Song information
"The X-Files" typically used more instrumental music than most hour-long dramas. According to the "Behind the Truth" segment on the Season 1 DVD, Mark Snow created the echo effect on his famous ''X-Files'' theme song by accident. Snow said that he had gone through several revisions, but Chris Carter felt that something was not quite right. Carter walked out of the room and Snow put his hand and forearm on his keyboard in frustration. Snow said, "this sound was in the keyboard. And that was it." The whistle melody comes from an old sample from the Proteus line of synth products called "Whistling Joe" and the whistling of Snow's wife, Glynn.Chart performance
The single debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart on March 30, 1996, and stayed there for three weeks. In France, the single entered the chart at number 42 on April 6, 1996, and climbed to number two four weeks later. It remained for five weeks at this position, behind Robert Miles's hit "Track listings
UK CD and 12-inch single; European CD single # "The X-Files" (original version) – 3:25 # "The X-Files" (Terrestrial mix) – 4:20 # "The X-Files" ( P.M. Dawn remix) – 3:59 UK cassette single # "The X-Files" (original version) – 3:25 # "The X-Files" (Terrestrial mix) – 4:20 German maxi-CD single # "The X-Files" (main theme) – 3:25 # "The X-Files" (DJ Delicious remix) – 5:19 # "The X-Files" (Ravers Nature remix) – 6:02 German 12-inch single :A1. "The X-Files" (DJ Delicious remix) – 5:19 :B1. "The X-Files" (Ravers Nature remix) – 6:02 :B2. "The X-Files" (main theme) – 3:25 French CD and 12-inch single (remixes) # "The X-Files" (Secret Sessions extended mix) – 6:22 # "The X-Files" (Secret Sessions radio edit) – 4:19 # "The X-Files" (Map Mystery mix) – 5:27 # "The X-Files" (Terrestrial mix) – 4:20 Australian CD single # "The X-Files" (main title) # "The X-Files" (Flexifinger Terrestrial mix) # "The X-Files" (P.M. Dawn remix) Japanese mini-CD single # "The X-Files" # "The X-Files" (P.M. Dawn remix)Credits
* Composed by Mark Snow * Terrestrial mix: remixed and produced Flexifinger * P.M. Dawn remix: guitar by Cameron Greider, remixed by P.M. Dawn, synthesizers by Henry Hay and Maurice Luke, recorded and mixed by Michael Fossenkemper * Ravers nature remix: produced and remixed by John Bogota, Pedro Ferrari and Roy Ströbel * Secret Session remixes: produced by Special Agents for MAP Productions, engineered and mixed by RoBo * Map Mystery mix: produced and mixed by Moorcroft and Prins for MAP Productions, engineered and programmed by TK for MAP ProductionsCharts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
DJ Dado version
At the same time Snow's original version was experiencing chart success, Italian producerTrack listings
CD single # "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:38 # "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream activity mix) – 8:40 CD maxi # "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57 # "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42 # "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44 CD maxi # "X-Files" (radio edit) – 3:57 # "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:41 # "X-Files" (Tom Wilson Dyme mix) – 6:38 # "X-Files" (dV8 deviant mix) – 6:29 # "X-Files" (freak bros area 51 mix) – 6:53 # "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44 12-inch maxi # "X-Files" (DJ Dado paranormal activity mix) – 6:42 # "X-Files" (Claudio Diva sub-dream paranormal activity mix) – 8:44 CD maxi – remixes # "X-Files" (2 Cowboys remix) – 5:07 # "X-Files" (Reygroove remix) – 5:02 # "X-Files" (Valez & L. Antolini remix) – 6:25 # "X-Files" (Alex Voghi remix) – 6:25 # "X-Files" (Miki B. remix – flute experience part I) – 8:38 # "X-Files" (Moroldo & Mensi mix) – 4:35 # "X-Files" (Hornbostel & M. Marvin remix) – 5:18 # "X-Files" (Fabio Locati remix) – 6:18Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Triple X version
The song was also covered by Triple X. This cover was less successful than the original version or DJ Dado's cover, but it did reach number two in Australia and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association.Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
The X-Club version
A version by the X-Club was released in Australasia in 1996.Charts
''The X-Files'' movie single and Mike Oldfield version
"The X-Files Theme" was released as a Japan only EP in 1998 from the soundtrack album '' The X-Files: The Album'' for ''The X-Files'' movie. The maxi-CD includes four remixes of Mark Snow's theme to the television series, ''The X-Files''. Notably "Tubular X" is part Snow's theme and consists of parts of Mike Oldfield's '' Tubular Bells''. Another track from Oldfield also appears, "The Source of Secrets", the opening piece from his ''Track listing
# "Tubular X" – Mike Oldfield – 3:53 # "The X-Files Theme" – The Dust Brothers – 3:27 # "The X-Files Theme" – Satoshi Tomiie radio edit – 4:17 # "The X-Files Theme" – R.H. Factor Pop radio edit – 3:37 # "The Source of Secrets" – Mike Oldfield – 5:33References
{{DEFAULTSORT:X-Files (song), The 1990s instrumentals 1993 compositions 1993 songs 1996 singles 1998 singles DJ Dado songs Mark Snow songs Tubular X Number-one singles in Denmark Number-one singles in Scotland SNEP Top Singles number-one singles Songs written by Mike Oldfield Television drama theme songs The X-Files music