The alt.fan.douglas-adams FAQ

Section L- Lyrics

A section relating to the music relating to works relating to Douglas Adams, most specifically those that would not exist today if it were not for a certain author's warped imagination.

L.1. Marvin the Paranoid Android

See X.15. Marvin the Paranoid Rock Star for details of Marvin the Paranoid Android's brief recording career.

The soundclips are not included in the takeaway ZIP format of the FAQ for reasons of space and time.

L.1.1. Marvin

A short sample of this and the other Marvin songs can now be found here.

Marvin:

Chorus (wailing female vocal):

Marvin:

Chorus:

Marvin:

Chorus:

Marvin:

Chorus:

L.1.2. Metal Man

A short sample of this and the other Marvin songs can now be found here.

Radio message:

Female vocal:

Captain:

Female vocal:

Captain:

Female vocal:

Captain:

Female vocal:

Captain:

Marvin:

Captain:

Marvin:

Captain:

Marvin:

Captain:

Marvin:

Captain:

Marvin:

Crew:

Marvin:

footnote: 1. In the absence of any persons called Roger, it is presumed that this is a reference to radio etiquette; alternatively, that it is a case of mistaken identity. (back)

2. presumably Roger. (back)

L.1.3. Reasons To Be Miserable

With the exception of four "Marvin"s by an unidentified female vocalist near the end of the song, all of the speaking and singing in this song is Stephen Moore's Marvin's responsibility. In other words, all voices are Marvin unless otherwise stated.

A short sample of this and the other Marvin songs can now be found here.

'Rap':

Moaned:

Angry chorus:

Moaned:

'Rap':

'Chant':

Moaned:

Angry chorus:

Moaned:

Sarcastic:

Female vocal:

Moaned:

Female vocal:

More sarcastic:

Female vocal:

Even more sarcastic:

Female vocal:

Guitar-screamy sort of largely instrumental break, during which Marvin can be heard commenting, just when you thought he couldn't get more sarcastic:

Back to the spoken bile:

L.1.4. Marvin I Love You

A short sample of this and the other Marvin songs can now be found here.

Marvin:

Chorus (female vocal):

Marvin:

Chorus:

Marvin:

Chorus:

Marvin:

Wistful female vocal, spoken:

Chorus:

Marvin:

Chorus:

L.2. Original music in the radio & TV series

L.2.1. "Share and Enjoy"

L.3. Other peoples' music in the radio & TV series

L.3.1. The title music (the Eagles' Journey of the Sorceror)

The theme music to the radio series is the opening to a song called "Journey of the Sorceror", written by Bernie Leadon, and originally performed by the Eagles on their album "One of those Nights". When Original Records rerecorded the show for the LP release, they used a new version arranged and performed by Tim Souster, in order to avoid paying the Eagles significant wodges of cash. The TV series also used a Tim Souster arrangement, which was released as a 7" single by Original Records, backed with "Only the End of the World Again" (a section of The Book narration) and Max Quordlepleen warblng. This is a very rare record.

One some versions of an Eagle album (can't remember which), "Journey of the Sorceror" is mislabelled "Journey to the Sorceror". The former is the correct title.

L.3.2. The Pink Floyd track that Marvin hummed

As detailed in the radio scripts book, when Arthur and co. first set out onto the barren landscape of Magrathea, a bit of atmospheric music sets in, thie intro to "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd (from "Wish You Were Here"). This kind of music-swiping was standard practice for the first radio series. The joke is tha Arthur then remarks "Did you know that robot can hum like Pink Floyd?" When asked what else he can do, Marvin hums "Rock and Roll Music" by the Beatles. A few moments later, when Zaphod does a dramatic speech about entering into the subterranean depths of Magrathea, "Also Sprach Zarathrustra" (used in the film "2001") begins, dramatically, to play under this speech. As the music peaks, Zaphod mutters "Can it, Marvin!" and the music cuts out.

This is one of fans' favorite gags in the first series, but had to be cut from commercial pressings of the radio series on cassette and CD because although Douglas Adams himself has long been on good terms with Pink Floyd and counts most of them as friends, the lawyers didn't know that and rather than suffer under the incomprehensibly torturous Pink Floyd copyright laws, they removed the entire bit. The section is still heard whenever HHG plays on the radio. They just cannot legally sell it.

On the first record album rerecord of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a similar sequence survives, minus the Beatles tune. An atmospheric (if not terribly PInk Floydish) riff plays, Arthur says "Do you know that robot can hum like Pink Floyd?" Zaphod goes into his spiel, 2001 plays and Zaphod says "Can it, Marvin."

If you're looking for the original radio version you would have to get a bootleg off of someone who taped it from the radio. It's tough going and not really worth it. Just let it be known that the segment exists. A short WAV of the Pink Floyd/Beatles scene in its radio form has been distributed over America Online.

Thanks to Bug for writing this answer.

L.3.3. The Bee Gees Stayin' Alive

My name is Michael Caine. Not a lot of people know that. Not many people know that the horrible music in the background during the party scene during the second radio series is actually made from the Bee Gees track Stayin' Alive played backwards, and spliced up so that parts are in 5/4 time.

L.3.4. Dire Straits

Arthur plays Dire Straits' "Tunnel of Love" from their Making Movies album to Fenchurch in So Long And Thanks For All The Fish. The Radio Scripts book has plenty of information on music used in the show.

L.4. Samples

This selection of samples will hopefully grow over time (within certain limitations of space), and is intended as a selection of difficult-to-hear material, rather than just (for example) the 'obvious' samples from radio and TV productions of Hitch Hiker's Guide. If there are any samples you'd like to see hear, please e-mail, but please don't send binaries to this address without checking first.

There may also be copyright problems with these samples (hopefully not), but at the first whiff of trouble I'm outta here.

Depending on public response, different versions (higher/lower quality) may replace the versions seen above.

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