In Ifukube's version of the score, the composer brought back the Godzilla "Fury" theme from "Godzilla" (1954) and added several new ones, two of which would become iconic "Godzilla" themes:
- Terror motif: iconic Godzilla brass fanfare, slow and foreboding
- Resurrection theme: figures building in power, also iconic and almost always follows the Fury theme
- Faro Island theme: "ethnic" music
- Jungle theme: the main title theme, somewhat inspired by Max Steiner's native music in the original "King Kong". This theme is also sometimes called the "Sleeping Chant".
- Kong Battle theme: heavy, dramatic figures
- Kong/Godzilla Battle theme: uptempo action march.
| Trk | Dur | Title | Sequence, themes |
| 1 | 2:04 | Main Title (M1) |
Opening logo, slow pan of
rocks. Jungle theme (tom toms, brass counter figures, staccato strings and voice, mid tempo, repeat at 1:06). |
| 2 | 0:11 | Series Of World Wonders (M2) |
Theme music for opening of TV
science show. Drum/xylophone cadence. |
| 3 | 0:56 | The Sparkling Iceberg (M3) |
While in the Arctic, the
submarine The Seahawk sees radioactive glowing, and immediately dives. Mysterious organ, strings, flute, piano, etc. |
| 4 | 0:27 | Commercial | Source music for
"Passion" commercial. Drum licks. |
| 5 | 0:33 | The Seahawk In Crisis (M4) |
The Seahawk runs into the
underwater part of the glowing iceberg. Mysterious figures in organ, tremolo strings, piano, brass, etc. |
| 6 | 1:46 | PS-1-1 | Background source music for the
departure party of ad men Sakurai and Kinsaburo, who are investigating a
giant monster in the Solomon Islands. Circus-like parade music. |
| 7 | 2:00 | The Seahawk's SOS (M5) |
The Seahawk sends out an SOS,
but is soon destroyed by the emergence of Godzilla from the disturbed iceberg
(offscreen). Suspense brass/tremolo strings, low rumbling, hints of Godzilla Terror intro motif (1:43), mysterious organ, brass fanfares, etc. |
| 8 | 0:49 | Faro Island (M6) |
Sakurai and Kinsaburo land at
Faro Island, where a giant monster has been sighted. Faro Island theme: Low brass, tom toms, oboe in an ethnic mode. |
| 9 | 0:59 | The Natives (M7) |
The island natives at
work. Low pulses joined by male chant and cymbal accents, female choir ornaments. |
| 10 | 1:37 | Thunder And The Devil (M8T2) |
At the sound of thunder and
roaring, the natives suddenly begin a ritual worship dance. Jungle theme variation without brass (toms and voice over low organ drone). |
| 11 | 0:37 | Fumiko's Misgivings (M9) |
Fumiko is worried about her
boyfriend Kazuo while watching a TV nature show (source music) and is visited
by her friend. Faro Island theme variation: Tom toms, oboe in an ethnic mode. |
| 12 | 1:44 | Godzilla Lives! (Godzilla's Resurrection) (M10) |
Kazuo observes Godzilla emerging
from an iceberg and rampaging across a military base. Tanks and artillery have no effect. Terror intro motif, Godzilla Fury theme (3-note rising figures, 0:11), Resurrection theme (rising/falling figures, adding layers: 0:25). |
| 13 | 1:45 | Faro Island (M6A) |
The ad men walk through the
jungle looking for Kong. Faro Island theme: low brass, tom toms, oboe in an ethnic mode. |
| 14 | 0:21 | The Cry Of The Devil (M11) |
When one of the ad men shoot a
lizard, thunder, lightning and roaring begin again, as well as a
landslide. Fanfare-like trombone and gong figures. |
| 15 | 0:55 | A Prayer to the Rolling Thunder (M12) |
The villagers do a ritual
chant. Low pulses, organ, brass. |
| 16 | 3:19 | Devil In The South Seas - Drums Of Battle (M13-13A) |
A giant octopus attacks the
village. The ad men use their rifles
on it. The villagers prepare for battle with the octopus. Undeveloped version of Kong Battle theme: Swooping trombones/strings with dissonant organ, string tremoli/organ, native bongos joining (repeat sequence without bongos). |
| 17 | 1:39 | Giant Octopus vs King Kong (M14) |
King Kong appears, breaking
through a large bamboo gate, and eventually drives off the octopus. Kong Battle theme: Swooping trombones/strings with dissonant organ, Jungle motifs in brass and strings, intercut with rhythmic strings. |
| 18 | 3:15 | The Sleeping Devil (M15) |
After drinking vats of berry
juice, Kong falls asleep. The native
girls dance before his sleeping form.
The ad men decide to build a raft for Kong. Jungle theme developed on tom toms, voice, winds, some organ drones. Repeat at 1:17, eventually increasing speed with low organ layer (winds drop out), developed chorus. |
| 19 | 0:28 | To Japan (M28) |
A sleeping Kong is transported
on a giant raft over the sea by the ad men. Organ/string pulses/tremoli with Native motif. |
| 20 | 0:19 | Godzilla (M16) |
Godzilla appears near
Sendai. Terror intro. |
| 21 | 3:36 | The Terror of Godzilla (M16) |
Godzilla attacks a train near
Sendai. Fumiko narrowly escapes with
the help of Kazuo. Terror intro motif, Godzilla Fury theme (0:14), Resurrection theme with organ harmony (0:30), repeat at 1:45. |
| 22 | 0:24 | The Invincible King Kong (M17) |
When Kong wakes up on the raft
prematurely, the ad men try to blow it up, but Kong survives. Swooping trombone/Natives motif over organ. |
| 23 | 0:36 | Preparation for Operation 'Burial' (M18) |
The army does some landscaping
to prepare a trap for Godzilla. Brass and strings in playful counter figures - "labor music". |
| 24 | 2:42 | King Kong vs Godzilla I (M19) |
Kong and Godzilla slowly
approach one another. Kong throws
rocks, but is ultimately defeated by Godzilla's atomic breath. Battle Theme in strings and brass supported by drums and organ. Trumpet counter-figure joins at 0:31, soon supported by strings, added organ clusters, ending with additional wind trills/brass figures. Recap at about 1:42. |
| 25 | 0:25 | Preparations for Operation 'One Million Volts' (M20) |
Camera pans over power station
structures. Playful brass counter-figures with drums. |
| 26 | 1:07 | Operation 'Burial' I (M16) |
Godzilla approaches. The army fills the terrain with
gasoline. When Godzilla arrives they
set it on fire. Terror intro, Godzilla Fury, Resurrection theme on brass/strings/piano. |
| 27 | 0:54 | Operation 'Burial' II (M21) |
Godzilla is lured towards a
hidden pit. When he falls in, the pit
explodes. Godzilla Fury, Resurrection theme on brass/strings/piano. |
| 28 | 0:15 | Operation 'Burial' Fails (M22) |
Godzilla climbs out of the
pit. Terror intro on brass over strident strings. |
| 29 | 1:01 | Operation 'One Million Volts' I (M23) |
When Godzilla approaches Tokyo,
the army activates a high voltage fence, which halts the giant
creature. Resurrection Theme on low brass/strings over pounding piano clusters, joined by trumpets/organ. |
| 30 | 2:15 | Operation 'One Million Volts' II (M24) |
King Kong approaches, and he
succeeds in destroying the electric fence.
The army considers its next move as panic erupts. Kong Battle theme: Swooping trombone figures alternating with rising wind/string figures over low bass pulse and organ chords, etc.. |
| 31 | 2:08 | Kong Shows up in Tokyo (M25) |
Kong rampages through
Tokyo. He destroys a train and picks
up Fumiko. Kong Battle theme: Swooping trombone figures alternating with rising wind/string figures over low bass pulse and organ chords, etc.. |
| 32 | 2:06 | Operation "Rescue Fumiko" I (MPS-71) |
The army fires berry juice mist
from Faro Island to make Kong sleepy.
The native music is used to make Kong feel "at home" (one of
the ad men plays bongos). Timpani intro, Jungle theme (tom toms, voice, brief wind counter figures). |
| 33 | 0:35 | Operation "Rescue Fumiko" II (M26T2) |
Fumiko is rescued when Kong falls
asleep. Jungle theme on brass, staccato strings. |
| 34 | 2:15 | The Plan to Transport King Kong (M27) |
The army attaches giant balloons
to King Kong so that he can be moved while asleep. March on brass/drums/strings/ethnic organ figure. |
| 35 | 2:09 | King Kong Advances on Fuji (M28) |
The balloons lift Kong towards
Mt Fuji. When they reach the mountain,
Godzilla is below. The cut Kong
loose. Vibrato organ chords, slow pulses with mixture of Jungle and Godzilla Terror motifs in brass/winds. |
| 36 | 4:03 | Showdown at Mt. Fuji (M29) |
Kong tries to grab Godzilla's
tail and throw rocks, but Godzilla bats the rocks back to him. They wrestle but Kong accidentally knocks
his head on some rocks. Godzilla beats
him with his tail and rocks. Kong gets
"roasted" by Godzilla's breath. Resurrection theme on brass/gong/cymbals with organ textures, Fury theme, repeat sequence. |
| 37 | 1:43 | King Kong Lives! (King Kong's Resurrection) (M29A) |
A lightning storm erupts which
re-energizes Kong, giving him electrical powers. He wrestles Godzilla to the ground. Kong Battle theme: swooping trombone figures alternating with rising wind/string figures over low bass pulse and organ chords, etc.. |
| 38 | 2:00 | King Kong vs. Godzilla II (M29B) |
The fight continues near Atami
Castle. The Castle is demolished and
the two monsters fall into the sea. Battle Theme: faster and shorter reprise. |
| 39 | 0:24 | Ending (M30) |
King Kong swims away, heading
towards home. Tom toms leading to ending chord cadence. |
| 40 | 4:32 | Apartment Background Music (PS-48B) |
Kazuo, Fumiko and her brother the ad man
discuss the next day's trip to Kong Island. Jazz combo source music. |
| 41 | 3:59 | PS-1-1 | Background source music for the
departure party of ad men Sakurai and Kinsaburo, who are investigating a
giant monster in the Solomon Islands. Extended circus/parade source music. |
| 42 | 1:50 | Transistor Radio Music (PS-32-1) |
Music playing when the ad men
impress the native leader with their radio. Lounge jazz/pop source with childish girl vocal. |
Godzilla
Mothra vs Godzilla
Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster
Invasion of Astro Monster
Destroy All Monsters
Links
Amazon Listing
Spotify Listing
Godzilla Perfect Box 1 at Screen Archives
Akira Ifukube Wiki
Akira Ifukube Museum
Godzilla Monster Music Review
Toho Kingdom Review
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