Hans Zimmer’s legendary score in Pirates of the Caribbean is among the best in Hollywood, and the composer has explained some of the details that went into the themes. The documentary Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel dives into Zimmer’s career, exploring his creative process and legacy in the world of movie-making. The man is responsible for several iconic movie scores, like The Lion King (1994), Gladiator (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Dune (2021), and much, much more, but Pirates of the Caribbean continues to be among his most memorable.
Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel explained that Zimmer nearly turned down the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, noting that the composer didn’t think a movie about pirates would be anything special. It wasn’t until filming was complete and the first few edits put together that he finally agreed to get on board, and at that point, he only had three weeks to complete the score. Though this should have been a challenge, Zimmer managed to write the major themes of Pirates of the Caribbean in one night, all thanks to the details and inspirations that pulled these songs together.
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Jack’s “Drunken Waltz” Reflects His Unsteady Way Of Walking On Land
The Rhythm Of The Pirates Of The Caribbean Song, “Jack Sparrow,” Immitates The Character’s Movements
Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Jack Sparrow’s character served as a significant inspiration for Zimmer’s score for Pirates of the Caribbean. It was only after seeing edits of the actor on screen that he agreed to take on the project, to begin with, and the mannerisms of the iconic pirate inspired the rise and fall of the various themes. Depp made Jack Sparrow a highly quirky character, moving in such a way that gave the impression of being perpetually intoxicated. For this reason, Zimmer calls Jack Sparrow’s Pirates of the Caribbean theme a “drunken waltz.”
The theme for Depp’s character in Pirates of the Caribbean is simply called “Jack Sparrow,” and it is technically a waltz in that it is in three-quarter time. However, rather than strictly following that one-two-three beat, Zimmer’s “drunken waltz” melody plays out irregularly around that traditional rhythm. Additionally, periodic slides between notes occur inconsistently throughout the piece, giving the impression of slurred speech. Even without seeing Depp’s wobbly canter across the screen, Zimmer’s “Jack Sparrow” clearly brings the character’s unique movements to mind.
The Start Of Jack’s Pirates Of The Caribbean Theme Conveys His Confidence
Hans Zimmer Starts “Jack Sparrow” With Trios Of Upward Climbing Notes
The meter and rhythm of Jack Sparrow’s Pirates of the Caribbean theme aren’t the only aspects that act as descriptors for the character. Zimmer explains in Hollywood Rebel how the notes themselves are meant to tell the character’s story. From the moment that Jack is seen on screen in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, it’s clear that he possesses an outrageous amount of confidence. Of course, this is somewhat earned. Whatever Jack Sparrow decides to do turns out alright, whether due to his cleverness or just a very high dose of luck.
Zimmer wanted to convey this in the “Jack Sparrow” theme. So, after the drunken waltz intro, the composer included a series of upward-moving notes. These three notes are the same as in the “He’s a Pirate” song, which is the central theme of Pirates of the Caribbean. Zimmer described these notes as “positive” and almost “innocent,” conveying Jack Sparrow’s child-like confidence. The composer wanted the song to reflect Jack’s attitude of “I can go and do anything.” Of course, the positivity of these notes also makes audiences want to trust Jack, but Zimmer adds a bit of warning to his theme as well.
Hans Zimmer Added The “Devil’s Fifth” To Convey Jack’s Mischievousness
“Jack Sparrow” Contains Several Disonant Chords To Hint At His “Naughty” Nature
Zimmer frequently uses listeners’ unconscious expectations against them in his songs, and it’s especially effective in Pirates of the Caribbean. In the “Jack Sparrow” theme, the initial progression of notes was fairly predictable and straightforward, creating a safe listening foundation that allowed audiences to build trust with the character. However, as is evident in Pirates of the Caribbean, it wasn’t always clear whose side Jack was really on. He frequently got those around him into trouble with seemingly no care—he was a mischievous troublemaker.
This quality is conveyed in Zimmer’s composition as well. After establishing that first collection of notes, Zimmer threw in another trio that ended in a chord that didn’t quite fit. As he dived into his song and reasoning, Zimmer played this chord and pointed out that it was “wrong,” stating, “It’s still benign, but it’s definitely the wrong chord.” This is meant to hint at Jack’s mischievousness, but the next few notes quickly return the listener to comfort and optimism. However, from there, Zimmer added a “devil’s fifth” into a minor chord, noting that this leaves the final impression that Jack is “definitely naughty.”
A devil’s fifth is a musical interval or chord containing a dissonant note that results in an unnerving and somewhat creepy sound.
The Key Changes For A Moment In Jack Sparrow’s Pirates Of The Caribbean Theme For His Unpredictability
Hans Zimmer Used Key Changes In Unexpected Ways To Reflect Jack’s Character
Jack’s theme continues to switch back and forth between what Zimmer describes as the “optimistic” or “naughty” parts, but there is more to the character’s identity in Pirates of the Caribbean than just this. Though the pirate likes to pretend that he is all confidence and betrayal, a good heart is hidden within. It’s seen time and time again throughout the franchise that Jack Sparrow values human life and freedom and will sometimes even take part in selfless acts that surprise everyone. This, too, is reflected in the theme composed by Zimmer.
The composer explained in Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel that he changed the key of the song “Jack Sparrow” right in the middle of a phrase, but only for a moment. Key changes are common and powerful tools in music composition, but they typically take place in the final third of a song as a sort of ending climax. To change the key in the middle of a phrase is like changing the topic in the middle of a sentence. Zimmer explained that he resolved this quickly, returning the song to the original key by transitioning to a classical chord. This unconventional yet likable phrase perfectly defines Jack’s character.
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The Rhythms Of The Pirates Of The Caribbean Score Reflect The Rocking Of A Boat
The Entire Score Of Pirates Of The Caribbean Repeats The Rocking Theme Of “Jack Sparrow”
Zimmer explained that this cycle between optimism, naughtiness, and unpredictability continues again and again in his 2003 Pirates of the Caribbean score. Though the main theme, “He’s a Pirate,” leaves out the bumpy waltz of “Jack Sparrow,” it repeats those same phrases and series of notes, though in a faster and more dramatic way. This repeated rise and fall throughout the movie creates the overall feel of a boat swaying in the water.
The man himself says in Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel, “It’s not clever. It’s just fun,” demonstrating how Zimmer’s own pure joy in his work allows his compositions to leave such an impact.
In this way, the Pirates of the Caribbean movie score meshes perfectly with the story and characters. This is the goal of any Hollywood composer, and Zimmer has proven time and time again that he is an expert. However, the man himself says in Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel, “It’s not clever. It’s just fun,” demonstrating how Zimmer’s own pure joy in his work allows his compositions to leave such an impact.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
The Curse of the Black Pearl is the film that kickstarted the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, a series of supernatural swashbuckling adventures. In 1720, blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate “Captain” Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor’s daughter Elizabeth Swann, from Jack’s former pirate allies, who are now undead.
- Director
- Gore Verbinski
- Release Date
- July 9, 2003
- Studio(s)
- Jerry Bruckheimer Films , Disney
- Distributor(s)
- Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
- Writers
- Ted Elliott , Terry Rossio , Stuart Beattie , Jay Wolpert
- Runtime
- 143 Minutes
- Franchise(s)
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Budget
- $140 Million
- Main Genre
- Adventure