10 Underrated John Williams Tracks

10. The Cowboys (1972) - Main Title

The Cowboys is a wonderful coming-of-age Western about a cantankerous rancher, Wil Anderson (John Wayne in one of his best roles) forced to hire schoolboys to help him on his 400-mile cattle drive.

Williams' opening title begins with classic Western bravado before slowly leaning back into a breezier, youthful sound. It's the perfect theme for a film about boys becoming men under the tutelage of an old-fashioned cowboy. Yet there is a dark streak running through the film... after all, "becoming a man" in a Western usually means shooting people.

Things go awry during the drive and these innocent schoolkids are forced into the violent world of Western films. Williams' score captures the exuberance of youthful adventure and the sadness of putting that aside to succeed in a tough world.

The Cowboys was released in 1972, just a few years before the beginning of Williams' collaboration with Steven Spielberg. A longtime fan will recognize hints of other Williams' scores, especially his Indiana Jones work. However, this track shows Williams was already a master at crafting memorable themes.