Theme Song Suggestions?

I've recently started a NX-01 campaign and I'd like to have a theme song for the campaign. A short 1 or 2 minute piece of music I could use to get the players into the setting.

I don't want to you ENT's Faith of the Heart song, because it already is ENT's theme song. I've toyed with the idea of using something modern (-sounding) with appropriate lyrics.

Moodwise, I'd prefer to go with something spiteful and rock'n'roll or a more emotional tune like Faith of the Heart although with of a daring into the unkown type of feel to it.

Some of the songs I considered but have discarded are:
Oasis - The Hindu Times (nice sound, sort of fitting lyrics - too well known)
ES Posthumus - Pompeii (great sound - too heavy)
Edgar Winter Group - Free Ride (great lyrics ;):D - too happy/humourous)

As you can probably tell my music collection lacks the afore-mentioned "daring into the unknown"-moods.

So, any suggestions?

Joe

- Just realized that this thread should probably be in the Narrator's Ready Room Area... If one of the moderators could be so nice as to move it there? :)

Why not use the song by The Calling, "Wherever You Will Go", which was used on the original trailers for Enterprise.
I always thought this song was more appropriate than the one they went with.

If I ever do an Enterprise era game, i'll use the song myself.

Regards

Long Tom

How about Ramstein? With their pleasant lyrical tones they should inspire any crew into deeds of daring do...

... Or suicide. :D

Actually, I agree with going with 'The Calling' suggested above, there seemed to be a great disappointment at the change in tune when the Russell Watson song was announced (even though its none too bad)...

Or theres the old Cochrane Favourite, Steppenwolf 'Magic Carpet Ride', dont leave the launch pad without it?

A few others...

"Superman (It's Not Easy)" - Five for Fighting

"Is There Life On Mars", "Space Oddity" - David Bowie (or lots of his other 70's space music)

"Rocket Man" - Elton John

"Drops of Jupiter" - Train


(as an aside, the mid-late 60's/early 70's has lots of likely choices, influenced by the space race)

Another idea would be, Aha with 'Minor Earth, Major Sky'.

How about Moby "We Are All Made of Stars?"

"Reach" by Queensryche (from hear in the now Frontier). Little hard on the guitars, but definitely has the lyrics...

For my (briefly lived) group we used Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man".

No lyrics, but DAMN good fanfare :)

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How about "I Can See For Miles" by The Who? Or, if not that, there's always "Dare to be Stupid" by Weird Al Yankovic... :D

"Aldebaran" by Enya. :)

Not long ago I decided that my ship's theme song would best be expressed by U2's "I Still haven't found what I'm looking for."

I've also given certain characters their own theme song.

My Betazoid Science/First Officer decided her theme song was the Eagles' "Learn to be Still"

My Security Officer NPC's theme song used to be Sting's "Shape of my Heart" but recently I changed it to The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes."

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Personally, I'd stay away from songs (i.e. musical pieces with lyrics) and stick with an instrumental. Using a pop song for an SF show (and, by extension, an SF game) barring ones specifically written for the show, generally brings my suspension of disbelieve to a jarring halt. That includes (especially) third rate covers by third rate Rod Stewart imitators of theme songs from third rate Robin Williams movies (but that's just me...).

About the only vocal piece that ever worked for me as a theme for an SF show was It Won't Be Easy from the British SF series Star Cops.

What sort of feel are you looking for? For a heavy, dark theme, there's the old stand-by, Mars from Holst's The Planets. For an awestruck discovery type theme, there's Orff's o Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi from the Carmina Buraana. Wagner has a whole bunch of stuff, like Seigfreid's Funeral theme or Ride of the Valkyrie. Rimsky-Korsakov's Night on Bald Mountain has some wonderful bits in it. Since you really only need a short exerpt, you can use lesser known movements from famous pieces.

In a more modern vein, the British band Hawkwind has some incredible instrumentals pieces with varying emotional overtones, perfect for SF games - they're a very SF-literate band. Michael Moorcock has performed with them and written for them.

If you can find it, the musical intro from Birth of the Federation is slick as well :)

There's always Star Trekkin' by The Firm.

If you haven't heard it (or, heaven forbid, haven't seen the video)...

You're very lucky.

As for STAR TREK: CHURCHILL, my TOS era game (and assuming I can badger the people whose house the game is played in to actually prise the Tenacious D (or B, or something) or Rammstein albums out of the Hi-Fi. Trying to run a game while some German band is shouting stuff I can't understand in a really deep voice is only just preferable to running a game to the musical accompanyment of Limp sodding Biscuit) I use the live accoustic version on the single of Superman (It's not easy) by Five For Fighting as previously mentioned by someone in this thread (I prefer it to the studio version).

I wouldn't mind using the end title music from ENTERPRISE since I quite like that.

and what is wrong with Tenacious D and Rammstien???

I can just see/hear it now.......:D

Du Hast playing to the credits of Enterprise.....or even F*** Her Gently.......LOL!!!:p

Only joking! I quite like these bands, but orchestral pieces are better for Sci Fi shows and movies..... but that's only my opinion.


Yay! I count 4 "Geordies" on these boards now!:)

If you go with a rock song, try "Nine Voices," from Yes' "The Ladder." It's a very optimistic piece, and relatively short.

Aside from that, I'd recommend finding a hopeful-sounding orchestral or rock instrumental.

For a 60's flavor, there are a couple of good instrumental tunes by The Tornadoes. Telstar is by far the best known. Ridin' the Wind is a really good one, with a way cool bass guitar line.

The Moon and Back by Savage Garden is OK, if not too inspirational.

I've always liked Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac (actually ran a rogues campaign where the ship was The Rainbow's End...)

It's not a song, but the intro music from the game Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force is very good, similar to the Voyager theme but different enough to be distinguishable.

Quote:

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Originally posted by silverthorn
There's always Star Trekkin' by The Firm.
If you haven't heard it (or, heaven forbid, haven't seen the video)...

---

There's a video?! :eek:


I would recommend 'Learn to Fly' by the Foo Fighters.

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Well, the video is just a bunch of plasticine replicas of the TOS ship and crew doin' their thang. It's still good for a giggle if you have too much beer inside you (as an aside, try watching the Scooby Doo cartoons drunk - sparked off a whole in-joke with my gang at university...)

Styro, "Foo Fighters" I think is a term applied to those top-secret planes the Air Force keeps testing at Area 51 which absolutely, definitely have nothing to do with UFOs. Or it's an old term applied to Jap fighters during WWII, can't quite remember.

I've learned to fly, but I ain't got wings,
Comin' down, is the hardest thing.

"Foo Fighters" was a term for a particular type of UFO (bright, glowing, fast-moving balls of light) spotted by fighter and bomber pilots over the Pacific ocean around the time of WWII. They are now usually considered to have been instances of ball lightning, or optical illusions caused by reflections.

How about that cool "Hero" song from the Spiderman Movie?!?
That Song Rocked as much as the Movie!
Long Live the Spiddy!!

And Long Live the shinny headed Captain Picard!!!

I use the 5th track from the ENTERPRISE soundtrack CD, "Enterprise First Flight." This is the one I think should be the theme for Enterprise... it has a nice triumphant, adventurous sound to it, but no lyrics if that's what you're looking for... and also you may not want to spend the $20 or whatever on the CD for that one track.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions everyone! And keep them coming!

I'm trying to get a hold of all those songs mentioned and I've warmed up to the idea of using an instrumental piece. Although some of the suggestions were too well know so I'm hoping for some more obscure ones.

But not too obscure either, cause I still have to find them somewhere. :)

Again thanks a lot!

Joe

These days I'm really into techno and techno/rock and stuff like that -- try searching for these songs:

Thomas Falke "Revolution On The Dance Floor"
Groove Cutter "My Shooter"
Control One "Just A Little Bit"
Ian Carey "Redlight"
Kevin Weg "Dead Radio"
:)
I don't usually go for techno but these are sort of like a wierd crossover between rock and techno/trance.

Here are also some downloads with some other cool stuff too -- http://www.electricfilebox.com/tracks