Independence Day (soundtrack)

The soundtrack to the 1996 science fiction action film Independence Day features musical score composed by David Arnold. It was first issued by RCA Victor in conjunction with the film's release consisted over fourteen tracks. An expanded score was released by La-La Land Records on April 2010, in a limited edition two-disc set that contains the film's score in its entirety in addition to 12 alternate cues. The score was acclaimed by critics and won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for Motion Picture or Television.^[1]

Background

The film marked Arnold's second collaboration with Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin after working on the duo with Stargate (1994).^[2] He received the script for Independence Day and started sent to Emmerich and Devlin, before the film's shooting began. He also visited the film's set and wrote some music there and simultaneously wrote music at an hotel in Los Angeles, where Devlin would come there and listen to few key scenes, though neither Devlin and Emmerich listened the whole score (or nearly 70 percent of it) until the orchestra sessions. He spent nearly four to five months writing the film's score.^[3]^[4]

At that point, he used several synthesisers: Atari video game console with Pro 24 audio, 16 MIDI channels, Korg M1, and samplers from Akai and Proteus Design Suite to record the score, although he might use real instruments to do the same. He did not mock up the score apart from key sequences, especially the president's speech and aliens' visit to United States. The former was considered as an important part of the film, and Arnold being keen on completing the score before recording. He wrote the basic sketches and sent to Nicholas Dodd, who perform the orchestra for the initial sketches derived.^[3]

Reception

Filmtracks.com summarised "Independence Day is a highlight of film music in the 1990's, a carefree expression of popcorn-ready bombast not equaled in its ferocity during the early years of CGI-dominated pictures. At a time when blockbuster scores were headed in the direction of Hans Zimmer's synthetic and simplistic constructs, Arnold's score was a blazing continuation of a previous generation of orchestral force."^[5] Zanobard Reviews rated 9/10 to the score and wrote "David Arnold created a masterpiece with Independence Day, and it was a shame that he did not return for the sequel. Nevertheless, what we have here for the first film is a score for the ages, and one that definitely will not go quietly into the night."^[6]

James Southall of Movie Wave wrote "It's blissfully unsubtle, breathlessly exciting from start to end, and the orchestration is bright enough that it avoids the headache-inducing stupour that can be caused by scores like this. Fifty minutes is the perfect length – any more, and it would surely outstay its welcome – and Arnold is unlikely to ever top this one."^[7] Calling it as "nothing short of brilliance", Andrew Overfield, writing for The Sound Architect summarised: "The music brings to the ears a blend of chaos, frenzy and patriotism without relying heavily on digital elements and hits to emphasise the power and beast that encompasses this critically acclaimed disaster movie."^[8]

Track listing

Original release

No.	Title	Length
1.	"1969 – We Came In Peace"	2:04
2.	"S.E.T.I. – Radio Signal"	1:52
3.	"The Darkest Day"	4:13
4.	"Canceled Leave"	1:45
5.	"Evacuation"	5:47
6.	"Fire Storm"	1:23
7.	"Aftermath"	3:35
8.	"Base Attack"	6:11
9.	"El Toro Destroyed"	1:30
10.	"International Code"	1:32
11.	"The President's Speech"	3:10
12.	"The Day We Fight Back"	4:58
13.	"Jolly Roger"	3:15
14.	"End Titles"	9:08
Total length:		50:23

La-La Land Records re-issue

Disc 1
No.	Title	Length
1.	"1969 – We Came In Peace"	2:01
2.	"S.E.T.I. – Radio Signal"	1:52
3.	"Mysto Bridge / Satellite Collision / Destroyers Disengage / Russell Casse – Pilot"	2:16
4.	"First Sighting / AWAC Attack"	2:18
5.	"The Darkest Day"	4:13
6.	"Moving Day / Countdown"	2:11
7.	"Cancelled Leave"	1:46
8.	"Commence Lift-off / Parabolic Indenwhat?"	1:17
9.	"Evacuation"	5:47
10.	"Firestorm"	1:24
11.	"Aftermath"	3:36
12.	"Base Attack"	6:12
13.	"Marilyn Found"	1:30
14.	"Area 51 / The Big Tamale / Formaldehyde Freak Show"	4:11
15.	"El Toro Destroyed"	1:31
16.	"Slimey Wakes Up"	5:23
17.	"Target Remains / Rescue"	5:56
18.	"The Death Of Marilyn / Dad's A Genius"	3:33
19.	"Alien Ship Powers Up"	1:46
20.	"International Code"	1:33
21.	"Wedding"	1:50
22.	"The President's Speech"	3:11
Total length:		65:17

Disc 2
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Just In Case / Attacker Fires Up"	3:11
2.	"The Launch Tunnel / Mutha Ship / Virus Uploaded"	8:27
3.	"Hide! / Russell's Packin' (The Day We Fight Back)"	4:44
4.	"He Did It"	1:34
5.	"Jolly Roger"	3:17
6.	"Victory"	3:41
7.	"End Credits"	9:12
8.	"1969: We Came In Peace – Alternative"	2:06
9.	"Destroyers Disengage (No Choir)"	0:34
10.	"Cancelled Leave – Alternative"	1:44
11.	"Commence Lift-Off – Alternative"	0:55
12.	"Base Attack (Segment – Film Version)"	2:27
13.	"Marilyn Found (No Choir)"	1:29
14.	"Target Remains / Rescue – Alternative"	2:41
15.	"Dad's A Genius – Alternative"	0:45
16.	"Attacker Fires Up (Original Version)"	2:01
17.	"Virus Uploaded – Alternative"	2:35
18.	"The Day We Fight Back (Original Version)"	5:49
19.	"Jolly Roger – Alternative"	3:22
20.	"End Credits (Segment – No Choir)"	2:47
Total length:		63:21

Personnel

Credits adapted from CD liner notes.^[9]

Production

Music composed and produced by – David Arnold
Conducted and orchestrated by – Nicholas Dodd
Recorded and mixed by– Dennis Sands
Mastered by – Joe Gastwirt
Supervising music editor – Laurie Higgins Tobias
Additional music editor – Daniel Gaber, Doug Lackey
Assistant music editor – Neil S. Bulk
Music contractor – Debbi Datz-Pyle, Patti Zimmitti
Copyist – Barbara Watts, Conrad Pope, Craig Ware, Daniel Gold, Deborah Mitchell, Deborah Richman, Doug Dana, Elizabeth Finch, Ellen Gray, Howard Segurson, James Surell, James Weisheit, Jim Hoffman, Jo Ann Kane, Joanna Beck, John Eidsvoog, Jon Marquardt, Julie Eidsvoog, Katherine Fields, Kenneth Gruberman, Kenneth Fix 2, Ladd McIntosh, Larry Rench, Lars Clutterham, Leland Bond, Nicholas Dodd, Phil Azelton, Richard Bronskill, Robert Calderwood, Roberta McIntosh, Ron Gorow, Russell Bartmus, Soon-Ping Tang, Steve Fowler, Steven Smith, Thomas Brown, Tom Calderaro, Vince Bartold, William Francis, William Motzing

Management

Legal acquisition for Sony Music – Vinny Tabone
Sales representative for Sony Music – Gina Aciares
Soundtrack executive for Twentieth Century Fox – Tom Cavanaugh
Vice president, custom marketing for Sony Music – Doug Wygal
Executive producer for Sony Music Entertainment – Didier C. Deutsch
Product management for Sony Music – Robin Manning
Music supervision for Twentieth Century Fox – Robert Kraft
A&R – Bill Rosenfield

Cover artwork

Art direction – Richard Dombrowski
Liner notes – Dan Goldwasser

Performers

Bassoon – Allen Savedoff, David Riddles, Ronald Jannelli, Rose Corrigan
Cello – Armen Ksajikian, Barry Gold, Christina Soule, Christine Ermacoff, Dane Little, David Shamban, Dennis Karmazyn, Frederick Seykora, Jodi Burnett, Larry Corbett, Miguel Martinez, Paula Hochhalter, Robert L. Adcock, Rowena Hammill, Steve Erdody, Timothy Landauer, Todd Hemmenway, Vage Ayrikyan
Choir – Albert Eddy, Aleta Braxton, Amy Fogerson, Andre Furtivo, Barbara Durham, Barbara Lee, Burman Timberlake, David Schnell, Diana Kahn, Dwayne Condon, Edward Levy, Eileen Holt, Elin Carlson, Elissa Johnston, G. Edward Bruner, George Sterne, Gordon Goodman, Howard Drollinger, Holly Ristuccia, Joseph Golightly, Leanna Brand, Leilani Jones Wilmore, Lesley Leighton, Linda Sauer, Linda St. George, Mallor Walker, Marie Hodgson, Martha Cowan, Marti Pia, Meredith Salamunovich, Mervyn Warren, Michael Horton, Michelle Fournier, Nancy Sulahian, Nicole Baker, Pamela Hall, Paul Salamunovich, Paula Mandros, Robert Lewis, Sarah Bloxham, Sarona Sowa, Stephen Grimm, Tim Hewitt, Vance Wilson, Vicky Brown, Virenia Lind
Clarinet – Charles Boito, Gary Bovyer, Gary Gray, Ralph Williams
Double bass – Ann Atkinson, Bruce Morgenthaler, Buell Neidlinger, Christian Kollgaard, Chris Hanulik, Donald V. Ferrone, Drew Dembowski, Ed Meares, Frances Wu, Ian Walker, Margaret Storer, Nico Abondolo, Oscar Hidalgo, Richard Feves, Susan Ranney
Drums – Robert Zimmitti, Daniel Greco, Don Williams, Emil Radocchia, Joe Porcaro, Michael Fisher, Peter Limonick, Steve Schaeffer, Thomas Raney
Flute – David Shostac, Geraldine Rotella, Louise Di Tullio, Sheridon Stokes
French horn – Brad Warnaar, Brian O'Connor, Daniel Kelley, David Duke, James Thatcher, Jeffrey De Rosa, Jerry Folsom, John A. Reynolds, Kurt Snyder, Mark Adams, Marilyn Johnson, Phil Yao, Richard Todd, Steve Becknell
Harp – Amy Shulman, Katie Kirkpatrick, Susan Allen
Keyboards – Chet Swiatkowski, Michael Lang, Ralph Grierson, Randy Kerber
Oboe – Barbara Northcutt, Earle Dumler, Jon Clarke, Thomas Boyd
Trombone – Alan Kaplan, Alexander Iles, William Reichenbach, Robert Sanders, Charles Loper, Lew McCreary, Phil Teele, Steven Holtman, Steven Williams
Trumpet – Jon Lewis, Malcolm McNab, Rick Baptist
Tuba – Tommy Johnson
Viola – Andrew Picken, Brian Dembow, Carole Castillo, Carrie Holzman-Little, Dan Neufeld, Denyse Buffum, Dmitri Bovaird, Donald McInnes, Harry Shirinian, Janet Lakatos, John Scanlon, Jorge Moraga, Keith Greene, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Marlow Fisher, Matthew Funes, Raymond Tischer II, Rick Gerding, Robert Becker, Roland Kato
Violin – Alan Grunfeld, Anatoly Rosinsky, Barbra Porter, Berj Garabedian, Bruce Dukov, Carolyn Osborn, Claudia Parducci, Clayton Haslop, Darius Campo, David Ewart, Dennis Molchan, Diana Halprin, Dimitrie Leivici, Endre Granat, Eve Sprecher, Ezra Kliger, Gil Romero, Gwenn Heller, Haim Shtrum, Horia Moroaica, Jacqueline Brand, Jay Rosen, Jennifer Bellusci, Joel Derouin, Julie Gigante, Karen Jones, Kathleen Lenski, Katia Popov, Kwihee Shamban, Lily Ho Chen, Margaret Batjer, Mari Tsumura, Michael Markman, Miran Kojian, Norman Hughes, Patricia Johnson, Peter Kent, Rachel Robinson, Ralph Morrisson, Razdan Kuyumjian, Rebecca Barr, Rene Mandel, Richard Altenbach, Robin Olson, Ron Clark, Sheldon Sanov, Tamara Hatwan, Tiffany Yi Hu

Accolades

Award	Subject	Nominee	Result
Saturn Awards^[10]	Best Music	David Arnold	Nominated
Grammy Awards^[11]	Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television	David Arnold	Won
International Film Music Critics Association^[12]	Best Archival Release of an Existing Score – Re-Release or Re-Recording	David Arnold, Didier C. Deutsch, MV Gerhard, Mike Matessino, Nick Redman, Matt Verboys, Mark Banning, Dan Goldwasser	Nominated
Universe Reader's Choice Awards	Best Score	David Arnold	Won

References

^ "Winners of the 1997 Grammy Awards". The New York Times. February 28, 1997. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
^ Amos, Jim (June 4, 2014). "My Sit-Down With Bond/Independence Day/Sherlock Composer David Arnold". IndieWire. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
^ ^a ^b
Interviews:
- "Independence Day: Interview: David Arnold (Page 1)". Sci-Fi Bulletin. June 6, 2016. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
- "Independence Day: Interview: David Arnold (Page 2)". Sci-Fi Bulletin. June 6, 2016. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
^ "Everything Worth Knowing About The Making Of Independence Day". TheThings. May 25, 2020. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
^ "Independence Day". Filmtracks. September 24, 1996. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
^ Zanobard (July 4, 2018). "Independence Day – Soundtrack Review". Zanobard Reviews. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
^ Southall, James. "Arnold: Independence Day". Movie Wave. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
^ Overfield, Andrew (June 26, 2016). "Independence Day: A Retrospective Film Sound Review". The Sound Architect. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
^ "Independence Day – Limited Edition of 5,000 Units". La-La Land Records. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
^ "Past Saturn Awards". Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. Archived from the original on May 12, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2007.
^ "1996 Grammy Award Winners". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
^ IFMCA (2011). "2010 IFMCA Awards". IFMCA. Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2020.

v t e Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
1958−1979	No Award (1958) Anatomy of a Murder – Duke Ellington (1959) Exodus – Ernest Gold (1960) Breakfast at Tiffany's – Henry Mancini (1961) No Award (1962) Tom Jones – John Addison (1963) Mary Poppins – Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman (1964) The Sandpiper – Johnny Mandel (1965) Doctor Zhivago – Maurice Jarre (1966) Music from Mission: Impossible – Lalo Schifrin (1967) The Graduate – Dave Grusin & Paul Simon (1968) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Burt Bacharach (1969) Let It Be – The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison & Ringo Starr) (1970) Shaft – Isaac Hayes (1971) The Godfather – Nino Rota (1972) Jonathan Livingston Seagull – Neil Diamond (1973) The Way We Were: Original Soundtrack Recording – Alan and Marilyn Bergman & Marvin Hamlisch (1974) Jaws – John Williams (1975) Car Wash – Norman Whitfield (1976) Star Wars – John Williams (1977) Close Encounters of the Third Kind – John Williams (1978) Superman – John Williams (1979)
1980−1999	The Empire Strikes Back – John Williams (1980) Raiders of the Lost Ark – John Williams (1981) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – John Williams (1982) Flashdance – Michael Boddicker, Irene Cara, Kim Carnes, Doug Cotler, Keith Forsey, Richard Gilbert, Jerry Hey, Duane Hitchings, Craig Krampf, Ronald Magness, Dennis Matkosky, Giorgio Moroder, Phil Ramone, Michael Sembello & Shandi Sinnamon (1983) Purple Rain – Prince and the Revolution (1984) Beverly Hills Cop – Marc Benno, Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey, Micki Free, John Gilutin Hawk, Howard Hewett, Bunny Hull, Howie Rice, Sharon Robinson, Danny Sembello, Sue Sheridan, Richard Theisen & Allee Willis (1985) Out of Africa – John Barry (1986) The Untouchables – Ennio Morricone (1987) The Last Emperor – David Byrne, Cong Su & Ryuichi Sakamoto (1988) The Fabulous Baker Boys – Dave Grusin (1989) Glory – James Horner (1990) Dances with Wolves – John Barry (1991) Beauty and the Beast – Alan Menken (1992) Aladdin – Alan Menken (1993) Schindler's List – John Williams (1994) Crimson Tide – Hans Zimmer (1995) Independence Day – David Arnold (1996) The English Patient – Gabriel Yared (1997) Saving Private Ryan – John Williams (1998) A Bug's Life – Randy Newman (1999)
2000−2019	American Beauty – Thomas Newman (2000) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Tan Dun (2001) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Howard Shore & John Kurlander (engineer/mixer) (2002) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Howard Shore, John Kurlander (engineer/mixer) & Peter Cobbin (engineer/mixer) (2003) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – Howard Shore, John Kurlander (engineer/mixer) & Peter Cobbin (engineer/mixer) (2004) Ray – Craig Armstrong (2005) Memoirs of a Geisha – John Williams (2006) Ratatouille – Michael Giacchino (2007) The Dark Knight – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard (2008) Up – Michael Giacchino (2009) Toy Story 3 – Randy Newman (2010) The King's Speech – Alexandre Desplat (2011) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (2012) Skyfall – Thomas Newman (2013) The Grand Budapest Hotel – Alexandre Desplat (2014) Birdman – Antonio Sánchez (2015) Star Wars: The Force Awakens – John Williams (2016) La La Land – Justin Hurwitz (2017) Black Panther – Ludwig Göransson (2018) Chernobyl – Hildur Guðnadóttir (2019)
2020−present	Joker – Hildur Guðnadóttir (2020) The Queen's Gambit – Carlos Rafael Rivera / Soul – Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (2021) Encanto – Germaine Franco (2022) Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson (2023)

This page was last edited on 27 March 2024, at 02:27

v t e Independence Day
Films	Independence Day Resurgence
Video games	Independence Day ID4 Online
Books	Novel series
Radio	Independence Day UK
Related	Men in White Independence Daysaster

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