by Pete Vilmur Star Wars is a lot of things: "space opera," post-modern fairytale, the nickname of a satellite-based defense system. But it's also an undeniable product of the 1970s--or its original incarnation is at any rate. Yep, the original Star Wars ranks right up there with disco, Charlie's Angels, customized vans and velvet paintings, as one of the pop-cultural landmarks of that infamously-tacky decade.
		I guess that's why I like this 8-track section that Pete Vilmur's put together. It helps remind us of just what Star Wars was, of where it came from and, ultimately, how far it's come. Sure, many of us like to say that Star Wars "changed my life," and most of us attach to the film a nostalgic significance of a type usually reserved for first kisses. But there is an aspect of Star Wars--a specter if you will--that still lurks back there in 1977; a certain something that's since become lost because...well, because we left it there. Just like the 8-track. Looking at this stuff also allows one to get an idea of the incredible variety of musical recordings that were cooked up to capitalize on Star Wars mania. Spaced Out Disco? Galactic Funk? Of course, such compilations weren't limited to the 8-track format--but they should have been. Anyway, enjoy. And be sure to check out Pete's pendant article outlining the history of Star Wars on 8-track.

Article on Collecting Star Wars 8-tracks

Title	Artist	Label and Year	Description	Thumbnail
Star Wars 8-Tracks
Star Wars Soundtrack	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	20th Century Fox, 1977	white cartridge, black label
Star Wars Soundtrack	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	20th Century Fox, 1977	black cartridge, black label
Star Wars Soundtrack	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	20th Century Fox, 1977	blue cartridge, white label
Star Wars Soundtrack	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	20th Century Fox, 1977	gray cartridge, black label
Star Wars Soundtrack	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	20th Century Fox, 1977	white cartridge, pink label
Star Wars Soundtrack	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	GRT, 1977	Canadian Release
The Story of Star Wars	N/A	20th Century Fox, 1977	blue cartridge, black label
The Story of Star Wars	N/A	20th Century Fox, 1977	dark gray cartridge, borderless label
Music from Star Wars	The Electric Moog Orchestra	Musicor Records, 1977	early release; black cartridge
Music from Star Wars	The Electric Moog Orchestra	Musicor Records, 1977	second release; blue cartridge
Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk	Meco	Millennium Record Company, 1977	black cartridge
Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk	Meco	Quality Records Limited, 1977	white cartridge; Canadian release
Patrick Gleeson's Star Wars: Selections from the film performed on the world's most advanced synthesizer	Patrick Gleeson	Phonogram Inc., 1977	black cartridge
Music from the sci-fi film composed by John Williams for Star Wars; also: A Stereo Space Odyssey, including the theme from 2001	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	Danil Records, 1977	black cartridge
Music from the sci-fi film composed by John Williams for Star Wars; also: A Stereo Space Odyssey, including the theme from 2001	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	Ahed Products, 1977	black cartridge; Canadian Release
Music from Other Galaxies and Planets	Don Ellis and Survival	Atlantic Recording Corp., 1977	black cartridge
Spaced Out Disco: Featuring Disco Themes from Star Wars, 2001, Star Trek and Close Encounters of the Third Kind	The Galactic Force Band	Springboard International, 1978	black cartridge
Zubin Mehta Conducts Themes from Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind	Zubin Mehta/the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra	London Records, 1978	white cartridge
Star Wars	Ferrante and Teicher	United Artists Music, 1978	black cartridge
The Original Soundtrack from the Film The Empire Strikes Back	John Williams/The London Symphony Orchestra	RSO Records, 1980	black cartridge
Music from The Empire Strikes Back	Boris Midney	RSO Records, 1980	white cartridge
Star Wars, Return of the Jedi, Music from John Williams' Score	Charles Gerhardt	RCA Records, 1983	white cartridge
The Star Wars Trilogy	Varijan Kojian	Varese Sarabande, 1983	black cartridge

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Ron Salvatore (salfamily@aol.com)