Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he credited two influences with guiding him towards music: the first was composer Miklós Rózsa; the second his own Greek Orthodox heritage. Poledouris was raised in the Church, and he used to sit in services enthralled by the choir's sound. At the age of seven, Poledouris began piano lessons, and after graduation from Garden Grove High School, he enrolled at the University of Southern California to study both filmmaking and music. Several short films to which he contributed are still kept in the university's archives. At USC, Poledouris met movie directors John Milius and Randal Kleiser, with whom he would later collaborate as a music composer. He appeared as a background extra in several episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series. In 1985, Poledouris wrote the music for Paul Verhoeven's Flesh & Blood, establishing a durable collaboration.
Poledouris became renowned for his powerfully epic style of orchestral composition and his intricate thematic designs. He scored the soundtrack for The Blue Lagoon (1980; dir: Kleiser); Conan the Barbarian (1982; dir: Milius); Conan the Destroyer (1984); Red Dawn (1984; dir: Milius), Iron Eagle (1986); RoboCop (1987; dir: Verhoeven); The Hunt for Red October (1990); Quigley Down Under (1990 Simon Wincer); Free Willy (1993) and its first sequel Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995); Starship Troopers (1997; dir: Verhoeven); and For Love of the Game (1999).
Poledouris' studio, "Blowtorch Flats", was located in Venice, California, and was a professional mixing facility specializing in film and media production.
Poledouris married his wife Bobbie in 1969; they had two daughters, Zoë and Alexis. His elder daughter, Zoë Poledouris, is an actress and film composer, who occasionally collaborated with her father in composing film soundtracks.
In 1996, Poledouris, alongside James Horner, composed "The Tradition of the Games" for the Atlanta Olympics opening ceremony that accompanied the memorable dance tribute to the athletes and goddesses of victory of the ancient Greek Olympics using silhouette imagery.
Poledouris spent the last four years of his life residing on Vashon Island, in Washington State. He died on November 8, 2006, in Los Angeles, California, aged 61, from cancer.
Riddle of Steel / Riders of Doom
Basil Poledouris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swords, we seek swords, savage ones.
Nos ferrei reges, servi fati.
We, iron kings, servants of fate.
Vale caelum, vale terra, vale nivis, morimur!
Farewell, heaven; farewell, earth; farewell snow; we die
Vale, morimur servis fati!
Farewell, for the servants of Fate, we die!
Enses requirimus saevos nos,
We seek savege swords,
nos ferrei reges servi fati,
We, iron kings, servants of fate,
morta ex terra mortiferra tela
bringing deadly weapons, sprung from the earth
in hostes bello ad moventes.
against the enemy in war.
Equos frenamus furentes
We control high-spirited horses,
Capi ta superba quatientes
shaking their proud heads
mortem hostibus et luctem date
Spirits of the dead, give death and bitter grief
acrem di manes sternadis.
to the enemy who must laid low.
Ave Nevis, ave ferrum,
Hail Nevism, hail iron
Ave tela, ave cruor
Hail weapons, hail terror,
Ave pugna, ave moritur.
Hail gore, hail those who are about to die!
Skylon!
Skylon!
The lyrics to Basil Poledouris's song Riddle of Steel / Riders of Doom are a blend of Latin and English and were composed specifically for the film Conan the Barbarian. The lyrics depict the ambition, courage, and mortality of human beings who seek power, domination, and control through war, violence, and bloodshed. The song begins by declaring the need for savage swords, and the singer openly admits that they are iron kings, servants of fate. Then, the singer bids farewell to heaven, earth, and snow since they are bound to die in the battle. The song also describes how the warriors control high-spirited horses, wielding deadly weapons that have sprung from earth against their enemies. The lyrics also call upon the spirits of the dead to give death and bitter grief to the enemy, who must be laid low. The last lines of the song hail iron, weapons, terror, gore, and those about to die, ultimately ending with an exclamation of Skylon, the fictional name of the mountain from the Conan mythology.
Line by Line Meaning
Enses requirimus saevos nos,
We are in search of savage swords.
nos ferrei reges servi fati,
We are the kings of iron and servants of fate.
morta ex terra mortiferra tela
We bring forth deadly weapons from the earth.
in hostes bello ad moventes.
To use against our enemies in battle.
Equos frenamus furentes
We tame wild horses and make them our own.
Capi ta superba quatientes
With their proud heads held high.
mortem hostibus et luctem date
We bring death and sorrow to our enemies.
acrem di manes sternadis.
By the power of the gods, we will lay them low.
Ave Nevis, ave ferrum,
Hail Nevism, hail iron,
Ave tela, ave cruor
Hail weapons, hail terror,
Ave pugna, ave moritur.
Hail battle, hail death.
Skylon!
Skylon!
Contributed by Christian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@juglarlocogmail
Enses, enses requirimus, requirimus saevos nos
Nos ferri reges, servi Fati
Vale caelum, vale terra, vale nivis, morimur...
Vale, morimur servis Fati...
Enses requirimus saevos nos
Nos ferri reges servi fati
Morta ex terra mortiferra tela
In hostes bello ad moventes
Equos frenamus furentes
Capita superba quatientes
Mortem hostibus et luctem date
Acrem di manes sternadis
Ave Nevis, ave ferrum
Ave tela, ave cruor
Ave pugna, ave moritur
Skylon...
@GritimoTheOdd
What’s the best in life?
To listen to this. See the volume rise. And hear the lamentations of your neighbors.
@diegocobo8
hahahahahaha....amazing reference to this masterpiece of movie!!!
@hugofigueredo7981
This is good
@Riggsy79
🤣
@matthewtyotka7754
I coach high school wrestling and made my kids recite this
@davidtarraga7944
😂👍👍
@guitaro5000
This song was used in the trailer for Zelda Windwaker.
@Lain082
I think also for Ocarina of Time :D
@manuelfedrericomasacote1463
@@Lain082 and twilight princess
@No-onesgayformoleman
@@manuelfedrericomasacote1463And Majora's Mask remake