I was reminded recently of a moment in college that directly inspired listening to this album. I was living in Isla Vista at the time and on a big John Williams kick. Just binging like a fiend on the stuff. I lived with a group of friends who played in a band called Givers & Takers (listen here) and they rehearsed out of our garage. One afternoon we were hanging out in the space and I boldly announced to the room that it would be a great idea for them to start writing music similar to John Williams’ score for Jurassic Park. Keep in mind they were a four-piece jam band a la My Morning Jacket– the only stringed instrument in the place was a six-string guitar. As the story goes, I proceeded to hold the entire room captive for at least five minutes and earnestly exclaim “guys you gotta write some stuff like this!” after a particularly rousing section of baritone horns.
Hearing this story I was reminded of a few things:
- I can be a little enthusiastic (read: obsessive) about sharing my love of music with the people I love, and it was probably a good idea to start this blog and allow everyone to consume this at their own leisure. Without it I may be standing on a street corner with a bullhorn yelling these writeups out at random passerby. No one wants to see that.
- I’ve always had this loose daydream of being a composer, and while it’s clear at this point I won’t be, listening to Jurassic Park Soundtrack I can pretend to be. Three minutes ago I was standing in the kitchen waving my hands around like a deranged conductor, “directing” the gorgeous orchestral sections. I felt moved, even if my kids moved out of the room rather abruptly.
- You kinda start to feel like a serial killer when you listen to the Jurassic Park Soundtrack while you’re driving in the car alone. Especially when “Eye To Eye” comes on.
John Williams is a savant. He’s a man that effectively wrote the soundtrack to my generation’s childhood, playing all the way through the most culturally significant films from the mid 70’s to the late 90’s.
I found it especially sentimental to listen this soundtrack without the visual context of the film playing at the same time. The music of John Williams still spawned the same feelings of excitement (and anxiety!) you get when watching the film, like “Theme From Jurassic Park” which is as beautiful a piece of music you’re going to hear in your life. Literal physical goosebumps from the moment those horns hit. I could see the moment when Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant first see the Brachiosaurus, when Robert Muldoon utters “Clever girl” before getting murked by velociraptors, when Lex Murphy’s hand starts shaking uncontrollably holding a spoonful of jello, and when Ray Arnold says “Hold on to your butts” before shutting off the power.
That right there is the power of music, the power of John Williams, and the power of incredible storytelling. And for me, that is what makes life worth living.
Standout Songs: “Theme From Jurassic Park”, Journey To The Island”, “Hatching Baby Raptor”, “High-Wire Stunts”
