy. Of course, if you only like one kind of music - orchestral - then I understand why it's not your thing.

[Quintus 5,399]

long in not from the upper thing in the page but in the bottom left of it.

Okay I've tried that. Thanks for the tip I'll see how I get on.

To the guy who dislikes Anakins theme: I disagree, sure its not as catchy as we might have expected but its still a superb piece of music. Williams was obviously attempting to create depth and uncertainty to Anakin, which might have worked if the future Vadar wasn't played by a bowl-headed little shit. Could this be a rare case of Williams actually getting the music wrong where the character is concerned? Or should that be the actor. It seems Williams wrote a thoughtful and predictive theme which would suit a disturbed youngster who would eventually become Vader. Williams obviously thought Anakins theme up before he saw what Lucas had spun. Williams thought of a young Vader in the same way that the fans did - basically, a kid with issues.

Its not Williams' fault that Lucas created something entirely different in the finished product. If you bare this in mind, Anakins theme is exceptional. Not only does the piece feature a haunting and unusual theme, its also one of Williams' most mature strings works to date.

[GoodMusician 56]

Personally... I love Banning Back Home... Its very fun and energized... and almost like... a modern jazz piece... I thought it was nice to hear something like that from him since he really hadn't done any "jazz" pieces for a while... Except not to many years latter he'd do period jazz but not...modern... It's one of those styles he does not touch on much and it's one of my favourite.

I love that piece.. Sorry if I completely dissagree with most of you... but I love that piece.

Then again, I also enjoyed "We May Never Love Like THis Again," "Can You Read my Mind" and all those others...

Personally, I like them as much as I like his normal stuff... probably even more so in some cases because it's so different!

You go down the street Humming "Darth Vader's Theme" and people are like "Oh... John Williams!"

You go down the string humming "Lapti Nek" and people just think you're crazy! It's Genious!

[Erik Woods 569]

What already existing jazz piece is this cue almost completely ripped from?

-Erik-

[Jeshopk 8]

"Banning Back Home" is called "yuppie sounds" in the hook sheet music book. I bet that title was taken from the cue list, because there are other ones with Williamsy cue listy names (ie. boys in to battle - palpatine's tv set).

If so, I would bet that it is meant to emulate the music yuppies were listening to - the scene it accompanies is an office where workers are bullsh&tting each other, playing gunslinger with cell phones, and it even has an elevator scene (reference to elevator music.) So considering all, I believe its cheeziness is intentional and in mockery of lite corporate jazz that yuppie characters like Peter Banning would listen to. If so, Williams is truly self depracating to write such a piece and put it on the album with a straight face.

[GoodMusician 56]

If you can make fun of yourself... or laugh at yourself... life is a lot better not to mention more fun heh

So Williams wrote a fun, whimsical piece, almost mocking that music which brought him to fame...

Is there a problem?

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I find very few things in life that are more annoying than the source music from Phantom Menace.

[Jim Ware 526]

"Banning Back Home" is called "yuppie sounds" in the hook sheet music book. I bet that title was taken from the cue list, because there are other ones with Williamsy cue listy names (ie. boys in to battle - palpatine's tv set).

And you would be correct. It's 1M4.

[deimos 0]

I have to admit it's not among my favorites, but it accomplishes many things in just two minutes. Among the goals achieved, my favourite: it is so damn different from the rest of the score that you soon realise that Peter is no longer Peter Pan. Exactly what the scene implies.

[Indiana_Fett 0]

I don't like it. I dislike most of the England music from Hook. Except for 'The Stories are True 2'.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

I dont like Banning Back Home too. Can You Read My Mind sung is fine with me, but not recited.

[John Crichton 4]

Banning Back Home is an odd cue, but it's still better than the pop version of Can You Read My Mind.

A strangled duck with kazoo accompaniment is better than the pop version of Can You Read My Mind.

For the record I have no problems with Banning Back Home, it's both a nice change of pace. Wouldn't want to hear something like it all the time though.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I love the pop version of Can You Read My Mind, by Maureen McGovern.

and I don't care for the Hook score, but I do like Banning Back Home, it is odd sounding and I like it.

[King Mark 3,631]

"We don't wanna grow up" is even more annoying than Banning Back Home.

I find very few things in life that are more annoying than the source music from Phantom Menace.

I think that music is hilarious.

K.M.Who can't figure how someone would not like Anakin's Theme

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

"Banning Back Home" isn't bad. I really couldn't imagine the scene scored any other way effectively.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

(when i said 'Banning' was not bad i forgot to say 'in my opinion', i didnt meant that you all had to like it...)

I think we've established that anything anyone says ever about music tastes is opinion.

I'm not exactly excited by "Banning", but it certianly does the job in the film and creates the right mood and image of a 90s American family.

[A24 4,368]

That jazzy piece accompanying the phone duel is an album highlight.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

"We don't wanna grow up" is even more annoying than Banning Back Home.

Oh yes. I can't stand those snotnoses singing that stuff (same for When You're Alone actually, although to a lesser extent).

[A24 4,368]

Oh, no, it's great! It has a lively stage play feel and the kids sing it with the right kind of energy.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

It's right for the scene, as is Banning Back Home. I just can't stand to listen to it on its own.

I like the piano version of Tinkerbell's theme, but after that I usually hit the skip button.

[A24 4,368]

Try to listen to the music, not the genre, Marc. Especially the jazz piece is very Williams albeit in different clothing. I think every musician I know is impressed by it.

[Morlock 11]

That jazzy piece accompanying the phone duel is an album highlight.

Oh, no, it's great! It has a lively stage play feel and the kids sing it with the right kind of energy.

Try to listen to the music, not the genre, Marc.  Especially the jazz piece is very Williams albeit in different clothing. I think every musician I know is impressed by it.

I agree with the sentiments of Mr. Cremers. 'Banning Back Home' is a wonderful piece, and I also think 'We Don't Wanna Grow Up' is great, really hit the mark performance wise (both the kids and the pianist).

Morlock- who thinks most cues on that album are album highlights

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Try to listen to the music, not the genre, Marc.

I still don't like We Don't Wanna Grow Up on its own.

- Marc, who thinks BBH is fine and a nice change, and both cues are excellent for the films, but not as good a listen as the rest of the score.

[Ollie 1,069]

Wasn't "Banning Back Home" one of those cues where Spielberg wanted Williams to come as close to the temp track as he could?

Someone had mentioned that supposedly the scene was tracked with a cue by David Grusin, don't know which film it was, but they wanted Williams to come as close as he could without directly quoting it.

Either way it's a nice cue and fits the scenes perfectly.

[Morlock 11]

I hadn't heard that, but it isn't hard to believe. It could sound like Grusin.

[A24 4,368]

It's better!

[Morlock 11]

Well, I'm not a big Grusin fan, so I'll be happy to agree with you on that.

Morlock- who's wondering if there are any big Dave Grusin fans (Other than Goonies fans, that is)

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

People are starting to critisize songs.

Williams compositions (the music) are very good and beautiful in many of the songs.

Lyrics on the other hand, and not by Williams.

[pi 0]

Listen to the Dave Grusin, Gershwin album, and you will here the similarities. I think in "soon" especially

[alfredo 0]

I made a playlist which I called "John Williams Did That!?!" It included:

Miles on Wheels (Earthquake)

The Killing of Marcel (Images)

Training Montage (SpaceCamp)

To Love (Posiedon Adventure)

Banning Back Home (Hook)

Plans (Sugarland Express)

Mos Espa Arena Band / Street Band of Mos Espa / The Street Singer (Episode I) - I also hope that if John listens to anything of his own this is it.

The Knight Bus (POA)

Dennis Steals the Embryo (Jurassic Park)

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

...but worst williams cue would have to go to Lapti Nek...

Didn't Joseph Williams write "Lapti Nek"?

[Jeshopk 8]

Joseph Williams wrote the English Lyrics to Lapti Nek, and probably sang the vocals on the english version (as heard in the documentary "From Star Wars to Jedi")

I have no idea whether he arranged or partially arranged one of the versions. The document that lists Joseph Williams' writing credits lists the following, but it doesn't break down his participation. It's known that he wrote lyrics or sang on some of these, so it is hard to say whether it is really accurate when it implies composing duties. Also, Cafe sequence is listed in both TPM and AOTC. There are no cafe sequences in TPM. Maybe he is simply "the street singer" from TPM. And the guy who sings over the techno in AI.:

http://64.143.175.148/Composers/WILLIAMJ.pdf

SONGS FOR FILM (source & featured)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

WB

Steven Spielberg, dir.

*3 cues (source and featured)

STAR WARS: EPISODE 1

The Phantom Menace

20th Century Fox

George Lucas, dir.

* 1 cue (featured) “Café Sequence”

STAR WARS: EPISODE 2

Attack Of The Clones

20th Century Fox

George Lucas, dir.

*1 cue (featured) “Café Sequence”

RETURN OF THE JEDI

20th Century Fox

Richard Marquand, dir.

*2 Songs (featured) “Lapti nek” & “Ewok

Celebration”

I think we can safely assume Williams gave his own son proper credit for lyrics in ROTJ, and didn't whitewash that he wrote it.

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

ewokese lyrics are by Ben burtt, by the way.

[Ollie 1,069]

Joseph Williams wrote the English Lyrics to Lapti Nek, and probably sang the vocals on the english version (as heard in the documentary "From Star Wars to Jedi")

I didn't realize he sounded like a woman when he sang.

Didn't he do Augie's Band cue from TPM?

[Luke Skywalker 1,810]

Joseph Williams wrote the English Lyrics to Lapti Nek, and probably sang the vocals on the english version (as heard in the documentary "From Star Wars to Jedi")

I didn't realize he sounded like a woman when he sang.

He may have a wide spectrum.

Simba doesnt sound like a woman, i think...