Godzilla (Main Theme)
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| "Godzilla (Main Theme)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Akira Ifukube | ||||
| from the album Godzilla | ||||
| Released | 1954 | |||
| Genre | Soundtrack | |||
| Length | 1:32 (original version) | |||
| Label | Toho | |||
| Songwriter | Akira Ifukube | |||
| Akira Ifukube singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Godzilla (Main Theme)" (Japanese: ゴジラのテーマ, Hepburn: Gojira no Tēma; lit. 'Godzilla's Theme') is a musical theme written by Akira Ifukube for the 1954 film Godzilla. Despite the track being titled as "Main Title" on the Godzilla soundtrack, fans and Toho executives know the track as the Main Godzilla Theme or the Godzilla (Main Theme) song.
Ifukube had been an admirer of Maurice Ravel, and introduced a melody reminiscent of a motif from Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major in his Arctic Forest (1945) and Rapsodia Concertante for Violin and Orchestra (1948). This subsequently became a basis for Godzilla's Theme.[1][2][3]
The sheet music "M1" or "Pursue Godzilla" (Japanese: ゴジラ追撃せよ, Hepburn: Gojira Tsuigeki Seyo) which is the actual motif of Godzilla's Theme, was originally intended to be associated with the Japanese Self Defense Forces featured in the film, it became the thematic leitmotif for the monster character Godzilla and the entire franchise. The original theme song of the monster was "MA" or "Ferocity of Godzilla" (Japanese: ゴジラの猛威, Hepburn: Gojira no Mōi), alternatively as "Terror of Godzilla" (Japanese: ゴジラの恐怖, Hepburn: Gojira no Kyōfu), which was used for Godzilla's assault on Shinagawa in the 1954 film, and was recurringly used in the franchise.[1][2][4][5]
The theme first appeared on the original Godzilla film and in later sequels was replaced by a new theme titled the Godzilla March. The Godzilla (Main Theme) was re-used (as a theme song for the kaiju itself) for the first time in Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), the final Godzilla film featuring the Showa era's continuity within the franchise. Ifukube participated in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), and the "M1" has become a theme song for the character thereafter, while the "MA" wasn't used until Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.[5][6]
Ifukube had utilized motives identical to the "M1" and "MA" for scenes to involve gigantic objects and crowds in several non-Godzilla films, such as The President and a Female Clerk (1948) by Shochiku, City of the Spider (1950) by Daiei Film, Sakuma Dam (1954), a documentary film by Iwanami Productions for the eponymous dam, Castle of Flames (1960) by Toei Company, Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki (1962) by Toho, The Last Woman of Shang (1964) by Shaw Brothers Studio and Shin Films, and so on.[1][5]
