Once Upon a Time in the West (soundtrack)



Once Upon a Time in the West is a soundtrack composed by Ennio Morricone, from the 1968 western film of the same name directed by Sergio Leone, released in 1968. The film score sold about 10 million copies worldwide.

The soundtrack features leitmotifs that relate to each of the main characters of the movie (each with their own theme music), as well as to the spirit of the American West. The theme music for the Claudia Cardinale character has wordless vocals by Italian singer Edda Dell'Orso.

It was Leone's desire to have the music available and played during filming. Leone had Morricone compose the score before shooting started and would play the music in the background for the actors on set.

Original release

 * 1) "Once Upon a Time in the West" – 3:46
 * 2) "As a Judgment" – 3:08
 * 3) "Farewell to Cheyenne" – 2:40
 * 4) "The Transgression" – 4:43
 * 5) "The First Tavern" – 1:41
 * 6) "The Second Tavern" - 1:34
 * 7) "Man with a Harmonica" – 3:31
 * 8) "A Dimly Lit Room" – 5:09
 * 9) "Bad Orchestra" – 2:25
 * 10) "The Man" – 1:03
 * 11) "Jill's America" – 2:48
 * 12) "Death Rattle" – 1:45
 * 13) "Finale" – 4:13

Expanded edition
An expanded and remastered album was released in Italy, November 2005.


 * 1) "Once Upon a Time in the West" - 3:43
 * 2) "The Man" - 1:03
 * 3) "The Grand Massacre" - 2:40
 * 4) "Arrival at the Station" - 0:55
 * 5) "Bad Orchestra" - 2:25
 * 6) "Jill's America" - 2:47
 * 7) "Harmonica" - 2:27
 * 8) "The First Tavern" - 1:39
 * 9) "A Bed Too Large" - 1:32
 * 10) "Jill" - 1:47
 * 11) "Frank" - 1:52
 * 12) "Cheyenne" - 1:16
 * 13) "The Second Tavern" - 1:33
 * 14) "The Third Tavern" - 1:19
 * 15) "Epilogue" - 1:14
 * 16) "On the Roof of the Train" - 1:19
 * 17) "Man with a Harmonica" - 3:30
 * 18) "A Dimly Lit Room" - 5:08
 * 19) "The Transgression" - 4:41
 * 20) "Return to the Train" - 0:40
 * 21) "Morton" - 1:36
 * 22) "As a Judgment" - 3:08
 * 23) "Final Duel" - 3:35
 * 24) "Death Rattle" - 1:44
 * 25) "Birth of a City" - 4:25
 * 26) "Farewell to Cheyenne" - 2:38
 * 27) "Finale" - 4:08

In popular culture

 * The theme was part of a Morricone medley in Black Light Orchestra.
 * "Man with a Harmonica" was featured in The 'Burbs.
 * "Man with a Harmonica" was used as the entrance music for professional wrestler Terry Funk in the NWA in 1989.
 * It is also the entrance music for K-1 Kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky.
 * "Man with a Harmonica" theme was used in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (film) Soundtrack (2015) - "Red Mist - Bonus Track"
 * "Once Upon a Time in the West" acted as the theme music of 1992 film Vizconde Massacre: God Help Us!. The theme music was also used in its 1994 sequel, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II May The Lord Be With Us.
 * The theme was recorded by English goth rock band Fields of the Nephilim as an intro to their debut album, Dawnrazor (1987).
 * Samples of "Man with a Harmonica" were often used in early 1990s dance music singles, notably The Orb's "Little Fluffy Clouds" and Beats International's "Dub Be Good to Me".
 * The theme is also used as the entrance music for indie rock band Hard-Fi, each time they perform live.
 * English rock band Muse have played a cover of the theme as an intro to "Knights of Cydonia" (e.g. at the V2008 Festival).
 * The theme was re-orchestrated and heard in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Composed by Hans Zimmer under the track titled 'Parlay'; it was also used in the sequel At World's End just before the East India Trading Company goes to war with all the assembled pirates as both sides make terms with each other on a small beach.
 * A remixed version of the theme was used in the CSI: Miami episode "All In".
 * The repeated harmonica riff is used by Bruce Springsteen in "Outlaw Pete", the opening track to 2009 album Working on a Dream.
 * In series The Sopranos, the remix "Man with a Harmonica" by Apollo 440 is played over the end credits of the season four episode "Whoever Did This".