THIRD SEASON:
Future Space Theme: Mellow, traveling piece. Starts off with a
synthesizer (think: de-do-de-doo 3x) and drums; then a subdued electric
guitar comes in. Heard in Webworld's beginning, when the 'cons are flying
through space, again when they arrive on Torculon, and again when they
leave at the end; Dweller in the Depths, first scene of the Autobots
walking through the tunnels (right before they reach the 'cons), and
again when the Quints are puzzled that they're still getting energy
readings from Cybertron; Big Broadcast of 2006 when the Junkions are
watching ballet dancing, and again when Cyclonus and the Sweeps run into
Galvatron on his way to Junkion; Quintesson Journal when Predaking
disassembles to "make more speed".
Subdued Moment: Basically a slow version of the Future Space Theme, with
lots of hissing percussion or synth. Heard in Nightmare Planet after
Springer and Razorclaw escape, when the Quints move the power to its
highest setting; Webworld, when Cyclonus is validating all the forms, and
again when the head therapist is explaining what the allia are; CiCM,
when the Transformers are climbing out of the crater after crashing on
the planet, and again when Alegra heals Zeepbop after Soundwave falls on
him; TRoOP 2, after the infected 'cons have been driven off, and
Galvatron and the 'bots enter the caves; again when Optimus is being
coated with the metal.
Healing: this slow, soft synthesizer piece is not the Transformers theme,
but the first few notes sound a lot like it. It's heard in Burden Hardest
to Bear, when Hot Rod wakes up in the med center; TRoOP 1, during the
hospital scene (maybe right before it, too, when Gregory proposes using
the spores... I'm not sure *what* that piece is), again when Rodimus
brings Optimus's body in to Wreck-Gar, and again when Optimus is being
repaired by the Quint; beginning of TRoOP 2, during the part which
repeats the end of TRoOP 1.
The Battle Joined: Very tense piece, heard during almost every battle.
One of those pieces that got rewound and played again in long scenes.
Opens with a swelling keyboard note, then the tune is carried by an
electric guitar. The guitar tune is lifted from the first part of TFTM's
"Autobot-Decepticon Battle." A great bridge in the middle; there's a
cool, steady percussion through the whole second part. Heard in Dweller
in the Depths when Arcee blasts the creature with Galvatron's cannon;
Call of the Primitives during the fight on the moon. The full beginning
is heard at the start of Nightmare Planet, and again when they fight off
the worst of the nightmares near the end; start of Money is Everything;
Ultimate Weapon when Swindle steals the cog; Quint Journal, when the
journal first crashes and Predaking goes in to investigate.
The Quintesson Theme: commonly heard during Quintesson explication
scenes. A weird-sounding synthesizer piece, a bit like the outro to Dr.
Who. Quintesson Journal, when the journal is played back at the piece
conference; Ultimate Weapon when Swindle tries to negotiate with
Galvatron for the cog; Money is Everything, when Manis has brought the
Technobots to the Quint base; Call of the Primitives, when Primacron
can't get Tornadron to respond to his commands; Face of the Nijika, numerous points;
TRoOP 2, when that wierd grid-face-thing is explaining about the plague.
Fight for Survival: intense, guitar-driven piece. Starts off with some
random playing of a bass guitar which sounds like the synth in the old
mid-80s pop song Naughty Naughty. Maybe the best one from the third
season. Heard in its entirety in Big Broadcast, during the fight when
Ultra Magnus is repairing Omega Supreme; Web World when Galvatron
destroys the planet's memory core; DitD when Wreck-Gar gets drained by
the energy leech, Nightmare Planet when Razorclaw finally decides to help
Springer fight the dragon; Call of the Primitives, when Tornadron drains
Cybertron; TRoOP, when Rodimus makes his escape from the lab with Optimus.
Covert Action: frantic, funky 80s-esque synthesizer intro that tells you
something's about to happen, then guitar and keyboards carry the melody;
has a nice keyboard pause in the middle. The second half of the movie
piece "Autobot-Decepticon Battle" has the same run of a single guitar
chord that is heard near the beginning of this one. Heard in The Ultimate
Weapon when the one-armed Defensor saves a train from Trypticon, and again
when Metroplex gets fixed and tosses Trypticon into the muck; Webworld
when the creatures are preparing to enter Galvatron's mind; when Springer
gets zapped in DitD, and again when Kup saves Arcee and gets caught by the
vampires (the pause happens right when Galvatron blasts the Autobots from
behind and says, "Leaving so soon?"); Nightmare Planet, when Springer
first fights the dragon; very beginning of Quint Journal; Big Broadcast,
during the RBFATE on Junkion; Quint Journal when the Predacons are almost
to the signal/journal; Call of the Primitives when the Terrorcons launch
their ambush.
Falling Back: starts with cheezey but tense 80s synthesizer that tells
you things aren't going too well, then the guitar comes in. Finally gets
going when more syth comes in. Heard when Tryticon finally attacks
Metroplex in The Ultimate Weapon; in Dweller in the Depths, when the
'cons are getting creamed by the Transorganics; during the Quintessons'
narrative trailer; DitD, when the power core is jettisoned; Nightmare
Planet, when they get free from the snake monster with the biplane's
help, and again when the giant Rodimus and Galvatron fight; Quint Journal
during the battle on uncharted planet (when the bots attack while the
'cons are watching the journal play); Big Broadcast, when Superion kicks
the Quint ship's butt; Webworld, during the fight with the Autobots at
the beginning, and again when the planet goes nuts from Galvatron's
madness; Call of the Primitives, when the Dinobots ambush Tornadron;
TRoOP 1, when the first Autobots are contaminated with the plague.
Warrior's Work: a medium-pace battle theme, similar to Covert Action but
calmer. Starts depressed, ends upbeat. Ultimate Weapon when Magnus and
Rodimus blast Vortex; DitD, when they restore the zombie guys to normal;
first part of the City Transformers narrative trailer; TRoOP 2, when
Goldbug is rescued first from the spider, and then from falling (I just
LOVE the way Galvatron says "Don't be absurd!" to Jessica.)
Revival: quiet, steady, somewhat whistful synth piece, with a four-note
bass line (Duh-nuh NUH nuh, really fast). Ultimate Weapon, when First Aid
fixes all the refrigerators, and again at the end when the 'bots are
patting themselves on the back; Quint Journal, when everyone leaves the
peace conference and contacts the Quints about ultimate weapon; heard
again at the end (which is a good undisturbed copy of the end); used
wonderfully for the mob scene in Face of the Nijika, and also during the
fight at the beginning (the Quints are wonderful villians in this
episode! Definately my favorite Quint episode); Call of the Primitives,
when they're riding in Trypticon and Headstrong starts a fight; beginning
is heard well in TRoOP 1, when Magnus and Jessica are telling Rodimus
about Optimus, and again when Skylynx rescues the Quintesson; TRoOP 2,
when the damaged Autobots are revived.
Respite: weird, mellow synthesizer piece, with piano-like keyboard bits.
Ultimate Weapon, when the wounded Trypticon retreats, and Hotspot asks to
try to get First Aid back. Heard all through Money is Everything,
particularly the last scene, and any time the Technobots are standing
around recovering from a fight; Big Broadcast, when the Junkions are
first shown cleaning up the planet, and again after Omega Supreme drives
off the Decepticons on the asteroid; Face of the Nijika, when the Quints
pull Cyclonus and the Autobots through the quadrant lock, and again
during the flashback to the almost-rocket launch; TRoOP 2, when Optimus
speaks with Alpha Trion within the Matrix.
No Rest: a fast version of Respite. QJ when Sky Lynx drops Blaster and co
off onto the planet where the journal landed; Big Broadcast, when the
Sharkticons are rooting around for the journal on Junkion; Call of the
Primitives, when Tornadron zaps the Autobots on the moon and the 'cons in
space; TRoOP 1, when Magnus infects Wreck-Gar and Rodimus; TRoOP 2, when
Optimus and Skylynx fly off to find Rodimus, and again when the infected
TFs arrive at Metroplex.
Surprises: Another mellow, laid-back piece like Respite, but not as slow.
Same feel as Revival, but the bass is more varied: Dunt-duhhh nuhhh-nunt.
Guitar replaces the synth as the lead instrument. Has a very
techno-sounding synth bridge. Steady, progressive througout. Heard in
Money is Everything, starting when Manis re-forms the Technobots; Ultimate
Weapon when Swindle knocks out First Aid, again First Aid leaves the
Autobots, and yet again when he returns; Quintesson Journal, when they get
out of the cell (don't you feel sorry for that poor Sharkticon that
Blaster shot?); Big Broadcast, when the Junkions start sharing the signal
with the galaxy; BHtB, when Marissa goes out searching for Rodimus; TRoOP
2, when Skylynx lists the 'bots that aren't contaminated, and again when
Jessica proposes using the metal alloy to protect Optimus.
Still Going: A really great one -- upbeat, calm, progressive synth and
guitar piece. I picture this playing after Magnus and Hot Rod's shuttles
have escaped from Earth in TFTM, but I could be wrong. Heard in CiCM when
the 'bots try to divert the comet, and again when Basso Profundo uses the
harmonic amplifier; Call of the Primitives, when Grimlock blasts his way
out from under Trypticon.
Still Going Dance Mix: a faster, more percussionistic version of the
above piece. Strange percussion or synth in it. Nightmare Planet when
Roddy tosses water on the witch; again when Magus sprays the plants with
glue and Rod concludes that someone is helping them; FotN, when Rodimus
is rolling down the hill, and him and Magnus drive off the Samojan
warriors; BHtB, when Marissa gets her car out of the puddle and finds
Rodimus; Money is Everything, when Hun-grr, Scattershot, and Strafe have
all crashed on Earth, and Lightspeed and the others arrive; CiCM, when
the 'bots first fly into the city.
Hopeless Odds: despairing guitar action piece. Call of the Primitives,
when Sky Lynx gets zapped and the others split up; FotN, when Katsudan
trashes the two Sharkticons; BHtB, when Scourge attacks Galvatron and
Cyclonus; The Rebirth 1, when Prime orders the clones to find the key,
and Punch to find Hot Rod and co.
Bad News: medium pace, mellow, somewhat progressive. Starts with lots of
guitar. Money is Everything, after the fight with the Sharkticons, when
they're walking to the Quint base, and Dirk gets Marissa's gun; QJ,
beginning of the peace conference, right after the explication at the
start of the episode; CotP, when Grimlock bursts into Primacron's lab;
Face of the Nijika, when the Autobots spot Galvatron meddling with the
quadrant lock; maybe same as TRoOP 1, when Rodimus begins shutting
Metroplex down, and again during the news report about the plague.
Last Chance: high-pitched synth piece; starts tense and upbeat; has a
mellow part in the middle, and ends with a sort of winding-up bit. The
only time the middle portion is heard clearly is in Quint Journal, when
the 'cons show up right after the 'bots have escaped from the Quints.
Other parts are heard near the end of Money is Everything, when Computron
blasts Abominus and the Terrorcons retreat; Call of the Primitives, when
Sky Lynx and Trypticon arrive at the battle at the beginning; Quint
Journal, when the Quint with the annoying laser pistol captures the
'bots; during Scourge's transformation to SuperScourge in Burden HtB. The
end is excerpted several times: in TRoOP 2, right before Optimus wakes up
and opens the matrix; end of The Rebirth 2, when Scorponok appears on the
scene; TRoOP 1, when the 'cons show up at the lab and get infected just
as Rodimus is making his getaway.
Call to Duty: another all-synth piece, tense and upbeat. Heard in Call of
the Primitives, when the alien is explaining Tornadron to the
Transformers; during the Decepticon part of the Cassette Transformers
narrative trailer; TRoOP 1, when the humans rescue Optimus's body from
the ship.
Wounded: a quiet, slightly dark all-synth piece. FotN, when the Autobots
are recovering from their fall, and again when Rod and Magnus have to
leave Blurr; Quintesson Journal, when Rod, Mag, and Spike break up
fighting at the conference (when Magnus says "Don't you know any gentler
games?")
Threatened: mellow, cheezey guitar which sort of plays the TF theme,
along with some synth. Ultimate Weapon, when Trypticon is about to stomp
the orange grove; FotN, when Rod asks Magnus, "How 'bout we blow this
popcicle stand?" after they've driven off the natives.
Futuristic Technology: really cool industrial sounding keyboard piece.
When Spike and Daniel steal Trypticon's cog in Ultimate Weapon; QJ when
Perceptor calls Sky Lynx; beginning of Big Broadcast, and again near the
end when the Junkions are watching the battling armies over Junkion; the
end is excerpted for DitD's very end, when Perceptor is restoring power;
Nightmare Planet, after the tidal wave disapears, and Danny 'wakes up';
Call of the Primitives, starting when Soundwave ejects all his tapes;
TRoOP 2, when the leech things fall on the bots, and they finally get to
the metal.
Easy Listenin' - Dave Edwards (Zobovor) thinks this one was borrowed from
"Jem". Me, I never watched Jem, so I dunno. It's sort of a soft-rock
techno
synthesizer piece. Money is Everything when Marissa dances with Dirk
Manis; Blaster plays it to break the subliminals spell in Big Broadcast
("don't ever play that easy listenin' stuff again!") (maybe Blaster has
ALL the cartoon themes on tape?! I should go talk to him :].
End of the Story: a melodic, mysterious, quiet synthesizer piece.
Excerpted in Nightmare Planet, when the Quints bump up the power and
Danny cries out for his dad; again after the dragon blows up and they
follow the yellow brick road; yet again at the very end, when Danny wakes
up for real; QJ, when Outback and co. land on the first planet and start
walking; heard well in Webworld, when Motormaster and Swindle confront
Cyclonus about Galvatron, and again when Galvatron is being repaired a
moment later -- this second time is a good copy of the beginning; CiCM,
on the planet after the comet is destroyed; FotN, when Nijika/Perceptor
is brought before the mob and warns them about the Quints; TRoOP 2, after
the spider incident, when Galvatron interrogates Prime about the metal;
The Rebirth 1, after the Autobot's ship has blown up on Nebulon.
ONE-TIMERS (Heard in only one episode AFAIK)
Last Hope: simple, quiet piece with keyboard notes echoing over low bass
horns. Atlantis, Arise! when Wheeljack radios the Dinobots for help.
Disaster - Submitted by Zobovor. Heard in Transport to Oblivion when
Megatron is about to trap the Autobots in the cave. Starscream says, "The
Autobots will learn the location of our space bridge!" and Megatron
replies, "No Autobot will leave the cave alive." I have no idea what this
piece is; for some reason I barely remember TtO (maybe 'cause I haven't
seen it in about 6 or 7 years). My imagination says it's the finale of the
Infiltration Theme.
Ooomph: strange piece with muted trumpets and synthesizer. At end of the
test fight with the two new Dinobots in War of the Dinobots
Reunion: Soft, romantic piano and strings piece. FFoD 4 before and after
Springer is rebuilt (BTW that bit when he is spit out of the machine is
the finale of Eminent Danger from the first season.)
Repentance: a soft keyboard piece, which sounds a hell of a lot like the
1983 pop song "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Sergio Mendez. Heard at the end
of Return of Optimus Prime 2, when Dr. Swafford apologizes to the Autobots.
Dark Deeds: SOS Dinobots as Soundwave and Reflector return to base.
Incan Legend: strings; mysterious sounding. First shot of Peru in Fire on
the Mountain. I'd really like to think this one appears somewhere else as
well, but it's not on any of the other eps I have on tape.
India: sound clip. Oriental/Far Eastern flutes, and some sort of Indian-sounding
thing that I can't put a name to -- an electronic harp, maybe. Beginning
of Ultimate Doom 1, when we see the majarajah's palace.
Sea of Japan: a few seconds of this piece are heard in the beginning of
Burden Hardest to Bear. It's a soft, tranquil piece, with a clarinet or
obo over a few mid-range string swells.
Korea: sound clip. In keeping with the two above pieces. Heard in Quest for Survival's opening scene.
Busted: FFoD 5, as the humans are looking at the frozen Transformers.
Vines: mellow, tuneless synth bit heard in "Quintesson Journal" during the useless scene where
Blaster and company get attacked by some vines.
The Touch: the Stan Bush song from TFTM. Heard in TRoOP 2 when Op
unleashes the Matrix energy, and again as the 'bots roll out. (BTW, where
are they going?? I thought they were already IN Autobot City!) No, no sound clip for this one.
Get your own damn sound clip.
Well, that's it. Congrats to anyone who actually read the whole
thing.
So, now, who wants to catalogue all the cartoon's sound effects? ;)
On to the sketchy beginnings of the Beast
Wars themes
Back to Rob's Pile of Tranformers
The third season music has a flavor all its own. Most of it has a 80s
techno or glam rock feel to it, rather than the symphonic or mixed
rock/orchestra feel of the first two seasons. Keyboard / synthesizers and
electric guitars dominate throughout. A couple of the pieces sound like
modified themes from Transformers: The Movie. I've only seen the Movie
a few times, though, so I don't know the music at all. Some day I'll get
hold
of a copy and find out for sure.
????????? - Grimlock's New Brain, when Grimster breaks the compass thing.