From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver…oh, sorry, my mistake, it was just the furnace knocking again. Anyway, welcome to Western Wednesday. Time to paint your wagon and stay away from stray sheep.
It struck me the other night when I was watching the vampire/western movie Bloodrayne (which I reviewed yesterday on Terror Tuesday), that the Western, in movies, radio and on TV, has been blessed with some of the best theme music ever written. Even in a relatively poor movie like Bloodrayne, the western-themed music was pretty good. And of course the use of the William Tell Overture in The Lone Ranger is truly inspired. While technically classical as opposed to specifically Western, it is one of the most instantly recognized and associated with a character pieces ever.
Many Western movies have unforgettable theme songs. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’s is classic. The Magnificent Seven theme was a pretty big hit even with non-Western fans. High Noon’s music is a staple in most Western singers’ repertories to this day.
Western TV shows have been similarly blessed, especially the plethora of horse operas in the 50s or 60s. Bonanza comes to mind. Did you know that actually had words? But, believe me, it’s way better without them. Rawhide was another with a nifty theme, as well as Lancer, Big Valley and Cheyenne. The Wild Wild West is one of my favorite Western show pieces ever. Even Colonial Westerns such as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett had cool theme songs.
Most of the themes contain certain elements: driving beats, throbbing guitars with a haunting edge that evokes star-studded nights or soaring violins that bring to mind the open grandeur of the boundless West. Others are simple acoustic pieces that transport a listener back to another time, another world.
Whatever the case, these theme songs are enduring, timeless, sometimes out-classing the movie or show they were attached to. What are your favorite Western movie, radio show or TV theme songs?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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2 comments:
There are three Morricone western soundtracks that I like. 'Once Upon A Time In The West' and the lesser known 'The Big Gundown' and 'Guns For San Sebastian'.
"They came to town
to search for gold . . ."
The Hanging Tree, sung by Frankie Lane. I'll never forget Maria Schell's (sp), Maxmillian's sister, sunburnt face.
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