The "Star Wars Main Title" represents the theme that has been played at the start of each Star Wars movie released in theaters, and nearly every other piece of Star Wars media, such as video games and TV shows. The scripts for the films refer to this opening music as "war drums". John Williams composed it, and the London Symphony Orchestra performed it. It quickly evolved into one of cinema's most instantly recognizable musical signatures.
The "Main Title" transitions directly into a unique musical piece crafted for each individual film. Examples include: "The Arrival at Naboo" or "Boarding the Federation Battleship" from _Star Wars_: Episode I The Phantom Menace; "Ambush on Coruscant" from _Star Wars_: Episode II Attack of the Clones; "The Revenge of the Sith" from _Star Wars_: Episode III Revenge of the Sith; "Rebel Blockade Runner" from _Star Wars_: Episode IV A New Hope, which also includes a quote from the end of "Mars" by Gustav Holst; "The Ice Planet Hoth" from _Star Wars_: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; "Approaching the Death Star" from _Star Wars_: Episode VI Return of the Jedi; "The Attack on the Jakku Village" from _Star Wars_: Episode VII The Force Awakens; "Main Title and Escape" from Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi; and "Fanfare and Prologue" from Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker.
John Williams has said that the theme embodies heroism and adventure, key elements throughout the Star Wars movies. He employed various musical phrases to emphasize specific points in the hero's journey, particularly in the story of Luke Skywalker, the main character of the original trilogy. The theme's majestic quality is largely due to the prominent use of brass instruments.
Interestingly, a version of the theme appears within the Star Wars universe during a Life Day celebration, where Princess Leia sings a melody that echoes the iconic theme.
Steven Spielberg recommended John Williams to George Lucas for the score of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (then simply called Star Wars). While composing the main theme, Williams aimed for an "idealistic, uplifting but military flare [sic]". He wanted to showcase the London Symphony Orchestra's powerful brass section, as he had played brass instruments himself in his youth. He deliberately wrote for the "brilliant register of the trumpets, horns and trombones" to create a "blazingly brilliant fanfare" at the start, ensuring the title stood in contrast to the more lyrical, adventurous, and romantic second theme.
The "Main Title" holds symbolic weight in the Star Wars saga, particularly representing heroism and adventure. The musical phrases represent steps toward heroism:
The theme also represents Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy. However, because Luke didn't exist yet, the theme isn't used in this way in the prequel trilogy, the sequel trilogy, or the Anthology films.
In the scripts, the title is also known as "war drums."
The "Main Title" begins with a complex, rapid brass phrase. After a brief introduction, it transitions into the famous melody, led by the trumpets. The strings join after the trumpets play the melody twice, offering a calmer, more peaceful interlude before the brass returns with the main melody. This melody repeats twice before the strings conclude the theme with a quick, fading phrase.
Many have observed similarities between John Williams' Star Wars scores (especially from the Original Trilogy) and the works of other composers, even suggesting plagiarism. One notable comparison is between the "Star Wars Main Title" and the main theme from the Golden Age film "King's Row" by Erich Korngold. These themes share melodic and orchestration similarities, with identical first eight notes, though the last three in "King's Row" are slower. The melodies then diverge. The "Star Wars Main Theme" is similar to other "heroic" melodies, like the "Siegfried Horn Call" from Wagner's Ring Cycle. Sections of the motif are also in Carl Nielsen's Fifth Symphony. The London Symphony Orchestra, who recorded the Star Wars soundtrack, had recorded the first complete Nielsen Symphony cycle under Danish conductor Ole Schmidt just the year before Star Wars. The Paramount Pictures 'logo theme' shares the first (and only) six notes of this theme in a faster, sped up version.
Besides the opening crawl, the "Main Title" appears within the films themselves. Examples include: a faster, more dramatic version in The Phantom Menace, during the fight between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi and B1-Series battle droids on Saak'ak; when the CIS and Republic armies clash in Attack of the Clones; when Obi-Wan brings Luke to Tatooine in Revenge of the Sith; during the chasm shootout in A New Hope; as Luke escapes the wampa in The Empire Strikes Back; when Luke battles Jabba the Hutt's thugs near the sarlacc in Return of the Jedi; and during Poe Dameron's trench run on Starkiller Base (part of Scherzo for the X-Wing's) in The Force Awakens.
In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the theme is present during the appearance of C-3PO and R2-D2, even though there is no opening crawl.
Although Solo: A Star Wars Story lacks an opening crawl, the theme appears in the score, specifically during the Millennium Falcon's first appearance and its escape from the Maw.
In Star Wars: The Clone Wars (both the film and the TV series), a shorter version with a different rhythm is used as the main title sequence. It also appears in the episode Slaves of the Republic when Anakin signals R2-D2.
This theme is also played during the opening crawl of almost all Star Wars video games, often transitioning into "Rebel Blockade Runner." Star Wars: TIE Fighter is an exception, using a version of "The Imperial March."
The theme appears in all three LEGO Star Wars games and all four Battlefront games. It's also in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds and its expansion pack. The theme is also played in Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II and Jedi Outcast. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and The Sith Lords feature the theme. It also appears in Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, Star Wars: Starfighter, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, and Star Wars:The Clone Wars. The title also appears in the The Clone Wars games Republic Heroes, Jedi Alliance, and Lightsaber Duels.
The theme also appears in all the videogames published in 1970s and 1980s, but as many not connected notes.
Leia Organa sings a song for the Life Day celebration in The Star Wars Holiday Special, which sounds like the Theme. This suggests that the "Star Wars Theme" exists within the Star Wars universe. Some lyrics include:
In the first episode of the Star Wars radio drama adaptation, the theme plays as background music in an Imperial Academy recruitment commercial that Luke Skywalker hears at home on Tatooine.
Similar indications exist with "Imperial March" (implied in The Paradise Snare to be the official in-universe martial anthem of the Imperial Navy) and "Duel of the Fates" (heard from ghastly voices in the Ice Crypts of Coruscant).
The "Main Title" is present in each saga film's soundtrack during the opening crawl and end credits.
However, many films and soundtracks contain snippets of the theme within the film. On the The Phantom Menace soundtrack, the piece occurs twenty seconds into "Panaka and the Queen's Protectors". The theme appears again in "Fighting The Destroyer Droids" on the Ultimate Edition soundtrack. On the Attack of the Clones soundtrack and Revenge of the Sith soundtrack, the theme only appears in the opening crawl and end credits. The theme appears in five tracks (excluding the opening crawl and credits) on the A New Hope soundtrack. These are "The Desert / The Robot Auction," "Land of the Sandpeople," "Mouse Robot and Blasting Off," "Rescue of the Princess" / "Tractor Beam/Chasm Crossfire," and "The Last Battle." On the The Empire Strikes Back soundtrack, it's featured in "Luke's First Crash" and "Carbon Freeze/Luke Pursues The Captives/Departure of Boba Fett". On the Return of the Jedi soundtrack, the piece occurs in *"The Pit of Carkoon" / "Sail Barge Assault" (1:35) or "The Return of the Jedi", "The Emperor Arrives" / "The Death of Yoda" / Obi-Wan's Revelation" (3:58), "The Battle of Endor", and "Sail Barge Assault (Alternate)" (0:51).
In the score for Solo: A Star Wars Story, the theme is present in several tracks, including "L3 and Millennium Falcon," "Reminiscence Therapy," and "Into the Maw."
The theme also appears in several Expanded Universe soundtracks. On the Shadows of the Empire soundtrack, the motif is used strictly in the first track and is performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. On The Clone Wars soundtrack, the first and last tracks contain the only occurrences of the theme. This recording is performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
The "Main Title" segues directly into a piece created specifically for the event occurring after the opening crawl in each film. These are: "The Arrival at Naboo" or "Boarding the Federation Battleship" (Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace); "Ambush on Coruscant" (Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones); "The Revenge of the Sith" (Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith); "Rebel Blockade Runner" (Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope), which goes on to quote the ending of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets"; "The Ice Planet Hoth" (Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back); "Approaching the Death Star" (Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi).
The "Main Title" has become one of the most recognized theatrical themes ever written.
On the January 21, 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live, Bill Murray's lounge singer character sang a version of the Star Wars theme with lyrics. In the same month, the Star Wars theme featured at the Hong Kong Ready-to-Wear Festival during a marching showcase of children's clothing on the catwalk.
The piece was also performed after the 20th Century Fox Fanfare in set one of the international tour of Star Wars: In Concert. The concerts were conducted by Dirk Brosse. The theme appears in the end credits of the special Robot Chicken: Star Wars, where it is sung by chickens. Disco artist Meco released a disco version of the theme in 1977 on the album Star Wars and other Galactic Funk. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 1. It held that position for two weeks. The single became the biggest-selling instrumental single in the history of recorded music, being the first to be certified platinum (2 million units) by the RIAA. Meco's version eventually was used officially in the Star Wars franchise with Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike, where it played in the arcade mode of the game upon approaching the arcade cabinets. Similarly, it also played when pressing certain buttons on Kamino in the game LEGO: Star Wars.
It has also been heard in The Lego Movie when Emmett and the Master Builders are arguing how to access Lord Business' tower.
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