Main Theme | Pirates of the Caribbean

Video Overview & Insights

*This is an updated and expanded version of a video I posted on October 21st 2018. I wasn’t happy with the quality of the audio in that version and I felt that I had left out some of the best renditions of the theme.*

The main theme of Pirates of the Caribbean, more commonly known as ‘He’s A Pirate’, is possibly the most well-known movie theme of the 21st century. For example, the Star Wars main theme, which is widely regarded as being the most well-known theme of all time, has just over 18 Million views on YouTube, whereas the Pirates of the Caribbean theme has north of 42 Million views...

It’s upbeat, thrilling and adventurous theme never fails to put a smile on my face. It makes me visualise the vast oceans and wish I was part of the Black Pearl’s crew. Now that’s a soundtrack done right!

Although Klaus Badelt composed the score for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003), it was Hans Zimmer who wrote the themes for the movie. Zimmer was contractually bound to ‘The Last Samurai’ (2003), and was legally unable to compose the score for the film, so he worked “behind the scenes”, writing, producing, editing and programming the music. Zimmer composed the themes for the film, and got his student, Klaus Badelt to take over and score the rest of the film.

This is by no means every appearance of the main theme throughout the series, but simply a suite that highlights the main theme.

The songs used in this suite are:

End Credits - Hans Zimmer

He’s A Pirate - Klaus Badelt

Beyond My Beloved Horizon - Geoff Zanelli

Drink Up Me Hearties Yo Ho - Hans Zimmer

The Medallion Calls - Klaus Badelt

Barbossa is Hungry - Klaus Badelt

Bootstrap’s Bootstraps - Klaus Badelt

One Last Shot - Klaus Badelt

(Tiny excerpt of) Fog Bound - Klaus Badelt

|Albums|

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - Klaus Badelt - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/pirates-caribbean-curse-black-pearl-original-soundtrack/724368043

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End - Hans Zimmer - (https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/pirates-caribbean-at-worlds-end-original-motion-picture/712432180

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Hans Zimmer - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/pirates-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-original-motion/714930569

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales - Geoff Zanelli - https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/pirates-caribbean-dead-men-tell-no-tales-original-motion/1237467125

The clips are from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) and belong to The Walt Disney Company. I own nothing in this video.