Editing The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (section)

== Music ==
{{Listen
|filename=Ennio Morricone-The Good, The Bad And The Ugly.ogg
|title=The Good, The Bad and the Ugly main theme
|description=From The Good, the Bad and the Ugly soundtrack by [[Ennio Morricone]]
|format=[[Ogg]]}}

{{See also|The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (soundtrack)}}
The score is composed by frequent Leone collaborator [[Ennio Morricone]]. ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' broke previous conventions on how the two had previously collaborated. Instead of scoring the film in the post-production stage, they decided to work on the themes together before shooting had started, this was so that the music helped inspire the film instead of the film inspiring the music. Leone even played the music on set and coordinated camera movements to match the music.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Torikian |first1=Messrob |title=The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – Expanded Edition |url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-expanded-edition/ |website=Soundtrack.net |access-date=5 March 2020 |archive-date=14 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114150733/https://www.soundtrack.net/album/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-expanded-edition/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The vocals of Italian singer [[Edda Dell'Orso]] are sung in the composition "[[The Ecstasy of Gold]]". Guitarist Bruno Battisti D'Amario played in the compositions 'The Sundown' and 'Padre Ramirez'. Trumpet players Michele Lacerenza and Francesco Cataniaare played on 'The Trio'.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mansell |first1=John |title=The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Review |url=http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=1643 |website=Music from the Movies |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217123204/http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=1643 |access-date=5 March 2020|archive-date=17 February 2007 }}</ref>

The only song to have a lyric is 'The Story of a Soldier', the words of which were written by Tommie Connor.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Story of A Soldier |url=http://www.sartana.homestead.com/story.html |website=sartana.homestead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010415160839/http://www.sartana.homestead.com/story.html |access-date=5 March 2020|archive-date=15 April 2001 }}</ref>

Morricone uses several unusual instruments, such as gunfire, [[whistling]] (by [[Alessandro Alessandroni]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/337753-Ennio-Morricone-The-GoodBad-And-The-Ugly-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack|website=[[Discogs]]|access-date=22 August 2023|title=Ennio Morricone – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)|archive-date=21 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821233637/https://www.discogs.com/release/337753-Ennio-Morricone-The-GoodBad-And-The-Ugly-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[yodelling]].

The main theme, resembling the howling of a [[coyote]] (which blends in with an actual coyote howl in the first shot after the opening credits), is a two-pitch melody that is a frequent [[Motif (music)|motif]], and is used for the three main characters. A different instrument was used for each: [[flute]] for Blondie, [[ocarina]] for Angel Eyes, and human voices for Tuco.<ref name="SoundtrackNet">{{cite web |last=Torikian |first=Messrob |title=The Good, the Bad and the Ugly |publisher=[[SoundtrackNet]] |url=http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=3475 |access-date=26 May 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930072322/http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=3475 | archive-date = 30 September 2007 | url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="Music from">{{cite web |last=Mansell |first=John |title=The Good, the Bad and the Ugly |publisher=Music from the Movies |url=http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=1643 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217123204/http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=1643 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=17 February 2007}}</ref><ref name="McDonald">{{cite web |last=McDonald |first=Steven |title=The Good, the Bad and the Ugly&nbsp;: Overview |website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r84071 |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209221108/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-original-motion-picture-soundtrack--mw0000879714 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Times">{{cite news |last=Edwards |first=Mark |title=The good, the brave and the brilliant |newspaper=The Times |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article1580081.ece |access-date=26 May 2007 |location=London |date=1 April 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110517035908/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article1580081.ece | archive-date = 17 May 2011 | url-status = dead}}</ref>

The score complements the film's American Civil War setting, containing the ballad, "[[The Story of a Soldier]]", which is sung by [[Prisoner of war|prisoners]] as Tuco is being tortured by Angel Eyes.<ref name="Yezbick" /> The film's climax, a three-way [[Mexican stand-off]], begins with the melody of "The Ecstasy of Gold" and is followed by "The Trio" (which contains a musical allusion to Morricone's previous work on ''[[For a Few Dollars More]]'').

The main theme, also titled "[[The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (song)|The Good, the Bad and the Ugly]]", was a hit in 1968 with the soundtrack album on the charts for more than a year,<ref name="Times" /> reaching No. 4 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' pop album chart and No. 10 on the black album chart.<ref name="All Music 1">{{cite web |title=The Good, the Bad and the Ugly charts and awards |website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r84071/charts-awards |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209221108/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-original-motion-picture-soundtrack--mw0000879714#awards |url-status=live }}</ref> The main theme was also a hit for [[Hugo Montenegro]], whose rendition was a No. 2 ''Billboard'' pop single in 1968.<ref name="All Music 2">{{cite web |title=Hugo Montenegro > Charts & Awards |website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p23980/charts-awards |access-date=26 May 2007 |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209221015/https://www.allmusic.com/user/nav?1707516615410#awards |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== In popular culture ===
The soundtrack has been heavily referenced since the release of the film, especially two pieces.

American [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Metallica]] has played "The Ecstasy of Gold" as prelude music at their concerts since 1985 (except 1996–1998), and in 2007 recorded a version of the instrumental for a compilation tribute to Morricone.<ref name="Metallica.com March 11">{{cite news |url=http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=600114 |title=We All Love Ennio Morricone |publisher=Metallica.com |access-date=11 March 2007 | url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202024236/http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=600114 |archive-date=2 February 2007 }}</ref> Other bands such as the [[Ramones]] have featured the song in their albums and live shows. The song has also been sampled within the genre of Hip Hop, most notably by rappers such as [[Immortal Technique]] and [[Jay-Z]]. "The Ecstasy of Gold" has also been used ceremoniously by the [[Los Angeles Football Club]] to open home games.<ref name="Ecstasy of Gold History">{{cite web |last1=Doyle |first1=Jack |title=Ecstasy of Gold History |url=https://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/ecstasy-of-gold-history/ |website=The Pop History Dig |access-date=5 March 2020 |archive-date=14 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114150706/https://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/ecstasy-of-gold-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[XM Satellite Radio]]'s ''[[The Opie & Anthony Show]]'' also opens every show with "The Ecstasy of Gold".

Punk rock band [[Ramones]] played [[The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (song)|the main theme]] as the opening for their live album ''[[Loco Live]]'' as well as in concerts until their disbandment in 1996. The British heavy metal band [[Motörhead]] played the main theme as the overture music on the 1981 "No sleep 'til Hammersmith" tour. The American punk rock band [[The Vandals]]' song "Urban Struggle" begins with the main theme. British [[electronica]] act [[Bomb the Bass]] used the main theme as one of several [[Sampling (music)|samples]] on their 1988 single "[[Beat Dis]]", and used sections of dialogue from Tuco's hanging on "Throughout The Entire World", the opening track from their 1991 album ''[[Unknown Territory (Bomb the Bass album)|Unknown Territory]]''. This dialogue along with some of the ''mule'' dialogue from Fistful of Dollars was also sampled by [[Big Audio Dynamite]] on their 1986 single [[This Is Big Audio Dynamite|Medicine Show]]. The main theme was also sampled/re-created by British band [[New Order (band)|New Order]] for the album version of their 1993 single "[[Ruined in a Day]]". A song from the band [[Gorillaz]] is named "[[Clint Eastwood (song)|Clint Eastwood]]", and features references to the actor, along with a repeated sample of the theme song; the iconic yell featured in ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'''s score is heard at the beginning of the music video.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ew.com/article/2005/11/25/return-gorillaz/ |title=The return of the Gorillaz |work=EW.com |access-date=8 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725075505/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1134500,00.html|archive-date=25 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

American [[New wave music|new wave]] group [[Wall of Voodoo]] performed a medley of Ennio Morricone's movie themes, including the theme for this movie. The only known recording of it is a live performance on ''[[The Index Masters]]''.