# What's Your Favorite Piece of Music Associated With Sci-Fi/Fantasy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547 "2013-04-23T22:45:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/41 "2013-04-24T08:44:06Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > My husband (Andy L) and I jokingly considered having the _Doctor Who_ theme for our wedding march. > > I really like the new music from _Doctor Who_–not the theme, but the “the Doctor is doing something awesome” music. Why not? Beats the hell out of Mendelssohn’s Wedding March for the ten thousandth freaking time … I know someone who used the Imperial March from Star Wars. I love Isao Tomita, got hooked into him back when I was reading Stranger in a Strange Land, and the only version I could find of [The Planets](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHVsszW7Nds) was the [Tomita](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee3cgu9ENpw) version. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/42 "2013-04-24T09:42:51Z")
The William Tell Overture will never be the same after seeing \*A Clockwork Orange \*. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/43 "2013-04-24T10:06:25Z")
It depends on what you call Fantasy. I like: The theme to [The Tomorrow People](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xez4o1ujOPI#t=6s) by Dudley Simpson. [The Imperial March](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8) by John Williams, from a little-known movie called _The Empire Strikes Back_. The western theme to [Back to the Future Part III](http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=c5M7TUFHr2Y#t=27s) by Alan Silvestri. The theme song for [Peter Rabbit and Friends](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeVV2KD1GqU) (by _Perfect Day_ sung by Miriam Stockley). Both the [Tenth Doctor’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga1KO5G4WXw) and [Eleventh Doctor’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcFo1wCZVaI) action themes by Murray Gold. [Ride of the Fire Mares](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3pR4qHl3Ds) from Krull by James Horner. Hans Zimmer’s [Pirates of the Caribbean](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LZcMv0H1bI) soundtrack. The theme to [Knight Rider](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo8Qls0HnWo) by Stu Phillips. [Requiem for a Tower](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTCaMMatyNg), a special remix of Clint Mansell’s _Lux Aeterna_ theme in _Requiem for a Dream_, as first used on the trailer for _LOTR: The Two Towers_. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/44 "2013-04-24T10:37:05Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Williams has done so many good ones. I’m partial to the Jurassic Park theme. He really is [the man](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGYAPr6UKhs). ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/45 "2013-04-24T10:40:15Z")
A low level Horde quest in WoW ends with [Lament of the Highborne](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No6jHwe0QoQ). It’s so pretty and it comes as such a surprise the first time. It is one of my favorite moments in WoW. ---
**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:** [April 24, 2013, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/46 "2013-04-24T10:54:09Z")
Hard to choose, but I think I’d have to go with a double-play of Pixies’ _Planet of Sound_ and B52s’ _Planet Claire_ for SF, and Led Zeppelin’s _Ramble On_ and Bauhaus’ _Hollow Hills_ for Fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/47 "2013-04-24T11:43:15Z")
Battle in the Mutara Nebula from Star Trek II has already been mentioned, but it was my first thought when I saw the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/48 "2013-04-24T11:55:05Z")
Jeff Wayne’s war of the Worlds ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/49 "2013-04-24T12:03:40Z")
Does _Portal_ count as fantasy? If so, [Still Alive](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ljFaKRTrI). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/50 "2013-04-24T12:31:58Z")
One song was already mentioned from it, but Basil Poledouris’s entire soundtrack for Conan the Barbarian is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/51 "2013-04-24T13:16:33Z")
> [@Agnostic\_Pagan](#): > > [“Ok. 3 2 1. Let’s jam.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6jCJZEFIto) Tank! by Seat Belts - the theme for **Cowboy Bebop**! Love that - I call that type of music “crime jazz” because I found a great collection of old 50’s/60’s TV theme songs from old US shows - Peter Gunn, Legs Diamond, etc… Tank! fits in perfectly - what a great song… ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/52 "2013-04-24T13:24:46Z")
Oh, the Dr. Who theme, and that lovely “There’s A Light (Over At The Frankenstein Place)” from RHPS, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/53 "2013-04-24T15:50:32Z")
Several that have already been mentioned, notably LOTR and Conan the Barbarian but I’ll add the main theme for _The Incredibles_ by Michael Giacchino. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/54 "2013-04-24T16:04:29Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Has anything from Holst’s \*The Planets \*been used in a movie? _The Right Stuff_ used Jupiter. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/55 "2013-04-24T16:06:20Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > No contest. The music Grieg wrote for _Peer Gynt_. It’s all good, including stuff you don’t know you know, like “Hall of the Mountain King,” but it includes [possibly the single most beautiful short piece of music ever written.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntAKXIuRUI) Thanks for reminding me the classical music canon has great fantasy pieces, too. Love the Grieg but if I had to select my favorite work with a supernatural theme, I’d go with Wagner’s Ring Cycle. ---
**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:** [April 24, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/56 "2013-04-24T19:48:56Z")
My favorite piece of music from an SF/Fantasy film would have to be the Second Movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony from the end of **Zardoz** – not because I loved Zardoz, but because I love Beethoven symphonies. I think they even got the Van Karajan/berlin Philharmonik version. I’ll second my love of John Williams music – the various Star Wars film, Indiana Jones films, Superman, Jurassic Park, and others. But even more, I love the music of Bernard Hermann, who scored _the Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts_, and other Harryhausen films. He was also one of Hitchcock’s favorite composers, doing _North by Northwest. Psycho, The Man Who Knew Too Much_ (the second version, and that’s him conducting the orchestra on-screen in Albert Hall), and others. He’s the guy who wrote the score for _the Day the Earth Stood still_ cited above, and, although a theremin is certainly prominent in the score, it’s not ALL theremin music. I also really like the “electronic tonalities” of Louis and Bebe Barron in **Forbidden Planet** (which does NOT use a theremin). I have an album of the film score, which contains some of their other compositions, and they ALL sound like that. In fact, they seem to have “mined” their own work for the FP score. One album I haven’t heard was the original score Alex North came up with for **2001**. Most people don’t realize this, but Kubrick originally planned to have an original score for that film, which North composed. The classical pieces he used were “placeholders” for the workprint. Kubrick eventually decided he liked the classical score better, and kept it. North’s score WAS recorded, but not used, and eventually lost or destroyed. it has since been re-recorded, and is commercially available. And all those people saying they liked _Also Sprach Zarathustra_ have, I suspect, not heard the whole piece. It doesn’t resemble that famous 1:57 opening fanfare at _all_. I own it and have listened to it a great many times, but I can’t say I really _like_ it. ---
**Author:** ![Swamp\_Adder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Swamp\_Adder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swamp_Adder)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/57 "2013-04-24T22:48:08Z")
In addition to many already mentioned: [Der Maschinemensch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOj5lnizYds) and [Im Laboratorium](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUZMN566Opk) from the original score of _Metropolis_. [In Time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTYcOQnJaSI) from _Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure_. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/58 "2013-04-24T22:50:36Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’m going to go ahead and nominate the Eagles’ [Journey of the Sorceror](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbhAf62wfgE), which any true sci-fi fan should recognize as the theme song of a certain TV series. This is the one I came to mention. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/59 "2013-04-24T23:00:48Z")
The film _Sunshine_ has some outstanding music in it (by John Murphy, who also wrote for _28 Days Late_r), but unfortunately the soundtrack was never released properly. A sample of Murphy’s work from _Sunshine_: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fkkOH6eWPSc/maxresdefault.jpg "Sunshine: Surface Of The Sun - John Murphy - [Real Sun Video Footage] (Version 1)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkkOH6eWPSc) From _28 Days Later_: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ST2H8FWDvEA/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gEygiMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBQI7_EZ5wloKczbLPcgHxklc6OhQ "In the House, in a Heartbeat") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST2H8FWDvEA) ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547/60 "2013-04-24T23:14:10Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9-pkMOWtd4) The original Solaris (1972) soundtrack. The main theme is actually a Bach choral that is used very effectively in the film. More Horror/Action than Scifi, I am a big John Carpenter, Pina Dinaggio, Tangerine Dream fan. These artists have put out some incredible soundtracks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-piece-of-music-associated-with-sci-fi-fantasy/656547.md?page=4)