Star Trek spawned over fifty years of interplanetary delight for fans of lusty Kirk, cerebral Spock, noble Picard, therapeutic Counselor Troi, intellectual Capt. Janeway and Deep Space Nine’s gelatinous Odo.  Known mostly for high action, adventure, social commentary and eye popping space battles, iconic space opera also needs great music.  Even when Trek’s not being directly musical, it boasts connections to big pop music magic.  Whatever Trek show or movie is your favorite, chances are there’s a pretty cool pop music connection attached to Gene Roddenberry’s legendary sci-fi universe.

Pop Music Moments

Mick Fleetwood – Star Trek: The Next Generation

The British musician and founder of super rock band Fleetwood Mac is an ace drummer who loves Star Trek so much, he agreed to don a wacky and weird fish costume to snag himself a memorable, yet truly fishy role. 

In TNG’s 2nd season, he donned a silver robe and big fish head – the eyes are amazing props – to be an assassin masquerading as diplomat. He’s en route to a political conference on the water planet of Pacifica, a beautiful world known for warm oceans and dazzling white beaches. Fleetwood even got to play at eating an icky looking goo soup of something called Vermicula – his alien race’s favorite delicacy.

John Tesh – Star Trek: The Next Generation

He’s an internationally respected musician who excels as a pianist and composer.  In TNG’s 2nd season ep, “The Icarus Factor”, Worf (Michael Dorn) is in a quandary.  Klingons have a sort of Bar Mitzvah ceremony for young males.  It’s called Age of Ascension.  Klingons are needed to help Worf through the rite.  Enterprise is warping in deep space, so Picard’s ship isn’t close to a Klingon colony.

With Wesley (Wil Wheaton), La Forge (Levar Burton) and O’Brien’s (Colm Meaney) help, an Ascension Ritual is cooked up in the holodeck.  Tesh, then an anchor for “Entertainment Tonight”, donned costume and latex make-up to be one of the Klingons who give Worf a big dose of pain, courtesy of nasty weapons called pain-sticks.

Comic Coolness In Song

Adam Sandler –  Star Trek (Captain Kirk & Mr. Spock)

Adam Sandler (Big Daddy) is one of the biggest box office Hollywood stars around, and Netflix luminary, but at one time he simply made up silly songs on Saturday Night Live.  

Sandler poked fun at everything.  A favorite target was his own Jewish heritage. In his SNL parody song, “The Chanukah Song”, he sings of Hollywood stars claiming Jewish heritage. This line says it all, “You don’t need ‘Deck the Halls’ or ‘Jingle Bell Rock’, When you can spin a Dreidel with Captain Kirk and Mister Spock – Both Jewish!”

Information Society – What’s On Your Mind

A mega 1980’s hit, that while not about Trek directly, evokes it, by putting Spock to work by actually singing the song.

Through sampling, the group took dialogue from the episode “Errand of Mercy”, where Spock comments on the Organians.  Leonard Nimoy’s ultra intellectual science officer intones, “Pure energy.” – in describing what the aliens are made of and why they can do amazing things. In an extended song cut, good old Bones (Deforest Kelley) is sampled from the “I, Mudd” episode, where he says at the song’s outset, “It’s worked so far, but we’re not out yet!”