There’s probably a very good reason why these lyrics didn’t make the cut moving forward and it has a lot to do with the fact that Star Trek might have become even more of a science-fiction opera than it already did over the years. It’s kind of Robert Picardo to sing the lyrics to celebrate Gene Roddenberry’s birthday, but at the same time, it’s enough to be grateful that these lyrics didn’t get to move forward with the show since yes, Gene was obviously not a great lyricist. It’s interesting to think of how many Trekkies might have actually known about these lyrics and how many would have agreed that it was wise to keep them out, versus how many might have argued to possibly bring them back and include them in some way. It wouldn’t be the best idea in the world but it would also be intriguing to think that it could happen as an homage to the creator of the show and possibly as a way to see whether people might get into them in any way.
It’s kind of amazing what people will get into when such material is introduced, not to mention the fact that it’s also interesting to think about what might happen if some folks decide to take the initiative and push for it to be a part of the franchise moving forward. Let’s be honest and say that it won’t come to that, however, since the fact is that Star Trek has moved so far forward that trying to apply something like these lyrics and making them stick would take a monumental effort that likely wouldn’t amount to as much as people might want to think. It’s not being cynical or even dismissive of the lyrics, it’s simply the fact that at one time it was an idea that the creator had, and it was an idea that even the creator didn’t appear ready to put into the show since at this point it’s fair to say that a lot of fans knew nothing about the lyrics.
But listen to them again and determine if this is really something that can be seen or imagined as being something that might be enjoyed by the fans. It might be something that might show up for an episode or two, or more if those in charge deem it necessary, but otherwise, it’s something that kind of belongs in the past where the creator of the franchise left it. There’s no reason to be mean about it, but the lyrics sound like something that might be heard in a fantasy story, obviously with different wording. It’s with great respect that the lyrics have been kept around and held up as something that might be of great interest to those that go looking for obscure and outdated information, but listening to the lyrics again it’s still thankful that they weren’t used initially since they would have likely killed the vibe that Star Trek was given when it was still one of the budding shows that was trying to make its way forward on TV. Had the lyrics been added to the show at the time it was becoming popular, or even during the initial pilot, it feels as though it would have been nixed immediately simply to keep the show alive.
The one thing about anyone who creates something is that initially, what they think of as being awesome and awe-inspiring to many, might be a little too cheesy upon further inspection. Many people that have written a novel, a movie script, or anything that will eventually reach the masses, have gone through one rewrite after another in search of a way to get their ideas to work in a manner that people will love. The issue here is that fitting one’s ideas together in this manner can create or worsen a disconnect between one idea and another. Face it, the lyrics to the main theme and the actual show suffered a huge disconnect, and it’s one the creator either saw and admitted to or one that he had to be convinced of by someone else. Many creators don’t like hearing that their ideas won’t work as they are, but the smart ones will realize that if there is an issue then it needs to be solved before moving forward.
That’s why it feels likely that Roddenberry might have accepted that this wouldn’t work and simply dropped it before the idea could go forward. With all due respect to the man, since he did create one of the most popular ideas of all time when it came to TV, he was better off not creating lyrics for his show, especially since the whimsical nature of this felt more than a little silly. But at the very least, it was a nice clip to pay some respect to the man.homage to the creator
Follow Us
