Favorite Futurama OST/Background Music

[on:]

For the past few days, I've had some of the music from Meanwhile (when the universe was frozen) stuck in my head. Just love the lonely feeling it gave to the last act and how powerful it was. Also, I really like the music that plays in BWABB when everyone goes on the escalators to Yivo. Has a really heavenly, but sad feeling to it.

So, now I ask, what are your favorite background sounds and music from the show? What music really stuck out or really improved a scene on the show? Discuss now or something.

[Reply #1 on:]

There's a real depressing melody that played a lot in the original run, off the top of my head I think I remember it playing in "Godfellas" when Fry looks out the window of the ship, longing for Bender to come back. It's a great little piece of music.

[Reply #2 on:]

In the beginning of "Ghosts In The Machines", there's a nice little tune that plays before Hermes says "Listen up, People!". I don't know why I was always fond of it, but I really do like it.

Also, I mainly like all the orchestrated music bits from the Original Run.

[Reply #3 on:]

Of all the establishing shot ditties, I like the one in Lethal Inspection in the scene where Leela is reading the magazine and hiding the paper behind plants. It was unnecessarily funky, in a good way.

I like the last of Godfellas as it zoomed out, but I really wished there'd have been silence after god's closing line. I feel it would've been more poignant.

[Reply #4 on:]

The transitional music that begins the final scene of Time Keeps on Slippin', after Fry resigns himself to Leela's rejection and we cut to Bender and the doomsday device. Just beautiful.

[Reply #5 on:]

Don't You(Forget About Me) by Simple Minds ,in the episode The Luck of Fryrish always makes me cry,the whole episode makes me cry, what a crybaby if I don't even have siblings.

Is the only Futurama's related show I've had in my cellphones along with the song that appears on Bendless Love (I think is named "Bend Me,Shape Me" I forgot it) also Sexx Laws by Beck,is pretty good

About songs made for the show ,the Christmas song in BBS but,with the spanish dub even if I despite it, sounds more funnier to me because sucks. (Yeah! is too bad that is good!)

[Reply #6 on:]

Don't You(Forget About Me) by Simple Minds ,in the episode The Luck of Fryrish always makes me cry,the whole episode makes me cry, what a crybaby if I don't even have siblings.

Is the only Futurama's related show I've had in my cellphones along with the song that appears on Bendless Love (I think is named "Bend Me,Shape Me" I forgot it) also Sexx Laws by Beck,is pretty good

I believe this thread is specifically for original music composed for the show, as opposed to pre-existing songs used on the show. And background music, at that (if we were talking about the infrequent musical numbers the show had, I'd be hard-pressed to choose between Welcome to Robot Hell, Even If It's Not A Good Idea, The March of the Non-Union Elves and This Toy Shop's Going to War).

[Reply #7 on:]

I believe this thread is specifically for original music composed for the show, as opposed to pre-existing songs used on the show. And background music, at that

I'd think so too, although Box Incorporated's first example was something pre-existing, namely Chopin's "Tristesse" etude...speaking of which, as absolutely lovely as it is, to be honest I was a bit thrown off and disappointed by its inclusion for that montage in "Meanwhile." Not only have I heard it before in--and thus associate it a bit more with--other animated shows (several, in fact), but I thought it an odd choice to not have original scoring for such a key part of an intended series finale.

Time Keeps on Slippin'

Speaking of that episode's music, I've always been quite fond of the weird little synthy bit that plays as the Globetrotters' ship lands at the beginning; there's something about it that sounds so goofy and yet still intriguing and threatening at the same time.

I also remember finding the music that plays over the first few seconds of Into the Wild Green Yonder (as we see the DNA assembling itself) to be spine-tingly beautiful, especially the first time I heard it.

Besides those, though, my favorite piece of orchestration would probably have to be the worm-infested Fry's "Parasites Lost" holophonor serenade.

[Reply #8 on:]

Speaking of that episode's music, I've always been quite fond of the weird little synthy bit that plays as the Globetrotters' ship lands at the beginning; there's something about it that sounds so goofy and yet still intriguing and threatening at the same time.

According to The Infosphere and a few other sources, the piece you're referring to is based off the music from A Clockwork Orange... Strange, I remember that film's score being largely classical (though it has been quite a while since I've seen it).

[Reply #9 on:]

I believe this thread is specifically for original music composed for the show, as opposed to pre-existing songs used on the show. And background music, at that

I'd think so too, although Box Incorporated's first example was something pre-existing, namely Chopin's "Tristesse" etude...speaking of which, as absolutely lovely as it is, to be honest I was a bit thrown off and disappointed by its inclusion for that montage in "Meanwhile." Not only have I heard it before in--and thus associate it a bit more with--other animated shows (several, in fact), but I thought it an odd choice to not have original scoring for such a key part of an intended series finale.

Actually, I was talking more about the music played when Fry and Leela first explore the broken universe and when they get married, with the heavy cello and harp playing. Tristesse was pretty great for the montage scene (I actually learned to play the song on the piano a few days after I heard it because I loved it so much), but yeah, something by Christopher Tyng or just not used as much would've made it more special for the show.

[Reply #10 on:]

I've noticed (or, you know, thought about it) that the background music, specially in transition is really different between original and new run. Original run had sitcom type while new run had more emotional music maybe. I think it makes quite a big difference to the show's mood/general appearance among HD animation.

[Reply #11 on:]

I've always thought that the original series' scores, which had electronic music, frankly suited the show better, and that there was something odd about the way the new run sounded (orchestral)
I remember reading about Christopher Tyng having several musicians to work with during the original run, but working by himself (as seen in the Volume 7 extra) during the Comedy Central run. Can anyone confirm this?

Having to pick a favourite OST, perhaps the teaser opening in Space Pilot 3000, or the music that was used in the season 2/3 DVDs.

[Reply #12 on:]

I remember reading about Christopher Tyng having several musicians to work with during the original run, but working by himself (as seen in the Volume 7 extra) during the Comedy Central run. Can anyone confirm this?

This is correct. He pretty much had access to a full orchestra during the Fox run, but this was all cut due to budget purposes. The score for the CC run was largely synthesized... I find your comparison of the two run's music styles quite odd, given that the opposite was in fact true.

[Reply #13 on:]

Speaking of that episode's music, I've always been quite fond of the weird little synthy bit that plays as the Globetrotters' ship lands at the beginning; there's something about it that sounds so goofy and yet still intriguing and threatening at the same time.

According to The Infosphere and a few other sources, the piece you're referring to is based off the music from A Clockwork Orange... Strange, I remember that film's score being largely classical (though it has been quite a while since I've seen it).

I recently watched it and remember it being almost entirely classical.   

[Reply #14 on:]

Here's something a bit different.

I really like the music that plays on the episode menu on the season 7 DVD(s). It's different for each episode as well.

[Reply #15 on:]

Here's something a bit different.

I really like the music that plays on the episode menu on the season 7 DVD(s). It's different for each episode as well.

That reminds me, I like the one that plays on "Near-Death Wish". I also liked Season 6B's music on the episode menu of Disc 2 as well. 

[Reply #16 on:]

I've always thought that the original series' scores, which had electronic music, frankly suited the show better, and that there was something odd about the way the new run sounded (orchestral)

I find your comparison of the two run's music styles quite odd, given that the opposite was in fact true.

Thanks for confirming.
That was the reason I asked. I was mainly thinking about the transitions, as QNF mentioned right before me. Particularly the establishing shots had opposite sounding cues. The Comedy Central episodes had fake orchestral arrangements, tried to sound huge and dramatical, whereas the Fox run sounded futuristic and kinda casual.
Yes, the original run used that real orchestra where needed, but the electronically sounding (futuristic) music was what gave the show its feel. At least to me, those are my favorite soundtracks.
Sorry, couldn't find clips to better explain myself..

[Reply #17 on:]

Speaking of that episode's music, I've always been quite fond of the weird little synthy bit that plays as the Globetrotters' ship lands at the beginning; there's something about it that sounds so goofy and yet still intriguing and threatening at the same time.

According to The Infosphere and a few other sources, the piece you're referring to is based off the music from A Clockwork Orange... Strange, I remember that film's score being largely classical (though it has been quite a while since I've seen it).

I recently watched it and remember it being almost entirely classical.   

*BUMP*

In the event that anyone else cares: I have now finally seen A Clockwork Orange and can report that yes, its score is almost entirely classical. I don't think that the Futurama piece in question has any resemblance to the movie score beyond the timbre of the synthesizer...but I suppose it could have been intended to be a reference in that the Futurama piece does have the melody of the Globetrotter's "Sweet Georgia Brown" theme if you listen hard for it (though it's way less obvious to me than the sad whistle-y version at the end of the episode) and half of the movie's score is Wendy Carlos' synthesized versions of classical themes. I guess I just don't really see why the show's music would reference that of A Clockwork Orange here when the moment it appears in the episode has no relation to the movie as far as I can tell.

However, perhaps it's more important to say in any case that I think the movie's music is--and the Globetrotter arrival music still is--really neat.

[Reply #18 on:]

That sounds quite reasonable.  ACO is pretty crazy, neh my droog?

[Reply #19 on:]

Yes, real horrorshow.