Wonder Woman

One of the greatest things to come out of the 2017 big-screen revival of Wonder Woman was the fond remembrance of the previous live-action iteration which, while perhaps cheesy in its own distinctly 1970s way, might just still be my favorite screen iteration of the character. (The fact that Lynda Carter turns up in the 2020 sequel, WW84, would seem to be validation that she has a well-earned permanent foothold in pop culture. She’s also a magnificent Twitter follow.) My attachment to the ’70s Wonder Woman series may be one of cozy nostalgia rather than any kind of referendum on which version is superior, or more “on message” with the character as seen in the comics, and needless to say, this is the long, long overdue soundtrack.

The generous running time across three discs affords the opportunity to sample TV Wonder Woman’s musical “voice” across all three of its seasons on the air. The first disc draws from what are effectively the two starting points for the series: the premiere movie that led to the first season with its WWII-era setting, and the introductory movie that brought the second season, and the remainder of the series, up to date for 1977 audiences. Both seasons’ theme tunes, complete with sung lyrics, are included, and yeah, those lyrics that – of all of the character’s qualities to mention – chose to draw attention to satin tights…they’re definitely proof that the television series was still hip-deep in the sexism of its decade. The fact that, somewhere between the scripts and the staging and the costuming and Carter’s performance, even an iota of anything that might empower women managed to get through seems almost more coincidental than intentional sometimes. But that’s the show. The music is bold, brassy, and dances on the a knife’s edge between jazzy and in-your-face ’70s disco. (And here’s a thing I’ve come to embrace as I get older: that’s not a bad thing if it’s orchestrated well.)

The second disc opens with an instrumental version of that theme tune, which may be proof that the show’s makers realized that the lyrics, even in a revised form for the second season’s more modern setting, were perhaps a bit self-defeating to the point of the series. Most of the second season selections are by composer Artie Kane, who also scored the re-piloting second season premiere on disc one; Robert Prince (whose work I also remember from The Fantastic Journey – hey, can someone track that down and release it?) provides another selection. Prince is also featured on the third disc, which – you guessed it – highlights selections from the third and final season of the show; my favorite of Prince’s scores may be from the third season episode Spaced Out, which featured not only Rene Auberjonois as its main guest star and a kooky, somewhat stereotypical Star Trek-style sci-fi convention as its backdrop, but also featured the Blaster Beam, over half a year before the first scoring sessions for Star Trek: The Motion Picture – and just two days before the Beam featured heavily in the music for an episode of The Bionic Woman.

Future Buck Rogers composer Johnny Harris brings his orchestral-going-on-disco stylings to the third season, but one of the biggest surprises is the reminder that Wonder Woman did actually stay on-message enough to feature the work of UK-born composer Angela Morley for three episodes, one of which is featured here. Perhaps best known for scoring Watership Down, Morley also scored several movies, and – after moving her career from across the Atlantic – numerous American prime-time soaps such as Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest, and Hotel, all at a time when it was nigh-impossible to find women in the composing credits in prime time.

Ah, finally, it would be tempting to think, someone got the point. But if that’s the case, why is Morley the only woman to have scored any live action Wonder Woman project?

Perhaps this delightful sampling of music from the ’70s series isn’t as behind the times as some of the more disco-ready arrangements would have you think.

Disc 1
The New, Original Wonder Woman – music by Charles Fox
1. The Wonder Woman (Season 1 Main Title)* (1:42)
2. Newsreel (:52)
3. German Headquarters / Carrier Pigeons / I Will Not Fail (1:24)
4. Up to Me (1:22)
5. It Could Be Anyone / Good Luck and a Good Plane (1:31)
6. Paradise Island (1:02)
7. It’s a Man (0:34)
8. Steve Trevor Dies in Plane Crash / Diana Returns to Steve’s Hospital Room / The Harp (1:48)
9. Tournament (2:41)
10. Bullets and Bracelets / Second Contestant (0:58)
11. I Love My Mother (1:06)
12. Invisible Screen / Personal Nurse (2:30)
13. He’s Alive / Starburst I / No Money–No Dress (1:57)
14. Starburst II / You’re Dreaming / Playon (1:15)
15. May I Shake Your Hand? (0:39)
16. I Tried to Stop Him / We Must Have a Bad Connection / Starburst III / Can You Go Faster? (1:16)
17. Pirouette / Opening the Safe (1:03)
18. Fight (1:49)
19. They Will Pay With Their Lives (1:40)
20. Wonder Woman / Crash / Fight (0:56)
21. Keep Walking Out of My Life / Diana Prince / We Will Get Along Fine (2:07)

    The Return of Wonder Woman – music by Artie Kane

22. The Wonder Woman (Season 2 Vocal Main Title) (1:44)
23. Steve’s Plane / Dr. Solano / Landing at Paradise Island (3:40)
24. Welcome to Pax / Is That You, Steve? / Never, Never (2:44)
25. Bullets and Bracelets Contest / Acceptance (2:08)
26. Thank You, Doctor / New Spin / Wait and Worry (1:01)
27. Diana as Pilot / Argentina Airport (2:55)
28. Nasty Solano (1:19)
29. Capitol Building / Computer / Got Her (1:10)
30. Diana, Meet Gloria (3:58)
31. To the Base (3:13)
32. Getting to Know You / She’s Dangerous (0:26)
33. F.D.R. and W.W. / Solano and Robot / Gloria Is Not a Him (1:55)
34. Double Steve (1:38)
35. Phony Steve / Night Flight (1:00)
36. No Scar (1:30)
37. Saved Again (1:00)
38. Duel It (1:28)
39. Eggshell One Out / Count on It (0:45)
40. The Wonder Woman (Season 2 End Title) (0:43)
41. He’s Alive (no Starburst) (1:40)
42. Starburst II (episode combo) (0:15)
43. Presenting Wonder Woman / On With the Show (2:06)
44. You Are Too Beautiful (1:32)
45. Society (3:18)
46. Hypnotic Stuff (1:04)
47. The Wonder Woman (Season 1 Doubled-Vocal Main Title) (1:42)

Disc 2
1. The Wonder Woman (Season 2 Synthesizer Main Title) (1:05)

   Anschluss ‘77 – music by Artie Kane

2. Cover Story / To the Monitor (1:14)
3. Welcome Committee (1:20)
4. Nobody Home (1:29)
5. Lizard Lost (1:37)
6. Blow Up Diana (2:25)
7. Drop in Nazi Camp (1:48)
8. Two Good Legs (1:06)
9. Der Empty Suit (1:27)
10. Security Leak (2:09)
11. Dr. Stern / Peasant Under Glass (1:55)
12. IADC / Count on It (0:23)

    The Bermuda Triangle Crisis – music by Artie Kane

13. Good Morning (0:54)
14. Ruby Red / All Clear in End / Manta’s Headquarters (2:49)
15. Losing Control (1:38)
16. Dangling Chutes (2:09)
17. Lion’s Den / Munitions (2:09)
18. Follow That Jeep (1:28)
19. Stingray / Aqua-Woman (3:50)
20. Row, Row, Row / Under the Waves (2:21)
21. After You / Find a Way (2:14)

    Knockout – music by Artie Kane

22. Diana’s Place (1:13)
23. Airport Cab / L.A. Your Home? / Car Following Us (2:57)
24. Carolyn’s Apartment / Sleep Tight (0:34)
25. Wonder Woman Meets Angel (1:32)
26. Cheeseburgers / Fell in Love / Steve Is Gone (2:46)
27. Ted Speaks (2:34)
28. Wonder Woman and the Radicals / Sign the Voucher (3:01)

    The Deadly Toys – music by Robert Prince

29. Aerielle / XYZ Nightmare (2:06)
30. Aerielle 2 / A Plastic Man (2:39)
31. Safe House / A Plane Affair (2:06)
32. Diana Doll / Butterfly Waltz (1:37)
33. Breaking Out (2:10)
34. Season Two Bumper #1 (0:08)

    I Do, I Do – music by Artie Kane

35. Golden Gate / Recess (2:06)
36. Car Trunk (3:21)
37. Hacienda Health Spa / Play for Ploy (0:34)
38. Magic Button / Special Steam (1:30)
39. Dolly’s Demand / Saddle Satan (2:01)
40. Golf Talk / Runaway Cart (1:40)
41. Wonder Woman Stops Cart / Dolly’s Ride / The End (2:10)
42. Season Two Bumper #2 (0:08)

Disc 3
1. The Wonder Woman (Season 3 Main Title) (1:06)

   Deadly Sting – music by Johnny Harris

2. Diana Meets Bill / Mr. Beamer Bows Out (0:55)
3. Goodbye Louis (2:03)
4. The Big Fight (1:17)
5. Bill Freaks Out (2:12)
6. Peeping at Brubaker (1:21)
7. The End of Cap / The Last Mosquito Bite (3:08)

   Hot Wheels – music by Robert O. Ragland

8. The Crane (2:40)
9. Dock Meet (1:14)
10. Better Merchandise (1:26)
11. Roof Fight (0:50)
12. Somebody Help / Discovering Diana’s Dilemma (1:34)
13. Secret Garage (1:08)
14. Weirdo (2:25)
15. Horse Collars / The Best (1:48)
16. Season Three Bumper (0:08)

    Skateboard Wiz – music by Johnny Harris

17. Goodbye Car / Hot Spot (1:24)
18. Diana Takes a Dip / Mr. Ketchum Has a Visitor (1:34)
19. The Missing Pinball (0:29)
20. Skateboard Chase (1:57)

    Going, Going, Gone – music by Angela Morley

21. Flying Saucer (4:18)
22. Karate Fight (2:06)
23. Zukov’s Gun (0:54)
24. In the Warehouse / This Is Not Mrs. Fox (4:29)
25. Diana Is Fired / Sharpshooter (6:15)

    Spaced Out – music by Robert Prince

26. Lots of Night Music (3:57)
27. Jogging Down (0:51)
28. Remember Sly (1:21)
29. Catching Plants (0:49)
30. Nauseation Alley / A Bit Phazed (1:35)
31. The Last Spin (0:38)
32. Wonder Womanish / Goin’ Out Good (3:21)

    The Man Who Could Not Die – music by Richard LaSalle

33. California Beach (1:44)
34. The Chimp / Chimp Chase (1:39)
35. Man Who Couldn’t Die / Bryce Recovers / T. Burton Phipps III (2:57)
36. The Burning Room (1:26)
37. Thru the Plate Glass Window (1:09)
38. Dog Attack (2:49)
39. Reichman Throws the Bomb (1:08)
40. All Together (1:54)
41. The Wonder Woman (Season 3 End Title) (0:43)

Released by: La-La Land Records
Release date: May 12, 2017
Disc one total running time: 77:46
Disc two total running time: 77:53
Disc three total running time: 78:11