The Original Star Trek: Enterprise Theme Song By U2 Is Much Better
Each Star Trek series possesses a unique essence, yet the debut of Star Trek: Enterprise turned heads with its unconventional theme song choice. The show’s creators opted for a departure from the customary orchestral intro, instead selecting a pop song. Although the series ultimately adopted Russel Watson’s rendition of “Where My Heart Will Take Me,” U2’s “Beautiful Day” came close to being the guiding beacon for the USS Enterprise’s voyage, a preference shared by the show’s creators, Brannon Braga and Rick Berman.
“Rick and I felt that a song would set the slightly more contemporary feeling we were going after with Enterprise. For the longest time, we had a temporary song we cut the main titles to, U2’s ‘Beautiful Day.’ If we had used that—or could have afforded it-that would have been a great song.”
Brannon Braga on the Star Trek: Enterprise theme song
In an interview in the book The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J.J. Abrams by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Brannon Braga revealed that both he and Berman aimed for a pop song as the opening theme for Star Trek: Enterprise. Nonetheless, he openly criticized Russel Watson’s “Where My Heart Will Take Me” as “awful.” Furthermore, he said Watson’s rendition was “tacky.”
“Where My Heart Will Take Me” wasn’t an original piece but a reworking of Diane Warren’s “Faith of the Heart.” First performed by Rod Stewart for the film Patch Adams, the song exudes hope, perseverance, and dreams, themes universal enough to match the ambitious spirit of space exploration. However, many fans found the pop ballad’s tone excessively cheesy and out of harmony with the essence of Star Trek, perceiving it as better suited for a romantic movie than an adventurous space epic.
Although U2’s chart-topping song “Beautiful Day” is also recognized as a pop track, it’s celebrated for its energy and lyrical brilliance. For many, including Brannon Braga, it would have captured the essence of Star Trek more aptly. With its optimistic call to embrace life’s wonders and mysteries, it seems a fitting anthem for a ship venturing into the unknown.
“Those main titles with U2 are amazing. It’s hip and cool, whereas the song we ended up with is awful. I’m a big fan of Diane Warren, she’s a great songwriter, but this particular song and the way it was sung was tacky.”
Brannon Braga on the Star Trek: Enterprise theme song
Before Watson’s “Where My Heart Will Take Me” became the theme for Star Trek: Enterprise, the cast and crew got to see the show’s opening paired with U2’s “Beautiful Day.” Braga wasn’t alone in his preference for this track. Mike Sussman, an Enterprise writer and producer, also felt U2’s song better captured Star Trek’s essence.
While many agree that U2’s “Beautiful Day” would have paired much better with the opening of Star Trek: Enterprise, it sounds like it was never really in the cards. Braga noted in his interview in the book The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J.J. Abrams that the budget for the show could not afford to license the U2 track. Meanwhile, the show was able to use “Where My Heart Will Take Me” for very little cost.
It goes without saying that Star Trek: Enterprise made a bold choice, for better or worse, in its theme song selection.
Theme songs, especially for long-standing franchises, are more than just opening credits; they become a part of the show’s identity. The song choice for Star Trek: Enterprise was undeniably divisive. Yet, it marked a point in the series’ history where the creators were willing to take risks, redefine boundaries, and perhaps offer a more vulnerable side to the space exploration tale.
It goes without saying that Star Trek: Enterprise made a bold choice, for better or worse, in its theme song selection. While “Beautiful Day” might forever remain the anthem that could have been, “Where My Heart Will Take Me” has etched its place in the legacy of the Star Trek universe, a reminder that every journey – whether across galaxies or in television production – is full of unexpected turns.
