Legend Unicorn Theme

Fabulous Tangerine Dream song from Ridley Scott's fantasy

Legend is one of my favourite Tom Cruise films, and definitely one of my favourite fantasy films. Somehow, I never even heard about it when it was released in 85 in the cinemas and instead discovered it on a video where I had accidentally taped it one night after an episode of Prisoner Cell Block H or something.

What a magical film! Tom Cruise looks about 17 and plays the part of the woodland-boy-turned-hero brilliantly. The plot is a classic tale of light against dark, good versus evil, and in this case the evil in question is an enormous hoof-footed, black-horned, red-skinned demon played by Tim Curry. Seriously, this is one of the most convincing fantasy bad-guys ever seen and makes Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter look like something from Willow-The-Wisp!

If you havent seen it then I urge you to track down a copy on DVD (it's in the Retrobabble Picks section of the RETROSHOP). A word of warning though - THERE ARE TWO VERSIONS WITH VERY DIFFERENT SOUNDTRACKS. The original theatrical release from 1985 contains music by German electro-pop outfit, Tangerine Dream and features the stunning track featured in the video above. The second version is the Director's Cut (Ridley Scott no less!) and features the original and sadly inferior soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith.

This is a real shame as the Director's Cut is otherwise fantastic, with some great scenes that were cut from the theatrical version. If they had just kept the soundtrack...

Anyway you can find both versions out there but having watched both I would have to say, go with the original. It's not like the film was lacking without the extra scenes and the original score sends shivers down my back every time.

If you want to read the full story behind the soundtrack change this is documented in full details here

If your a big soppy unicorn fan like me you can also get all teary again by listening to the extended rare version of the Unicorn Theme below, or the sung version by Susanne Pawlitzki further below.

Lyrics:

I dreamed a dream! what can it mean?
I dreamed that I was a maiden Queen:
Guarded by an Angel Mild;
Witless woe was never beguiled!

And I wept both night and day
And he wiped my tears away
I was so sad in a while he wiped my tears away
came to me night and day
I kept on crying
And hid from him my hearts delight

So he took his wings and fled:
Then the morn blush'd rosy red:
I dried my tears I armed my fears,
With ten thousand shields and spears.

And soon my Angel came again:
I was armed, he came in vain:
For the time of youth was fled
And grey hairs were on my head.

Soon my Angel came again:
I was armed, he came in vain:
For the time of youth was fled
And I found grey hair was on my head.