Synopsis

Mike Oldfield's "Let There Be Light" presents a surreal, science-fiction vision shaped by cosmic imagery and strange transformations. Live-action footage filmed in Miami is combined with computer animation, sending ordinary people and environments into an otherworldly landscape populated by luminous forms, aquatic creatures, stingrays, and dragons. Rather than following a conventional narrative, the video works as a fast-moving visual counterpart to the track's spacious, futuristic atmosphere, evoking a world suspended between earthly reality and an imagined alien realm.

Factoids & Trivia

• The song was inspired by Arthur C. Clarke's science-fiction novel "The Songs of Distant Earth." Oldfield described the story as depicting the eventual destruction of Earth when the Sun becomes a supernova.

• Oldfield used audio from the Apollo 8 mission in the track. The opening includes the astronauts' reading of the biblical passage from Genesis, reinforcing the song's themes of creation, space, and light.

• The production combined Miami-shot live action with computer-generated imagery. The visual effects team created bizarre creatures and environments, including stingrays and dragons.

• Oldfield later recalled that he enjoyed the video and considered it one of the best he had made. He also joked that Meat Loaf had "stolen" the video's dragon for another music video.

• The full video was included on the second pressing of the enhanced CD edition of "The Songs of Distant Earth," an early example of a commercial music release incorporating CD-ROM video content.

• Material from the video was also used in the BBC science-fiction documentary series "Future Fantastic" and later appeared in computer-animation compilation releases.