The Best Musical Scores in the Godzilla King of the Monsters Film

If you’re a fan waiting for the next Godzilla movie, you might reminisce about some of the moments found in the Godzilla film that kickstarted the MonsterVerse, specifically its musical themes and beats. From the original creation of Godzilla to the modern take, the franchise couldn’t have survived with spectacle alone, but with a great musical theme that ties the ferocity of the monster lying within.

This film, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, is filled with action-packed monster battles and shows the timeless monsters from the original Godzilla films of Toho. However, what’s notable now is the awesome musical scores and songs that are incorporated into its poignant narrative beats. The official trailer of the film featured a haunting rendition of “Claire de Lune”, which definitely won over fans and casual viewers alike.

While the film may have flopped at the box office, the actual scores and musical accompaniment of King of Monsters are actually a thrilling spectacle to behold, focusing on giant monster fights whether the shot is upfront or in the background. The film was its third instalment within Legendary’s MonsterVerse. With the introduction of Godzilla in 2014, the universe of monsters includes Rodan, Ghidorah, and Mothra.

Of course, the introduction of more monsters followed in the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong. Their advanced designs lend credence to their lifelike ferocious designs, and a casual moviegoer can instantly recognize Ghidorah even with a silhouette. In the MonsterVerse, they’re called Titans who have been recreated with the series’ original musical motifs and themes, which have been weaved into King of Monsters as well.

Godzilla’s Main Theme

The Godzilla: King of the Monsters score was composed by Bear McCreary, also known for his work on Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead. One of his most iconic songs that were used in movies includes the 1988 classic movie Child’s Play starring Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif, and Catherine Hicks. His score on the Godzilla film perfectly suits the movie’s biggest Titan set pieces.

Accompanied by epic orchestrations, Bear McCreary uses the chants of Japanese Buddhist monks, choir singing phrases that are translated into ancient Babylonian, and not to mention, taiko drumming. What adds to the original music is that the score was written in a way that includes the original Toho films’ musical renditions as the first Titan appeared. His musical score can be intricately linked with Godzilla’s own roar, which strengthened the idea of a King of the monsters.

The musical themes of both Luke Skywalker and Superman are famous, and Godzilla’s main theme is no different. The “Godzilla Main Title” was written by the ageless Godzilla composer, Akira Ifukube, and it was intended for the very first Godzilla movie in 1954. As such, some variations of it have appeared ever since it was released.

However, it was the first time that that song was used in an American Godzilla movie, which marks a milestone in Western Godzilla cinema history. The “Godzilla Main Title” can be heard throughout the King of Monsters, usually accompanied by epic moments highlighting Godzilla himself.

Debut Song of an Iconic Monster

The film was Mothra’s debut in the MonsterVerse, so it was only fitting to include her famous tune in “Mothra’s Song”, which was also written for her first film in 1961 called Mothra, by composer Yuji Koseki. The song has appeared in every Godzilla film of Toho since.

The musical group called The Peanuts first performed this song by performers Emi and Yumi Ito. Its lyrics, when translated, include “If we were to call for help… you’d come. Our guardian angel.” Mothra’s nature to be protective is shown in these lyrics.

Even though Mothra’s fairies didn’t appear in the movie, she remained protective, shielding Godzilla from a life-threatening attack.

Godzilla’s Song

“Godzilla” is a song originally performed and written by Blue Oyster Cult. However, this version of the song had been composed by Bear McCreary, which involves vocals of System of a Down’s Serj Tankian. But this song is not originally featured in Toho film series.

The song has lyrics that are both serious and silly. For example, it follows, “He picks up a bus and he throws it back down.” Another one includes, “How Nature points out the folly of man.”

These lyrics capture the essence of Godzilla in terms of his character and narrative themes. Kakegoe, a kind of chant heard in traditional Japanese theatre and art, is included in this version. While listening to it, you’ll hear the repeating word of “Gojira!” which is Godzilla and “Mosura!” which is Mothra, including “Sore!”, which means “That’s the way!” in the context where the word was used.

The song is meant to cheer on Mothra and Godzilla to persevere and continue fighting. 

Conclusion

Even though the movie received low scores and flopped at the box office, Godzilla: King of the Monsters should still be considered a timeless classic for kickstarting the MonsterVerse and using only the best soundtracks and musical renditions worthy of a Godzilla film. We don’t know what the MonsterVerse will look like in several years, but regardless of critic score, we can safely say that this Godzilla film had one of the best musical scores in recent memory of any monster movie out there. Godzilla has been an iconic character in cinema for the longest time.

It's unsurprising that another monster will usurp his throne any time soon, for Godzilla is the King of monsters.

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