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KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#1: Oct 17th 2011 at 6:19:07 PM

Anyone else besides me listen to an animated show and think - man, I love this show's music? It's always great to watch a show that also has a soundtrack you can't help but love, but it's also a trial. Here's a thread to share the ones you love and maybe ones you're looking for.

I think Western Animation soundtracks are about the hardest of media to track down the music for. Theatre, movies and even anime often release soundtracks of examples of great music, and with games even if a soundtrack isn't released you can bet there's a rip somewhere out there in the internet somewhere.

But an animated show? You have to pray you'll get lucky and a decent amount of the music is released. At the lowest level you might get the theme song on anthology somewhere, or one or two other songs circulating around. Otherwise, tough luck.

I remember I made a thread a few months ago about the Inspector Gadget soundtrack, and how the show had dozens of different tracks and rearrangements of leitmotifs, but only about ten of them were ever released. According to my research, the rest of them exist but you'll never get to hear them outside the show.

A while before that I went around the internet to see if anyone could find out if the song that headlined this Popeye cartoon was preexisting, covered, or made for the cartoon itself. I got unfortunately conflicting, inconclusive answers.

On the other hand, you've got Shirley Walker's awesome soundtrack of Batman The Animated Series, a decent amount of which you can find on Youtube.

For me, right now, I'm on a Pink Panther funk. You know how hard it is to find music from the Pink Panther cartoon, which isn't the main theme, without just being redirected to the movies' soundtracks? It's harder than finding Charlie Brown music if you don't know the name of the track you're looking for (though on one occasion there's a Charlie Brown tune which is difficult to find almost because of the name).

But I press on, because ever since I was younger I've needed to find a full version of this tune. Needed to. I just love it.

edited 17th Oct '11 6:20:12 PM by KnownUnknown

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
TheRichSheik Detachable Lower Half from Minnesota Since: Apr, 2010
#2: Oct 17th 2011 at 6:34:41 PM

I like the music for the fight scenes in Megas XLR.

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Karalora Manliest Person on Skype from San Fernando Valley, CA Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In another castle
Manliest Person on Skype
#3: Oct 17th 2011 at 6:44:27 PM

I really, really wanted an official soundtrack for Avatar The Last Airbender. We never got one, but The Track Team got into the habit of making tunes they were particularly proud of available for free download.

Stuff what I do.
Enzeru icon by implodingoracle from Orlando, FL ¬ôχಠ♥¯ Since: Mar, 2011
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PancakeMckennz Rainbows hurt. from Michigan Since: Jul, 2011
Rainbows hurt.
#5: Oct 23rd 2011 at 6:47:48 PM

Okay, don't judge me, but I love the Winx Club soundtrack. I know it's cheesy girly pop music, but I like that kind of stuff. Since the show has been moved to Nickelodeon here in the states, I really want the "Charmix" song they use during transformation scenes. But I don't think there is, or plans for there to be, an official release of that song.

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TheFreeman from Hialeah,FL. Since: Mar, 2011
#6: Oct 23rd 2011 at 6:49:53 PM

I demand an Adventure Time soundtrack. Even the background music is awesome.

PancakeMckennz Rainbows hurt. from Michigan Since: Jul, 2011
Rainbows hurt.
#7: Oct 23rd 2011 at 7:08:03 PM

[up] Oh, yeah! That too. I want the song from episode when they first met Marceline.

(屮≖益≖)屮 彡 ┻━┻ F*ck yo' table; Go read my book! —> http://goo.gl/mtXkm
Nexus Mostly A Lurker from The Other Side Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Singularity
Mostly A Lurker
#8: Oct 24th 2011 at 12:53:28 AM

15 years later and I still want a Beast Wars Official Soundtrack!

https://www.fanfiction.net/u/548347/
harkko Since: Apr, 2010
#9: Oct 26th 2011 at 2:24:48 AM

Michel Legrand composed great music for Once upon a time...space and Once upon a time...life.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#10: Nov 28th 2011 at 11:16:15 AM

Not officially part of the soundtrack, just a tribute a fan created on their own. But beautiful none the less. If they made a Talespin movie or something, I would expect the music to sound like this.

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
NULLcHiLD27 Since: Oct, 2010
#11: Nov 28th 2011 at 11:19:39 AM

Samurai Jack had a great soundtrack.

Whackoedfan Since: Dec, 1969
#12: Nov 28th 2011 at 2:14:58 PM

To this day, I wish that they would release a soundtrack of the garfield specials. For crying out loud they got Lou Rawls doing the music for some of the specials.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#13: Dec 19th 2011 at 12:53:38 AM

You ever run across a track on Youtube that really takes you back? Like, one of those bits from a cartoon that, if remember no other music from the show, you at least remember that one?

Granted, I remember all the other music from this show, too (Hey Arnold had one of if not the best soundtrack of any animated show I've ever seen), but this one always had that place in my heart - I can always place the scenes right there once I hear it.

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
Psi001 Since: Oct, 2010
#14: Dec 23rd 2011 at 8:57:23 PM

I tend to like anything that uses Leitmotifs like that. It's a nice way to distinguish a character. Most Sonic The Hedgehog stuff does that too (eg. Adventures Of Sonic as well as Sonic Adventure for a non western example).

In fact I think I've been like this for quite a while, I still remember some of the engine themes for early Thomas And Friends as pathetic as that is.

The Dreamstone has a pretty nice orchestral soundtrack, not to mention that Urpney theme, which surprisingly doesn't grate after being played every damn episode.

Shame on no one mentioning the master of Western Animation soundtracks that is Carl Stalling yet. Sure, a lot of the music isn't actually written by himself but still...

edited 23rd Dec '11 8:58:24 PM by Psi001

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#15: Apr 18th 2012 at 6:46:20 AM

On this subject - how important would you folks say a good composer and a good soundtrack is to a good show? Thinking back, I remember that some of my favorite shows were ones that had great BGM and soundtracks: Hey Arnold, Ducktales, BTAS, Inspector Gadget, etc.

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
Kossage Mr. Smiles from Finland Since: Jul, 2009
Mr. Smiles
#16: Apr 18th 2012 at 7:47:39 AM

Well, to me a good soundtrack can remedy an otherwise average show, game or film to an extent whereas a bad soundtrack simply doesn't add anything substantial to the medium it's used in.

To give you an example, Batman TAS certainly wouldn't have made quite the same impact on me if Walker's team of composers hadn't composed such wonderful, memorable, gothic tunes which stuck to my mind and helped tell the story that was unfolding on screen. As far as I know, it's one of the few shows where almost every episode had a unique score composed for it. Add to it the fact that it was orchestral and quite complex in parts, and I can't help but be amazed by how they pulled it off considering the expenses of recording an orchestra (even a small one) for each individual episode. Most shows tend to use "stock cues" to fit specific moods, scenes or characters but not usually on a leitmotivic level where the music is truly telling the story.

As for the effectiveness of music in a show, compare Batman TAS music to Young Justice, for example. I find both shows good in their own right, but YJ's soundtrack simply pales in comparison to Batman TAS: the former has no orchestra (not necessarily a bad thing, though, if the "virtual" score is composed well) and practically no thematic development as far as I can discern. I can still recall specific moments from Batman TAS by listening to the music, but if I try to do the same for YJ music, that leaves me with nothing to grab onto. YJ music doesn't necessarily make YJ worse as a show, but memorable music would definitely make it better from a thematic standpoint (at least to me, because I love good thematic development in scores). smile

However, I'd like to point out that this doesn't mean that shows using "stock cues" don't have good, memorable stuff in them. Just listen to Duck Tales or Alfred J. Kwak, for instance, both of which had some hummable and fitting tunes for various scenes.

blueflame724 Since: May, 2010
#17: Apr 18th 2012 at 9:05:22 AM

Wow, all the memories are flooding back. Hey Arnold! really impressed me with the Parent's day theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkTcfZ1ww4

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things
FreezairForALimitedTime Responsible adult from Planet Claire Since: Jan, 2001
Responsible adult
#18: Apr 18th 2012 at 12:46:58 PM

Hey Arnold had awesome music. I think it's Arnold that really got me liking jazz when I was a kid.

I also like a lot of Code Lyoko's background music. It's really moody stuff, and I've always thought XANA's theme was more than a little terrifying in its simplicity.

"Proto-Indo-European makes the damnedest words related. It's great. It's the Kevin Bacon of etymology." ~Madrugada
KlarkKentThe3rd Well, I'll be... from US of A Since: May, 2010
Well, I'll be...
#19: Apr 19th 2012 at 4:26:38 PM

I believe someone higher on this page mentioned Tale Spin? There was an official soundtrack, but it was produced by only a few copies, all promotional. I just happen to own one.

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FreezairForALimitedTime Responsible adult from Planet Claire Since: Jan, 2001
Responsible adult
#20: Apr 19th 2012 at 6:28:54 PM

[up]: ....All of my hating. ALL OF IT.

...tonguewaii

"Proto-Indo-European makes the damnedest words related. It's great. It's the Kevin Bacon of etymology." ~Madrugada
theoneguy theoneguy Since: Sep, 2010
theoneguy
#21: Apr 21st 2012 at 8:55:44 PM

[up]10, I've been kinda obsessed with the music from 'Jack and the Rave'. Its pretty sweet IMO

edited 21st Apr '12 8:57:28 PM by theoneguy

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#22: Apr 21st 2012 at 9:44:51 PM

^^ There's websites where you can find it - it's most of the music from the pilot and some tracks across a few episodes. I tell ya it's damn good music.

edited 21st Apr '12 9:45:03 PM by KnownUnknown

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
blueflame724 Since: May, 2010
#23: Apr 22nd 2012 at 12:09:22 AM

[up][up]

Ah, I remember playing the game on cartoonnetwork.com based on that episode. It was really creepy(If you beat up too many ravers, you lose)

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#24: May 20th 2012 at 4:33:22 PM

I always forget how good Courage The Cowardly Dog's soundtrack was. It's not the first thing you remember from the show. But it was amazing sometimes, it really was.

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#25: Aug 15th 2012 at 11:11:54 PM

Here's a wonderful piano tribute to something you probably never thought of the soundtrack for:

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.

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