Strong Songs

John Williams' Star Wars Legacy, with Dan Golding


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Composer John Williams is the defining sound of Hollywood and, arguably, the most widely listened to composer in the world. Kirk decided he needed some help tackling Williams' towering musical legacy, so he enlisted Australian author and musician Dan Golding as his tour guide through Williams' musical world, with a special focus on his groundbreaking score for 1980's Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:

  • Dan's book Star Wars After Lucas, his ABC radio show Screen Sounds and his podcast Art of the Score
  • "Liberdade" by Dili Allstars
  • "Celebration" from Push Me Pull You by Dan Golding, 2016
  • The Adventures of Robin Hood score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, 1938
  • Excerpts from Untitled Goose Game as assembled by Dan Golding
  • "Right Time" by Mighty Diamonds/Sly & Robbie, 1976
  • "Peter Gunn" by Henry Mancini, 1959
  • "1. Mars, the Bringer of War" by Gustov Holst from The Planets, Op. 32 as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra
  • Excerpts from Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, all by John Williams
  • The "Star Wars Music Minute" podcast episode 22 feat. Dan Golding
  • "Medley: Star Wars" by Meco, 1977
  • Bill Murray singing the Star Wars theme on Saturday Night Live, 1978
  • Excerpts from Jurassic Park  by John Williams
  • Excerpts from Merry Melodies/Looney Tunes by Carl Stalling
  • "Flash Gordon" by Queen from Flash Gordon, 1980
  • "The Mandalorian" by Ludwig Göransson from The Mandalorian, 2019
  • "If I Fight, You Fight" from Creed by Ludwig Göransson, 2015
  • Excerpts from the Solo: A Star Wars Story score by John Powell, 2018
  • "Moanin," "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting," "Open Letter to Duke," "Eh's Flat Ah's Flat Too" from Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots, by Charles Mingus, 1959
  • "II B.S." by Charles Mingus from Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, 1964
  • "Work Song" by Duke Ellington from Black Brown & Beige as recorded by Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2020
  • "The Fablemans" by John Williams from The Fablemans, 2022
  • "Beef Lo Mein" by Caroline Shaw from the Fleishman is in Trouble soundtrack, 2019
  • "Movement II: The Big Show" by Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center from Symphony No. 4: "The Jungle," 2023

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SEPTEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ben Barron - Catherine Warner - Damon White - Kaya Woodall - Dan Austin - Jay Swartz - Miriam Joy - SEAN D WINNIE - Rush - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Ashley Hoag - Christopher Miller - Jamie White - Christopher McConnell - David Mascetti - Joe Laska - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Melanie Andrich - Jenness Gardner - Jeanneret Manning Family Four - Dave Sharpe - Sami Samhuri - Jeremy Dawson - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Andre Bremer - Dave Florey

SEPTEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Abraham Benrubi - Christopher Bruno - Chris Kotarba - Callum Webb - Lynda MacNeil - Dick Morgan - Ben Stein - Susan Green - Sean Murphy - Jake Yumatilla - Alan Brough - Randal Vegter - Go Birds! - Whit Sidener - Robert Granat - Dave Malloy - Nick Galloway - Heather Johnson - John Halpin - Peter Harding - David - Meghan O’Leary - John Bauman - Dax And Dane Huddleston - Martín Salías - Tim Howes - Stu Baker - Steve Martino - Dr Arthur A Gray - Carolina - Gary Pierce - Matt Baxter - Giantpredatorymollusk - Luigi Boccia - E Margaret Warton - Charles McGee - Catherine Clause - Ethan Bauman - Keniswearingahat - Jordan Block - Aaron Wade - Jamie - Deebs - Portland Eye Care - Carrie Schneider - Richard Sneddon - Julian Roleff - Doreen Carlson - David McDarby - Wendy Gilchrist - Elliot Rosen - Lisa Turner - Paul Wayper - Bruno Gaeta - Kenneth Jung - Adam Stofsky - Zak Remer - Rishi Sahay - Ailie Fraser - Von - Rob Tsuk - NATALIE MISTILIS - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Victoria Yu - Brad Clark - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Madeleine Mader - Jason Pratt - Abbie Berg - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Linda Duffy - Liz Seger - Eoin De Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Dallas Hockley - Jason Gerry - Nathan Gouwens - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Michael Casner - Lowell Meyer - Stephen Tsoneff - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Naomi Watson - David Cushman - Alexander - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Jules Bailey - Andrew Fair - L.B. Morse - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Nate From Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Kevin Morrell - Colin Hodo

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💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

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Strong SongsBy Kirk Hamilton

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