Star Trek: The Original Series

Theme song

The show's theme tune was an instrumental piece written by Alexander Courage. Although lyrics were written for the theme music, they were not used. The lyrics were published in Stephen E. Whitfield's authorised 1968 book The Making of Star Trek:

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:Beyond the rim of the starlight

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:My love is wandering in starflight

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:I know he'll find in star clustered reaches

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:Love, strange love a star woman teaches

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:I know his journey ends never

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:His star trek will go on forever

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:But tell him while he wanders his starry sea

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:Remember, remember me.

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As reported by Herb Solow and Robert Justman in their 1996 book Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, Gene Roddenberry wrote them without composer Alexander Courage's knowledge, and without intending for them ever to be sung, so that he would nevertheless get a 50% share of the music's performance royalties. (This practice is not new, and is common in the music publishing business, although some consider it ethically dubious.) Although some recordings of the theme with lyrics exist, many have pointed out that the lyrics do not match the melody and are very difficult to sing.

Related Topics:
Gene Roddenberry - Alexander Courage

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