# Sci/fantasy themed rock that isn't cringe worthy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554 "2012-06-28T06:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/1 "2012-06-28T06:34:35Z")
I guess the term is hard to define, maybe a better term would be rock which rocks bad enough the lyrical themes don’t matter? Ur example:Holy Diver. I’m thinking of bands like Blue Oyster Cult and Hawkwind who have songs about fantasy/scifi subjects. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/2 "2012-06-28T07:02:45Z")
Queen’s soundtracks for _Highlander_ and _Flash Gordon_, do they count? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/3 "2012-06-28T07:25:40Z")
Led Zeppelin’s [Ramble On](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKVp-atyiVA)? ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/4 "2012-06-28T08:07:36Z")
Several Bowie tunes - I’m thinking specifically Starman and Space Oddity, but I know there are others. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/5 "2012-06-28T08:07:48Z")
_2112_ by Rush. ETA: Tony Carey’s _Planet P Project_. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/6 "2012-06-28T08:16:40Z")
Would Pink Floyd’s _Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun_ qualify? The PTV version is awesome as well. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/7 "2012-06-28T08:46:26Z")
The Pixies - [Velouria](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHhox4_SeHQ), [The Happening](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWNm1ZF8wwg), [Planet of Sound](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvKCJDUBE2w)… ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/8 "2012-06-28T08:47:04Z")
“Rocket Man” -Elton John OK, it’s cringy when William Shatner sings it but other than that… ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/9 "2012-06-28T09:00:12Z")
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto? I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/10 "2012-06-28T09:15:32Z")
Speaking of Floyd, how about Interstellar Overdrive? Do instrumentals even count? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/11 "2012-06-28T10:25:41Z")
“Starship Troopers” by Yes is pretty solid. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/12 "2012-06-28T11:04:09Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto? > > I guess not. Hey! ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/13 "2012-06-28T11:35:16Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Several Bowie tunes - I’m thinking specifically Starman and Space Oddity, but I know there are others. yeah, tonnes of Bowie stuff would fit. The albums “Diamond Dogs” and “The Rise and Fall of the Spiders from Mars” are pretty much sci-fi stories in themselves (and have loads of great tunes on them) ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/14 "2012-06-28T11:39:45Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I guess the term is hard to define, maybe a better term would be rock which rocks bad enough the lyrical themes don’t matter? King Crimson, maybe, or Robin Trower? Uriah Heep? (I spent most of my youth in a fantasy land of sorts ;), so I could be totally off the mark.) > [@Koxinga](#): > > Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto? Dammit! I just squeegeed that phrase out of my brain after **Asimovian** ’s birthday thread, and now I’ll have to start all over. I think this time I’ll sing the _Gilligan’s Island_ theme song to the tune of “Amazing Grace,” or vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/15 "2012-06-28T11:42:00Z")
Rick Wakeman’s _Journey to the Center of the Earth_ and its quarter-of-a-century-later sequel _Return to the Center of the Earth_ ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/16 "2012-06-28T11:48:24Z")
Blue Oyster Cult [Veteran of the Psychic Wars](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGKNaIXtBZQ&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/17 "2012-06-28T12:40:05Z")
Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/18 "2012-06-28T12:44:21Z")
Pretty much the entirety of ELO’s album, _Time_. Particularly _Yours Truly, 2095_. ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/19 "2012-06-28T12:53:50Z")
Rush’s new album, “Clockwork Angels” is a concept album set in a Streampunk world. Of course Rush has lots of Sci-fi/fantasy themed work. Oh lets see… By-Tor and the Snowdog, Rivendell, The Necromancer, The Fountain of Lamneth, the previously mentioned 2112, Cygnus x-1, Hemispheres, Countdown (science fact, not fiction), and probably others that are slipping my mind right now. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554/20 "2012-06-28T12:59:36Z")
_[Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of War of the Worlds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Wayne's_Musical_Version_of_The_War_of_the_Worlds)_ – clunky title, but one of the best adaptations of the novel. Songs: “'39” by Queen “Beautiful Zelda” by the Bonzo Dog Band “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” by Klaatu (though the Carpenters do a nice version, too). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fantasy-themed-rock-that-isnt-cringe-worthy/626554.md?page=2)