National Geographic Original Theme

[Sandypaul]

Simply Magnificent!

[CloudKittyX]

I would actually try to build a time machine just to hear my precious memories on tv again ;u;

[chellytyler26]

linda música. Me lembra muito das histórias do passado.

[KaosUrbanoOi]

The theme that represents intelligence,information & historical/geographical/biolog­ical/filosofical knowledge.It's because of this channel and its wonderful theme that I began to develop a passion for history when I was just a child!

[alry2001]

never heard it again on nat geo

[ChancellorRW]

Feel smarter just listening to this song.

[jslasher1]

Elmer was ever the best. We all miss him.

[BrainheartMan]

This is BOLD! What an anthem for thinking people!

[Blackjack471]

This song is pure awesome, and motivating as all get out.

[michael77ms]

knowledge for all mankind...

[ChancellorRW]

Every organization should have it's own theme like Nat Geo!

[M000tube]

damn this is epic, should subscribe to their magazines

[altonmex41]

Awesome



[altonmex41]

Should play it more often in natgeo programming, it´s the best theme there is

[coughsyrup78]

The National Geographic Channel sucks. It seems like all they ever show are prisoners and illegal aliens. They used to make really good documentaries back in the 80s.

[250neovenator]

@coughsyrup78 Yeah,they don't play good stuff there anymore. Just like the Discovery Channel and the History channel. The quality has gone WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY down since the 80's and 90's.

[Zapinc9]

@coughsyrup78 Or Aliens or Mutant Human or Robots from the future or whatever f*ck you!

[Agent1W]

@coughsyrup78 I hate to think they've covered just about everything there is to learn in the world.

[13thmistral]

where is the time things like this werent searching for sponsorshit or whatever they where searching before they filled long interesting documantaries with like 5 minutes of comercials every 20 minutes ?

i still see the spinning circle existing out of national geographic rectangles and then the pic of the documantary in that rectangle

and after that one houre of forgetting the world around you

now you need to search an other program every 20 minutes for skipping silly stupid comercials

[deerdestroyer2009]

As I walked to the store I crossed the train tracks and saw a hawk swooping down trying to catch a rabbit this song played in my head.

[shaboopie12]

there is no gift like the gift of knowledge

[M000tube]

family guy brought me here

[dkb201998]

@M000tube madagascar brought me here

[TheVasilcin]

thumbs up if you had an awesome childhood

[radtech21]

"Look at the Zoo apes, He looks like an OLD APE!"

[Antihippie24]

I been around the world with the U.S. Navy, and National Geographic actually was what drove me to do that. I am now attending University of Kentucky, Majoring in Anthropology. I love National Geographic.

[tripsadelica]

Can anyone post the original Bernstein theme heard in the NG documentaries from the mid sixtie?. Nice as this rendition is and all, I much prefer the version I heard back then.

[micmac99]

That cover at :52 is fake. The real December 1969 cover had either Buzz Aldrin or Neil Armstrong on the moon, as that issue profiled Apollo 11.

[BLOODRAVIN01]

Why Btoher Listening to it if you dont like it some people make no sense

[STEN3326]

Elmer Bernstein, ainsi que John Williams sont inspirés directement par le Ciel!.. Alors, c'est normal que ce soit magnifique..........

[BerenguerCarlos]

Que Saudade (in english: brings back memories), from Portugal

[gaelenfade]

epic

[Tyler3967]

I remember hearing that from Madagascar only shorter to the part when Alex the Lion chases Marty the Zebra as he's gone insane. Still, the music is awesome! I like that a lot! :)

[EdTheBadass]

oh god this is so good to my ears

Like listening to Indiana Jones.

I almost remember that with those fanfars playing they at some point had cheetah running after a gazelle in slow motion

[noangel931]

Hi...what's the name of the commercial in nat geo music

it's like house instrumental or something....someone please tell me

[ethersbitchinangel]

I want this as a ring tone but can't find it anywhere :(

[whitespot1]

@ethersbitchinangel Try making your own on phonezoo.com...you can make whatever ringtones you want there. :)

[EdTheBadass]

@ethersbitchinangel

copy the adress of this vid, go to keepvid.com or similar site, navigate through java and format options (easy) or rather go directly to mp3 site (keepvid has a link)

then use the free soft audacity (easy) to note and cut out the tune you like (meaning if you want to cut the beginning(lengty silence for example) or some other portion from the original)

[alexnefi]

Who the HECK disliked this masterpiece?

[ilovewalruses84]

@alexnefi Gustav Holst did, that's who. :p if you listen to "The Planets: Jupiter", there's a part that sounds very similar.

[ccipollini1984]

This is so badass.

[Agent1W]

I play this in the background when I work on Archaeology in World of Warcraft. "Azerothian Geographic".

[Velasca]

Debunk this, Mr Dawkins.

[dinofish2000]

FUCKING AWESOME.

[thundreturtle]

FINALLY FOUND IT! EVER SINCE MADAGASCAR CAME OUT I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THIS SONG!!!!! THE NAME OF IT (The chase scene, right after Alex becomes 'wild' and chases Marty for the first time)

[TnseWlms]

Of course, the launch icon for the complete set of National Geographics on CD ROM plays this tune.

[bclouser100]

Just happened to think of the opening scene in Twilight Zone: The Movie

[ThatGuyThisTime]

Luckily i heard this music on an old National Geographic documentary and as soon as i heard the opening fanfare i knew i had to find out what it was.

[peacedreamer88]

oh my gosh!!!! it reminds me of the geography bee's I would participate in as a kid.

[janiaswin]

@t121977 you just said what i have to say...nat geo rocks

[TheGreatOpinion]

This is so powerful, since I was a child, this was in the realm of my fantasies.

[Oistrakhfollower]

1 dislike is John Williams. He got jealous!

[SHAMPOW12]

thumbs up if u want to see this song on nat geo again

[jslasher1]

@SHAMPOW12 This is NOT a bloody song, mate. A SONG has lyrics.

[SHAMPOW12]

thumbs if u want this theme back

[Velasca]

This music is proof of the existence of God.

[Gameremag]

Most awesome educational institution there is!

[EVLWNS]

I dunno... I used to get so excited whenever I heard this song, because it meant I'd be about to watch a fantastic piece of documentary film-making from Nat Geo. But if you ask me, it seems that the quality of Nat Geo's documentaries has really fallen in the last ten years or so. Or maybe I'm just misremembering my youth....

[TnseWlms]

Remember when NG specials were on CBS? There'd be this big red stripe across the front cover of that month's magazine telling the title and date of the show. Then there'd be a tearout sheet inside to place on your TV set to remind you. And on the back was a list of every CBS affiliate in the nation, in case you didn't know your local CBS channel. But you still had to check your local listing for time and participation.

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@TnseWlms

Mine is KOIN-TV 6, Portland, OR.

ABC also aired these specials between 1973 and 1975, including the one about Jacques Yves-Cousteau. From 1975, the series aired on PBS, and then also in syndication from 1985.

[Jafuet]

very coplandish

[VertiginousVersatile]

how can i download the track??

[flux688]

what a classy theme! reminds me of my childhood, watching rented documentaries on tape. thanks for posting!

[dontmakemeMAD1990]

why did they changed it ?

give my childhood back you motherfucking freaks

ok i take that back

in somme way, its sad that discovery chanel and history chanel own national geographic channel now

this was the first great docu chanel by my knowing

but yea, they lost somme nice things

build for the kill, for an example, was one of my favorits

and then about egypte and mummies,....

i dont know, but in my country that great shit is gone

[CGA002]

Reminds me of Indiana Jones

[755hp]

A Grand Theme of National Geographic........Grand!!

[TnseWlms]

Look at that fossil. It's stuck over there in the tar.

Look at that old man. He looks like an old ape.

Look at that old bone.  It could be worth some bucks.

Look at those two apes. This must be where they lived.

Look at that city. Let's continue to dig.

[patronsaintofpoison]

@TnseWlms WANNA SEE SOMETHING REALLY SCARY

[Agent1W]

Too bad WoW won't adopt this theme for Archaeology.

[mahvinel]

This is why I became a composer. Hearing music just this as a child.

[t121977]

Ah brings back memories, since my childhood everything's changed except my love for national geographic channel and ofcourse this theme. Pity they don't play it anymore. ):

Thank you National Geographic for making me live curious.

[DII117]

@t121977 It's occasionally played on the Nat Geo channel.

[penguinejb]

@t121977

I heard it play quietly behind the "This program is brought to you by..." during "Ice Pilots"

[bangalorebully]

@t121977 Hey, you from India?? I too remember the mid or early 90s when Doordarshan ran these programs on weekends..I remember feeling bad when Doordarshan abruptly ended it...Since programs like these were non-existent, I looked forward to the weekends with awe...I vividly remember my fascination for the Gorilla episodes...But the starting video was different from this, isn't it?? & there was something called "Earth Report" on early Zee Tv.Remember??

[UltimateW910]

whenever i listen to this song i feel like reading does anybody else get that way

[tall32guy]

I remember this very well. I thought that that was STILL the National Geo music! Apparently not. LOL

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@tall32guy

Most people know this theme as the NatGeo music, so, you apparently have a soft spot for it to this day.

[Messmaster08]

I noticed the 101st airborne issue and it reminded me of band of brothers!

[lastman4u]

no words can describe how good I feel inside when I hear this theme

[1965ismaninblack]

anyone know if theres lyrics to this piece of music, just wondering because Albert Brooker sings this in "Twilight Zone -The Movie"??

[ryoushii]

The cover at 1:06, LRRPs, Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol, haven't thought about that term since I was in the Army 20 years ago

[dontmakemeMAD1990]

yes i fucking found it

[ultraback29]

Whenever I've heard the Indiana Jones theme, I've always felt like it was copied off of National Geographic.

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@ultraback29

The estate of Elmer Bernstein could perhaps sue the IJ composer for plagiarism here/there.

[piratelord99]

omg last time i listened to this i was like 6!!! i love it

[TheReturnofLurker15]

nova theme i think

[DressedPiink]

Does anyone know where I can download this song? I have been searching everywhere and I keep turning up empty handed.

[meanmon]

I remember TV back in the 50's & 60's...My childhood was shaped back then because of this theme...I wanted to see how such great sounds could be made...I ended up teaching instrumental music for 25 years and still get a feeling of pride when I hear it...I place up there with Copland's "Fanfare For A Common Man".

[KrazyKommieKiller]

If discovery had a theme song, this would be it. Hearing it makes me want to travel the world.

[evanellis]

<3 this song.

:D

lol.

[GulleGelderlander]

This theme always remembers me of Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his old underwater films. I just loved that!

[Uglymugone]

Its perfect!

[JeanFlanker]

This is why I'm a vet student. This song and Steve Irwin.

[5ERN4]

@JeanFlanker Steve Irwin and this song (Nat'l Geographic) go hand in hand

[Hewylewis]

Wow!!

[jslasher1]

Elmer is his very best!

[Cddy87fx]

Wow... I grew up watching this on PBS

[JaneFordA]

Thanks for posting this! :-) I once heard that this is the most internationally recognized theme music of all time. If it isn't true, it should be, right? :-) THANKS again!

[jposh707]

This is a truly majestic theme befitting of one of the world's greatest cultural organizations. It sounds classical, yet modern -- and it always invokes a feeling of hope for the future. Bravo!

[rockori7]

Se me eriza la piel de solo escucharlo!!!! este tema es fantástico, recuerdo los documentales de principios de los 90' es una lástima que el national geographic channel no lo tenga.

[Carhisuse]

This was (and still is) my favorite theme music of all time! I remember watching my mom's national geographic documentaries, my favorite was the one that showed the process of making a mummy. I think I can top almost everyone here with my collection of NGs. I have every issue since 1954. In fact, our bookcase is more like a wall of yellow. I owe a lot to NG, that magazine inspired my mom to be an anthropologist and together they have convinced me to become one as well. Thanks for posting!

[Disneysorcerer]

FOR GEOGRAPHY, FOR SCIENCE, AND FOR ALL KNOWLEDGE!!!!

(NG's battle cry)

XD

[Velasca]

It is noises like this that make me believe we are infinite consciousness and the atheists are a wrong.

Beautiful noise!

[alwayscrazy25]

im from 15 and i injoy this, thats good music

[MissNasentier]

when i got my first ipod, i had a free podcast of NG of "John Smith"

i didn´t really understood what that nice women was trying to tell me about him, because my english wasn´t very good back then, but the intro was so cool, that i bought myself the dvd and so i became a big fan

love this intro

[BiRainfangirl]

this was stuck in my head all damn day, me and my mom were playing name that song with this tune, so happy i got it right lol

[lugiamcg]

when i was a kid back in the early 90s, i waited for natgeo juz for this song but i can't understand the contents in the show...oh lol!

[joshthemusician]

Gr8 orchestration of all i heard. Love this>

[whattheheck1000]

I do believe I have the first three of those Nat Geo issues shown

[whattheheck1000]

@whattheheck1000 the 1939, 1982 and 1969 issues.

[comgeek24]

I love this theme. I remember watching National Geographic videos in school all the time. When my grandfather passed on, my uncle gave me (I'm the only one in my family who reads them) his library of National Geographics going back to '81, with the fake leather storage cases. I have the issue at 0:39, the issue with the famous photo of the woman in the red robe looking out cautiously at the reader and the issue when the Titanic's remains were first found, both from 1985.

[broadwayboss]

I love this sonq. I love nat geo. When I was in elementary I always wanted to be an explorer. With a book bag and and short I wanted to speak with the australian accent and find fossils and artifacts and live off of freelancing. Lmao. =D

[UltimateW910]

i love this theme you know im surprised this wasn't used in a game like the FF series or an RPG game of that stature

[mauriziodilacartes]

When I hear this song i always remember the Dian Fossey documentary, how i miss the old days...

[Atowntrekkie]

This is one song that I've always wanted to hear in full (now I have :-D). Of course, seeing a marching band play it on the football field would be absolutely amazing!

[ryoushii]

I remember this from the late 60's and 70's, Jacques Cousteau, Jane Goodall and all the rest. About 5 times a year on CBS, when you could still see great and intelligent programming.

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@ryoushii

ABC aired NatGeo specials for a short period of time (from 1973 to 1975) and then went to PBS.

[induna7]

anyone know where i can see the video with the lion in slow mo with this music

[GulleGelderlander]

This song reminds me of the old Jaques Custeau marine biologist series. Great times, great series, great program and magazine!

[FireAlarmMan458]

I watched a National Geographic video today in school and it had this song in the intro of the video. I cant stop listening to it.

[gyuuk]

i love whenever we watch old vids in school and hear this

epic

[Neverpiefly]

It sounds like he ripped off Gustav Holst's "Jupiter" from The Planets.

[Aniwazoa]

Finally after all these years I get to hear the full theme in all it's entirety!

[bigtool66]

I liked the original theme better, and when Rod Serling was narrator.

[Novaessrussia]

Изумительный! ХаХа!

[kanenash]

If there is something I like about NatGeo is that they promote cientific and cultural enlightment without any real ideological intention, they just like to point fact, not say "we believe this or that"

[terrorofdeath93]

ringtone'd

[FrederickNetwork]

Where the graphics animation the earth with the circular logo on movment?

[DarthSnoopy96]

@FrederickNetwork

that's the NGS "Specials" intro montage you are thining of. They used it roughtly from 1989-2002 on the Specials (on-air), and on the VHS + DVD's. Towards the end of its use, they discontinued showing the narrator's name in the closing frame shot.

The couple people who narrated the most number of Specials(or Explorer episodes) for NGS were : Richard Kiley, Alexander Scourby, E.G. Marshall, and Peter Coyote.

Search "National Geographic Society - Logo"

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@DarthSnoopy96

I believe that intro was used as far back as 1985, when the series had first went into cable network syndication and on VHS.

[DarthSnoopy96]

@ClassicTVMan1981X

Perhaps you are quite right! Oddly enough, I cannot get a definitive answer on this from NGS itself. They seem to have lost their "institutional memory".

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@DarthSnoopy96

To see this intro, type this after the main YouTube URL: watch?v=utRNJSGgH_0

[FrederickNetwork]

The best theme song I've ever heard for a documentary broadcast!

[mstor536]

This is a fantastic song.

[thepayne0]

The coolest part is that the timpani is the loudest and liveliest thing in the song. I'll be able to play that one day

[zerosaiyaman]

Music like this gets your imagination running, which is the whole point of national geographic: to grab your attention and dazzle with the reality of the world beyond where we tread.

It's the sound adventure itself.

[mattleemattlee123]

Bernstein is so great. SO many times I've heard a piece of music and thought "that's so great, who wrote that?" It is usually Elmer. "Mockingbird" may be one of the most perfect pieces ever written, "Escape" was the essence of military music...on and on. And of course, this. Nothing could have had sounded more dignified or stirring than this theme.

Elmer Bernstein, Max Steiner, Dimitri Tiomkin, Bernard Hermann...in my opinion, the greatest composers of the 20th century.

[avatarnarutochuck]

@mattleemattlee123

You forgot Elmer's magnum opus Western "The Magnificent Seven". Nothing sounds more Western than that. Nothing.

[MrsBfromIndy]

Credit to Elmer Bernstein one of the greatest film score composers of our time.

[festermann]

best ever !!!

[T81PA]

When you heard this music, it stopped you in your tracks, so epic & uplifting

[jannusmervine]

@T81PA this song makes me stop, drop, and drool !! This theme has never left my head !!

[T81PA]

I agree, makes me think of some huge widley attended event of some kind, where there's like 70-100,000 people in attendence, and them blasting out the PA system :-)

[LeFouDeRoi13]

i miss the old theme, the new one just isn't like this

[StarwarsFanz]

what is the old theme called

[tipitospendejitos]

Mis respetos !!!

Creci con National Geograpphic y Doscovery ^^

desde peru con todo la gratitud del mundo..porque sin estos canales que seria de mi vida...a los peruanos les gustan los canales donde emiten estupideces aqui no !! arriba y gracias ciencia ^^

[thekoiponds]

love itttt

[dawidjoseph05]

Elmer Bernstein - the best film music compositor

[markmarkmark83]

Great theme, pitty they don't use it much these days

[ryoushii]

Back in the good old days, when every month or two, CBS would broadcast a two or three hour National Geographic Special back in the 60's and 70's. I really remmeber the ones with Jacque Cousteau and the first one with Jane Goodall

[SnowflakeVaan]

I feel like I'm about to learn something interesting! :)

[tfairgog]

YEESSSS I LOVE THIS SONG

[ssgkillsuall]

catchy

[kaiokken]

Give you that "Indiana Jones feel"... a feeling of exploration and adventure. A fitting score to a fitting Magazine.

[CrusaderJohnael]

Actually a Channel too. The greatest educational channel around. Way better than Discovery in every single way.

[maxpower978]

I used to love watching nat geo with my grandpa when I was little. But now that i'm in school and work I cant :'(

[patrickburnsmusic]

This newer version was superbly re-orchestrated by my friend, composer Chris Mangum. Great stuff!

[Necroman666]

EPIC! :)

[Synematic]

This is such a wonderful theme. Pity they don't use it on the National Geographic channel.

[ssgkillsuall]

ive heard parts of it on the channel i think

[GodOfSubliminal]

@Synematic Well, they may do if they show one of their feature educational films. I've seen National Geographic educational films in class before, and I think is is such a fitting theme for both their educational videos, and organization.

[GodKillerAtheist]

awesome !

[Gehan01]

Might just be a cold day, but I'm getting chills down my spine listening to this.

This music is perfect for the National Geographic society as it promotes a sense of adventure, wonder and amazement at the natural world.

[DaTaFiEnD7]

Yah your second comment i have to agree, and what got me thinking about this from the old days when i woke up and watched that show was i just watched an old tape of them and Alvin and the woods hole oceanographic institute. God i love this theme.

[double1967]

I always loved this magazine and the show.

My Dad subscribed to it. We had stacks and stacks in the garage. I would spend hours looking at them. The photography has always been outstanding. Thanks for uploading this beautiful piece of music.

[SkyboxMonster]

"I would spend hours looking at them."

your not the only one

[crownwhite]

I get chills down my spine when i hear this... The best composed orchestrated music ever. This brings me back to my childhood. National Geographic on PBS Channel 22 and 26... long live the 80's

[brownhornet71]

Yeah i get chills too. Almost makes you feel invincible.

[lolwut71]

@crownwhite my fav was the one abou the hudson's bay polar bears!

[madi2tay]

I grew up hearing this theme music and I love it.

[jason4852]

@madi2tay same i love this music because i listened to it when i was like 5-12, i just had to come here to listen to it reminds me of my childhood and all the shinaganins i got into lol