Short Round's Theme - John Williams

“There’s a very basic human, non-verbal aspect to our need to make music and use it as part of our human expression. It doesn’t have to do with body movements, it doesn’t have to do with articulation of a language, but with something spiritual.”

THE POWER OF THREE: Track Four

Song: Short Round's Theme
Composer: John Williams
Album: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom OST
Quote: John Williams

The three greatest movie score composers of our age team up in THE POWER OF THREE! John Williams, James Horner and Jerry Goldsmith at their very best in fifteen different movies spanning back to 1982. Buckle Up.

I have a confession to make. The Temple of Doom is my favorite Indiana Jones movie. Gasp! I know. You might be wondering why I didn't use the Raiders March on this mix, I mean, it's kind of THE song. But I don't know, I'm kind of "Raidered Out" if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Raiders of the Lost Ark and I adore that theme, but for THE POWER OF THREE you'll see that I consistently choose songs that are a little off the beaten path, lesser known themes that deserve their moments in the sun. Short Round's Theme perfectly encapsulates why I love the Temple of Doom so much. It's light and cheerful and at the same time has a hint of something much darker just beneath the surface. It's the perfect theme for Short Round, who was played to perfection by Ke Huy Quan way back in 1984. I was thrilled when he won the Oscar for best supporting actor for Everything Everywhere All at Once (great movie, watch it if you haven't seen it). He deserves it, not just for that movie, but for his outstanding work when he was just a boy. His smiling face, paired with this theme, has the ability to soften even the hardest of hearts.