Bootstrapped Theme: Difference between revisions

Sometimes, a tune previously a theme of a [[Leitmotif|specific character]], setting or otherwise, will become so popular and [[Signature Song|synonymous]] with the series itself that it becomes the accepted [[Theme Tune]] of the series. At this point, the theme will increasingly become prominent in anything related to the source, and, if there is already a theme for it, that theme may be replaced with the popular one.

 

 

If you're wondering about the name, "bootstrapping" refers to an old story in which a man pulls himself and his horse out of a swamp by literally [[It Runs on Nonsensoleum|pulling himself up by his own bootstraps]] (or his own hair, it depends on the version); this is a term that also appears elsewhere, such as in statistics. Thus, these are songs that have taken center stage through their own merits, not because any creator really wanted it to be thus.

 

== Live Action TV ==

* The Final ''[[Jeopardy!]]'' music (a piece titled "Think!") overshadowed the actual theme tune to the Art Fleming version, and became the main theme when the show was brought back with Alex Trebek.

* Bob James' instrumental ''[[Taxi]]'' theme, "Angela", was originally written for a single scene involving a character of that name in the first-season episode "Blind Date". But the producers liked the piece so much they decided to make it the title theme for the whole series.

** And ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]''. They did World 1-1 too. And ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' used them both for its knock-off of the original ''[[Super Mario Bros. (video game)|Super Mario Bros]].''

*** ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' also contains a redone version of the music for World 1-2 from ''[[Super Mario Bros 3]]''. The CD that comes with the Wii version of ''Super Mario All-Stars'', which contains one song each from multiple Mario platformers, contains the original version of that song.

** The "Water World" theme is used for the Title [[Theme Tune]] of [[Super Mario Bros. 2]] US, as well as for all the titles in ''Super Mario Allstars''.

** The Gusty Garden Galaxy theme has become more or less the main theme for the ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' series. Portions of it appeared in other areas of the first game (Purple Coin levels, the end credits). By the time of ''Galaxy 2's'' announcement, it was used in the trailer-specific composition, and made a few more appearances in the game itself.

** Let's not forget the [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Green Hill Zone]] music.

* It's worth it to mention that Korobeiniki was ''not'' in either NES version of ''Tetris''. Its first appearance was in the Game Boy version.

* ''[[Kirby]]'' has never really had a main theme, except maybe the one to which Kirby dances after every stage. Somehow, thanks to catchiness and the ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' games, people have associated the game with... several different songs, but mostly Green Greens, Dedede's Theme or the Gourmet Race theme.

** The Castle Lololo theme from the first game has somehow become bootstrapped to Dyna Blade, as was the case in ''Kirby Air Ride'' and ''Kirby Super Star Ultra''.

** A full-length remix alongside various 'wakkawakkawakka' sounds made up the background loop for the Sky Digital version of [[Pac-Man]].

** The intermission music has also gotten its share of remixes.

** Another example from ''MOTHER'' is "Eight Melodies (Queen Mary's Lullabye)", which also made remixed appearances in each subsequent game as well as, again, being part of one of the ''MOTHER'' remixes for ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''.

* The Brinstar theme from the original ''[[Metroid]]'' seems to have turned into one of these, according to ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' It also appears in ''[[Metroid Prime]]''.

** Also the save jingle, which now tends to be played whenever Samus makes an entrance.

** The Prologue and Credits theme of ''Super Metroid'' has become "Theme of Samus Aran, Space Warrior".

** ''Super Metroid'' had a couple different boss battle themes that played for multiple bosses. The one that just happened to play during encounters with Ridley (and the escape sequences) has been permanently branded as the "Theme of Ridley". Being the most recognizable recurring boss of the series, each new Metroid game brings with it a new remix of the theme whenever he appears. Funnily enough, ''Metroid Fusion'' had two different remixes of this theme, the second of which was used as an escape theme. ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' also had two remixes of this same track for two different versions of Ridley, one of which was lifted straight from ''Metroid Prime''.

* "Techno Syndrome" from a ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'' tie-in album, [[Incredibly Lame Pun|immortalized]] in [[Mortal Kombat (film)|The Movie]].

* The title [[Theme Tune]] to the first ''[[Twisted Metal]]'' is "Twisted Theme", but the more common [[Recurring Riff]] in the game is that of "Asphalt Assault".

* Lucca's Theme from ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' became the battle victory music in ''[[Chrono Cross]]''.

** There are rumors that the tune was intended as ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'''s battle victory theme, but was repurposed as Lucca's Theme when CT's battle victory theme was phased out along with some other musical ideas left on the cutting room floor. It still counts as a bootstrapped theme, though.

*** Defied later; the riff does not appear a single time in the End of Act 5 song, Cascade.

**** Actually, the riff does appear in the End of Act 5 flash itself, in the final song Black Hole/Green Sun; though only as a brief callback of about six seconds.

 

 

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[[Category:Score and Music Tropes]]