Songs from or about sci fi and fantasy

[Galileo]

Hi all,

I do a radioshow here in Australia. It's at a local studio, but we broadcast online too. My final show is coming up, and I wanted to do a science fiction/fantasy special.

I've already started work on the playlist, but I'm hoping to get your suggestions. I'm not just after movie soundtracks, but songs about sci fi and fantasy books, tv series and movies as well as songs about concepts from the genre.

So what do you guys think I can't do without?

[maneth]

German metal band Blind Guardian have fantasy themes in many of their songs, particularly LotR.

Tania Opland and Mike Freeman do acoustic folk music, and in the past have done some collaborations with Anne McCaffrey (setting her Pern songs to music).

The Queen song "'39", sung by Brian May.

Nightwish have lots of songs with a vaguely fantasy theme, and Tutankhamen has direct references to Stargate (it mentions Carter by name).

[Starfist]

Songs about Sci-fi or Fantasy...!
Ok... <Thinks>

There's:
'Flash' about Flash Gordon by Queen
'I lost my Heart to a Starship Trooper' by Hot Gossip featuring Sarah Brightman
'Calling International Rescue' By Fuzzbox. It's about Thunderbirds.

The RAH Band did several Sci-fi themed songs on their album 'Past, Present and Future'

[maneth]

Queen did the entire soundtrack for Flash Gordon (1980).

[Starfist]

Queen did the entire soundtrack for Flash Gordon (1980).

I actually own a CD of the soundtrack to the movie.
But I picked the title track because it was the first thing that sprung to mind.

:: Puts thinking cap on again ::

I know you are not just looking for movie/TV themes. But there are a lot of themes you can use... You should play the theme from 'Star Wars' or 'Duel of Fates' from Star Wars Episode 1 : The Phantom Menace. Then there is Doctor Who, Star Trek, Thunderbirds, Superman, which are recognisable and known. And of course there is 'Fly Me To The Moon' it's a classic and will surprise your listener's...!

[rkgardner2003]

Queen did the entire soundtrack for Flash Gordon (1980).

Queen also did the soundtrack from the original Highlander movie (1986) as well.

[Mardus]

What is the nature of your radio channel and what kind of music does it usually play? How long is your special? How many tracks would you like to play? Do you lean more on orchestral music or pop/+contemporary music? Or do you plan to take a historical journey in sci-fi movie music?

Edit: With pop/contemporary I meant anything that's not orchestral. So that includes Electronica and Techno-Industrial.

[Raw_Deal]

I suppose the better part of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars could work.

[Galileo]

What is the nature of your radio channel and what kind of music does it usually play? How long is your special? How many tracks would you like to play? Do you lean more on orchestral music or pop music? Or do you plan to take a historical journey in sci-fi movie music?

It's quite a mixed bag as far as the station is concerned. It's community radio, so we are supposed to be. we're run by a group of volunteer presenters.
My final show will be 4 hours instead of 2, because the show after mine have agreed to allow me to take over theirs in a sort of mock lockdown kind of thing.
I want to essentially do all 3 of these things. I don't want the listeners to know where I'm going with it at all times, and I want to surprise people.

[pookey]

[Starfist]

Pookey beat me to it...

Of course there is also 'Timewarp' from the Rocky Horror Show.

[Type-8]

a good one that seems to be less well known is "universe" by The Living End. it has clear science fiction themes but its a great song. its off their latest album "the ending is just the beginning repeating".

other ones? the Flash Gordon theme, Iron Maiden's "to tame a land" and of course, who could forget Major Tom (a space Oddity)

there are a lot of songs that aren't Directly sci-fi related but might carry some sci-fi like theme. Radioactive by Imagine Dragons comes to mind

of course, there's always The Saga Begins by Weird Al Yankovic?

[Type-8]

ah, seems maneth beet me to the flash gordon theme

and i second the highlander soundtrack, one of the best soundtracks ever

[Blencathra]

My thoughts -

Cold City by David O'Brien was used in Red Dwarf Back to Earth

Dr Who by Orbital

Life on Mars or Ashes to Ashes by Bowie, used for the TV programmes of the same name

Anything by Murray Gold for Doctor Who

[Starfist]

How about Enya or Clannad.

Enya because of 'Lord of the Rings'
Clannad because of 'Robin Hood'