Why does the alternate Main Title from The Cowboys sound so... alternate?

[Sandor 797]

I love the alternate Main Title from The Cowboys, but I'm always a little bit confused by the fact that melodically it is so different from anything from the original soundtrack.

It almost sounds like it was written by another composer. Especially the B-melody line is very a-typical John Williams.

Anyone know more about this piece? Thanks.

[TownerFan 4,983]

I don't know. It's quite different, you're right. My thought is that probably Williams felt it was necessary to give the audience something quite different after the "Overture" presentation (which basically contains the main theme and the theme for John Wayne's character), just to avoid redundancy. However, the filmmakers probably asked him to use the main "Cowboys" theme in the main titles as well.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I almost like it better than the film version.

[Adam S. 0]

I thought the alternate main title was really written for the The Cowboys trailer and probably temptracked with Berstein's Magnificent Seven. That would explain why it is so different. He either did it before he developed any of the material for his score or he did it with allegiance to the temptrack, knowing it wasn't necessary to connect it to his score.

- Adam

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

I almost like it better than the film version.

Yup. But I love both.

[oierem 152]

I almost like it better than the film version.

Yup. But I love both.

I love both too. The alternate is great and a refreshing addition in the middle of the soundtrack.