Popular Post Datameister 2,044 Posted March 20, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 20, 2023 One of JW's many strengths is his knack for crafting great tunes. His best-known works tend to feature catchy, singable melodies. I don't think I'm saying anything controversial or revelatory there, nor do I think JW is the only composer who could be described that way. But I want to get your thoughts on something that's a little murkier, a little more debatable. It seems to me that many of JW's great themes evoke the sounds of specific words and phrases—words and phrases that are relevant to the leitmotivic meanings at hand. My favorite examples: "It's a dinosaur!" in what you might call the chorus of the theme from Jurassic Park "Indiana" (and perhaps "Dr. Jones") in the Raiders March "Superman" in … well, I'll let you guess which theme To call any of these a stretch would be … a stretch. I have to believe that those specific clumps of syllables influenced William's composition process, whether consciously or not. With other themes, the "lyrics" can be less emphatically obvious. But it's still often easy to find them. See if you can figure out which theme each of these goes to, how much of a stretch it is, and how facetious I'm being: "Kevin's home alone, Kevin's home alone …" "The Rebels, the Rebels, the Rebels are coming!" "The story of Harry Potter" "Emperor Palpatine" "I'm Kylo Ren, bitch … I'm Kylo Ren" "… to the island we must go" "You are my sister" "Rey is on a journey" "E.T.'s flying on a bike now" "Voldemort … Voldemort …" "Jar Jar Binks, Jar Jar Binks, he's a clumsy character from Naboo" "Diagon Alley's hustling, Diagon Alley's bustling, Diagon Alley's where the witches and the wizards buy their [stuff]" "Ani and Obi whacking sabers" The list could go on and on. Especially if I could think of anything else to put on it. Here's the big question: Am I grasping at straws? Does Williams really tend to write melodies that lend themselves unusually well to horrible, on-the-nose lyrics? Or is this just what happens with a lot of hummable melodies? Then again, perhaps it's just confirmation bias, whereby I ignore the many themes that don't fit my theory? Please chime in. Examples are welcome. Score, MrJosh, Falstaft and 5 others 1 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Faleel 5,365 Posted March 20, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 20, 2023 You could write lyrics to almost anything though "Vader is here, holy shit, holy shit." "It's, the Death Star!" "Hurry Indy, grab the antidote!" "It's Indy, young Indy, this really is young Indy" Jay, Datameister, j39m and 7 others 1 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Datameister 2,044 Posted March 20, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 20, 2023 1 minute ago, A Farewell to Kings said: "It's, the Death Star!" I think you mean, "That is no mooooooon!" Brando, MrJosh and Jay 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Faleel 5,365 Posted March 20, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 20, 2023 "A Skyscraper, a skyscraper, too bad, it'll fall" "Waaatch out, waaatch out, don't go swimming, don't go swimming, don't go swimming, don't go swimming SHIT A SHARK! SHIT A SHARK OH NO OH NO." Jay, Gabriel Bezerra and Brando 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,298 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 I think Superman is the classic example and I really do believe it's something a lot of people hear automatically. Even Richard Donner said he heard it instantly. "Staaar Waaars" is one that SNL made popular. I have thought "In-di-a-naaa," "EEE TTT," and "Har-ry Pot-terrrr" before. But I think the more specific it gets, the more it's grasping at straws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,556 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 The "It's a dinosaur" music, is a riff on "I can fly", from Disney's PETER PAN. Garrett 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciarlese 251 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 An easy one would be "you are not alone". However, you reminded me of this video: Pieter Boelen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,378 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 This is the greatest thread in the history of JWFan Brando and fommes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,378 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Companion thread: https://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?/topic/19927-melodies-that-could-have-lyrics/ My ancient post in that thread: On 10/03/2011 at 2:00 PM, Jay said: This is embarassing to admit, but...... When I was a kid I developed lyrics in my head to all the melodies in the Star Wars scores to keep them sorted in my head to more quickly identify which theme was playing... I used to always mix the up, especially cues that blended a lot together like the Dagobah scenes, etc. The only ones I can remember now are Han and Leia's Love Theme: "I love you, oh yes I do, I love you, I really do-ooo" Princess Leia's Theme: "Prin-cess Lei-a, buns in her-er hair, prin-cess lei-a, buns are in her hair!" Rebel Alliance Theme: "the rebels, the rebels, the rebels are-a coming!" Luke's Theme: "Luke, Luke, Lu-uke Sky-Walllk-er, Lu-uke Sky-Walllker, dij-er-e-doo" Force Theme: "The force, is, mys-ter-i-ous, the force, surrounds us and binds us all" Yoda's Theme: "Yo-da, Force, Da-go-bah, Yo-da, Force, da-go-bah, Yoda, Force, Dagobah, Dagobah, dagobah, dagobah, dagobah!" The Imperial March was just "Darth Va-der, Darth Vader, Darth Vader" Second companion thread: https://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?/topic/29037-adding-choir-lyrics-to-existing-star-wars-pieces/ My post in that thread On 21/11/2018 at 3:21 PM, Jay said: When I was a kid I wrote my own lyrics to various SW themes in my head so I could better know what theme was playing when Leia's theme was "Prin-cess, Leia's really nice.... prin CESS, Lei-a's really nice" H&L's Love theme was "I love you, oh yes I do, I love you, I really dooooo-oooo" The Force was "The FORCE, IS, really SPECial, The force, surrounds and bi-yi-yinds us" The main theme / Luke's theme was "Luke, Sky, Lu-uke Sky WALKer, Lu-uke SkyWALKer, he's kickin' ass" Datameister 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,642 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 I like to imagine a bystander yelling "Go Indy go" at the end of the Raiders A theme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Score 770 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 My favourite one will always be Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler's list; Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler's list; that's Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler's li--ist, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler, Schin-dler's list. Someone suggested it some time ago, I don't remember where and who... I don't want to take undue credits for this masterpiece! Martinland and Not Mr. Big 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,953 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 On 20/03/2023 at 3:11 AM, Datameister said: Am I grasping at straws? Certainly not in the Superman case... Nor is it unheard of for music to do this. Its a kind of musical onomatopoeia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,383 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 I find very few of John Williams famous tunes very singable. Hummable yes, but singable? There are a few exceptions. Love theme from Superman has of course a well singable melody as this was even supposed to be sung. But in general I find, that these themes are written for instruments and not voice for a reason. But of course this is a fun excercise. And yes, in some cases a phrase might have been an inspiration for the texture of a melody. But only for the texture I guess, not for the melody. At least my view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePenitentMan1 744 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 "No longer am I... just a man. I'll only go by... Superman! You look at me as... just a guy. But I hide, deep inside, I can fly!" "Superman, it's just how it sounds! I am a super man, just making my rounds. And I'm here to saaave you 'cuz that's what the braaave do. I'm known as the man of steel, with a heart of gold." "Want adventure? Come to me: A professor... of archaeology. Buried treasure's... worth the fee! But choose poorly, and surely, you're purely... cremation." (I can't believe I'm the only one so far to mention Goldentusk in a thread about putting lyrics to JW pieces!) Holko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,483 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Peeeter Waaarrick Tydirium 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,529 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Solium posted this video on FSM a couple of weeks ago, which was about this topic: As I said there: Some I think are credible, some are a stretch and obviously a coincidence. Beyond the examples in the video, there's also Alan Silvestri's NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, which seems to sing "Night at the Museeeeeeum". I think this was pointed out by some FSM guy a few years ago. Could have been the Kaplans. In fact, haven't they made a series of videos whereby they transcribe lyrics to film themes? GerateWohl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,483 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 hárry pÓtter - hárry pÓtter - hárry pÓtter - potter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Garrett 153 Posted March 21, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 21, 2023 Will-ie Scott is not as hot as Mar-i-on She is far too va-cu-ous O-ver-ly la-sciv-i-ous Jay, Datameister, crumbs and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,365 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Elsa > Marion > Willie Chen G. and Gabriel Bezerra 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett 153 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 15 minutes ago, A Farewell to Kings said: Elsa > Marion > Willie Correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post WilliamsStarShip2282 308 Posted March 22, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 22, 2023 I think the only notable one is Superman where it fits the opening titles perfectly. But other than that a catchy melody just has that kind of singable ability. The funny thing is maybe like.. 15-20 years ago now when the internet was younger and more primitive, I remember there was someone on a forum (not this one) who swore up and down JW had secret lyrics to the main theme of Superman which read: "He's hard as a rock Superman He's got a big c*ck Superman!" Pieter Boelen, crumbs, Edmilson and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,319 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Rey's Theme Rey Rey-Rey Reyyyyy... Rey Rey-Rey-Rey Rey's Theme WilliamsStarShip2282 and Not Mr. Big 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,365 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Rey is nooot a Skyyy-walkerrr, nooorr is sheee a Solooo, she-ee iiis a Pal-pa-tiiine, sooo-rry, no-ot soo-rryyy. crumbs and Pieter Boelen 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post crumbs 14,319 Posted March 22, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 22, 2023 Em-Pe-Ror, Pal-Pa-Tine, Some-How He Re-Turnnnnn-nnnned! Brando, Holko, GerateWohl and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,483 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 E. - T. - flying past the Moo-oon. - Peter - Peter - Peter is flying. Peter - Peter - Peter is flying. Peter - Peter - Peter is flying. Flying is Peter, flying is Peter, Peter, Peter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,556 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Can you read my mind? Can you picture the things you do to me? Er...hold on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy 4,147 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 The King of this sort of thing was Hammer composer James Bernard. His Dracula score is intentionally Draaaa-cu-laaaa. Even his sequels meter out the correct syllables to match the film title. Draaaa-cul-laaaaa! Has-Ris-en From-the Graaaaave! He's Risen From the Graaaaave! Taste... the... blood... of... Draaaaa-cu-laaaaa! Fran-ken-steeeiiin Must-be-De-Stroyyyyyed! Yes, He Must-be-De-Stroyyyed! You could argue that Williams followed suit with Oh Nooooooo! It's Dra-Cu-Laaaaa! Oh Noooooo! It's Dra-Cu-laaaaa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Datameister 2,044 Posted March 22, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 22, 2023 I'm loving all the lyrics being shared, but the flagrant disregard for the natural prosody of the music is devastating. Stretching the word "it's" over four notes? Stressing the first and last syllables in "skyscraper"? Using "Skywalker" to add an extraneous note to the sublime first phrase of Rey's theme? Splitting "man" across two notes in the staccatoest phrase of Superman's theme, thereby pronouncing it /ˈmæʔæn/? Shameful. We're better than this. John toils for hours or days to get a melody just so, only for it to be promptly shat upon by an unstressed syllable on an accented note? Outrageous. Naïve Old Fart, Gabriel Bezerra, QuartalHarmony and 7 others 1 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,319 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 22 minutes ago, Datameister said: I'm loving all the lyrics being shared, but the flagrant disregard for the natural prosody of the music is devastating. Stretching the word "it's" over four notes? Stressing the first and last syllables in "skyscraper"? Using "Skywalker" to add an extraneous note to the sublime first phrase of Rey's theme? Splitting "man" across two notes in the staccatoest phrase of Superman's theme, thereby pronouncing it /ˈmæʔæn/? Shameful. We're better than this. John toils for hours or days to get a melody just so, only for it to be promptly shat upon by an unstressed syllable on an accented note? Outrageous. Then you're really gonna hate my lyrics for the Jaws theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,483 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Ah.I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,642 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 45 minutes ago, crumbs said: Then you're really gonna hate my lyrics for the Jaws theme. I always sang it as "Jaw shark" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,483 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Ami - Ami - Amistaaaaad AmiAmiAmi-stad-staaad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePenitentMan1 744 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 2 hours ago, Datameister said: I'm loving all the lyrics being shared, but the flagrant disregard for the natural prosody of the music is devastating. ...Splitting "man" across two notes in the staccatoest phrase of Superman's theme, thereby pronouncing it /ˈmæʔæn/? Shameful. Fine. Edited. But here's the source of the lyrics I posted, and the line sounds okay to me here: If you still think it's wrong, I don't know what to tell you. Is it perfect? No. But this is classic Youtube right here. Martinland and Datameister 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Mr. Big 4,642 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Home alone home alone Hoooooome Alone Home a-lone home a looooone home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,483 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 This - is the story - of Steven - Spielberg... This - is the story of his early life. It's hard to believe that things have come so far. So let me just write - a short little score - a short little score - for my - best - friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,556 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, fucking shit. Oh, fucking shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, fucking shit. Oh, fucking shit. Fucking hell. I am going to get killed. Fucking hell, fucking hell, fucking hell. I am going to get killed. Gabriel Bezerra and BB-8 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB-8 3,483 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 I'm your dad - dadada - dadadad! ThePenitentMan1 and Gabriel Bezerra 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loert 2,515 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 IMO the reason why some melodies "fall naturally into the ear" more than others is partly because they resemble spoken language in some way. It's hard to say that a composer deliberately constructed melodies to sound like language, it's more like an inevitable property of these sorts of melodies. This is probably due to some ancient part of our brain... I think on your point specifically about these motifs matching words specific to the theme of the motif...I agree with @A Farewell to Kings post that mostly it's just coincidence since there are so many phrases you can construct, although I'd allow that the "Superman" example is perhaps deliberate. And perhaps "Star Wars, welcome to Star Wars, no place like Star Wars, please come again." But anyway, it has never crossed my mind to add lyrics to JW's themes...I prefer them wordless 4 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said: Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, fucking shit. Oh, fucking shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, fucking shit. Oh, fucking shit. Fucking hell. I am going to get killed. Fucking hell, fucking hell, fucking hell. I am going to get killed. Is that The Hut On Chicken's Legs? Naïve Old Fart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,365 Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 @Loert Holy crap, I am pretty sure I heard that bit around 0:13 used in a 90s/ early 2000 sample CD Yeah, Best Service Orchestral Colours, Diabolic Seq. 1! At 26:57: Manakin Skywalker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,556 Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 7 hours ago, Loert said: Is that The Hut On Chicken's Legs? We're gonna do "Pictures At An Exhibition" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post BB-8 3,483 Posted March 24, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 24, 2023 Yo-da I am. Green skin and long ears - Look as good you will not at my age. Courtney Sees Ghosts, Martinland, ThePenitentMan1 and 1 other 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manakin Skywalker 4,897 Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 On 22/03/2023 at 7:16 PM, A Farewell to Kings said: @Loert Holy crap, I am pretty sure I heard that bit around 0:13 used in a 90s/ early 2000 sample CD Yeah, Best Service Orchestral Colours, Diabolic Seq. 1! At 26:57: Immediately recognized that one from older seasons of South Park! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 4,673 Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 As BB-8 reminds us in the other thread: Peter Waaarrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett 153 Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 Official Lyrics to Rey’s theme Verse 1: 0:33-1:09 Rey is not a Solooooo She is a Palpatiiiiine She calls herself “Skywalker” Doooooon’t believe her lies Frommmmm her past she hides Waaaaaatch her sexy thighs move Rey “Skywallllll-ker” Pal-pa-tine Rey “Skywallllll-ker” Pal-pa-tine Verse 2: 1:40-2:11 Many things is Daisyyyyyyy Can’t… really tell… her noooooo And if she bakes me coooookies I’ll… write her a new theme Beau…tiful it will seem Saw… her in a wet dream Reyyyyyyy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manakin Skywalker 4,897 Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 21 hours ago, Garrett said: Waaaaaatch her sexy thighs move Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrotherSound 2,246 Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 Seeing this thread bumped reminded me: I’m surprised the Sabrina theme was never paired with any lyrics, because those phrase endings sure sound like they were meant to accompany the name “Sabrina”: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courtney Sees Ghosts 269 Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 "Rey is a girl from Jakku. Rey will save both me and you." Been humming that since December 2015. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faleel 5,365 Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 15 hours ago, Manakin Skywalker said: Where is this clip from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex 2,835 Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manakin Skywalker 4,897 Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 2 hours ago, Signals said: Where is this clip from? The KOTCS featurette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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