The X-Files (composition)
"The X-Files" | |
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Single by Mark Snow | |
from the album The Truth and the Light: Music from the X-Files | |
B-side | "Various remixes" |
Released | 24 March 1996 (UK) |
Format | CD maxi, cassette tape |
Genre | |
Length | 3:25 |
Label | |
Songwriter(s) | Mark Snow |
Producer(s) | Mark Snow |
"The X-Files" is a 1996 instrumental recorded by American film and television composer Mark Snow. It is a remixed version of the original theme Snow composed for the science fiction television series The X-Files in 1993. Released in March 1996 in most countries, it achieved a huge success, particularly in France where it reached number one on the singles chart.
The composition has since been covered by DJ Dado and Mike Oldfield, among others.
Song information
"The X-Files" typically used more instrumental music than most hour-long dramas. According to the "Behind the Truth" segment on the Season 1 DVD, Mark Snow created the echo effect on his famous X-Files theme song by accident. Snow said that he had gone through several revisions, but Chris Carter felt that something was not quite right. Carter walked out of the room and Snow put his hand and forearm on his keyboard in frustration. Snow said, "this sound was in the keyboard. And that was it."
Chart performance
The single debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart on March 30, 1996, and stayed there for three weeks.[1] In France, the single entered the chart at number 42 on April 6, 1996, and climbed quickly until reaching number two four weeks later. It remained for five weeks at this position, behind Robert Miles's hit "Children", then topped the chart for a sole week, becoming the second instrumental number-one hit on the French charts. It totaled 12 weeks in the top ten and 30 weeks in the top 50. The single re-charted in October 1998, but remained in the lower positions.
Track listings
CD maxi
CD maxi
Remix CD single
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12" single
Cassette single
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Credits
- Composed by Mark Snow
- Terrestrial mix: remixed and produced Flexifinger
- P.M. Dawn remix: guitar by Cameron Greider, remixed by P.M. Dawn, synthesizers by Henry Hay and Maurice Luke, recorded and mixed by Michael Fossenkemper
- Ravers nature remix: produced and remixed by John Bogota, Pedro Ferrari and Roy Ströbel
- Secret Session remixes: produced by Special Agents for MAP Productions, engineered and mixed by RoBo
- Map Mystery mix: produced and mixed by Moorcroft and Prins for MAP Productions, engineered and programmed by TK for MAP Productions
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
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DJ Dado version
"X-Files" | ||||
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Single by DJ Dado | ||||
from the album The Album | ||||
B-side | "Various Remixes" | |||
Released | 19 March 1996 | |||
Format | ||||
Genre | Dream trance | |||
Length | 3:57 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | Mark Snow | |||
Producer(s) |
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DJ Dado singles chronology | ||||
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At the same time, Italian producer DJ Dado covered the song with a dream trance version, which became a top ten hit in many countries, including number-one in Denmark, though it failed to reach the top 10 in France and Germany.
In the US, this version was featured on the Pure Moods compilation album 1997 re-release.
Track listings
CD single
- "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:38
- "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream activity mix) – 8:40
CD maxi
- "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57
- "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42
- "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44
CD maxi
- "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57
- "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:41
- "X-Files" (Tom Wilson Dyme mix) – 6:38
- "X-Files" (dV8 deviant mix) – 6:29
- "X-Files" (freak bros area 51 mix) – 6:53
- "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44
12" maxi
- "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42
- "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44
CD maxi – Remixes
- "X-Files" (2 Cowboys remix) – 5:07
- "X-Files" (Reygroove remix) – 5:02
- "X-Files" (Valez & L. Antolini remix) – 6:25
- "X-Files" (Alex Voghi remix) – 6:25
- "X-Files" (Miki B. remix – flute experience part I) – 8:38
- "X-Files" (Moroldo & Mensi mix) – 4:35
- "X-Files" (Hornbostel & M. Marvin remix) – 5:18
- "X-Files" (Fabio Locati remix) – 6:18
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Triple X version
The song was also covered by Triple X. This version was less successful than the other two, but reached number two in Australia.
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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The X-Club version
"The X-Tended File" | |
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Single by The X-Club | |
A-side | "The X-Tended File 7 Mix" |
B-side | "The X-Tended File 12 Mix" |
Released | 22 April 1996 (Australia)[38] |
Format | CD |
Genre | Eurodance |
Length | 3:55 |
Label | Pro DJ International |
Songwriter(s) | Mark Snow |
Producer(s) | Clock |
A version by The X-Club was released in Australasia in 1996.
Charts
Chart (1996) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA)[39] | 93 |
The X-Files movie single and Mike Oldfield version
"The X-Files Theme" | ||||
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Single by Various Artists | ||||
from the album The X-Files: The Album | ||||
A-side | "Tubular X" | |||
B-side |
"The X-Files Theme" "The Source of Secrets" | |||
Released | 8 June 1998 (Japan) | |||
Format | CD | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:53 | |||
Label | Twentieth-Century Fox | |||
Songwriter(s) |
Mark Snow Mike Oldfield | |||
Producer(s) | Mike Oldfield, and others | |||
Mike Oldfield singles chronology | ||||
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"The X-Files Theme" was released as a Japan only EP in 1998[40] from the soundtrack album The X-Files: The Album for The X-Files movie.
The maxi-CD includes four remixes of Mark Snow's theme to the television series, The X-Files. Notably "Tubular X" is part Snow's theme and consists of parts of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. Another track from Oldfield also appears, "The Source of Secrets", the opening piece from his Tubular Bells III album, which also based upon the same theme from the original Tubular Bells.
Track listing
- "Tubular X" - Mike Oldfield – 3:53
- "The X-Files Theme" - The Dust Brothers – 3:27
- "The X-Files Theme" - Satoshi Tomiie Radio Edit – 4:17
- "The X-Files Theme" - R.H. Factor Pop Radio Edit – 3:37
- "The Source of Secrets" - Mike Oldfield – 5:33
References
- 1 2 ""The X-Files", UK Singles Chart". Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mark Snow – The X-Files" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mark Snow – The X-Files" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "Mark Snow: The X-Files" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files" (in French). Les classement single.
- ↑ "Musicline.de – Mark Snow Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The X Files". Irish Singles Chart.
- 1 2 "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files". Singles Top 100.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ↑ "Billboard". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- 1 2 "1996 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart". Ultratop.be. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- 1 2 "1996 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart". Ultratop.be. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
- ↑ "French certifications". Disqueenfrance.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ↑ "British single certifications – Mark Snow – X-Files Theme". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 May 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type X-Files Theme in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ Billboard, May 25, 1996: Page 67
- ↑ "DJ Dado: X-Files" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in French). Les classement single.
- ↑ "Musicline.de – DJ Dado Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The X Files". Irish Singles Chart.
- ↑ Italy: Top Singles of 1996
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – DJ Dado – X-Files". Singles Top 100.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – DJ Dado – X-Files". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ↑ ""X-Files", by DJ Dado, UK Singles Chart". Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ↑ "1996 Austrian Singles Chart". Austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ↑ "1996 Swiss Singles Chart". Hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)" (in French). Les classement single.
- ↑ "Charts.nz – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)". Top 40 Singles.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)". Singles Top 100.
- ↑ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Singles 1996". ARIA. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ↑ "New Releases – Product Available from : 22/4/96 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 322)". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 2017-12-11.
- ↑ "The Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 16 Jun 1996". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 2017-12-11. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
- ↑ "Tubular X" (in German). Hibernaculum.de. Archived from the original on 2008-03-24. Retrieved 2008-04-17.