Even if you ’ve never seen a single episode of " Star Trek , " you likely know the theme song . First comes William Shatner intoning , " Space , the final frontier , " followed by his monologue ( stake by triumphant French horn ) about the " Star Trek " mission to " explore strange new worlds … to boldly go where no man has gone before . " The Sung then segues into an orchestral system with an eery melody – is it a cleaning woman or some kind of flute ? – and back into the horn good time . The original serial publication air more than 40 years ago for only three seasons , but the theme song is a classic and still instantly recognizable .
The " Star Trek " theme is memorable despite the fact that besides the monologue , there are no words – and that ’s the waycomposerAlexander Courage intended it . But series Maker Gene Roddenberry did write lyric for the theme Sung , although he never had plans to put down them or use them on the show . Roddenberry ’s move infuriated Courage , who swore never to work on " Star Trek " again .
Here ’s what happened : Theme song - composing oeuvre generally does n’t pay very well – most contract are royalty - gruelling , which means that the volume of the money comes roll in per instalment . The more episodes that air , the more moneymaking the contract . Hopes seemingly were n’t very high for " Star Trek , " because theproducershad a tough time finding a composer . They finally hired Courage , who take a chance on the show , which had been melt for a few seasons and would possibly make it to syndication , where the big bucks are ( little did he cognise ! ) . The composer and the lyrist unremarkably split the royalties down the middle , but because there were no lyrics , the spoils would all go to Courage .
Roddenberry would n’t let the money go that easily , though . He and Courage had a handshake deal that allow for him to indite lyric poem for the musical theme song ( or so he claimed ; Courage always traverse it ) . So during the first time of year , Roddenberry wrote them , claim the lyricist title and set out to pull in half the royal family . Legal , but pretty shadowy . Courage never fall to work .
Soprano Loulie Jean Norman belong through a similar situation . Yes , that is a woman ’s vocalism you find out in the root song – but only in the first season . When the producer realized that Norman ’s Screen Actors Guild declaration entitled her to rerun fees , they removed her vocals from the vocal and filled them in with various instruments .
In case you ’re enquire , here are Roddenberry ’s elusive musical theme vocal words :
Beyond the brim of the star - igniter
My love life is wand’ring in star - flight
I know he ’ll find in star - bundle compass
Love , strange lovemaking a sensation woman teaches .
I know his journey ends never
His superstar trek will go on forever .
But tell him
While he stray his starry sea
Remember , call back me .
