Star Wars (Main Title)

History

It is the main musical theme of Star Wars and is also considered the primary leitmotif for Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the protagonist of the original Star Wars trilogy. The original 1977 recording was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The track became a hit in the United States (#10 on the Billboard Hot 100) and Canada (#13) during the fall of that year. The composition draws influence from Erich Wolfgang Korngold's score for the 1942 film Kings Row and Gustav Holst's "Jupiter" from his orchestral suite, The Planets.

The B side featured the original movie score of "Cantina Band".

Meco's disco re-recording of the track was featured on his album Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk. A single edit from this album, "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band," reached number one concurrently with the chart run of Williams's original movie score version.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Cover versions

The Star Wars main title was covered by many musical artists, musicians and composers around the world. Many disco and pop music versions of the theme were recorded and rearranged by the Birchwood Pops Orchestra, the Paul Dark Orchestra, the Marty Gold Orchestra, Sideral Band, Graffiti Orchestra, Galaxy 42, the Sonic All-Stars, the Rebel Force Band, the Peter Hamilton Orchestra, the Now Sound Orchestra, the Magic Fantasy Orchestra, Neil Norman, Wonderland Space Shuttle, the Lovelets, Digital Masters, the Kid Stuff Repertory Company, the John Blackinsell Orchestra, the Planet Robots, the Force, Bang Bang Robot and M.B.4..

• Patrick Gleeson recorded his synth-pop version of the theme, which is featured in his album Patrick Gleeson's Star Wars, a month after the release of the London Symphony Orchestra performance. His version was released in France and the United States.
• The Electric Moog Orchestra performed a synthesized arrangement of the main title for their album Music from Star Wars.
• Don Ellis recorded his jazz version of the main title for his album Music from Other Galaxies and Planets.
• Maynard Ferguson recorded a fusion version of the theme with his big band, first released on his album New Vintage and later as a single in August 1977.
• René Joly recorded a song set to the main title, "La Guerre des étoiles" (), with lyrics written by Étienne Roda-Gil.
• Raymond Lefèvre conducted a pop version of the theme which was featured on his 1977 album Love in Stereo Nº 1.
• David Matthews recorded a jazz-funk version of the theme on his 1977 album Dune.
• Geoff Love had twice covered the theme from Star Wars in 1978, first in a disco version on the album Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Other Disco Galactic Themes and in a orchestral version on the album Star Wars and Other Space Themes.
• Ferrante & Teicher performed a cover version of the theme on their same-titled 1978 album Star Wars.
• Phill Pratt performed a reggae version of the theme for his 1978 album Star Wars Dub.
• The New Zealand Army Band performed a brass version of the theme for their 1978 album Star Brass.
• Richard "Groove" Holmes recorded a composite cover version of the main title for his 1978 album Star Wars/Close Encounters, which combined the Star Wars theme with the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

References

References

1. Ross, Alex. (1 January 2016). "Listening to "Star Wars"".
2. Kent, David. (1993). "[[Kent Music Report". Australian Chart Book.
3. [http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5417a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5417a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5417a RPM 100 Singles: October 8, 1977]
4. Canada, Library and Archives. (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly".
5. ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990'' - {{ISBN. 0-89820-089-X
6. "The Hot 100 (week ending September 17, 1977)".
7. "Adult Contemporary Music Chart".
8. "Cash Box Top 100 9/17/77".
9. (17 July 2013). "Top 200 Singles of '77 – Volume 28, No. 11, December 31 1977". [[Library and Archives Canada]].
10. "Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977".
11. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=k0UEAAAAMBAJ Billboard]'', December 24, 1977.
12. (1977). "The Birchwood Pops Orchestra – Themes From Star Wars, New York, New York, The Deep & Other Great Movie Hits".
13. (August 4, 1977). "Paul Dark Orchestra, John Williams (4), Ares Tavolazzi – Star Wars".
14. (1977). "The Marty Gold Orchestra – Themes From The Movies".
15. (1977). "Sideral Band – Star Wars (Thème Du Film La Guerre Des Etoiles)".
16. (1977). "Graffiti Orchestra – Star Wars Theme".
17. (1977). "Galaxy 42 / Dynamite Band – Star Wars (Disco-Theme) / She's Dynamite".
18. (1977). "The Sonic All-Stars – The Sounds Of Star Wars".
19. (1977). "Rebel Force Band – Living In These Star Warz".
20. (1977). "Peter Hamilton Orchestra – Destination Musicland".
21. (1977). "The Now Sound Orchestra – The Now Sound Orchestra Present Music From Close Encounters Of The Third Kind / Star Wars / 2001 A Space Odyssey".
22. (1977). "Magic Fantasy Orchestra – La Guerra De Las Galaxias - Música Espacial".
23. (1977). "Neil Norman – Star Wars".
24. (1977). "Wonderland Space Shuttle – Theme From Star Wars".
25. (1977). "The Lovelets – Bilitis / Star Wars".
26. (1999). "Digital Masters – Star Wars".
27. (1978). "The Kid Stuff Repertory Company – Star Wars".
28. (1977). "John Blackinsell Orchestra – Star Wars (Guerra Nas Estrelas)".
29. (1977). "The Planet Robots – Disco Music Inspired By Star Wars".
30. (1977). "The Force (21) – Star Wars Disco (Main Theme)".
31. (1977). "Bang Bang Robot – La Guerre Des Etoiles".
32. (1983). "M.B.4. – Ewok Celebration & Star Wars".
33. (1977). "Patrick Gleeson – Patrick Gleeson's Star Wars".
34. (August 1977). "Patrick Gleeson - Star Wars Theme".
35. (1977). "The Electric Moog Orchestra – Music From Star Wars".
36. (1977). "Don Ellis And Survival – Music From Other Galaxies And Planets".
37. (1977). "Maynard Ferguson – New Vintage".
38. (1977). "Maynard Ferguson – Main Title (From The 20th Century-Fox Film "Star Wars") / Oasis".
39. (1977). "Rene Joly – Star Wars "La Guerre Des Étoiles"".
40. (1977). "Raymond Lefevre Et Son Grand Orchestre – Love In Stereo Nº 1".
41. (1977). "David Matthews – Main Theme From Star Wars".
42. (1977). "David Matthews – Dune".
43. (1978). "Geoff Love's Big Disco Sound – Close Encounters Of The Third Kind And Other Disco Galactic Themes".
44. (1978). "Geoff Love And His Orchestra – Star Wars And Other Space Themes".
45. (1978). "Ferrante & Teicher – Star Wars".
46. (1978). "Phill Pratt – Star Wars Dub".
47. (1978). "New Zealand Army Band – Star Brass".
48. (1977). "Richard Groove Holmes – Star Wars / Close Encounters".