Welcome to your guide for Robotech music by episode.

Each blog entry lists all the music featured in a specific episode, in the order that it appeared.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

44. The Trap Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 44: "The Trap." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: I was expecting to hear some of "The Cosmic Harp" for the first time, and wasn't disappointed. What I didn't expect was to hear "The Hive" already, a piece usually associated with the Invid... and to have it also be used as Cosmic Harp music!

Robotech Theme
Alien Attack
The 15th Squadron
The Point of No Return
Boobytrap/Shocked (e2)
The Point of No Return
Intrigue
The Hive
The Robotech Masters
The Hive
Musica's Theme 
The Cosmic Harp (a)
Zentraedi Theme
Eyecatch
Khyron's Theme
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Khyron's Theme
Red Alert
Confrontation
The Point of No Return
The 15th Squadron
Intruder
Intrigue
The 15th Squadron
The Point of No Return
Catastrophe
The Point of No Return
Catastrophe
Musica's Theme
Khyron's Theme
The 15th Squadron
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

43. Prelude to Battle Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 43: "Prelude to Battle." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Lots of talk about Bowie playing the piano in the episode, yet we never actually see or hear him play.

Robotech Theme
The Point of No Return
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Alien Attack
Intruder
Escalations (f2)
Private Time Theme (a1)
Cliffhangers (b)
Imbeciles
Earth Government Debriefing
Mission Accomplished
Roy Fokker's Theme
Eyecatch
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Lifeline (Instrumental)
Victory
Private Time Theme (a1)
Escalations (f1)
The Cosmic Harp (c2)
Reflections
The SDF-1
The 15th Squadron
(Red Alert) Resolve
Private Time Theme (d)
The Point of No Return
Alien Attack
Robotech Theme
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

42. Danger Zone Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 42: "Danger Zone." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

Robotech Theme
Showdown
Red Alert
Private Time Theme (b)
Lifeline (Instrumental)
Escalations (f2)
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Battlestations
The SDF-1
Alien Attack
The Point of No Return
Eyecatch
Musica's Theme
Earth Government Debriefing
Broken Heart
Across the Universe
The 15th Squadron
Rick Hunter's Theme
Robotech Theme
The SDF-1
Boobytrap
Bliss Theme (b)
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Monday, June 20, 2016

41. Half Moon Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 41: "Half Moon." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: New music! "Shocked (a)" is used or the first time!

When General Emerson is mulling over that "one man's junk is another man's Protoculture" as the Bioroids are scavenging through the remains of the SDF-1, the music being played just happens to be "The SDF-1." And I'm confident it's just an amusing coincidence, since according to the liner notes its original title was "Military Fanfare." It's most likely that a) this music was picked because Emerson had just given the order to mobilize the troops and it's an upbeat militaristic piece, and b) this track was only renamed "The SDF-1" by the CD production staff due to it first being heard in the first episode "Booby Trap" where we see the repaired SDF-1 for the first time.

Robotech Theme
Intrigue
The Point of No Return
The 15th Squadron
Intrigue
Earth Government Debriefing
Reflections
Shocked (a)
Rick Hunter's Theme
Khyron's Theme
Catastrophe
Eyecatch
Intruder
The SDF-1
Musica's Theme
Zentraedi Theme
The Point of No Return
Catastrophe
Alien Attack
Robotech Theme
Alien Attack
Showdown
Roy Fokker's Theme
Alien Attack
Catastrophe
Boobytrap
Robotech Theme (Next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Sunday, June 19, 2016

40. Volunteers Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 40: "Volunteers." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

Robotech Theme
Boobytrap
Private Time Theme (a2)
The SDF-1
Earth Government Debriefing
The Point of No Return
Musica's Theme
Intrigue
The SDF-1
The Point of No Return
Desolation
Eyecatch
(Alien Alert) Resolve
Battlestations
Alien Attack
Cliffhangers (a)
The 15th Squadron
Red Alert
The Point of No Return
Alien Attack
Robotech Theme
The SDF-1
Victory
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Saturday, June 18, 2016

39. Southern Cross Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 39: "Southern Cross." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

Robotech Theme
Boobytrap
Private Time Theme (a2)
The SDF-1
Cliffhangers (a)
Victory
Ineptitude
Battlestations
Cliffhangers (b)
The 15th Squadron
The Point of No Return
Alien Attack
Intruder
Eyecatch
Alien Attack
Intrigue (sped up)
Roy Fokker's Theme
The 15th Squadron
Alien Attack
Robotech Theme
Desolation
Private Time Theme (b)
Victory
The SDF-1
Victory
Robotech Theme (next epiosde preview)
Robotech End Title

Thursday, June 16, 2016

38. False Start Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 38: "False Start." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: In this episode the Second Generation gets kicked-off properly with the expected heavy usage of "The 15th Squadron," as well as with the very surprising unexpected usage of a different piano version of "It's You."  Released on the It's You 25th Anniversary EP Preview, this version is known as "It's You (Piano Accompaniement)," and as you would expect by the title it's mostly the back-up harmonies intended to support the main melody. The only catch is there are two versions on the CD, "Take 1" and "Take 2," and they sound so similar I can't tell with 100% certainty which one is used! My best guess is Take 2, which sounds a little stronger than Take 1 and seems to match the closest. This is the second piece of background music used in the series that was released exclusively on the It's You EP (the first one being "It's You (Instrumental Version)" in episode #8, "Sweet Sixteen").

Robotech Theme
It's You (Piano Version)
Imbeciles
The 15th Squadron
The SDF-1
Cliffhangers (a)
Confrontation
The 15th Squadron
Reflections
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Private Time Theme (a2)
Battlestations
Zentraedi Theme (speeded up)
Eyecatch
Intrigue
Victory
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Battlestations
Red Alert
The Point of No Return
Alien Attack
The SDF-1
The 15th Squadron
Alien Attack
(Red Alert) Resolve
It's You (Piano Accompaniment, Take... 2?) [Only available on the It's You EP]
Musica's Theme
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

37. Dana's Story Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 37: "Dana's Story." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:This episode once again has a voice yelling "Red alert!" as the "Red Alert" music starts.

I strongly debated whether or not I should include Dana's attempt to sing to cheer Bowie up as unreleased music, but decided to leave it as dialogue since she's just throwing together a bunch of random words instead of singing an established song.

This episode may also hold the record for using the Robotech Theme as background music the most times. (Three, not including the usual opening, closing, next episode preview and eycatch.)

Robotech Theme
Robotech Theme
Earth Government at Work (a)
We Will Win
Private Time Theme (a2)
Boobytrap
Intruder
The SDF-1
Alien Attack
Red Alert
Robotech Theme
The 15th Squadron
Eyecatch
The 15th Squadron
Robotech Theme
Escalations (a)
Khyron's Theme
Confrontation
Shocked (b)
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Broken Heart
Victory
Red Alert
The Robotech Masters
Suspense
Red Alert
Alien Attack
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Sunday, June 12, 2016

36. To the Stars Music Guide


What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 36: "To the Stars." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

Robotech Theme
Private Time Theme (b)
Robotech Love Theme II
Khyron's Theme
Showdown
The Cosmic Harp (c2)
Cliffhangers (c)
Earth Government Debriefing
Broken Heart
A New Dawn
Khyron's Theme
Robotech Love Theme I
A New Dawn
Red Alert
Eyecatch
Red Alert
The 15th Squadron
Battlestations
Alien Attack
Roy Fokker's Theme
Robotech Theme
Zentraedi Theme
Red Alert
Catastrophe
Desolation
Love Triangle (To Be in Love Instrumental Version)
To Be in Love
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Saturday, June 11, 2016

35. Season's Greetings Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 35: "Season's Greetings." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: A couple of unreleased tracks this time, and it's actually a good thing that they're unreleased because otherwise it would mess up that Macross Saga/Robotech Masters overlap flow I was talking about yesterday.

The first is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in Robotech, where a despondent, oblivious Lisa drunkenly sings "My Time to Be a Star" to herself while the bar she's in plays the instrumental version of "Lifeline" in the background. This is arguably a piece of dialogue.

The second is when the citizens rally together and start singing "Silent Night" after Khyron's attack... also arguably a piece of dialogue. But if we do count both of these as music, then that would make this the 100th piece of new music used!

Robotech Theme
Khyron's Theme
Khyron's Theme
Private Time Theme (a2)
Imbeciles
Robotech Love Theme I
Cliffhangers (b)
Minmei's Theme
Escalations (f2)
Escalations (b)
Cliffhangers (a)
Reflections
Lifeline (Instrumental) (with a sad, drunk Lisa singing This Is My Time to Be a Star-unreleased)
The Cosmic Harp (c2)
Minmei's Theme
Cliffhangers (c)
Intrigue
Catastrophe
Red Alert
Alien Attack
Battlestations
Zentraedi Theme
Intruder
Desolation
Silent Night - unreleased
Reconstruction Blues
A New Dawn
It's You (Piano Version)
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Friday, June 10, 2016

34. Private Time Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 34: "Private Time." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:  A lot of new music this time, although it's almost all things I associated with the later generations. "Hard Times" (in addition to being named after a New Generation episode) makes me think of traveling scenes with Cyclones or Hovertanks. And Rick & Minmei's restaurant outing features a piano player, so we get to hear the piano versions of both "The Way to Love" and "It's You," two tracks I always associate with Bowie Grant.

In fact a lot of the music in this episode seems to have a second generation lean to it, as "The Cosmic Harp (c2)" is also used again. The story itself even takes place in Monument City, which is the main setting for the Army of the Southern Cross in Robotech Masters. With only three episodes of The Macross Saga left, it seems this episode was setting the tone up for what was to come not just by using story references but musically as well, making the transition work on multiple levels.

And in that sense, listening through these tracks in "Perfect Memory" order still works fine. Even though they were first used in Macross Saga, they were introduced after the last Minmei song but before Masters' definitive piece "Flower of Life." So they'll still fall into the proper sequence for the overall Perfect Memory listing.

But the biggest surprise for me in this episode was the use of "The Way to Love (Instrumental Version)," which is still unreleased on any soundtrack!

Robotech Theme
Broken Heart
Private Time Theme (a1)
The Way to Love (Instrumental) - unreleased
Minmei's Theme
The Way to Love (Piano Version)
(Red Alert) Resolve
The Way to Love (Piano Version) (continued)
It's You (Piano Version)
Across the Universe
It's You (Piano Version)
(Alien Attack) Resolve
It's you (Piano Version) (continued)
Cliffhangers (a)
Reflections
(Red Alert) Resolve
Escalations (c)
The Point of No Return
Confrontation
Eyecatch
Hard Times
Showdown
Red Alert
The Cosmic Harp (c2)
Battlestations
Zentraedi Theme
Roy Fokker's Theme
Robotech Theme
Robotech Love Theme I
Rick Hunter's Theme
Private Time Theme (a1)
A New Dawn
Miss Macross (My Time to Be a Star Instrumental)
Escalations (c) (Slowed down)
Minmei's Theme
A New Dawn
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Thursday, June 9, 2016

33. A Rainy Night Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 33: "A Rainy Night." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: There are so few remaining pieces of unused (non-generation specific) background music left on the Robotech 30th Anniversary Soundtrack that I've been seriously wondering if these remaining cuts were ever actually used in Robotech at all, and are actually bonus tracks discovered in the Harmony Gold vaults. But today's episode revealed that at least one of them isn't! "Escalations" (part C) gets used for the first time in this episode!

Robotech Theme
(Red Alert) Resolve
Robotech Love Theme I
Private Time Theme (a1)
Escalations (c)
Robotech Love Theme I
Private Time Theme (a1)
Reflections
Imbeciles
Red Alert
Eyecatch
Private Time Theme (a1)
Escalations (b)
Lifeline (Instrumental)
Private Time Theme (a2)
Red Alert
Broken Heart
Stepping Out
Minmei's Theme
Robotech Love Theme I
Broken Heart
Victory
Escalations (a)
Robotech Love Theme I
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

32. Broken Heart Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 32: "Broken Heart." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: This is another case where a piece of background music was given an episode name that describes the mood of the piece very well, yet wasn't actually used in that episode. (Personally, I always think of the "Broken Heart" music as Marlene's Theme.) This also happened previously with "Sweet Sixteen" and "Showdown."

Robotech Theme
Red Alert
Intirgue
Khyron's Theme
It's You
Catastrophe
Khyron's Theme
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Escalations (b) (slowed down)
Suspense
To Be in Love (a capella)
Suspense
Battlestations
Reflections
Eyecatch
Khyron's Theme
Shocked (b)
Musica's Theme
Zentraedi Theme
Zentraedi Theme (continues after a brief pause)
Intruder
Red Alert
Rick Hunter's Theme
Love Triangle
Alien Attack
Robotech Love Theme I
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

31. Khyron's Revenge Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 31: "Khyron's Revenge." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

Robotech Theme
Private Time Theme (b)
Earth Government at Work (a) ("Reprise" portion after break only)
Zentraedi Theme
Intrigue
The Robotech Masters
Battlestations
Red Alert
Intrigue
Boobytrap
Musica's Theme
The Point of No Return
Eyecatch
Musica's Theme
(Alien Attack) Resolve
Catastrophe
Earth Government Debriefing
Showdown
Catastrophe
Private Time Theme (b)
Battlestations
Reconstruction Blues
Escalations (a)
Khyron's Theme
Broken Heart
Showdown
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Sunday, June 5, 2016

30. Viva Miriya Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 30: "Viva Mirya." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Although this is the second time we see the Robotech Masters, this is the first time we see them while hearing the piece of music that would become eponymous with them. It's actually the twelfth time the piece of music has been used, in nine different episodes.

Robotech Theme
Victory
The SDF-1
Private Time Theme (a2)
(Red Alert) Resolve
Private Time Theme (c)
Private Time Theme (b)
The Robotech Masters
Private Time Theme (a1)
Escalations (b)
Boobytrap
Eyecatch
Private Time Theme (b)
Khyron's Theme
Intrigue
My Time to Be a Star
Red Alert
Bliss Theme (a)
Catastrophe
Alien Attack
Robotech Theme
Macross Theme
Victory
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title

Saturday, June 4, 2016

29. The Robotech Masters Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 29: "The Robotech Masters." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: We heard just the bridge portion of "It's You" last episode; today we get to hear the entire song, with only the final repetition of the final line removed to allow the announcer to speak at the closing of the episode.
  
UPDATE - With the "Cliffhanger" segment in "Countdown" now being identified as "Cliffhangers (d)," that makes this episode the fist use of "Clifhangers (b)."

Robotech Theme
Showdown
Desolation / To Be in Love (a capella overlapping)
The Point of No Return
Cliffhangers (b)
Private Time Theme (a2)
Miss Macross (My Time to Be a Star Instrumental)
Escalations (a)
Catastrophe
(Alien Attack) Resolve
(Red Alert) Resolve
Escalations (f1)
Private Time (c)
Love Triangle (To Be in Love Instrumental)
Zentraedi Theme
Love Triangle (To Be in Love Instrumental) (resumes in progress)
Eyecatch
Stepping Out
Bliss Theme (a)
Catastrophe
Broken Heart
Catastrophe
Zenttraedi Theme
The Point of No Return
Cliffhangers (b)
Musica's Theme
Khyron's Theme
Escalations (a)
Across the Universe
It's You
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Titles

Friday, June 3, 2016

28. Reconstruction Blues Music Guide

What follows is a list of all the music that appeared in the standard version of Robotech episode 28: "Reconstruction Blues." Bold text denotes that this is the first appearance of that piece of music.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: A couple of new Minmei songs in a row, as Minmei performs "The Right Move" and "It's You"  in her concert at Granite City.

Robotech Theme
Reconstruction Blues
Robotech Love Theme II
Victory
Desolation
Battlestations
Macross Theme
Bliss Theme (b)
Love Triangle (To Be in Love Instrumental)
Desolation
Earth Government at Work (a)
The Man in My Life
The Right Move
It's You (Minmei Version)
Robotech Love Theme I
My Time to Be a Star
Eyecatch
Escalations (a)
Broken Heart
Cliffhangers (a)
Reflections
The SDF-1
Alien Attack
Red Alert
Intrigue
Alien Attack
Rick Hunter's Theme
Robotech Love Theme I
Broken Heart
Robotech Theme (next episode preview)
Robotech End Title