The Imperial March

This article is about music composed by John Williams. For the musical work by Edward Elgar, see Imperial March (Elgar).

Main article: Star Wars music

"The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)"^[1] is a musical theme present in the Star Wars franchise. It was composed by John Williams for the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Together with Yoda's Theme, the Imperial March was premiered on April 29, 1980, "three weeks before the opening of the film, on the occasion of John Williams' first concert as official conductor-in-residence of the Boston Pops Orchestra."^[2] One of the best known symphonic movie themes, it is a classic example of a leitmotif, a recurrent theme associated with characters or events in a drama.^[3]

Use in Star Wars

"The Imperial March" is sometimes referred to simply as "Darth Vader's Theme." In the movies (except for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope), the march is often played when Darth Vader appears. It is also played for the arrival of Emperor Palpatine on the Death Star in Return of the Jedi, though it does segue into the Emperor's own theme as he appears.

Original Trilogy

"The Imperial March" is first heard in The Empire Strikes Back in low piccolos as the Galactic Empire sends probe droids across the galaxy in search of Luke Skywalker. Its major opening occurs as Star Destroyers amass and Darth Vader is first presented in the film, 18 minutes into the movie. The theme and related motifs are also incorporated into tracks such as "The Battle of Hoth" and "The Asteroid Field". Return of the Jedi makes similar use of the theme, though its final statement is significantly different, making quiet use of a harp as a redeemed Anakin Skywalker dies in his son's arms.

Prequel Trilogy

"The Imperial March" appears on a few occasions in the prequel trilogy, most often used to hint at Anakin Skywalker's future as Darth Vader. An innocent theme for the nine-year-old Anakin in The Phantom Menace, is thematically based on "The Imperial March". "The Imperial March" is also heard towards the end, as Yoda acknowledges Anakin as Obi Wan's apprentice in saying "The chosen One, the boy may be. Nevertheless, grave danger I fear in his training". In the second prequel, Attack of the Clones, "The Imperial March" is sometimes played subtly when an event foreshadows Anakin's future: It is first played when Yoda senses Anakin slaughtering a tribe of Tusken Raiders to avenge his mother's death and later with more force when Anakin tells Padmé Amidala what he did. It is played most prominently during the final sequence when clone troopers assemble and depart Coruscant, foreshadowing that they are the predecessors of Imperial stormtroopers. Although "Across the Stars" is featured most prominently in the film's end credits, several notes from "The Imperial March" are heard beneath it near the end. In The Revenge of the Sith the piece can be heard for a few seconds in "Battle of the Heroes" during the scene when Obi Wan and Anakin clash with their force powers.

Star Wars The Clone Wars

"The Imperial March" has influence in short but dark moments revolving around Anakin. For example, in episode 62 Citadel Rescue, Anakin and Captain Wilhuff Tarkin both mentioned during their escape their good relationship with the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Anakin shakes hands with Tarkin at the end of the episode, while Tarkin said he would inform the Chancellor of Anakin's good performance. During that handshake, a hint is to be heard in the music referring to "The Imperial March".

Uses outside Star Wars

Use in Modern Politics

Outside of the Star Wars films, the march is often used as a musical illustration for various totalitarian or authoritarian political and religious figures. The music was used by radio show host Rush Limbaugh as the theme for his Gorbasm updates concerning the activities of then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, both while he was President and after.

Jon Stewart, on The Daily Show in January 2009 began associating "The Imperial March" with former Vice President Dick Cheney after his appearance at President Barack Obama's inauguration in a wheelchair. This theme was carried across several episodes in the week following the Inauguration.

In 2007, the Band of the Welsh Guards notoriously played the Imperial March to greet Saudi Arabian King Abdullah when he visited the United Kingdom on a controversial state visit.^[4][5]

Uses in TV and Radio

The Imperial March was used as thematic background music for the announcement of the "Creep of the Week" on Dave Dameshek's Jerk Report during the 2006 season of the Adam Carolla Show.

An elevator music version appears in the Family Guy episode "Blue Harvest", when Peter Griffin (as Han Solo) and Chris Griffin (as Luke Skywalker) escort Brian Griffin (as Chewbacca) dressed as Imperial stormtroopers. It acts as the Death Star's elevator's background song. The episode is a spoof of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which "The Imperial March" is not used.

In The Simpsons episode "Gump Roast", Montgomery Burns steps toward a lectern and "The Imperial March" plays. Other episodes also use "The Imperial March" as Mr. Burns appears (for example, "A Star Is Burns").

In The Big Bang Theory at the very beginning of the episode The Excelsior Acquisition, Raj plays this theme from his speaker shirt while walking into the comic book store in order to show that he is "awesome and to be feared."

On the soundtrack of the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire saga, "Night Skies" features a slow, melodic sample of "The Imperial March", designed to reflect the thoughts of Darth Vader, who believes that his son, Luke Skywalker is on Coruscant and attempts telepathic contact with him. The main theme plays twice in the track.

The Imperial March was used in a popular television commercial "The Force" for the Volkswagen Passat, first aired during the 2011 Super Bowl. The spot features a pint-sized Darth Vader who uses the Force when he discovers his father's Passat in the driveway.

The Imperial March is also used in Condorilla which is an Original Bombo Radyo Radio Drama. It is the opening themesong for Condorilla. Bombo Radyo is a radio station in the Philippines and is the creator of Condorilla.

In the Chuck episode "Chuck Versus the Last Details", Chuck hums the tune to Morgan to calm his nerves and inspire him as he impersonates a Italian arms dealer at a meeting with Vivian Volkoff. The actual theme is played as Morgan enters the meeting.

Before being replaced with a new theme around mid-2010, "The Imperial March" was the opening theme song (played at the "top of the hour") for The Alex Jones Show. While the theme played, an announcement then followed:

"Big Brother, mainstream media, government cover-ups. You want answers? Well so does he. He's Alex Jones...on the GCN Radio Network. And now, live from Austin, Texas...Alex Jones."

Parts of this theme is still played in the aforementioned The Alex Jones Show at the "top of the hour" and after returning from commercial breaks.

Uses in Sport

The music has been used as emblematic of sporting rivalries. Numerous high school and college marching bands have taken to playing the march during football games, particularly when a home team's defense is on the field or has made a big play. The first regular use of "The Imperial March" was in the 1980s, when John Thompson led the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team onto the floor with "The Imperial March" being played by the Georgetown band, perpetuating the sullen, intimidating persona of the Hoyas.^[6]

In January 2003, during Super Bowl XXXVII, ABC Sports took to using "The Imperial March" as a leitmotif for the Oakland Raiders.^[7] Three-time and current World Professional Darts Champion John Part uses the theme as entrance for his matches.^[8] The Miami Hurricanes football program uses the Imperial March during games as part of its "evil empire" persona.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007 US Open tournament final, "The Imperial March" was played as Roger Federer entered the stadium. This was done presumably because of the black outfit Federer wore at that tournament. Its use was repeated for his entrance in the 2009 final, when Federer again wore all black.

During New York Yankees games at Yankee Stadium, when the visiting team's lineup is announced, "The Imperial March" plays in the background. Ever since the Yankees obtained the "Evil Empire" nickname from Boston Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, this practice has taken on a certain irony to both Yankee fans and their detractors.

Fans and stadium staff of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders coined the phrase "Evil Empire" to describe the rival Edmonton Eskimos, playing on their double E logo. The Eskimos staff and fans have embraced the image and play the theme on a regular basis during games. Likewise, the Edmonton Oilers used the theme as a leitmotif during their successful years as Stanley Cup champions in the 1980s.

UFC fighter Ryan Bader uses Imperial March (Rage Mix) for his entrance music.

During Lebron James' return to Cleveland on Dec 2, 2010, the Imperial March was played as the Miami Heat team was being announced.

In 2011, New York Mets pitcher R. A. Dickey uses the march for his entrance music.

During the Chicago Bulls regular season games at the United Center, when the opposing team's lineup is announced, "The Imperial March" is played in the background.

Use in Music

Ska punk group No Doubt did a live cover of the song for their Live in the Tragic Kingdom DVD.

Remixed eurodance versions of the song have appeared on the Dancemania series albums, including the 1999 sub-series compilation Dancemania Speed 3.

The progressive metal band Bigelf use it in introduction of their concerts. In addition, their singer, Damon Fox, has a Yoda decal on his keyboard.

The ragga-punk band Skindred uses the Imperial March alongside a basic drum beat as entrance music at their live performances.

The black metal band Immortal's song Pure Holocaust from the album of the same name is said to have been inspired by the Imperial March.

The argentinian band Jauría recorded a version of the song in its self-titled debut album. The song, called "Marcha Imperial", serves as an introduction to the next song, "Guerra de las galaxias" (Star Wars).

Canadian band Barenaked Ladies performed a version of the Imperial March on their Maroon tour, with multi-instrumentalist Kevin Hearn singing a set of parody lyrics based on Britney Spears' hit song oops I did it again.

The nerdcore rap rock band 2 Skinnee J's uses the March as a backing track for their song "Irresistible Force." The band also uses parts of the piece to form the beat of "Friends Don't Let Friends Listen to Rap Metal"

Rapper Ya Boy sampled the song in "16's with me"

The Dutch symphonic metal band Epica did a live cover of the song which is found on The Classical Conspiracy live album.

Other uses

The song was used in the video game Soul Calibur IV, which features three Star Wars characters (Darth Vader himself, Yoda, and Vader's apprentice Starkiller, the latter from the game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed).

In the United States Navy's Recruit Training Command (RTC), located in Great Lakes Naval Base, Illinois, it is common for Recruit Division Commanders (RDCs) to whistle or hum the Imperial March, usually preceding punishment(Intense physical exercise usually), as a means to intimidate or scare recruits by letting them know that punishment is imminent.

See also

• "Duel of the Fates"
• Star Wars music

References

1. ^ Michael Matessino, booklet for original soundtrack recording for Empire Strikes Back, Special Edition, page 17. RCA ASIN B000003G8G. "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) is the now famous signature theme for Darth Vader."
2. ^ Michael Matessino, booklet for original soundtrack recording for Empire Strikes Back, Special Edition, page 6. RCA ASIN B000003G8G.
3. ^ Irena Paulus, "Williams versus Wagner or an Attempt at Linking Musical Epics" International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 31 2 (2000): 153. "John Williams used leitmotifs in the genuine sense of the word. He has come very close to the practice of Wagner in the various procedures in which he varies and transforms his themes, and in using the idea of the thematic image (the arch-theme that is the unifying element of the musical material). However, the similarity of Williams's and Wagner's leitmotifs is greatest in the area of kinship of themes (a series of new themes or motifs derive from a single motif or theme) on the basis of which both of them create a web of mutually related leitmotifs. The closeness of the procedures of the two can also be found in the area of melody, rhythm, form, harmony, instrumentation, and even in the domain of the ratio of the old and the new in their music. The ultimate objective of Richard Wagner was to create the music drama, music for the stage based on the old roots of opera, in which all the musical elements were subordinated to the drama. The ultimate aim of John Williams was to take part in the creation of a film in which his music would serve to define the film's substance and help all the other elements of it to function property."
4. ^ http://www.ordoesitexplode.com/me/2007/11/king-abdullah-g.html
5. ^ http://www.cracked.com/article_19253_7-legendary-acts-petty-revenge.html
6. ^ Wiley, Ralph, Darth Vader of G'Town
7. ^ Urbanski, Heather (2007). Plagues, Apocalypses and Bug-Eyed Monsters: How Speculative Fiction Shapes Our Nightmares. New York: McFarland. pp. 132–133. 
8. ^ "Professional Dart Players Walk on Music...". Darts501.com. http://www.darts501.com/Music.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-21.