‘The Simpsons’ Just Lost Something So Iconic — and They’ll Never Get It Back

The Simpsons has existed for nearly four decades, so it is only natural that many of the original cast and crew have passed away in its many years of existence. It’s an unfortunate part of life, but that means we need to honor those we’ve lost that much more. Recently, The Simpsons just lost composer Alf Clausen, who was responsible for composing the show’s scores since 1990, when the series was in its second season. Although it was Danny Elfman who provided the main title theme, Clausen’s consistency earned him the nickname “The Man of a Thousand Cues” from creator Matt Groening, even though he likely created up to 10,000 unique themes. Clausen had thirty nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards, the most of any composer ever, including two victories for his work on The Simpsons.

Clausen’s career was not entirely dominated by The Simpsons, as he began directing music on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Donny & Marie, and eventually became the primary composer on Moonlighting, which earned him his first Emmy nomination. While The Simpsons would ultimately occupy the majority of the latter half of his career, Clausen also made musical contributions to many classic comedy films, including Weird Science, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Splash, Dragnet, and The Naked Gun. However, The Simpsons is often best remembered for its music, and Clausen’s death reignites conversations about how much longer the show can last.

Alf Clausen Was Integral to the Identity of ‘The Simpsons’

Clausen changed the ways in which music was written for animated shows, as The Simpsons did not contain the simplistic “gag themes” that were present in shows like Tom & Jerry or Looney Tunes. Clausen created individual themes for each character that evolved over time, particularly as the cast of regulars expanded. While it was challenging enough to write for Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie, Clausen also had to be flexible when incorporating a revolving cast of supporting characters, such as Chief Wiggum, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Moe, Mr. Burns, Lenny, Carl, and Krusty the Klown, to name a few. These themes had to reflect their characters’ personalities; for example, Lisa’s theme incorporated jazz music in order to reflect her ongoing interest in playing the saxophone.

Clausen was also taken with collaborating with other artists who came in to The Simpsons for guest roles; with famous musicians like Paul McCartney, The Smashing Pumpkins, Lady Gaga, Green Day, and “Weird” Al Yankovic all appearing as themselves, Clausen had to find ways to filter their music in a way that reflected the continuity of The Simpsons. Every component of The Simpsons had to be individually designed in order to have a slanted comedic perspective, even if it was something seemingly minor like the lyrics to the “Mr. Plow” jingle, the theme song to The Itchy & Scratchy Show, or the now iconic music from Planet of the Apes: The Musical starring Troy McClure.

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Alf Clausen’s Work Made ‘The Simpsons’ Stand Out Compared to Other Animated Shows

Although The Simpsons is responsible for some of the most hilarious moments in the history of television, animation, and American culture at large, Clausen was also tasked with ensuring that the show could be emotional. The moments of realism within Homer and Marge’s marriage, Bart’s acceptance of growing up, Lisa feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders, and other transformative events in the lives of the side characters are what make The Simpsons more than just an “adult cartoon,” and differentiate it from rivals like South Park, Family Guy, King of the Hill, and Rick and Morty. It’s to Clausen’s credit that these moments work, and do not feel like they are taking the viewers off guard with unearned sentimentality.

Clausen is among the most important creators of The Simpsons, and his name deserves to be held in the same regard as Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon. Even when the show was at its low points, Clausen’s music was still excellent, proving that The Simpsons is always capable of another comeback. Eventually, the point will come when The Simpsons is no longer able to continue at its normal rate of quality expectation, but nonetheless, Clausen is responsible for iconic music that will stand the test of time.