Theme of Exodus
| "Theme of Exodus" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Ernest Gold | |
| from the album Exodus | |
| B-side | "Summer In Cyprus" |
| Released | 1960 |
| Genre | Epic, film score |
| Length | 2:45 |
| Label | RCA Victor |
| Songwriter | Ernest Gold |
| Producer | Ernest Gold |
| "Theme of Exodus" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Ferrante & Teicher | ||||
| from the album Golden Piano Hits | ||||
| B-side | "Twilight" | |||
| Released | October 1960 | |||
| Genre | Easy listening, film score | |||
| Length | 2:54 | |||
| Label | United Artists | |||
| Songwriter | Ernest Gold | |||
| Producer | Don Costa | |||
| Ferrante & Teicher singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Theme of Exodus", also known as "This land is mine" through its chorus, is a song composed and performed by Ernest Gold. It serves as the main theme song to Otto Preminger's epic film Exodus, based on the 1958 novel of the same name by Leon Uris, which tells the story of founding of the modern State of Israel.[1][2]
The song was released on the soundtrack album for the picture. All music was written by Gold, who won both Best Soundtrack Album and Song of the Year at the 1961 Grammy Awards for the soundtrack and theme to Exodus respectively.[3] It is the only instrumental song to ever receive that award.[citation needed]
Following its initial film appearance, the theme has been recorded by many artists in both instrumental and vocal versions, and has also appeared in a number of subsequent films and television programs. The best-known cover version of the theme is an instrumental version.[citation needed] This version was accompanied by the Sinfonia of London orchestra.[citation needed] Bob Marley incorporated portions of the theme into his song "Exodus".[4]
An instrumental version of the song by Ferrante & Teicher made No. 3 in Canada in December 1960,[5][6][7] No. 1 on the Cashbox Top 100 and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1961,[8] No. 6 in the UK in April 1961[9] and No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report charts also in April 1961.[10] It reached No. 1 in New Zealand.[11]
A jazz version by Eddie Harris hit the pop and R&B charts in 1961.
Swedish pop band the Hounds released a cover of "Theme of Exodus", retitled "Exodus".[12] Initially released by record label Gazell on 14 July 1966 with "Sloop John B" as the B-side, it was re-issued on 6 October 1966 with "A Car, A Boat, A House, A Girl Like You" on the B-side.[13] Their rendition reached No. 3 on Tio i Topp and No. 11 on Kvällstoppen in Sweden,[14][15] becoming their first major hit single.[12]
References
- ^ Hill, Andy (2017-07-01). Scoring the Screen: The Secret Language of Film Music. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-5400-0481-9.
- ^ Shaw, Tony; Goodman, Giora (2022-03-08). Hollywood and Israel: A History. Columbia University Press. pp. 88–89, 108. ISBN 978-0-231-54492-4.
- ^ Franks, Don (2014-12-03). Entertainment Awards: A Music, Cinema, Theatre and Broadcasting Guide, 1928 through 2003, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-4766-0806-8.
- ^ Friedwald, Will (2017-11-07). The Great Jazz and Pop Vocal Albums. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 9781101871751.
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - December 12, 1960".
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - December 19, 1960".
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - January 2, 1961".
- ^ "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits".
- ^ "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits".
- ^ "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits".
- ^ NZ Lever Hit Parade, 25 May 1961
- ^ a b Eder, Bruce. "The Hounds Biography by Bruce Eder". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- ^ "The Hounds - Exodus (song)". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 20 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- ^ Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (2012). Tio i Topp - med de utslagna "på försök" 1961–74 [Tio I Topp With The Eliminated On Try 1961–1974] (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Stockholm: Premium. p. 181. ISBN 978-91-89136-89-2.
- ^ Hallberg, Eric (1993). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P3 [Eric Hallberg Presents Kvällstoppen on P3] (in Swedish) (1st ed.). Stockholm: Drift. p. 176. ISBN 9-789-16-302-14-04.