History AwesomeMusic / JohnWilliams

Music/JohnWilliams is responsible for many, many memorable film soundtracks. Among them are the soundtracks to ''Franchise/StarWars'' and almost every Creator/StevenSpielberg film (the exceptions being his {{Made for TV Movie}}s, ''Literature/TheColorPurple'', ''Film/TwilightZoneTheMovie'' and ''Film/ReadyPlayerOne2018''.). In short, John Williams has made a career out of writing Awesome Music.

* And what better way to end this section than with his music for [[https://youtu.be/KzFnIH-xZ-w the Amblin Entertainment logo]]? Which incidentally is heard on only three of the company's movies - ''Film/YoungSherlockHolmes'', ''Film/TheColorPurple'' (the only one directed by Spielberg, and ironically one of the very few Spielberg movies Williams ''didn't'' score) and ''Film/TheMoneyPit''. Even more ironically, it's available on the ''Series/AmazingStories'' soundtrack albums despite it never being heard on any of Amblin's TV shows.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ehv301wyqyk7u9jbiwxv.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:There is a reason why he is the most well known film composer of our time.]]

* The moving [[https://youtu.be/REUusj4nxh4 main theme]] from ''Film/ThePatriot''.

[[folder: For Steven Spielberg]]

* The [[https://youtu.be/u7ageRRxKw0 main theme]] of ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds''. [[https://youtu.be/aOZpbnZxu0g "The Intersection Scene"]] is far more epic than it sounds.

* His [[https://youtu.be/UaS07Cqk-9U score]] for ''Film/FamilyPlot''. John Williams and Creator/AlfredHitchcock together? [[DreamTeam Awesome]]!

** [[https://youtu.be/EAI3N61zY9k The Flying Theme]]. It's particularly neat in how it times up with the bicycle flying "against" the moon; it's like you can hear the wheels turning. Spielberg stated himself that technical wizardry and special effects can get those bicycles to fly, but only upon John Williams' strings do the characters become truly airborne.

* He did the theme music for the 1976 film, Midway. His Midway march is wonderful in its simplicity.
* We all know John Williams can compose music for virtually everything, but did you know that he also scored a Western film? (Even better, a ''Creator/JohnWayne'' film?) Check out this rousing piece from [[https://youtu.be/fPCpccUo8Lw ''The Cowboys'']].

%%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIjUyiG5qKA ''The Sugarland Express'',]] the first ever collaboration between Williams and Spielberg.
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-sX2Y0W8l0 main theme]] from ''Film/{{Jaws}}''. Spielberg reportedly assumed the unusually simple theme was a joke when Williams first presented it to him. But just try to forget it.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1AvLT82a6Q "Man Against Beast"]] combines dramatic suspense with the heroic theme of the orca.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAI3N61zY9k The Flying Theme]]. It's particularly neat in how it times up with the bicycle flying "against" the moon; it's like you can hear the wheels turning. Spielberg stated himself that technical wizardry and special effects can get those bicycles to fly, but only upon John Williams' strings do the characters become truly airborne.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGP2o8lBgV8 "Escape/Chase/Goodbye"]] is some of John Williams finest work. The best part of the song is during the bicycle chase scene and the bombastic ThemeMusicPowerup when the bicycles start taking flight.
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKxK7IdiwKM "Adventure on Earth"]].

** The sheer joy in this piece, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG_i86wK3jY "Exsultate Justi"]], as it plays in the end when Jim [[spoiler: makes it back to the now-abandoned internment camp with virtually no hope in sight, but in spite (or because) of this, he still rides his bike around the inside of the buildings like the little kid that he is]].
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD4Xyb2LJsA "Cadillac of the Skies"]] is also amazing.
* When Spielberg asked John Williams to write the music for ''Film/SchindlersList'', Williams tried to beg off, saying "I'm not good enough for this." Spielberg's reply was simple, and quite true: "[[LastOfHisKind Anyone who is better is dead.]]" (Itzhak Perlman performed the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qLePhm-xGs violin solo]].)
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-0wghH4OL8 "The Flight to Neverland"]] from ''Film/{{Hook}}'', and the adventurous and majestic [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip-ubq5HwpY "Prologue"]].
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btW3u3TuRGg Hook's theme]] is a pirate-esque extravaganza foreshadowing what Hook will eventually become.
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F9pW5Ndm3o "Hook-Napped"]].
%%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFCXrbvPxF4 "Dry Your Tears, Afrika"]] from ''Film/{{Amistad}}''.
%%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ytFrqhOCuU "Hymn to the Fallen"]] from ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan''.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WWA3-2NtsM The entire soundtrack]] from ''{{Film/Lincoln}}''. Special mention must go to his variation of Lincoln's campaign song: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DJR6yUulro "The Battle Cry of Freedom".]]
%%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kE7iNxQO6Y "Anderton's Great Escape"]] as well as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yjmd0ifC2c "Minority Report"]] from ''Film/MinorityReport''.
* John Williams returned to his jazz-influenced roots when he scored the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47lXqmZ6z0 music]] for ''Film/CatchMeIfYouCan''. Here's the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkXp1JB11hM main theme]]. Jazz at its finest.
%%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZWRlNQJCcE "The Tale of Victor Naborski"]] from ''Film/TheTerminal''.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQJadmOaHvE Music]] from ''Film/CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind''. One notable example would be the majestic and beautiful score that plays during the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-jdkM2q5t0 finale of the film.]]
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ELklBNXC1U "Avner's Theme"]] (who says John Williams doesn't know guitar music?) from ''Film/{{Munich}}'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7-4imKR9wc "Thoughts of Home"]] as well as the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqPDvSq86SA end credits music]].
* Speaking of John Williams guitar music - ladies and gentlemen, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9PtpALF_3w the [=DreamWorks=] logo]].
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B27ex5N-qSQ "Where Dreams Are Born"]] as well as the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exK6P-N8sB4 theme song, "For Always"]] from ''Film/AIArtificialIntelligence''. Here's another [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7H0Pgm0Ya4 version of "For Always"]].
* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ageRRxKw0 main theme]] of ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOZpbnZxu0g "The Intersection Scene"]] is far more epic than it sounds.
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adsfPvIYNx0 "Escape from the City"]].
* Steven Spielberg's comedy ''Film/NineteenFortyOne1979'' was a critical and box-office failure but John Williams' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hP9_-DB_8 march]] for it is probably one of his best '''ever'''! It's fun, bombastic, ''and'' patriotic at the same time. Spielberg even said it was his favorite march of Williams', even more than the Raiders' March! [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPrpT5gjZoE Practically every junior high and high school band learns this great piece of music]].
* And what better way to end this section than with his music for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzFnIH-xZ-w the Amblin Entertainment logo]]? Which incidentally is heard on only three of the company's movies - ''Film/YoungSherlockHolmes'', ''Film/TheColorPurple'' (the only one directed by Spielberg, and ironically one of the very few Spielberg movies Williams ''didn't'' score) and ''Film/TheMoneyPit''. Even more ironically, it's available on the ''Series/AmazingStories'' soundtrack albums despite it never being heard on any of Amblin's TV shows.

* The moving [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REUusj4nxh4 main theme]] from ''Film/ThePatriot''.
%%* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0jc_qCcQmQ music]] from ''Film/{{JFK}}''.
* Much less well known, but just as awesome as all of the above, is the nine-minute piece from ''Film/TheToweringInferno'' that accompanies Paul Newman and Steve [=McQueen=] rigging explosive charges to the burning skyscraper's water tanks. One of the greatest examples of music used for a rising tension/countdown effect. And here's the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D84hNvh0zSw main title music]].
* John Williams won his first Oscar for his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ4dMY9dVU8 adapted score]] for ''Theatre/FiddlerOnTheRoof''.
* John Williams had some opportunity to compose some Irish music with the ''Film/FarAndAway'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQmP3KxuAv0 theme]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUeCvidbhd8 "Somewhere in My Memory"]] was nominated for the Best Song Oscar and has become a Christmas standard performed by choirs and orchestra all around the world.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBzVyh5LKi0 "Holiday Flight"]] perfectly captures the frantic pace of the family trying to catch their plane.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XNpnnu0EPA "Setting the Trap"]], is an excellent "Carol of the Bells" inspired piece which makes Kevin setting up his booby traps sound like he's preparing for a [[AnAssKickingChristmas Christmas-themed war]].
%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xgrJAwR49c "Follow That Kid!"]].
%%* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD6jrJKUXqY "Sayuri's Theme"]] from ''Film/MemoirsOfAGeisha''.
%%* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELKzmZK5Dec main theme]] from ''Film/BornOnTheFourthOfJuly''.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuoCDrUN77s "Devil's Dance"]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwGk7SC2fDQ "The Dance of the Witches"]] from ''Film/TheWitchesOfEastwick''. Shades of Hector Berlioz's ''Symphonie fantastique'', great orchestral Halloween music.
* We all know John Williams can compose music for virtually everything, but did you know that he also scored a Western film? (Even better, a ''Creator/JohnWayne'' film?) Check out this rousing piece from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPCpccUo8Lw ''The Cowboys'']].
* On a related note, just watch [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk5_OSsawz4 this John Williams tribute]]. Corey Vidal combines lip-synching, video magic and a genius arrangement by four-man comedy/''a cappella'' band [[http://moosebutter.com/ Moosebutter]] for instant fame. (When Moosebutter [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGYAPr6UKhs released their own video version]], they did it via Corey's Website/{{Youtube}} account. AscendedFanboy indeed!) Note that, despite the lyrics being about Star Wars, the song uses music from just about every one of Williams's scores ''except'' ''Star Wars''!
%%* Almost no-one knows that Williams has composed a score for {{Dracula}} [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEDN0sMgrCM himself]].
* His [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaS07Cqk-9U score]] for ''Film/FamilyPlot''. John Williams and Creator/AlfredHitchcock together? [[DreamTeam Awesome]]!
%%* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp1bEpmmGMs season 3 theme]] for ''Series/LostInSpace'' (although he did the one for seasons 1 and 2 as well).
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCqUESCoB1w "Olympic Fanfare and Theme"]], although he was ''not'' the original composer of the famous "bum bum, ba-du bum".
** See also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4QQ2SvQcE8 "The Olympic Spirit"]] from the '88 Games, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3kNRyh_rj8 "Summon the Heroes"]] from the '96 Games. In fact, the whole soundtrack to those games is a collection of SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaWyOylQnI4 "Call of the Champions"]] from the 2002 Winter Games also deserves a mention.
* Williams did [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-5wf5iMjGM two theme songs]] for ''Series/KraftSuspenseTheatre'', one for each season; both evoke a sense of drama, mystery and adventure.
* The discordant, almost avant-garde [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiPXK0rxKjk theme music]] for ''Series/TheTimeTunnel'', especially the longer version played over the closing credits.
* Heck, even his theme for the ''NBC Nightly News'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqwhF6vcylg "The Mission",]] is epic.
* A lesser-known score but one that Williams reportedly considers some of his best work: the haunting [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoJcGiML6oo love theme]] from ''Film/{{Jane Eyre|1970}}'' (the 1970 TV film starring George C. Scott and Susannah York). The theme simultaneously evokes a LonelyPianoPiece and a soaringly beautiful romantic melody.
* The special medley arrangement of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEsKD5PPs2I awesome film music scores]] in this tribute to his fellow composers.
* John Williams also played session piano for composer Music/HenryMancini and played the piano part to Mancini's [[http://www.televisiontunes.com/Peter_Gunn_(LP_ver).html famous theme]] from ''Peter Gunn''. And here's the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAW7Qbn4d9Q solid evidence.]]
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk2NAz1fAmw "Wide Receiver"]] his theme for NBC's Sunday Night Football.
* One of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioBq6XcXVMo the least likely scores]] in his repertoire: 1986's ''Film/SpaceCamp''. There's a story behind it, too: He was alerted to the project when the cancellation of a Steven Spielberg project, a musical version of ''Literature/PeterPan'', put an opening in his schedule. Its score was one of the highlights of an otherwise ho-hum kiddie film whose promotion was done in by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster circumstances outside their control.]]

* Steven Spielberg's comedy ''Film/NineteenFortyOne1979'' was a critical and box-office failure but John Williams' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hP9_-DB_8 march]] for it is probably one of his best '''ever'''! It's fun, bombastic, ''and'' patriotic at the same time. Spielberg even said it was his favorite march of Williams, even more than the Raiders' March! [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPrpT5gjZoE Practically every junior high and high school band learns this great piece of music]].

* Steven Spielberg's comedy ''Film/NineteenFortyOne1979'' was a critical and box-office failure but John Williams' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hP9_-DB_8 march]] for it is probably one of his best '''ever'''! It's fun, bombastic, ''and'' patriotic at the same time. Spielberg even said it was his favorite march of Williams, even moreso than the Raiders' March! [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPrpT5gjZoE Practically every junior high and high school band learns this great piece of music]].

* Steven Spielberg's comedy ''Film/NineteenFortyOne1979'' was a critical and box-office failure but John Williams' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hP9_-DB_8 march]] for it is probably one of his best '''ever'''! It's fun, bombastic, ''and'' patriotic at the same time. Spielberg even said it was his favorite march of Williams, even more than the Raiders' March! [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPrpT5gjZoE Practically every junior high and high school band learns this great piece of music]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XNpnnu0EPA "Setting the Trap"]], is an excellent "Carol of the Bells" inspired piece which makes Kevin setting up his booby traps sound like he's preparing for a [[AnAsskickingChristmas Christmas-themed war]].

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XNpnnu0EPA "Setting the Trap"]], is an excellent "Carol of the Bells" inspired piece which makes Kevin setting up his booby traps sound like he's preparing for a Christmas-themed war.

* Williams did two theme songs for ''Series/KraftSuspenseTheatre'', one for each season; both evoke a sense of drama, mystery and adventure. Hear them at [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-5wf5iMjGM this link]].

* Williams did two theme songs for ''Series/KraftSuspenseTheatre'', ,one for each season; both evoke a sense of drama, mystery and adventure. Hear them at [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-5wf5iMjGM this link]].

%%* Both theme songs for ''Series/KraftSuspenseTheatre'', but especially the second one.

* Steven Spielberg's comedy ''Film/NineteenFortyOne'' was a critical and box-office failure but John Williams' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_hP9_-DB_8 march]] for it is probably one of his best '''ever'''! It's fun, bombastic, ''and'' patriotic at the same time. Spielberg even said it was his favorite march of Williams, even more than the Raiders' March! [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPrpT5gjZoE Practically every junior high and high school band learns this great piece of music]].

* A lesser-known score but one that Williams reportedly considers some of his best work: the haunting [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoJcGiML6oo love theme]] from ''Film/JaneEyre'' (the 1970 TV film starring George C. Scott and Susannah York). The theme simultaneously evokes a LonelyPianoPiece and a soaringly beautiful romantic melody.

* ''E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'':

%%** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btW3u3TuRGg Hook's theme]].

* One of the least likely scores in his repertoire: 1986's ''Film/SpaceCamp''. There's a story behind it, too: He was alerted to the project when the cancellation of a Steven Spielberg project, a musical version of ''Literature/PeterPan'', put an opening in his schedule. Its score was one of the highlights of an otherwise ho-hum kiddie film whose promotion was done in by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster circumstances outside their control.]]

** See also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3kNRyh_rj8 "Summon the Heroes"]] from the '96 Games. In fact, the whole soundtrack to those games is a collection of SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk2NAz1fAmw "Wide Receiver"]] his theme for NBC's Sunday Night Football.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUeCvidbhd8 "Somewhere in my Memory"]] was nominated for the Best Song Oscar and has become a Christmas standard performed by choirs and orchestra all around the world.

Music/JohnWilliams is responsible for many, many memorable film soundtracks. Among them are the soundtracks to ''Franchise/StarWars'' and almost every Creator/StevenSpielberg film (the exceptions being his {{Made for TV Movie}}s, ''Literature/TheColorPurple'',''Film/TwilightZoneTheMovie'' and ''Film/ReadyPlayerOne2018''.). In short, John Williams has made a career out of writing Awesome Music.