UMass Boston

Even if you haven’t heard of Mark Governor ’78 until now—chances are, you’ve heard his music.

A celebrated composer and lyricist, Governor’s music has appeared in more than 200 television series, specials, documentaries, and feature films. His IMDB page reads like a highlight reel of iconic productions from the last 30 years, featuring hit shows like Friends, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Shameless. Movie buffs have likely heard Governor’s haunting compositions in Pet Sematary II, Mindwarp, Masque of the Red Death, and Notes from Underground—as well as in the DVD extras for The Hobbit Trilogy.

His work goes beyond just film and television. Governor has composed music for award-winning stage productions and has had original pieces performed by orchestras around the globe. Between scoring for the screen and writing for live performances, Governor has mastered the art of creating music that elevates a story.

But his own story might have taken a completely different path had he never enrolled at UMass Boston. “During my senior year at Needham High School, I attended an alternative high school program where you could pursue what you loved instead of what you were told to do. I realized I had always liked music, but I’d never had any formal training. I just loved music,” Governor explained. “And then one day my teacher asked me, ‘Why are you not pursuing music?’”

That simple question changed everything. Initially, Governor had planned to study business administration on a scholarship at a neighboring university. Instead, he chose to defer his scholarship, take a gap year to immerse himself in music, and eventually enroll at UMass Boston to study music—a decision he described as “a perfect fit.”

“UMass Boston kind of opened my mind,” he said, adding that the music department attracted a variety of aspiring musicians, from classical to jazz players to singer-songwriters, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. “They were all people with exceptional reasons for being there.”

Governor landed a work-study job at WUMB, the university’s radio station. There, he developed skills in audio production and gained exposure to the entertainment business. This experience led him to his first professional gig at WGBH, where he began working on radio dramas and took his first steps into the world of scoring.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing, and something about naïveté makes you fearless,” said Governor. He convinced the station to let him score the dramas himself instead of using stock music from the station’s library. “That experience really, really prepared me for when I moved to Hollywood.”

In 1980, two years after graduating from UMass Boston, Governor made the leap to Los Angeles.

“At that time in Boston, there was no way to score feature films. I had hit the ceiling,” he said. “So, I moved to LA and cobbled together a living by performing in clubs, playing in bands, and taking day jobs.”

Thanks to his work on radio dramas in Boston, it wasn’t long before Governor began connecting with others in the industry. One of his first major projects, a 1984 documentary titled Ticket to Hollywood, introduced him to a tight-knit community of filmmakers dedicated to preserving the legacy of old Hollywood. This opportunity paved the way for similar projects, and Governor was enlisted to score documentaries about legendary stars like Greta Garbo, Rock Hudson, and Groucho Marx.

Each documentary was a stepping stone for Governor, leading the way to his eventual collaboration with renowned filmmaker Roger Corman. Known in the film industry as the “king of the B-movies,” Corman was famous for giving future industry giants—like Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, William Shatner, and James Cameron—their big break.

“You could break into the industry by being the assistant to the assistant’s assistant, or mopping the floors of the recording studio, or if you were lucky enough, you could work for Roger Corman and really ply your craft,” Governor explained, calling the late director a visionary.

Governor became a key composer in Corman’s circle—and an asset to his vision, scoring six films and contributing to soundtracks that blended pop, rock, and orchestral music—a style that soon caught the attention of Pet Sematary director Mary Lambert.

Known for her work on Madonna’s music videos such as “Material Girl,” “Like a Virgin,” and “Like a Prayer,” Lambert had already made a name for herself when she took on the horror classic. For the film’s sequel, Pet Sematary II, she envisioned a score that melded edginess of rock with orchestral elements— something bold and unconventional for its time—but perfectly suited for Governor.

“It was groundbreaking at the time. Nobody did it, and nobody understood it. We kind of invented it,” Governor said, calling the musical fusion “orchestral grunge.” “From that point on, that became my thing. Anytime it was pop music, rock music, or a different kind of music, plus orchestral, that was my lane.”

When Governor composes music for film or television, he often has a clear vision of how the music will enhance the story or scene. Other times, though, he doesn’t even realize his music is being used until he receives a royalty check or stumbles upon it while channel surfing.

“I remember one time, my partner, Lily, and I were watching Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. I heard a piece of music I recognized and said, ‘Oh, I wrote that.’ We started watching more episodes, and I realized, ‘Wow, my music is in almost every episode.’”

His work has even appeared in blockbuster series like The Shrink Next Door, where his song “Cry,” co-written with Bob Mair, plays a pivotal role in the emotional finale starring Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd.

“I knew they were considering the song, but I didn’t know the deal had actually gone through,” Governor said. “I loved that show, so it was really special to say, ‘Hey, that’s my song!’”

But perhaps the most discernable use of Governor’s work comes from Clubmix, a compilation album he co-wrote with Glenn Nishida in 1998. Originally composed for the German record company Sonoton, the track “Stadium Rave” took a wild turn into pop culture fame when it landed in the SpongeBob SquarePants episode “Jellyfish Jam.” The song became a hit and continues to resonate with fans worldwide, even 25 years later.

“It’s funny—when I talk about projects like Notes from Underground, Santa Fe, or various TV shows, people often give me a blank look. But when I mention ‘Jellyfish Jam,’ their faces light up,” Governor said with a laugh. “If I’m a one-hit wonder, then that’s my hit.”

After over 40 years in the industry, Governor is now focusing on a deeply personal project: a concept album called Swan Song. The album will showcase songs he’s written, or has wanted to write, throughout his life.

“Film scoring is always about supporting someone else’s vision—directors use music for a purpose. And the stuff I’m working on now is more of my experience as an artist. I’m working with a lot of people I’ve collaborated with over the years,” said Governor. “This is the part of my life where I get to be more of an artist, doing things I really want to do.”