The X-Files (composition)

"The X-Files"
Single by Mark Snow
from the album The Truth and the Light: Music from the X-Files
B-side "Various remixes"
Released 24 March 1996 (1996-03-24) (UK)
Format CD maxi, Cassette Tape
Genre Downtempo, dark ambient
Length 3:25
Label Warner Music
WEA International
Songwriter(s) Mark Snow
Producer(s) Mark Snow

"The X-Files" is a 1996 instrumental recorded by American film and television composer Mark Snow. It is a remixed version of the original theme Snow composed for the science fiction television series The X-Files in 1993. Released in March 1996 in most countries, it achieved a huge success, particularly in France where it reached number-one on the singles chart.

The composition has since been covered by DJ Dado and Mike Oldfield among others. The song was also used as background music for a sketch in the 1998 Alvin and the Chipmunks album The A-Files: Alien Songs where Alvin portrayed "Agent Moldy" and Brittany portrayed "Agent Scuzzy."

Mark Snow version

Song information

"The X-Files" typically used more instrumental music than most hour-long dramas. According to the "Behind the Truth" segment on the Season 1 DVD, Mark Snow created the echo effect on his famous X-Files theme song by accident. Snow said that he had gone through several revisions, but Chris Carter felt that something was not quite right. Carter walked out of the room and Snow put his hand and forearm on his keyboard in frustration. Snow said, "this sound was in the keyboard. And that was it."

Chart performances

The single went straight to #2 on March 30, 1996, on the UK Singles Chart and stayed there for three weeks, then kept on dropping.[1] In France, the single entered the chart at #42 on April 6, 1996, climbed quickly until reaching #2 four weeks later. It remained blocked for five weeks at this position, behind Robert Miles's hit "Children", then topped the chart for a sole week, becoming the second instrumental number-one hit, before climbing. It totaled 12 weeks in the top ten and 30 weeks in the top 50. The single was re-charted from October 1998, but remained in low positions. It is the 754th best-selling single of all time in France.[2] As a result, a remix CD single was released, but is much more uncommon.

Track listings

Credits

Certifications and sales

Country Certification Date Sales certified Physical sales
France[3] Gold 1996 250,000 425,000[4]
UK[5] Silver April 1, 1996 200,000

Charts

Preceded by
"Children" by Robert Miles		 French SNEP number-one single
June 8, 1996 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Macarena"
by Los Del Rio

DJ Dado version

"X-Files"
Single by DJ Dado
from the album The Album
B-side "Various Remixes"
Released 19 March 1996
Format CD single, CD maxi
12" maxi
Genre Dream trance
Length 3:57
Label ZYX, Subway
Songwriter(s) Mark Snow
Producer(s) DJ Dado, Robert Gallo Salsotto
DJ Dado singles chronology
"Face It"
(1995)		 "X-Files"
(1996)		 "Metropolis - The Legend of Babel"
(1996)

"Face It"
(1995)		 "X-Files"
(1996)		 "Metropolis - The Legend of Babel"
(1996)

At the same time, Italian producer DJ Dado covered the song with a dream trance version, which became a top ten hit in many countries, including number-one in Denmark, though it failed to reach the top 10 in France and Germany.

In the US, this version was featured on the Pure Moods compilation album 1997 re-release.

Track listings

CD single
  1. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:38
  2. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream activity mix) – 8:40
CD maxi
  1. "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57
  2. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42
  3. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44
CD maxi
  1. "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57
  2. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:41
  3. "X-Files" (Tom Wilson Dyme mix) – 6:38
  4. "X-Files" (dV8 deviant mix) – 6:29
  5. "X-Files" (freak bros area 51 mix) – 6:53
  6. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44
12" maxi
  1. "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42
  2. "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44
CD maxi – Remixes
  1. "X-Files" (2 Cowboys remix) – 5:07
  2. "X-Files" (Reygroove remix) – 5:02
  3. "X-Files" (Valez & L. Antolini remix) – 6:25
  4. "X-Files" (Alex Voghi remix) – 6:25
  5. "X-Files" (Miki B. remix – flute experience part I) – 8:38
  6. "X-Files" (Moroldo & Mensi mix) – 4:35
  7. "X-Files" (Hornbostel & M. Marvin remix) – 5:18
  8. "X-Files" (Fabio Locati remix) – 6:18

Charts

Triple X version

The song was also covered by Triple X. This version was less successful than the other two, but reached number two in Australia.

Charts

The X-Files movie single and Mike Oldfield version

"The X-Files Theme"
Single by Various Artists
from the album The X-Files: The Album
A-side "Tubular X"
B-side "The X-Files Theme"
"The Source of Secrets"
Released 8 June 1998 (Japan)
Format CD
Genre Pop
Length 3:53
Label Twentieth-Century Fox
Songwriter(s) Mark Snow
Mike Oldfield
Producer(s) Mike Oldfield, and others
Mike Oldfield singles chronology
"Women of Ireland"
(1997) Women of Ireland1997		 "The X-Files Theme"
(1998) The X-Files Theme1998		 "Man in the Rain"
(1998) Man in the Rain1998

"The X-Files Theme" was released as a Japan only EP in 1998[39] from the soundtrack album The X-Files: The Album for The X-Files movie.

The maxi-CD includes four remixes of Mark Snow's theme to the television series, The X-Files. Notably "Tubular X" is part Snow's theme and consists of parts of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. Another track from Oldfield also appears, "The Source of Secrets", the opening piece from his Tubular Bells III album, which also based upon the same theme from the original Tubular Bells.

Track listing

  1. "Tubular X" - Mike Oldfield – 3:53
  2. "The X-Files Theme" - The Dust Brothers – 3:27
  3. "The X-Files Theme" - Satoshi Tomiie Radio Edit – 4:17
  4. "The X-Files Theme" - R.H. Factor Pop Radio Edit – 3:37
  5. "The Source of Secrets" - Mike Oldfield – 5:33

References

  1. 1 2 ""The X-Files", UK Singles Chart". Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  2. ↑ "Best-sellings singles of all time in France". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  3. ↑ "French certifications". Disqueenfrance.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  4. ↑ "Mark Snow's certifications and sales in France See: "Les Ventes" => "Toutes les certifications depuis 1973" => "SNOW M."". Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  5. ↑ "UK certifications". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  6. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  7. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mark Snow – The X-Files" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  8. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mark Snow – The X-Files" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  9. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – {{{artist}}} – {{{song}}}". Tracklisten.
  10. ↑ "Mark Snow: The X-Files" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  11. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files" (in French). Les classement single.
  12. ↑ "Musicline.de – Mark Snow Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  13. 1 2 "Irish Single Chart". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  14. 1 2 "Archive Chart: 1996-03-31". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  15. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files". Singles Top 100.
  16. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Mark Snow – The X-Files". Swiss Singles Chart.
  17. ↑ "Billboard". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  18. 1 2 "1996 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart". Ultratop.be. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  19. 1 2 "1996 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart". Ultratop.be. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  20. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  21. ↑ "Ultratop.be – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  22. ↑ "Ultratop.be – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  23. ↑ Billboard, May 25, 1996: Page 67
  24. ↑ "DJ Dado: X-Files" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  25. ↑ "Lescharts.com – DJ Dado – X-Files" (in French). Les classement single.
  26. ↑ "Musicline.de – DJ Dado Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  27. ↑ Italy: Top Singles of 1996
  28. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – DJ Dado – X-Files". Singles Top 100.
  29. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – DJ Dado – X-Files". Swiss Singles Chart.
  30. ↑ ""X-Files", by DJ Dado, UK Singles Chart". Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  31. ↑ "1996 Austrian Singles Chart". Austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  32. ↑ "1996 Swiss Singles Chart". Hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  33. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  35. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)" (in French). Les classement single.
  36. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)". Top 40 Singles.
  37. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Triple X – X-Files' Theme (Version Dance)". Singles Top 100.
  38. ↑ "1996 Australian Singles Chart". aria.com. Archived from the original on November 24, 2010. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  39. ↑ "Tubular X" (in German). Hibernaculum.de. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
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