Spider-Man theme song
Encyclopedia
"Spider-Man" is the theme song of the 1967 cartoon show Spider-Man
, composed by Academy Award
winner Paul Francis Webster
and Robert "Bob" Harris. The song's opening lines, "Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can," have become as synonymous with the Marvel Comics
character as his costume.
The 2002 Spider-Man
and Spider-Man 2
film adaptations have featured characters as buskers performing the song; Jayce Bartok
and Elyse Dinh respectively. Both films also feature the song at the very end of the credits: the 2002 film featured the 1967 version, while the 2004 film featured a re-recording by Michael Bublé
(see below). 2007's Spider-Man 3
also featured the song's melody during the scene where Spider-Man arrives at a big celebration.
's album, BaBalu
, from 2001. It features an introduction taken from the popular jazz tune "Sing, Sing, Sing" originally made famous by Benny Goodman
. In this version, Bublé sings the original lyrics to the 1967 cartoon show Spider-Man
.
Bublé performed the song live for Ronald McDonald House Charities
' The Concert for World Children's Day in Chicago
on September 14, 2002. The concert was broadcast on ABC
on November 14, 2002 and released on DVD in 2003.
Bublé later re-recorded the song and released it as a single (respelled as "Spider-Man Theme") remixed by Junkie XL
on July 6, 2004. The introduction plays a police siren
sound effect in the background. In this updated version, Bublé excludes the last lines of the cartoon's lyrics: "To him life is a great big hang up / Wherever there's a bang up / You'll find the Spider-Man".
The official remix was included in the film, Spider-Man 2, and though it was not a part of the soundtrack, it was played during the credits. It was also reissued as part of his 2009 Crazy Love - Fan Edition
package.
A video was made for the remix single and released on June 25, 2004.
"Spider-Man Theme" reached the #6 position in Canada
, becoming his first entrance on the chart. It also reached the Australia
n and Italian
charts.
German CD Single
Spider-Man (1967 TV series)
Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
, composed by Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
winner Paul Francis Webster
Paul Francis Webster
Paul Francis Webster was an American lyricist who won three Academy Awards for Best Song and was nominated sixteen times for the award.-Biography:...
and Robert "Bob" Harris. The song's opening lines, "Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can," have become as synonymous with the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character as his costume.
The 2002 Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
and Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
film adaptations have featured characters as buskers performing the song; Jayce Bartok
Jayce Bartok
Jayce Bartok is an American actor. A young leading man with TV and film experience, Bartok had his best chance to date as Pony, the rock star who returns to his home town where his pals are waiting in Richard Linklater's subUrbia . He wrote, directed and produced the short film Stricken in 2005...
and Elyse Dinh respectively. Both films also feature the song at the very end of the credits: the 2002 film featured the 1967 version, while the 2004 film featured a re-recording by Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé
Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
(see below). 2007's Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
also featured the song's melody during the scene where Spider-Man arrives at a big celebration.
Michael Bublé version
The song was included, as "Spiderman Theme," on Michael BubléMichael Bublé
Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
's album, BaBalu
Babalu (album)
BaBalu is the second non-label album released by Jazz crooner Michael Bublé, before his debut label album, Michael Bublé was recorded. It was released in 2001, but was not widely commercial.-Track listing:-Album trivia:...
, from 2001. It features an introduction taken from the popular jazz tune "Sing, Sing, Sing" originally made famous by Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
. In this version, Bublé sings the original lyrics to the 1967 cartoon show Spider-Man
Spider-Man (1967 TV series)
Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
.
Bublé performed the song live for Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities is an independent 501c3 organization whose mission is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children across the world...
' The Concert for World Children's Day in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on September 14, 2002. The concert was broadcast on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
on November 14, 2002 and released on DVD in 2003.
Bublé later re-recorded the song and released it as a single (respelled as "Spider-Man Theme") remixed by Junkie XL
Junkie XL
Tom Holkenborg , better known as Junkie XL or JXL, is a Dutch musician. He uses the name JXL in cases where the term "Junkie" might cause offense. XL is for "Xpanding Limits"....
on July 6, 2004. The introduction plays a police siren
Siren (noisemaker)
A siren is a loud noise making device. Most modern ones are civil defense or air raid sirens, tornado sirens, or the sirens on emergency service vehicles such as ambulances, police cars and fire trucks. There are two general types: pneumatic and electronic....
sound effect in the background. In this updated version, Bublé excludes the last lines of the cartoon's lyrics: "To him life is a great big hang up / Wherever there's a bang up / You'll find the Spider-Man".
The official remix was included in the film, Spider-Man 2, and though it was not a part of the soundtrack, it was played during the credits. It was also reissued as part of his 2009 Crazy Love - Fan Edition
Crazy Love (Michael Bublé album)
Crazy Love is the fourth studio album released by Canadian vocalist Michael Bublé. After only three days of sales, the album opened atop the Billboard 200 chart with 132,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, making the album Bublé's second number #1 album...
package.
A video was made for the remix single and released on June 25, 2004.
"Spider-Man Theme" reached the #6 position in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, becoming his first entrance on the chart. It also reached the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
charts.
Track list
CD Single- Side A: Spider-Man Theme (Junkie XL Remix)
- Side B: Sway (Junkie XL Remix)
German CD Single
- "Spider-Man Theme" (Junkie XL Remix) - 3:04
- "Sway" (Junkie XL Remix) - 3:09
- "Sway" (The Passengerz European Mixshow) - 3:10
- "Sway" (Ralphi's Sensation Edit) - 3:10
- "Sway" (Ralphi's Salsation Vox Mix) - 7:08
- "Sway" (Ralphi's Dark Rhumba Dub) - 8:46
Chart performance
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
6 |
| Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Charts |
21 |
| Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... Singles Chart |
2 |
Covers and parodies
- AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
covered the song for the soundtrack of the 2002 film adaptation, albeit with altered lyrics. It should also be noted that Aerosmith lead guitarist Joe PerryJoe Perry (musician)Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
performed a new theme song for the 1994 Spider-ManSpider-Man (1994 TV series)Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
cartoon, playing the lead guitar track and speaking lyrics through a vocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
that loosely referenced the 1967 theme, specifically the line "Spider-Man, Spider-Man, radioactive Spider-Man" and references to "radioactive blood" (changed to "radioactive spider blood" for the 1994 theme). The guitar riff was also based on the melody of the original line "Spider-Man, Spider-Man". - Apollo 440Apollo 440Apollo 440 are an English band formed in Liverpool in 1990. Apollo 440 have written, recorded and produced four albums, collaborated with and produced other artists, remixed as Apollo 440 and as ambient cinematic alter-ego Stealth Sonic Orchestra, and created music for film, television,...
covered the song for the 2000 Spider-ManSpider-Man (2000 video game)Spider-Man is an action video game based upon the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is loosely based on the 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by Activision. Released originally for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 in 2000, the game...
video game, developed by NeversoftNeversoftNeversoft Entertainment is an American video game developer, founded in 1994 by Joel Jewett, Mick West and Chris Ward. Neversoft is best recognized for their line of Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk skateboarding games, known as the Tony Hawk's series...
for PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64Nintendo 64The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
and PCPersonal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. - The punk band The DistillersThe DistillersThe Distillers were an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1998. They released their first two albums on Hellcat Records/Epitaph Records before moving to Sire, part of the Warner Music Group. The Distillers were originally formed by Australian-born Brody Armstrong , a woman with a...
have also recorded their own unique version for the Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2 (video game)Spider-Man 2 is the name of several computer and video games based on the Spider-Man universe and particularly the Spider-Man 2 film. It is a follow up to the game Spider-Man: The Movie and was followed by Spider-Man 3 to promote the release of the third film in 2007...
console game. - Brian MayBrian MayBrian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
reinterpreted the theme for the 1995 BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
serial. - Moxy FrüvousMoxy FrüvousMoxy Früvous was a politically satirical folk-pop band from Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. The band was founded in 1989, and was active throughout the 1990s...
in the 1993 album BargainvilleBargainvilleBargainville was a 1993 album by Canadian band Moxy Früvous, their first major-label release. This disc's subject matter is divided between comedy and serious personal, social, and ecological issues....
. - The Mr. T ExperienceThe Mr. T ExperienceThe Mr. T Experience is an American punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California and currently recording for Lookout! Records. They have released ten full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally...
on their 1989 album Big Black Bugs Bleed Blue BloodBig Black Bugs Bleed Blue Blood-Performers:*Dr. Frank - vocals, guitar*Jon Von Zelowitz - vocals, guitar*Byron Stomatos - bass*Alex Laipeneiks - drums*Eric Mead - guitar on "T-Shirt Commercial"*Janis Tanaka - bass on "T-Shirt Commercial"*Eban Ostby - drums on "T-Shirt Commercial"...
. - RamonesRamonesThe Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
as a hidden track in the vinyl version of their 1995 album ¡Adios Amigos!¡Adios Amigos!¡Adiós Amigos! is the fourteenth and final studio album by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It was released on July 18, 1995 through Radioactive Records...
, their 1996 album Greatest Hits LiveGreatest Hits Live (Ramones album)Greatest Hits Live is a live album by the punk rock band the Ramones. It was recorded at The Academy in New York City on February 29, 1996....
, the compilation, Weird Tales of the RamonesWeird Tales of the RamonesWeird Tales of the Ramones is a compilation album by American punk band The Ramones. It was released on August 16, 2005. 85 songs are contained on 3 CDs, plus a DVD containing the feature "Lifestyles of the Ramones", a documentary featuring several of their music videos up to 1990 interspaced by...
(CD 3), as well as their last live performance We're Outta Here!. It also appears on the alt-rock compilation Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, and appears in Guitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
. The song is featured in the comedy film Bio-DomeBio-DomeBio-Dome is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Jason Bloom. Bio-Dome was produced by Motion Picture Corporation of America on a budget of $15 million and was distributed theatrically by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer....
as well. It was used in a television commercial for Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
toys in Australia. - The song has been parodied in a Kombat Pavilion Flash movie named "Scorpionman" within the "Konquest of the Kamidogu, pt. VIII" movie, based on the Mortal KombatMortal Kombat (series)Mortal Kombat, commonly abbreviated MK, is a science fantasy series of fighting games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The first four renditions and their updates were developed by Midway Games and initially released on arcade machines. The arcade titles were later picked up by Acclaim...
character ScorpionScorpion (Mortal Kombat)Scorpion is a recurring player and boss character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He has been a playable character in all the games, with the exception of the original version of Mortal Kombat 3.-In video games:...
. - NintendoNintendois a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
of America also parodied the song in a Bomberman 64 commercial during the 1997 holiday season. - In The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
, Homer SimpsonHomer SimpsonHomer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
is seen walking a pig on the ceiling singing "Spider-Pig, Spider-Pig. Does whatever a Spider-Pig does. Can he swing, from a web? [Pause] No he can't, he's a pig. Look ooooooouuuut! He is a Spider-Pig!" A choral version is in the closing credits, part of which appears in Homer's epiphany. - On the syndicated radio program, The John Boy and Billy Big ShowJohn Boy and BillyJohn Isley and Billy James, known as John Boy & Billy, named after "John-Boy Harris and brother Bross Harris", are American radio hosts based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Their comedic morning program The John Boy & Billy Big Show broadcasts from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m...
, a recurring segment called Married Man (the saga of a henpecked husband and second-rate superhero) uses a parody of the Spider-Man theme as its theme song.
External links
- Animated Superheroes - Video and cover versions of the Spider-Man theme song.