Are you humming it already after seeing the headline? We can't blame you, we are too. Indeed, the ultra famous Super Mario Bros theme is the first video game tune to enter the Library of Congress in the United States.
Officially titled Ground Theme, the iconic Super Mario tune has been recognized and described as part of "some of the defining sounds of the nation’s history and culture". Along with songs such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” the Super Mario Bros tune has now joined the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden comments that “the National Recording Registry preserves our history through recorded sound and reflects our nation’s diverse culture". She said that the inclusion in the library will ensure “these recordings are preserved for generations to come”.
Written by Koji Kondo all the way back in 1984, it is probably one of the most famous and instantly recognizable tunes ever written for a video game. Its popularity goes well beyond gamers who grew up originally with a NES console, with many being familiar with it today as well.
Kondo is a well known composer of classic game tunes, despite the Mario one being his most famous, he has composed tunes for Nintendo since 1984 contributing iconic music in The Legend of Zelda and Punch-out! among others. At 61 years old, the composer is still working for Nintendo to this day.
With the Mario Bros movie being out and its classic tune now being preserved for all generations, it is fair to say that the Italian plumber has earned his place as one of the most recognizable characters in pop culture. Will he also be honored to receive his well deserved Italian nationality sometime in the future?
We won't be holding our mamma-mias on that one.