Jabba's Theme

Jabba's Theme is a recurring musical theme of the Star Wars movies. It was composed by John Williams and first appeared in the film Return of the Jedi during scenes featuring Jabba the Hutt. Since its introduction, the theme has been heard in The Phantom Menace and post-1997 releases of A New Hope (motivic material).

Performed by solo tuba with pizzicato strings accompanying, the rolling, bulbous nature of both the music and the instrument fit well with the Hutt's personality. Only appearing briefly in Return of the Jedi, the version in the Phantom Menace is a fully orchestrated version of the solo, replete with brass fanfare to accompany Jabba's viewing of the Boonta Classic.

The Jabba the Hutt Solo, as it has come to be known in tubist's circles, has gained wide acceptance and popularity in the tuba world. Williams fleshed out the solo, turning it into a frequently played "mini-concerto" of sorts. Originally played by the late great John Fletcher in RotJ, the expanded Jabba solo was largely popularized by Chester Schmitz of the Boston Symphony Pops.