John Williams Music Quotes in Spielberg Films

Music quotes by John Williams in Steven Spielberg films (1975-2022)

Jaws (1975)

• Composer Quoted: Traditional sea shanty
• Piece: "Spanish Ladies"
• Context: When the crew of the Orca is at their wits' end in the battle with the shark, we hear Williams' quote "Spanish Ladies," which was sung by Quint at the start of their voyage.

"Spanish Ladies" as heard in John Williams' "Jaws"

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

• Composer Quoted: Leigh Harline and Ned Washington
• Piece: "When You Wish Upon A Star" from "Pinocchio"
• Context: John Williams interpolates "When You Wish Upon A Star" into the score during the scene when the extra-terrestrials emerge from the mothership. Roy Neary earlier in the film tries to get his kids excited to see Disney's "Pinocchio," and Spielberg cited the lyrics "When you wish upon a star / Makes no difference who you are" as the "very beginning of everything for me."

"When You Wish Upon A Star" as heard in John William's Close Encounters of the Third Kind

1941 (1979)

• Composer Quoted: Traditional Irish tune
• Piece: "The Rakes of Mallow"
• Context: Used during the USO dance brawl scene. The jitterbug ends with Wally being punched by Stretch, setting off a conflict that erupts into a donnybrook. Spielberg was fond of the tune because of its use by Victor Young in John Ford's The Quiet Man, a film and score later referenced in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

1941 - Medley

• Composer Quoted: June Hershey and Don Swander
• Piece: "Deep in the Heart of Texas"
• Context: Quoted during Kelso's flight when he starts singing it while playing with a squeaky toy. It becomes his theme, continuing up until the dogfight in Hollywood.

"Deep In The Heart Of Texas"

• Composer Quoted: Charles A. Zimmerman
• Piece: "Anchors Aweigh"
• Context: Navy’s "Anchors Aweigh" is featured when the USO riot moves outdoors.

"Anchors Aweigh"

• Composer Quoted: Edmund L. Gruber
• Piece: "Caisson Song"
• Context: The Army's "Caisson Song" is next featured in the USO riot.

"Caisson Song"

• Composer Quoted: James Pierpont
• Piece: "Jingle Bells"
• Context: Brief (unused) quote in the USO riot scene.

"Jingle Bells"

• Composer Quoted: Traditional military cadence
• Piece: "The Duckworth Chant"
• Context: Heard when Sgt. Tree babbles the chant while passing Stilwell in a tank.

"The Duckworth Chant" as heard in John Williams' "1941" score

"The Duckworth Chant" as sung by Vaughn Monroe

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

• Composer Quoted: Richard Farrelly
• Piece: "The Isle of Innisfree"
• Context: Heard during the scene that parallels John Wayne's kiss in The Quiet Man, which E.T. sees on TV, with Elliott's kiss at school. The lyrics, not heard in the film, express the longing of an Irish emigrant for his native land, paralleling E.T.'s longing for home.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - The Kiss

• Composer Quoted: John Williams
• Piece: "Yoda's Theme" from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
• Context: Quoted during the Halloween sequence when Elliott sees a child dressed as Yoda.

The Magic of Halloween

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

• Composer Quoted: Cole Porter
• Piece: "Anything Goes"
• Context: Heard in the opening musical number performed by Willie Scott at Club Obi Wan and then quoted in the score in a long doom laden rendition during the brawl as Indy succumbs to the poison.

"Anything Goes"

Schindler's List (1993)

• Composer Quoted: Traditional Jewish melodies
• Piece: Various traditional Jewish songs, including "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" (Jerusalem of Gold)
• Context: Quoted to evoke the cultural and historical context of the film.

Yerushalayim Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

• Composer Quoted: Johannes Brahms
• Pieces: "Gaudeamus Igitur" and "Fuchslied" from "Academic Festival Overture"
• Context: Quoted in "A Whirl Through Academe." "Gaudeamus Igitur" is the grand "graduation theme" at the end of Brahms' overture and "Fuchslied" is best known as the "bassoon theme". These quotes enhance the academic setting of the chase scene. "Fuchslied" inspired the melody to "Catch a Falling Star," a hit Perry Como song in 1957, the same year as the movie takes place and falling star fits as a reference to the interdimensional beings featured in the story. Plus the recurring motif of falling stars in Spielberg's films adds an additional layer of thematic resonance.

"Gaudeamus Igitur" and "Fuchslied" as heard in "A Whirl Through Academe" by John Williams

"Fuchslied" and "Gaudeamus Igitur" as heard in "Academic Festival Overture, Op 80" by Johannes Brahms

"Catch a Falling Star" as sung by Perry Como

Gaudeamus Igitur (from "The Student Prince")

The Fabelmans (2022)

• Composer Quoted: John Williams
• Piece: "Out to Sea" from Jaws
• Context: The cue from "The Journey Begins" at 0:22 in The Fabelmans sounds like a quote from "Out to Sea" from the Jaws soundtrack at 1:16. This playful and jaunty part of the Jaws score serves as a self-referential nod to Spielberg's own career and adds a lighthearted touch to the scene.

John Williams - "The Journey Begins" 0:22

John Williams - "Out to Sea" @1:16

Precursors in 1930's and 1940's

The technique of fluidly interweaving themes from various sources, such as folk or classical music, into film scores has a rich history that dates back to the Golden Age of Hollywood. This method has evolved over the decades and has been carried forward and perfected by iconic composer-director duos like John Williams and Steven Spielberg. Here, we explore the historical precursors to this technique.

Max Steiner and "Gone with the Wind" (1939)

Max Steiner, one of the pioneers of film music, set the stage for thematic integration with his score for "Gone with the Wind." Steiner seamlessly wove traditional Southern songs such as "Dixie" and "The Bonnie Blue Flag" into his score, enhancing the historical and cultural context of the film. This technique not only rooted the narrative in its setting but also added emotional depth to the characters' experiences.

Max Steiner and "Casablanca" (1942)

In "Casablanca," Steiner integrated "As Time Goes By," a song owned by Warner Bros., into the score. This song became a leitmotif for the film, symbolizing the enduring love between Rick and Ilsa. Despite Steiner's initial reluctance, the song's inclusion became iconic, demonstrating the power of familiar music to enhance a film's emotional resonance.

Dimitri Tiomkin and "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946)

Dimitri Tiomkin's score for "It's a Wonderful Life" featured several well-known pieces, such as "Auld Lang Syne" and "Buffalo Gals," integrated into the narrative. These familiar tunes helped evoke nostalgia and reinforce the film's themes of community and redemption. Steven Spielberg's admiration for "It's a Wonderful Life" and his practice of watching it before making every film may have influenced his appreciation for seamless musical integration.

John Ford Films

John Ford's films are renowned for their integration of folk songs and traditional melodies. Movies like "The Searchers" (1956) and "The Quiet Man" (1952) used songs like "The Rakes of Mallow" and "The Isle of Innisfree" to ground the narratives in their cultural settings. Victor Young's score for "The Quiet Man" particularly influenced later filmmakers and composers, including Spielberg and Williams.

Looney Tunes Influence

The Looney Tunes cartoons, scored by composers like Carl Stalling, frequently used classical and popular music in a seamless and humorous manner. These scores showcased the potential of integrating familiar tunes to enhance storytelling and provide additional layers of meaning and entertainment.