18 January 2026
As the Star Trek universe celebrates 60 years of going boldly across our galaxy, the producers of the new series Starfleet Academy have turned to an almost 60 year old hit song to help emphasise a moving moment.
In Star Trek lore, Starfleet has its headquarters on Sol 3, aka Earth, specifically in the city of San Francisco. This is where its training facility Starfleet Academy has been re-opened in the 32nd century after a hundred year absence. In the first episode of the series, the USS Athena flies into San Francisco to the sound of a newly recorded version of the 1967 Scott McKenzie hit San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair).
The song was written by John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas and sung in 1967 by Scott McKenzie. It became a defining song of the Summer of Love, and an unofficial anthem of America’s Flower Power, Hippy and Anti-Vietnam War counter-culture movements.
The new critically-acclaimed orchestral version, specifically recorded for the Starfleet Academy series, being filmed in Toronto, is sung by Canadian singer Rufus Wainwright.
Here is a behind-the-scenes video of it being recorded. Conducting the orchestra is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy music director and composer Jeff Russo:
By the way, Rufus’s dad, Loudon Wainwright III, is on Bang a Gong with his 1973 hit Dead Skunk.
We also have Rufus on BaG with his version of Hallelujah.
You can also enjoy Scott McKenzie’s original San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair).
For those with a Paramount+ subscription, click for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The song begins at the 1:06:18 mark of episode one.
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