Musical Confusion
Okay, I’m stumped.
I had always thought that the Season 5 opening theme was on the “Best Of” soundtrack. Even regular listeners and chat room denizens told me that it was there.
But it’s not on my copy of that CD.
The cover art is the same, but the track listing on the CD is different from what’s listed on the Sonic Images website, and on Amazon.com.
The first 15 tracks are the same, but the last 3 are different.
Here’s what those three tracks are listed as from Sonic Images:
15 Main Title 4th Season
16 Main Title 5th Season
17 Dying Station
18 Bonus Theme
And here’s the listing of those final tracks from the CD I’ve owned for years:
15 Main Title 4th Season
16 Main Theme (Sierra Game)
17 Main Theme Extended (Sierra Game)
18 End Title 3rd Season (bonus track)
So, where exactly is the opening theme music for Season 5? Is there a different version of the “Best Of” CD that everyone else has? I never bought all of the episodic soundtracks (there’s what, 20, 25 of those total?), so I don’t know if it’s hiding out on one of those.
Is there more than one version of the “Best Of Babylon 5″ soundtrack? I honestly can’t recall if I ever made a note of exactly what this was, because it’s been a good 10 years since I’ve listened to it… which is another strange thing, because the date on my copy says 1997, while the release date on the Sonic Images website says 2001.
This CD also has video interview clips featuring JMS, John Copeland and Peter Jurasik about the Sierra game, a long trailer for the game set to the S4 opening music, and at the end of that trailer, it says the game is coming “Holiday ’98″.
Did they re-release the “Best Of” CD later, changing up those last three tracks, and I just missed it?
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http://christopherfranke.com/soloreleases.html
According to the great composer himself, there isn’t one listed, but according to wikipedia, they did have a second best of. It at least implies that.
“Compilation soundtracks
These include music that appeared throughout the series, but have been extensively reorchestrated, rewritten, and remixed by Franke into lengthy movements. The second full-length CD also features the main titles from seasons 1 to 4 (the main title for season 5 can be heard on the CD Best of Babylon 5, released in 2001).”
That is a little silly to make two cds and call them the same thing. I bet they have teh same catalog number.
Probably redid it once the game was dead for sure. No reason to get fans hopes up and all.
I didn’t even think to check The Great Wiki.
But yeah, that’s weird to rerelease it four years later with a handful of changed tracks and the same title.
Do they have any idea what something like that can do to a quasi-completist’s mental filing system?
Hey Summer, just to let you know, the one you have is the one that was included WITH the Sierra game released in 1997, as a “Limited Edition” bonus. I know because I’m looking at mine right now.
I bought the game for my mother when it first came out, and recently re-inherited it when she was trying to get rid of crap in her house. As far as I can tell she never opened it. Anyway that’s why the season 5 theme isn’t on it. There wasn’t one yet. I too am sad that I don’t have it on CD. I LOVE that theme.
Was that a game or the Guide to Babylon 5, also released by Sierra? I have a vague memory now that the Best Of CD came with that other CDROM, which I did buy and open, even though I didn’t have a machine capable of playing it.
Totally forgot about that.
I did find the Season 5 instrumentals, though. A long time ago, there was a website that had all of the opening themes, both with dialogue and instrumentals only. I still have the zip files, and there was my missing gem.
There wasn’t a game released. It was the Guide.
Neil is correct, it’s the guide to B5. I was referring to it as a game because it was released by a game company and essentially billed as a game. Yes Sierra had plans to release an actual game, “Into the Fire”, but it didn’t happen.
The trailer is indeed game-like.
I did forget that this “Best Of” CD came with that Guide CDROM. I remember checking that CDROM sometime last year, but nothing on it would run on my current Mac.
So now I need to find a 2001 copy of the “Best Of” CD for my soundtracks collection… and try to find a new home for this puppy!