Do-Sol or Not Do-Sol: Decoding the Musical Heartbeat of Indiana Jones

Whether we should call it "Raiders March" or refer to it as "Indiana Jones' Theme," it's that march, you know, the one everyone recognizes.

There's been something on my mind for a while. The "Do-Sol" interval, often referred to as the heroic interval, isn't used in this piece. While Luke Skywalker or Superman triumphs with the "Do-Sol" interval, Indiana Jones doesn't. Why is that?

Today, it struck me. It is because Indiana isn't a hero.

Luke and Superman fight for people or for a cause. They leap into action to bring peace to the galaxy, to break the Empire's fangs, to save comrades, or to rescue children from a school bus teetering on the Golden Gate Bridge.

But what about Indiana? He's a treasure hunter, not a champion of justice. Sure, there's the noble cause of advancing archaeology, and his adventures aren't solely driven by self-interest and greed. But he doesn't act out of a sense of justice to help someone or to defeat evil. He's not more than an academic treasure hunter.

John, I believe, took this into account when composing his march, choosing not to use the "Do-Sol" interval deliberately.

♪ Mi, Fa, Sol, Do ~, Re, Mi, Fa ~

"Sol-Do" rings out, but "Do-Sol" doesn't. This isn't accidental; it's deliberate. Indiana isn't a hero of justice; he's an adventurer.

By the way, this march begins with a rhythm like this:

Dum, dum-dadada, dum, dum-dadada

Try humming it; it's a rhythm that makes you want to stumble forward. It's probably the rhythm that resonates in the mundane life of an unremarkable man (Indiana always lectures in a nerdy suit and glasses), signaling to him that another adventure awaits.

Soon, this rhythm transitions into something like this:

Dum, dum-dadada, dum, dum-dadada

This is the rhythm of a horse galloping lightly. He's already ditched the suit and embraced the rugged adventurer style, riding outdoors on horseback.

He is an adventurer but never transforms into a hero of justice. Therefore, the "Do-Sol" interval remains unplayed as the music continues to build.