Star Wars (soundtrack) explained

Star Wars (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Type:soundtrack
Artist:John Williams
Cover:StarWarsOST.jpg
Caption:Cover of the original 1977 release
Released:June 1977
Recorded:March 5–16, 1977
Studio:Anvil Studios, Denham
Genre:Classical
Length:74:58
Label:20th Century
Prev Title:Black Sunday
Prev Year:1977
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Next Year:1977

Star Wars (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 1977 film Star Wars, composed and conducted by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Williams' score for Star Wars was recorded over eight sessions at Anvil Studios in Denham, England on March 5, 8–12, 15 and 16, 1977. The score was orchestrated by Williams, Herbert W. Spencer, Alexander Courage, Angela Morley, Arthur Morton and Albert Woodbury. Spencer orchestrated the scores for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The score was recorded by engineer Eric Tomlinson and edited by Kenneth Wannberg, and the scoring sessions were produced by Star Wars director George Lucas and supervised by Lionel Newman, head of 20th Century Fox's music department.

The soundtrack album was released by 20th Century Records as a double-LP record in the United States in June 1977. The album's main title peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, with a disco version of the film's theme by Meco becoming a number one hit single in the United States in October 1977. The soundtrack album itself peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in September 1977, and became the best-selling symphonic album of all time;[1] it was certified Gold and Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and won numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special and Best Instrumental Composition (for the "Main Title"). It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2004, it was preserved by the Library of Congress into the National Recording Registry, calling it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In 2005, the American Film Institute named the original Star Wars soundtrack as the most memorable score of all time for an American film.[2]

The Star Wars soundtrack saw subsequent reissues since its initial release. In 2016, the album was re-released by Sony Classical Records on vinyl, CD, and digital formats alongside Williams' other Star Wars soundtracks. The vinyl release is pressed on 180g vinyl and features the original 20th Century Records logo. Unlike all of Sony Classical's previous releases, however, the vinyl version is a remastered version of the original 1977 release, not the Special Edition. Walt Disney Records remastered and reissued the soundtrack on vinyl LP on December 1, 2017, and on CD and digital formats on May 4, 2018.

Original 1977 release

The original 1977 release of the soundtrack, entitled Star Wars - Original Soundtrack, included a poster of a painting by science fiction artist John Berkey, depicting the final battle over the Death Star from the film's end.[3] The album was released as a double LP which was formatted for an autochanger record player; one disc had sides one and four with the other having sides two and three. This allowed a person to stack sides one and two on the player, then flip the stack over for sides three and four, allowing the listener to have over half an hour of uninterrupted music before they needed to flip the discs over.[4]

Track listing

First release on LP by 20th Century Records. For the original soundtrack, Williams selected 75 minutes of music out of the 88 minute score. To provide musical variety, it did not follow the film's chronological order.

This track listing is also shared by Sony Classical's LP release in 2016, and Walt Disney Records' LP and CD releases in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Personnel

Subsequent releases

Release history

TitleU.S. release dateLabelFormat
Star Wars–Original Soundtrack June 197720th CenturyDouble-LP
1986PolydorCD
Star Wars Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology1993Arista
Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope Special Edition: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack1997RCA VictorDouble CD
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)2004Sony Classical
The Music of Star Wars: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition[5] November 6, 2007CD
Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Collection[6] January 8, 2016CD, LP, digital
Star Wars: A New Hope–40th Anniversary Box SetDecember 1, 2017Walt DisneyRemastered 3-LP
Star Wars: A New Hope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)May 4, 2018Remastered CD, digital

1986 release

First release on CD by Polydor Records in 1986. It is identical in content and packaging to the LP release.

Disc one

  1. "Main Title" – 5:21
  2. "Imperial Attack" – 6:16
  3. "Princess Leia's Theme" – 4:22
  4. "The Desert and the Robot Auction" – 2:52
  5. "Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack" – 3:46
  6. "The Little People Work" – 4:01
  7. "Rescue of the Princess" – 4:46
  8. "Inner City" – 4:13
  9. "Cantina Band" – 2:45

Disc two

  1. "The Land of the Sandpeople" – 2:49
  2. "Mouse Robot and Blasting Off" – 4:01
  3. "The Return Home" – 2:45
  4. "The Walls Converge" – 4:32
  5. "The Princess Appears" – 4:03
  6. "The Last Battle" – 12:06
  7. "The Throne Room and End Title" – 5:27

Star Wars Trilogy: The Original Soundtrack Anthology

Star Wars Trilogy – The Original Soundtrack Anthology: "Star Wars"
Type:Film
Artist:John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra
Released:1993
Genre:Classical
Label:Arista
Producer:Nick Redman

In 1993, 20th Century Fox Film Scores released a four-CD box set containing music from the original Star Wars trilogy. This release marked the first time that the complete contents of the original double-LP releases of the scores from the first two films became available on CD. Disc one in the set was devoted to Star Wars, with further tracks on disc four.

Since every cue is recorded several times, usually with varying orchestral differences, the final decisions on what takes of cues are used and/or how they are edited to create the tracks was decided by the music editor Kenneth Wannberg. In the time between the original LP release and the Anthology's release, this breakdown was lost. Because of this, many takes of cues used on the Anthology are not the same. This is most obvious on the cue "The Throne Room". Also, the tracks were re-arranged to better follow their chronological order in the film.

The alternate version of the Star Wars Main Title can be heard in the end credits for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and is included in the film's soundtrack.

1997 and 2004 Special Edition reissues

The 1997 and 2004 releases include the complete film score, including expanded and unreleased tracks.

Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Type:Film
Artist:John Williams
Released:2004
Recorded:1977
Length:1:45:09
Label:Sony Classical

2017 and 2018 Disney reissues

Walt Disney Records reissued the original 1977 soundtrack album in digital formats and streaming services on January 1, 2017, and on LP record on December 1, 2017, to coincide with the film's fortieth anniversary that same year. The LP reissue featured a remastered soundtrack, hand-etched hologram art, and a 48-page book containing production photographs, liner notes, and essays on John Williams and the music of Star Wars.[7]

Disney released a newly remastered edition of the original 1977 album program on CD, digital download, and streaming services on May 4, 2018. This remaster was newly assembled by Shawn Murphy and Skywalker Sound from the highest-quality master tapes available, rather than sourced from the existing 1977 album masters.[8] On these reissues, the final track ("The Throne Room and End Title") is presented at the correct speed and pitch, having been sped up slightly on the original LP, CD, and 2016 Sony releases.

Compilations and re-recordings (Selection)

Tracks of the soundtrack appear on various Best of Compilations and rerecordings by John Williams.

Accolades

Certifications

Recording Information

Cue list

Original recording log

The score for Star Wars was recorded over the span of eight days in the month of March 1977. The 1997 Special Edition soundtrack release by RCA Victor included a detailed look at the recording log for all the cues in the film.

Recording Date: March 5, 1977 – Day 1!Recorded Take!Cue Title!Selected Take!Film Order
1-7Chasm Crossfire5, 731
8-10The Death Star1023
11-15Ben Kenobi's Death13, 1532
16-20Main Title18, 19, 201
21-23The Hologram228
Recording Date: March 8, 1977 – Day 2!Recording Take!Cue Title!Selected Take!Film Order
24-27Shootout In The Cell Bay26, 2727
28-40Princess Leia's Theme33, 40N/A
41-50Imperial Attack (Part 1)44, 502
51-53The Tractor Beam5330
54-55Binary Sunset (Alternate)N/AN/A
Recording Date: March 9, 1977 – Day 3!Recorded Takes!Cue Title!Selected Takes!Film Order
56-58Learn About The Force (Part 2)5815
59-63Burning Homestead62, 6316
64-67Wookiee Prisoner6725
68-72Learn About The Force (Part 1)7214
Recording Date: March 10, 1977 – Day 4!Recorded Takes!Cue Title!Selected Takes!Film Order
73-80Cantina Band7618
81-82Cantina Band #28119
Recording Date: March 11, 1977 – Day 5!Recorded Takes!Cue Title!Selected Takes!Film Order
83-86X-Wings Draw Fire85, 8635
87-92Landspeeder Search9210
93-94Tales Of A Jedi Knight (Part 2)N/AN/A
95-97Tie Fighter Attack95, 9733
98-105The Trash Compactor101, 10229
106-109Tales Of A Jedi Knight (Part 2)10913
110-114The Stormtroopers11424
115-116Dianoga11628
117-122Tales Of A Jedi Knight (Part 1)12212
123-126The Moisture Farm (Part 2)1267
Recording Date: March 12, 1977 – Day 6!Recorded Takes!Cue Title!Selected Takes!Film Order
127-133The Throne Room132, 13337
134-143End Title136, 137, 142, 14338
144-149Dune Sea Of Tatooine1494
150-154Detention Block Ambush153, 15426
155-162Launch From The Fourth Moon16234
163-167Imperial Attack (Part 2)165, 1673
168-172Destruction Of Alderaan17222
173-175The Millennium Falcon17520
Recording Date: March 15, 1977 – Day 7!Recorded Takes!Cue Title!Selected Takes!Film Order
176-180Use The Force178, 18036
181-185Mos Eisley Spaceport184, 18517
186-188Jawa Sandcrawler186, 187, 1885
189-197The Moisture Farm (Part 1)194, 1976
198-202Binary Sunset (Revised)2029
Recording Date: March 16, 1977 – Day 8!Recorded Takes!Cue Title!Selected Takes!Film Order
203-209Imperial Cruiser Pursuit205, 206, 20921
210-214Attack Of The Sand People213, 21411
215-219End Title (Crossover)21938

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Abramovitch. Seth. January 29, 2021. Hollywood Flashback: John Williams' 'Star Wars' Score Won a Golden Globe and an Oscar. The Hollywood Reporter. live. February 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210203080633/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hollywood-flashback-john-williams-star-wars-score-won-a-golden-globe-and-an-oscar. February 3, 2021.
  2. Web site: AFI's 100 years of film scores. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210504084444/https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-of-film-scores/. May 4, 2021. May 4, 2021. American Film Institute.
  3. Web site: John Berkey Remembered. 2008-05-13. StarWars.com. Lucasfilm Ltd.. 2009-04-08. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080517124534/http://www.starwars.com/community/news/family/news20080513.html. 2008-05-17.
  4. Web site: John Williams (4), London Symphony Orchestra, The – Star Wars original soundtrack release. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210220185245/https://www.discogs.com/John-Williams-4London-Symphony-Orchestra-Star-Wars/release/528627. February 20, 2021. May 4, 2021. Discogs. 12 August 1977 .
  5. News: November 7, 2007. Sony Classical Celebrates the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars with an 8-CD Collectors Edition Featuring Three of Composer/Conductor John Williams' Original Soundtrack Recordings. Sony Music Masterworks. PR Newswire. May 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210509164521/https://www.sony.com/content/sony/en/en_us/SCA/company-news/press-releases/sony-music-entertainment/2007/sony-classical-celebrates-the-30th-anniversary-of-star-wars-with-an-8cd-collectors-edition-featuring-three-of-composerconductor-john-williams-original-soundtrack-recordings.html. May 9, 2021.
  6. News: January 8, 2016. Sony Classical Reissues Star Wars Episodes I-VI In Newly Restored Audio Collections. Sony Classical. PR Newswire. March 21, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108125149/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-classical-reissues-star-wars-episodes-i-vi-in-newly-restored-audio-collections-300200891.html. November 8, 2020.
  7. News: November 7, 2017. Star Wars: A New Hope (original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 3-LP Vinyl Album Boxed Set Of Composer John Williams' Oscar®-Winning Score To Be Released On December 1. Walt Disney Records. PR Newswire. Burbank, California. May 4, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200928120659/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/star-wars-a-new-hope-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-3-lp-vinyl-album-boxed-set-of-composer-john-williams-oscar-winning-score-to-be-released-on-december-1-300550649.html. September 28, 2020.
  8. News: Disney Music Group Set To Release First 6 Remastered Star Wars Original Motion Picture Soundtracks On May 4. March 21, 2018. March 21, 2018. Walt Disney Records. PR Newswire. Burbank, California. 27 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200927012100/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/disney-music-group-set-to-release-first-6-remastered-star-wars-original-motion-picture-soundtracks-on-may-4-300617275.html. live.
  9. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 282.