Close Encounters of the Third Kind was Speilberg's first extra terrestrial movie and for Williams it was the first opportunity he had to write a sci-fi score that wasn't Star Wars. And the end result was anything but a rehash of the music from Star Wars. The opening track, Let There Be Light is a perfect example. Rather than writing an intricate cue for the opening as with other movies he scored around that time (Star Wars, Jaws, and Superman), Williams starts with a quiet continuous string passage that slowly builds to a crescendo and then ending. It is a simple piece but it works remarkably well.
Perhaps the most famous piece of music to come out of this soundtrack is the five-note tune used to communicate with the alien visitors. In the numerous versions that have been released over the years, there have been many different names for the piece, however, on this soundtrack it is called Lightshow. The brilliance of the piece lies in the simplicity of the composition. Using those same basic notes in a myriad of combinations, Williams produces a stunning piece that represents the first conversation between man and his alien visitors.
To finish off the soundtrack, Williams composed the finale, The Visitors / "Bye" / End Titles: The Special Edition. This piece has been included in numerous sci-fi score compilation albums. It is one of Williams's finest compositions. For the most part, the album is not like most of the other soundtracks of the time. The score maintains an aura of mystery as it progresses and finally the score builds up to the finale. Of all the versions released over the years, this is probably the best one. Now if they can only do the same for Superman and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Total time: 77:21
1: Opening: Let There be Light (0:46)
2: Navy Planes (2:07)
3: Lost Squadron (2:23)
4: Roy's First Encounter (2:41)
5: Encounter at Crescendo Summit (1:21)
6: Chasing UFOs (1:18)
7: False Alarm (1:42)
8: Barry's Kidnapping (6:19)
9: The Cover-up (2:26)
10: Stars and Trucks (0:44)
11: Forming the Mountain (1:50)
12: TV Reveals (1:50)
13: Roy and Gillian on the Road (1:10)
14: The Mountain (3:31)
15: "Who Are You People?" (1:35)
16: The Escape (2:18)
17: The Escape (Alternate) (2:40)
18: Trucking (2:01)
19: Climbing the Mountain (2:32)
20: Outstretch Hands (2:48)
21: Lightshow (3:43)
22: Barnstorming (4:26)
23: The Mothership (4:34)
24: Wild Signals (4:12)
25: The Returnees (3:54)
26: The Visitors / "Bye" / End Titles: The Special Edition (12:31)