Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time in America (soundtrack)

Timeless, elegiac, and profoundly moving—Once Upon a Time in America stands as one of Ennio Morricone’s most haunting and beautiful works. Composed for Sergio Leone’s 1984 gangster epic, the score weaves together nostalgia, melancholy, and grandeur, perfectly echoing the film’s sweeping narrative of friendship, betrayal, and lost innocence.

With its wistful melodies, lush orchestrations, and unforgettable themes, the soundtrack has become one of Morricone’s most beloved compositions. The music transcends its cinematic origins, functioning both as an emotional narrative companion and as a standalone masterpiece of 20th-century film music.

Label: Mercury / various reissues
Released: 1984 (original soundtrack release)

Track Highlights:

• “Deborah’s Theme” – A heart-wrenching, soaring piece that embodies longing, memory, and unfulfilled love.

• “Poverty” – Sparse yet devastating, this theme captures the film’s undercurrents of hardship and resilience.

• “Once Upon a Time in America (Main Theme)” – A delicate, dreamlike motif carried by pan flute, evoking memory’s fragility and the passage of time.