The X-Files (composition) explained

The X-Files
Cover:X-files (Mark Snow).jpg
Type:single
Artist:Mark Snow
B-Side:"The X-Files" remixes
Label:
Producer:Mark Snow

"The X-Files" is an instrumental written and produced by American film and television composer Mark Snow. On its parent album, , the track is titled "Materia Primoris". It is a remixed version of the original theme Snow composed for the science fiction television series The X-Files in 1993. The composition was released as a single in 1996 and achieved chart success, particularly in France, where it reached number one on the SNEP Singles Chart. The composition has since been covered by many artists, including DJ Dado and Triple X; DJ Dado's version was a major hit in Europe while Triple X's version reached number two in Australia.

Song information

"The X-Files" typically used more instrumental music than most hour-long dramas. According to the "Behind the Truth" segment on the Season 1 DVD, Mark Snow created the echo effect on his famous X-Files theme song by accident. Snow said that he had gone through several revisions, but Chris Carter felt that something was not quite right. Carter walked out of the room and Snow put his hand and forearm on his keyboard in frustration. Snow said, "this sound was in the keyboard. And that was it."

The whistle melody comes from an old sample from the Proteus line of synth products called "Whistling Joe" and the whistling of Snow's wife, Glynn.[1]

Chart performance

The single debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart on March 30, 1996, and stayed there for three weeks. In France, the single entered the chart at number 42 on April 6, 1996, and climbed to number two four weeks later. It remained for five weeks at this position, behind Robert Miles's hit "Children", then topped the chart for a sole week, becoming the second instrumental number-one hit on the French charts. It totaled 12 weeks in the top ten and 30 weeks in the top 50. The single re-charted in October 1998, but remained in the lower positions.

Track listings

UK CD and 12-inch single; European CD single[2] [3] [4]

  1. "The X-Files" (original version) – 3:25
  2. "The X-Files" (Terrestrial mix) – 4:20
  3. "The X-Files" (P.M. Dawn remix) – 3:59

UK cassette single[5]

  1. "The X-Files" (original version) – 3:25
  2. "The X-Files" (Terrestrial mix) – 4:20

German maxi-CD single[6]

  1. "The X-Files" (main theme) – 3:25
  2. "The X-Files" (DJ Delicious remix) – 5:19
  3. "The X-Files" (Ravers Nature remix) – 6:02

German 12-inch single[7]

A1. "The X-Files" (DJ Delicious remix) – 5:19

B1. "The X-Files" (Ravers Nature remix) – 6:02

B2. "The X-Files" (main theme) – 3:25French CD and 12-inch single (remixes)[8] [9]

  1. "The X-Files" (Secret Sessions extended mix) – 6:22
  2. "The X-Files" (Secret Sessions radio edit) – 4:19
  3. "The X-Files" (Map Mystery mix) – 5:27
  4. "The X-Files" (Terrestrial mix) – 4:20

Australian CD single[10]

  1. "The X-Files" (main title)
  2. "The X-Files" (Flexifinger Terrestrial mix)
  3. "The X-Files" (P.M. Dawn remix)

Japanese mini-CD single[11]

  1. "The X-Files"
  2. "The X-Files" (P.M. Dawn remix)

Credits

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996)Peak
position
Denmark (IFPI)[12] 10
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 4
Hungary (Mahasz)[14] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[15] 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade)[16] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] 76
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[18] 39
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[19] 20
France (SNEP)[20] 9
Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 62
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 38
UK Singles (OCC)[23] 25

DJ Dado version

X-Files
Cover:X-files (DJ Dado).jpg
Type:single
Artist:DJ Dado
Album:The Album
B-Side:"The X-Files" remixes
Released:1996
Genre:
Length:3:57
Label:
Producer:
  • DJ Dado
  • Robert Gallo Salsotto
Prev Title:Face It
Prev Year:1995
Next Title:Metropolis - The Legend of Babel
Next Year:1996

At the same time Snow's original version was experiencing chart success, Italian producer DJ Dado covered the song. His version became a top-10 hit in several countries, reaching number one in Denmark, though it failed to reach the top 10 in France and Germany. In the US, this version was featured on the Pure Moods compilation album 1997 re-release.

Track listings

CD single

  1. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:38
  2. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream activity mix) – 8:40

CD maxi

  1. "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57
  2. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42
  3. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44

CD maxi

  1. "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57
  2. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:41
  3. "X-Files" (Tom Wilson Dyme mix) – 6:38
  4. "X-Files" (dV8 deviant mix) – 6:29
  5. "X-Files" (freak bros area 51 mix) – 6:53
  6. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44

12-inch maxi

  1. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42
  2. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44

CD maxi – remixes

  1. "X-Files" (2 Cowboys remix) – 5:07
  2. "X-Files" (Reygroove remix) – 5:02
  3. "X-Files" (Valez & L. Antolini remix) – 6:25
  4. "X-Files" (Alex Voghi remix) – 6:25
  5. "X-Files" (Miki B. remix – flute experience part I) – 8:38
  6. "X-Files" (Moroldo & Mensi mix) – 4:35
  7. "X-Files" (Hornbostel & M. Marvin remix) – 5:18
  8. "X-Files" (Fabio Locati remix) – 6:18

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996)Peak
position
Denmark (IFPI)[30] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[31] 6
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[32] 5
Italy (Musica e dischi)[33] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[34] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)42
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)55
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)34
France (SNEP)84
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)94
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 16

Triple X version

The song was also covered by Triple X. This cover was less successful than the original version or DJ Dado's cover, but it did reach number two in Australia and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association.

Charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

The X-Club version

The X-Tended File
Type:single
Artist:The X-Club
A-Side:The X-Tended File 7-inch Mix
B-Side:The X-Tended File 12-inch Mix
Released:April 22, 1996 (Australia)[37]
Length:3:55
Label:Pro DJ International
Producer:Clock

A version by the X-Club was released in Australasia in 1996.

Charts

The X-Files movie single and Mike Oldfield version

The X-Files Theme
Cover:The X-Files Theme Japan.jpg
Type:single
Artist:various artists
A-Side:Tubular X
Released:June 8, 1998 (Japan)
Length:3:53
Label:Twentieth-Century Fox
Producer:
  • Mike Oldfield and others
Chronology:Mike Oldfield
Prev Title:Women of Ireland
Prev Year:1997
Next Title:Man in the Rain
Next Year:1998

"The X-Files Theme" was released as a Japan only EP in 1998[39] from the soundtrack album for The X-Files movie.

The maxi-CD includes four remixes of Mark Snow's theme to the television series, The X-Files. Notably "Tubular X" is part Snow's theme and consists of parts of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. Another track from Oldfield also appears, "The Source of Secrets", the opening piece from his Tubular Bells III album, which also based upon the same theme from the original Tubular Bells.

Track listing

  1. "Tubular X" – Mike Oldfield – 3:53
  2. "The X-Files Theme" – The Dust Brothers – 3:27
  3. "The X-Files Theme" – Satoshi Tomiie radio edit – 4:17
  4. "The X-Files Theme" – R.H. Factor Pop radio edit – 3:37
  5. "The Source of Secrets" – Mike Oldfield – 5:33

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Greiving. Tim. January 22, 2016. As 'X-Files' Returns, Meet The Man Behind The Theme Song. July 9, 2020. All Things Considered. NPR. en.
  2. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. UK CD single liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. W0341CD, 9362-43693-2.
  3. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Warner Bros. Records. W0341T, 9362-43693-0.
  4. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. European CD single liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. 9362-43693-9.
  5. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. UK cassette single sleeve. Warner Bros. Records. W0341C, 5439-17645-4.
  6. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. German maxi-CD single liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. 9362 43722-2.
  7. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. German 12-inch single sleeve. Warner Bros. Records. 9362 43722-0.
  8. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. French remix CD single liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. 9362-43758-9.
  9. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. French remix 12-inch single sleeve. Warner Bros. Records. 9362-43758-0.
  10. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. Australian CD single disc notes. Warner Bros. Records. 9362436932.
  11. The X-Files. Mark Snow. 1996. Japanese mini-CD single liner notes. Warner Bros. Records. WPDR-3031.
  12. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 13. 19. 24. May 11, 1996. April 13, 2020.
  13. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 13. 23. 16. June 8, 1996. February 4, 2020.
  14. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 13. 32. 11. August 10, 1996. March 6, 2018.
  15. Web site: Mark Snow – The X Files. Dutch Top 40. nl. July 27, 2021.
  16. Web site: Mark Snow – The X Files. MegaCharts. nl. July 22, 2021.
  17. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1996. Ultratop. nl. June 19, 2019.
  18. Web site: Rapports annuels 1996. Ultratop. fr. June 19, 2019.
  19. Music & Media 1996 in Review – Year End Sales Charts. Music & Media. 13. 51/52. 12. December 21, 1996. February 4, 2020.
  20. Web site: Tops de L'année Top Singles 1996. SNEP. fr. November 7, 2020.
  21. Web site: Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996. GfK Entertainment. de. August 7, 2015.
  22. Web site: Årslista Singlar, 1996. Sverigetopplistan. sv. March 19, 2020.
  23. Top 100 Singles 1996. Music Week. 25. January 18, 1997.
  24. Book: Sada, Riccardo. EDM E Dio Mixa. 19 June 2017. 97. Nobook . 9788898591305 . 3 April 2023.
  25. Book: Hüsker Dü?. 7 March 2017. 186. 9783744886802 . 3 April 2023 . Pistole . Peter . BoD – Books on Demand .
  26. Web site: DJ Dado - The Album . 3 April 2023. AllMusic.
  27. Book: Turvill, Andrew J.. Sweet Dreams. 25 March 2021. Grosvenor House . 9781839755330 . 3 April 2023.
  28. Book: Mansour, David. From Abba to Zoom. June 2005. 538. Andrews McMeel . 9780740751189 . 3 April 2023.
  29. Book: Yang, Sharon R.. The X-Files and Literature. 2007. xii. Cambridge Scholars . 9781443815468 . 3 April 2023.
  30. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 13. 18. 30. May 4, 1996. November 7, 2020.
  31. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 13. 19. 22. May 11, 1996. February 4, 2020.
  32. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (4.5. – 10.5. '96). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 26. May 4, 1996. October 2, 2019.
  33. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 13. 16. 20. April 20, 1996. November 26, 2019.
  34. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 1996. de. June 19, 2019.
  35. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1996. de. June 19, 2019.
  36. Web site: 1996 ARIA Singles Chart. ARIA. November 7, 2020.
  37. Web site: New Releases – Product Available from : 22/4/96 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 322). ARIA. Imgur. December 11, 2017.
  38. Web site: The Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 16 Jun 1996. ARIA. Imgur. December 11, 2017. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  39. Web site: Tubular X . Hibernaculum.de . de . April 17, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080324132957/http://www.hibernaculum.de/maxi-cd/tubular-x-jap/index.htm . March 24, 2008 .

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