As you may or may not know, today is National Film Score Day! Star Wars has been filled with iconic songs from day one, I thought there would be no better way to celebrate the day than to highlight a few (but certainly not all) personal favorite soundtracks of mine from Star Wars films that often get overlooked.
"Anakin's Theme" by John Williams (The Phantom Menace)
Pretty much every piece of music in The Phantom Menace gets overlooked in favor of the incredibly iconic "Duel of the Fates," but I've always also had a soft spot for "Anakin's Theme." The melody is really pretty and it really gives us a sense of that "calm before the storm" that is Anakin in this movie.
"Yoda and the Younglings" by John Williams (Attack of the Clones)
Attack of the Clones is also filled with a lot of iconic music, and one that I think is often overlooked is "Yoda and the Younglings." I think it's such a pleasant and peaceful piece that really helps us feel how beautiful and peaceful the Jedi Temple was before the war. Yoda is clearly most in his element while he's teaching the younglings and being playful with them, and this piece really captures how pure it is.
"Battle of Teth" by Kevin Kiner (The Clone Wars Movie)
Kevin Kiner's first foray into Star Wars introduces countless themes that continue to break our hearts over a decade later, and one of my personal favorites is "Battle of Teth." Filled with energy and also a differing from classical Star Wars movie scores (with the inclusion of heavy guitars), it not only gives us a strong sense of the location but also of the action going on.
"General Grievous" by John Williams (Revenge of the Sith)
While few scores in Revenge of the Sith are as iconic as "Battle of the Heroes," I have also always been partial to "General Grievous." It's an awesome villain theme that is really perfect at building the tension required for the movie. Even just listening to it without watching the film makes me feel a little on edge.
"Flying with Chewie" by John Powell (Solo)
Solo is a treasure trove of underrated Star Wars music (Enfys Nest's theme plays randomly in my head), and one of the many gems in it is "Flying with Chewie". I love how it has the heavy overtones of the tense action scene in the beginning while also incorporating Han's triumphant theme in the movie. My favorite part is the joyful, yet also calmly satisfied last part.
"The Imperial Suite" by Michael Giacchino (Rogue One)
Michael Giacchino absolutely killed it in Rogue One, and any piece from that movie deserves immense appreciation- the main theme from "Jyn Erso & Hope Suite" is one of my (many) favorite Star Wars themes. But I have to shed some love on the Imperial theme that he wrote for the movie. It's not "Imperial March" exactly, but it gives that same intense, dark and proud feeling.
"The Little People Work" by John Williams (A New Hope)
Calling any of the music from A New Hope underrated feels silly, as all of the soundtrack has taken on its own life outside of the film. That said, one I think that doesn't always get as much attention is "The Little People Work," or the jawa theme. Perhaps it's just because of my spiritual connection to jawas, but I just adore the song. It provides a perfect ambience and is definitely the musical embodiment of what a jawa is.
"Yoda's Theme" by John Williams (The Empire Strikes Back)
Perhaps calling "Yoda's Theme" underrated is cheating because of how often the theme pops up in other Star Wars, but in this movie it's up against heavy hitters like "The Battle in the Snow," "The Imperial March," "The Asteroid Field" and "Departure of Boba Fett," so I think I get a pass. I love "Yoda's Theme" so much, it just feels like Yoda and his connection to the Force. Listening to it feels like I'm gently floating through a breeze, rising above the entire world and seeing life for what it is. It's just such a good song.
"Han Solo Returns (At the Court of Jabba the Hutt)" by John Williams (Return of the Jedi)
Return of the Jedi is another movie with countless iconic pieces of music (I have very fond memories of marching around the house with my sister to "Parade of the Ewoks") but one often underappreciated piece is "Han Solo Returns." Starting off darkly mysterious before slipping triumphantly into a beautiful love theme, only to become ominous once again is a perfect encapsulation of the roller coaster that is the first act of the movie, and it's a song that I always enjoy listening to.
"Scherzo for X-Wings" by John Williams (The Force Awakens)
"Scherzo for X-Wings" often gets overlooked in favor of it's bigger sibling, "March of the Resistance," but it's still a song that deserves love in its own right. It's exciting and filled with the boundless energy of imagining yourself in the cockpit of an X-Wing, saving the day- no, the galaxy! An honorable mention here also goes to "I Can Fly Anything-" an also incredibly energy-filled piece that never fails to make me smile.
"The Sacred Jedi Texts" by John Williams (The Last Jedi)
The Last Jedi is filled with soundtrack gems that are exciting, though I've always appreciated the contemplative hopefulness of "The Sacred Jedi Texts." The scene it accompanies is of course incredible. I love the incorporation of themes from the original trilogy, and I really think the music does so much heavy lifting to make the scene as effective as it is.
"A New Home" by John Williams (The Rise of Skywalker)
I am always enamored with "A New Home" from the ending of The Rise of Skywalker. I love the use of "Rey's Theme" (one of the absolute best Star Wars themes in my opinion), but what always really strikes me about this piece is how much it is a perfect accompaniment to "The Jedi Steps" from The Force Awakens. "The Jedi Steps" show Rey beginning her journey to train as a Jedi and learn from mentors of the past. It is the closing of the first chapter of her life, as a scavenger on Jakku, and the start of this new adventure. "A New Home" closes that chapter with a similar piece, but also clearly shows that a new leg of her journey is just now beginning- and I can't wait to see where that goes.