Douglas Adams first entered my life on June 14, 1981 by way of WPLN and the radio version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. For the next several weeks I began my first attempts at skipping church in order to record the newest installment. Soon thereafter I bought the first book in hardcover and not much later than that I began signing my English papers as Zaphod Beeblebrox (in response to my friend’s new appellation, Bungalow Bill). Over the next few years I would tape the TV series off WDCN and read the other fine books in the series. You could say I was a fan. Not obsessive, but interested. However, it wouldn’t be until last year that I would learn a deep dark secret of the Guide.
The Eagles recorded the theme song!
Pause with me for a moment. Perhaps you knew this. I didn’t. Those inglorious California milquetoast country rockers, The Eagles, recorded a piece of music which brought tears to my eyes when I saw the movie theatrically because I had so much emotional baggage tied up in it. The Eagles. Honestly, I don’t have anything against them. I’ve even owned both of their Greatest Hits collections a long time ago (but no more).
So, with scientific interest in mind, I have been searching for The Eagles album One of These Nights which contains the song “Journey of the Sorcerer”. My search finally ended yesterday at The Great Escape with a cheap $4 LP purchase. And yes, that’s the song alright. Not your typical Eagles number as there is no harmonious singing or squealing guitar solos, just a banjo and an orchestra. It’s a great number, written by Bernie Leadon, who is not generally regarded as a heavy hitter within the group (that would be Mssrs. Frey, Henley, Felder and later Walsh). “Sorcerer” has a vaguely spacey feeling to it, but only in that early 70’s jam band kind of way where the drugs are just kicking in and you feel like your flying man, just waving that freak flag like you don’t care and to hell with the man!!!
So why was this song chosen? Let us refer to Wikipedia:
The theme tune used for the radio, television, LP and film versions is "Journey of the Sorcerer," an instrumental piece composed by Bernie Leadon and recorded by The Eagles on their album One of These Nights. Only the transmitted radio series used the original recording; a soundalike cover by Tim Souster was used for the LP and TV series, another arrangement by Joby Talbot was used for the 2005 film, and still another arrangement, this time by Philip Pope, was recorded to be released with the CDs of the last three radio series. Apparently, Adams chose this song for its futuristic sounding nature, but also for the fact that it had a banjo in it, which, as Geoffrey Perkins recalls, Adams said would give it an "on the road, hitch-hiking feel.”
Well, there you have it. Douglas Adams used to listen to The Eagles. Next thing you know they’ll claim that Doctorin’ The Tardis by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu a.k.a. The Timelords were inspired by Gary Glitter and Sweet.
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