Ground Theme (Super Mario Bros.)

The "Ground Theme" or overworld theme is a recurring musical theme composed by Koji Kondo, first appearing in World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. The theme uses a structure and  rhythms, and plays at an andante moderato tempo. The theme has become one of most recognizable and iconic songs in the Mario franchise as well as the video game industry as a whole, having made numerous appearances in games and media associated with Mario or the franchise itself and arranged many times by musicians and in symphonic concerts.

Sheet music for the Ground Theme has been used in the background of Super Mario Orchestra Concert promotional material.

Composition
The Ground Theme is a Latin-styled composition piece with a calypso-like rhythm which Kondo wrote alongside the rest of the music for Super Mario Bros. while watching and playing the game as it was being developed. Kondo has cited works by Japanese fusion band and musician  as influences in the music. Upon seeing the overworld levels, Kondo initially wrote a "laid-back, relaxing" piece that would invoke the feeling of a "carefree walk," but thought it did not fit the game. Kondo decided instead to create a new piece whose tempo would match the game's speed and the rhythm of Mario's movements, though a triplet-like noise from the original piece was retained in the final composition. The Ground Theme was the second song Kondo created for the game, after the Underwater Theme.

Both the "Lose a Life" and "Game Over" themes for Super Mario Bros. are arranged excerpts of the Ground Theme; the former taken from the last several notes of the theme before it loops, and the latter taken from the first few notes that follow the theme's opening bar. Kondo's idea behind such tunes was to motivate players to try again, rather than using sounds that would otherwise discourage them.

Super Mario Bros.
In Super Mario Bros., the Ground Theme is used as the background music of all levels that take place outdoors, excluding underground, underwater, and castle levels. This encompasses level themes that would be given separate music in later games, such as athletic and night levels. The "Lose a Life" and "Game Over" themes are based on the Ground Theme.

As the game is for the Nintendo Entertainment System, the theme is orchestrated as, using two channels for melody and harmony, a triangle wave generator for bass, and a noise channel for percussion. After the introduction, a rhythmic contrast emerges between the tonal parts, which play with straight eighth notes, and the percussion, which plays a.

VS. Super Mario Bros.
VS. Super Mario Bros. reuses the original Ground Theme. It is remixed into a version interlaced with sound effects for the name registration screen.

Super Mario Bros. 2
In Super Mario Bros. 2, an arrangement of the Ground Theme plays in the parallel dimension of Subcon. The arrangement is noticeably shortened, only including two excerpts from the original piece.

Super Mario Bros. 3
In Super Mario Bros. 3, the Music Box item plays a soothing arrangement of an excerpt of the Ground Theme when used. It is transposed to a higher range and features a faux echo effect. The music has the in-universe effect of lulling all Hammer Brother, Fire Brother, Boomerang Brother, and Sledge Brother Enemy Courses, as well as the Piranha Plant stages in Pipe Land, to sleep.

Super Mario World
In Super Mario World, the Ground Theme is incorporated into the Special Zone music after the main rhythm loops several times. The player must wait on the map for two minutes to hear it. This arrangement of the theme is orchestrated using synth brass and steel drums, which exchange to play specific melodies.

Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64's title screen uses a rearrangement of the Ground Theme for steel drum, organ, and percussion.

Super Mario Sunshine
The music for secret courses in Super Mario Sunshine is a group arrangement of the Ground Theme.

Super Mario 64 DS
The a capella arrangement from Super Mario Sunshine is reused in certain minigames in Super Mario 64 DS.

New Super Mario Bros.
In New Super Mario Bros., a sped-up remix of the original theme is used in Toad Houses. As in Super Mario 64 DS, the a capella arrangement from Super Mario Sunshine is played in certain minigames.

Super Mario Galaxy
In Super Mario Galaxy, the Ground Theme is rearranged as the background music for Toy Time Galaxy. The specific arrangement appears to be based on "Mario Syndrome", a dance remix of the same source track released as a novelty single in 1986.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
An original arrangement of the Ground Theme is used in Toad Houses in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Additional bass and percussion is added when the minigame starts. In Power-up Panels, the music speeds up for every Bowser or Bowser Jr. image revealed.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the music for Supermassive Galaxy, which itself is a remix of Toy Time Galaxy's music from Super Mario Galaxy, is based on this theme. The first measure of the Ground Theme are also used as a jingle for switching the player character between Mario and Luigi.

Super Mario 3D Land
Another arrangement of the Ground Theme is used for voxel art levels in Super Mario 3D Land. Mario also hums the theme in the cutscene between Worlds 5 and 6.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Sometimes when New Super Mario Bros. 2 loads, a small part of the Ground Theme plays.

Super Mario 3D World
In Super Mario 3D World, the melody of the Ground Theme is used in the background music of the Mario sprite bonus room in Bob-ombs Below.

Super Mario Maker
In Super Mario Maker, the Ground Theme reappears as the default background music of the Ground course theme in the Super Mario Bros. game style. The music for editing such a course in the Course Maker is an original, more ambient arrangement, using eight tracks that fade in and out randomly to create a dynamic mix.

The name registration remix from VS. Super Mario Bros. is reused for the Bonus Music sound effect in the Super Mario Bros. game style.

Super Mario Odyssey
The New Donk City Auditorium in Super Mario Odyssey features a big band arrangement of the Ground Theme. Each part is recorded separately, so that the performance reflects which band members are present as Mario recruits new musicians for Pauline's festival band.

Mario no Daibōken
In Mario no Daibōken, the Ground Theme is arranged in a period-appropriate synthesizer style as the tune of "Go Go Mario!!". The lyrics are transcribed below.

きょうも元気に マリオが走る 走る

ピーチ姫を 助けに行くせ 行くせ

きょうも元気に マリオが走る

きょうも元気に ジャンプ

きょうも元気に コインを探せ

きょうも進めよ マリオ

キノコを取って

スーパーマリオだぜ

フラワーを取って

ファイアマリオ

クリボーだ ノコノコだ

メットだぜ 倒せ！

マリオは いつも

元気で強い

きょうも元気に マリオが走る 走る

クッパ族をやっつけに行くそ 行くそ

きょうも元気に マリオが走る

きょうも元気に ジャンプ

きょうも元気に コインを探せ

きょうも進めよ マリオ

スターを取って 無敵になろう

早くピーチを 助けに行こう

ジュゲムだ とげぞーだ

プクプクだぜ 倒せ！

マリオは いつも

元気で強い

きょうも元気に マリオが走る 走る

来たぜお城た 花火を上げろ 上げろ

ハンマーブロスを ひらりとかわし

最後のカを出せ マリオ

長い旅だったけれど

もうすぐ終わる

やったぜ！やったぜ！

クッパ倒した

ピーチ姫に THANK YOUと言われ

マリオの心は 大きくはずんだ

マリオの冒険は

ここで経ったけれど

マリオの夢は 果てなく続く

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
The opening theme of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, the Plumber Rap, samples the Ground Theme. The show's ending theme, "Do the Mario", is an arrangement of theme with original lyrics.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
The Ground Theme is used several times in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. The music for the file selection screen is heavily based on the Ground Theme, with the first phrase being inspired by the name registration music from VS. Super Mario Bros.. The Ground Theme is incorporated into the background music for Mario's Pad, played on an aerophone. When Mario takes a shower at Marrymore, he can also be heard singing the Ground Theme. It is finally arranged for music box on the game's ending screen.

Super Smash Bros.
In Super Smash Bros., the Ground Theme is arranged as the background music for Peach's Castle.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the music for Princess Peach's Castle interlaces arrangements of the Ground and Underground Themes.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
Mario is heard humming the Ground Theme while taking a shower at the start of the game. The theme is later arranged for mallet percussion and acoustic guitar as the background music for Little Fungitown.

Super Paper Mario
In the theme for Lineland Road in Super Paper Mario, the opening measures of the Ground Themes from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World are used as a base for various melodies.

Mario Party: Island Tour
The theme heard in the minigames Xylophone Home and Goomba Tower Takedown is an arrangement of the Ground Theme.