Song Lyrics in FFXIV: Compilation, Discussion, and Interpretation

Thank You, Ferne, for write/translate one more super nice lyrics for the song

Susan Calloway cleared it up in a response to my youtube post. Dragonsong lyrics are:

Quote:

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Children of the land do you hear
Echoes of truths that once rang clear
Two souls intertwined
Children of the land do you hear
Echoes of truths that once rang clear
Two souls intertwined
One true love they did find
Bringing land and heavens near
But flames that burn full bright, soon fell dark
Memories dimmed by shadowed hearts
In the waxing gloom did wane the lover's moon
Watching as their worlds drift apart
One soul's cry
A passion dwelling within
Sacrifice, a final plea to her kin
Yet this bond of hope, by treachery was broke

---

And the latter half since apparently I have a thousand character limit on posts:

Quote:

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Scattering her words to the wind
Swelling over long,
seas of blood, are a song
And death an afterthought
To those who fight for naught
A throne, lying empty
A reign, incomplete
Alone, for eternity
A pain, without cease
Children of the land, answer this
Why must you turn to empty bliss
Tell me why break trust, why turn the past to dust
Seeking solace in the abyss
Tell me why create, a circle none can break
Why must you let go, the life you were bestowed
This I fear I'll never know
Never know

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blackbluesky

And the latter half since apparently I have a thousand character limit on posts:

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You can circumvent this by keeping your post under 1,000 characters, then editing it. With an edit, you can make it however long you'd like it to be.

Thanks for clarifying the official lyrics; I'm glad Susan's always checking in on XIV and Distant Worlds crowds. It was a pleasant surprise seeing her name come up as the piano started; leaving Answers behind as we move past "season one" is a lot less bittersweet with her along for the ride.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StarDrake

So yeah, I think this is all Hydaelyn (especially with that shot at the end of the video),

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Unless my video is really bad, it looked like the scene with the Mothercrystal was an Echo. So Im not sure if it is her.

If you look closely a number of scenes in that video appear to be Echoes - such as the shot with the DRG in silver armour who picks up a helm - the footage is more washed out and grainy than the rest of the video, meaning it's highly likely to be an Echo vision.

Most of the song seems to imply that Shiva was the original, rightful ruler of Ishgard and was in love with a dragon (Nidhogg?), but someone (my best guess is the famed Thordan and his Knights Twelve, possibly being influenced / possessed by the Ascians) did the whole poking out Nidhogg's Eye thing. Shiva then sacrificed herself to try to quell Nidhogg's fury, but those same perpetrators betrayed her and/or the dragons, leading to the millennium-long Dragonsong War.

Midgardsormr implies the Ishgardians are about to do something terrible again, something we (as players) know is likely being influenced by the Ascians. This is implicitly what sparked Nidhogg's reinvigoration of the War, though we don't yet know what that terrible sin is.

I can't quite figure out what the "second verse" means:

Quote:

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Children of the land, answer this
Why must you turn to empty bliss
Tell me why break trust, why turn the past to dust
Seeking solace in the abyss
Tell me why create, a circle none can break
Why must you let go, the life you were bestowed
This I fear I'll never know
Never know

---

This part's a bit ambiguous, but as it refers to the "children of the land" I'm inclined to believe it's directly addressing the Warrior(s) of Light; specifically, Hydaelyn asking why they're doing what they're doing. Specifically, it seems to ask why we're willing to settle for a hollow, empty victory that perpetuates a cycle; whether she's referring to the Dragonsong War or the overarching Astral / Umbral cycle we can't yet know.

Time for some lyrical analysis!

-----------------------------------------

"Children of the land do you hear
Echoes of truths that once rang clear"

This truth is something that has since been distorted (if it "once rang clear," it stands to reason it no longer does so).

"Two souls intertwined
One true love they did find
Bringing land and heavens near"

This truth mentioned above is about a love that could have joined the heavens and earth. Clear implication would be Shiva and a dragon. Though, I think that to join heavens and earth, it would almost have to be an important figure from both. I dunno, maybe I'm reading too much into this part, but I think Shiva's pre-heretic importance comes up again. . .

"But flames that burn full bright, soon fell dark
Memories dimmed by shadowed hearts"

Memories of what? Surely not of the love, because the love winds up broken by treachery from outside in a few lines. If the song is chronological (and I can't think why it wouldn't be), these memories are dimmed before the final plea, which means they must be of an event that predates it long enough for memories to be dimmed. I'll try not to read too much into the line about shadowed hearts and waxing gloom, but it certainly gives me pause. . .

"In the waxing gloom did wane the lover's moon
Watching as their worlds drift apart"

The encroaching darkness drives a wedge between the two's cultures. If I'm reading it right, a central part of this darkness would be the distortion of the past. . .

"One soul's cry
A passion dwelling within
Sacrifice, a final plea to her kin"

Shiva, seeing the darkness for what it is, cries out to her kin not to embrace it. The question is, did she ask them to sacrifice, or did she stake the plea on her own sacrifice? The lyric could be read either way, and either could make sense, and either could fit with the next line. . .

"Yet this bond of hope, by treachery was broke
Scattering her words to the wind"

An initial reading says that the bond is the love between Shiva and the dragon. I still favor that reading, but I have to acknowledge that it could be saying there was a brief turning back by the Ishgardians that was then shattered. I prefer the former reading, but have nothing to rule out the latter. One thing of note is the element of treachery. This isn't just her kin ignoring her cries. Someone close would have had to turn against her for it to be "treachery," I'd say.

Knowing what I do of some of the more. . ."traditional" responses to heresy and apostasy, I very much suspect Shiva would have been put to death, though I have no lines of the game text to point to confirming that. That said, I also wouldn't count putting her to death for heresy as "treachery," even if this is before the war started (I can think of setups where I would call it that, but without more information they don't stand). At this point, it's hard to say what the treachery would have been, but part of the result seems to have been Shiva's death (or at least a severing of ties with the Dravanians, but I assume death).

"Swelling over long,
seas of blood, are a song
And death an afterthought
To those who fight for naught"

Here I think we start getting some double meanings. Specifically, I think the word "song" used here references the dragon's desire for retribution:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Midgardsormr

Seven children did I sire. One now singeth of retribution. I rise to join in the chorus...

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As for "those who fight for naught," I suspect it refers to both sides. Many of the dragons would be brought in based only on the betrayal of one, and the Ishgardians who are continuing to fight after so many generations that none of them truly remembers the reason the war started. For the Ishgardians, a holy war means that death (while not preferable) is honorable. For a dragon mourning his love, what would death be but a surcease?

"A throne, lying empty
A reign incomplete
Alone, for eternity
A pain, without cease"

At first I was going to split this into two couplets, but I think they're too closely tied. I assume that the empty throne is on the dragon side, simply because I don't see any sort of leadership position that would be empty on the Ishgard side. But, I do think the throne is one Shiva was supposed to occupy, so it could be on either side. That said, the lines "Alone for eternity, a pain without cease" is definitely about the dragon. So the question becomes, how closely tied are these two couplets? Was Shiva meant to take even a symbolic role among the dragons?

Also, the part about "a reign incomplete". . . I'm taking this to be something along the lines of "My reign is incomplete without X," where X could be an achievement or a person. Combined with the other lines, of course, I lean towards it referring to an incompleteness because Shiva is absent. But then, the only person that could claim an eternal reign (pretty much confirmed, at least) would be Midgardsormr and (unconfirmed) maybe his first brood. Which leads back to "Was it Shiva and Nidhogg?"

"Children of the land, answer this
Why must you turn to empty bliss"

This part I'm not sure about. I mean, would anyone describe the Ishgardians' situation over the last thousand years "bliss"? I mean, I admit I'm making the assumption that the singer is still speaking only to Ishgard, but even if not, the rest of Eorzea has been far from blissful.

Perhaps it's a reference to their initial decision to break trust with the dragons? I guess no one would have made the decision to start a war knowing it would last a thousand years? I can only assume they would have thought it would lead to prosperity at some point. Seriously, of all the lines, I think this one is the one giving me the most trouble. >_>

"Tell me why break trust, why turn the past to dust
Seeking solace in the abyss"

This couplet I think summarizes the song overall. Shiva was betrayed, the past was systematically erased (calling back to the opening lines--the truth no longer rings clear), and the Ishgardians seek (unknowingly at this point) to end the whole ordeal with death. Their own or their enemy's, either way is solace.

"Tell me why create, a circle none can break
Why must you let go, the life you were bestowed
This I fear I'll never know
Never know"

The "circle none can break" I believe refers to Ishgard's current state. Probably both to its physical defenses walling it off from the outside world and to its policies of isolation. As for the life they were bestowed, the singer seems to be lamenting the bleak life faced by the Ishgardians. Sure, their forefathers led them to this fate, but it's still sobering to think how much richer their lives could be if they could set aside the war and open their borders.

-----------------------------------------

Thoughts? Opinions? Have I completely misunderstood something? Am I reaching too far into conjecture?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Viridiana

"One soul's cry
A passion dwelling within
Sacrifice, a final plea to her kin"

Shiva, seeing the darkness for what it is, cries out to her kin not to embrace it. The question is, did she ask them to sacrifice, or did she stake the plea on her own sacrifice? The lyric could be read either way, and either could make sense, and either could fit with the next line. . .

"Yet this bond of hope, by treachery was broke
Scattering her words to the wind"

An initial reading says that the bond is the love between Shiva and the dragon. I still favor that reading, but I have to acknowledge that it could be saying there was a brief turning back by the Ishgardians that was then shattered. I prefer the former reading, but have nothing to rule out the latter. One thing of note is the element of treachery. This isn't just her kin ignoring her cries. Someone close would have had to turn against her for it to be "treachery," I'd say.

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I think this part meant that Shiva wanted to show Ishgardians that they could live with the dragons in a way that would sacrifice her own life but didn't work because she was betrayed.

Wall of Crazy Incoming:

Quote:

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Children of the land do you hear
Echoes of truths that once rang clear

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The truth that we once hear was that peace between the draconic horde and humans (children of the land, I think, are referring to all non dragons.) were at one time a reality, and are no longer. We now hear the echoes of that by learning from Iceheart and Midgardsommr that things aren’t exactly as they appear.

Quote:

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Two souls intertwined
One true love they did find
Bringing land and heavens near

---

Likely this refers to the love between a dragon and a human, and that love leading to the understanding that the five races and the draconic horde can get along. The ‘land’ and ‘heavens’ being symbolic of the peoples, one capable of flight, one not.

Quote:

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But flames that burn full bright, soon fell dark
Memories dimmed by shadowed hearts

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What flames? Wild speculation, but possibly of an alliance, but more likely simply of peace. Keep in mind that the distances involved, the lack of travel or linkpearl communications in the past, perhaps time and space led to the memories of an alliance with the draconic horde simply fading away… the shadowed hearts being the Acsions, who know doubt helped the dimming of memory along.

Quote:

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In the waxing gloom did wane the lover's moon
Watching as their worlds drift apart

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Perhaps not literally, but referring to the spirits of the first lovers. Assuming that the human did not become immortal, perhaps the dragon in the relationship chose to pass into the lifestream with their lover. Or based on lines below, perhaps they simply communicated with one another after death.

Quote:

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One soul's cry
A passion dwelling within
Sacrifice, a final plea to her kin
Yet this bond of hope, by treachery was broke
Scattering her words to the wind

---

Perhaps (assuming the lover was Shiva), this refers to her summoning, in one last effort to rekindle the union between man and the draconic horde. Sacrifice on the part of the summoner, destroyed by treachery, either from within humankinds own flaws, or once again by the Ascians.

Quote:

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Swelling over long,
seas of blood, are a song
And death an afterthought
To those who fight for naught

---

This would refer to the cycle of vengeance between dragons and Ishgard, or more generally any conflict spurred on by the Ascians.

Quote:

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A throne, lying empty
A reign, incomplete
Alone, for eternity
A pain, without cease

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I would guess the last two lines refer to the dragon in the relationship, who is alone. And the loss of love is often a source of pain in many creative works. The dragon may be unkillable, like Midgardsommr, but in the ‘dead’ state can speak or talk to their love in the lifestream.

Quote:

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Children of the land, answer this
Why must you turn to empty bliss
Tell me why break trust, why turn the past to dust
Seeking solace in the abyss

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I really don’t have any speculation about ‘empty bliss’. However, breaking trust and turning the past to dust likely refer back to the original peace between Ishgard and dragons. Once again, I am not sure what is meant by the last line. It seems to relate to ‘empty bliss, solace of the abyss, and letting go the life you where bestowed’. Perhaps the singer, being immortal, does not understand why the ‘children of the land’, the five races, spend their short lives running headlong to their deaths? Perhaps the singer is of such an alien mindset they just don’t grasp the mortal mindset.

Quote:

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Tell me why create, a circle none can break
Why must you let go, the life you were bestowed
This I fear I'll never know
Never know

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Circle again refers to the cycle of revenge, which leads to much death. The singer, I think, is neither dragon nor of Ishgard, since they seem to be looking on over the conflict, rather than taking an active part. At the same time, it must be someone immortal, or at least very longed lived, since to most the Dragonsong War is one of survival… Any one of the Five races of Eorzia belive the dragons simply another beast tribe, and would likely view the war as one of survival on the part of the Ishgardians.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cilia

I can't quite figure out what the "second verse" means:

This part's a bit ambiguous, but as it refers to the "children of the land" I'm inclined to believe it's directly addressing the Warrior(s) of Light; specifically, Hydaelyn asking why they're doing what they're doing. Specifically, it seems to ask why we're willing to settle for a hollow, empty victory that perpetuates a cycle; whether she's referring to the Dragonsong War or the overarching Astral / Umbral cycle we can't yet know.

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As I said, the second verse is a query to whoever is listening, and is probably intended for all inhabitants of Eorzea. The entire song is structured very much like a traditional lay-ballad. The song opens with an address to, and acknowledgement of, the audience, then first two-thirds of the song tell the story of two people, their love, and its consequence with a highlight of the tragedy, and then the final section is the singer addressing the audience directly, which was an extremely common structure for middle-age musical poetry. Real-life lays were usually not quite so aggressive in tone when addressing the audience, but they often did exhort the listener to take a lesson from the story; here, the singer is asking the listeners why they perpetuate the cycle of suffering exemplified in the story, as the singer perceives it as unending (that "circle none can break").

I just realized that the Rise of the White Raven lyrics have a typo that turns futurum (future) to fututum (to f**k).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

I just realized that the Rise of the White Raven lyrics have a typo that turns futurum (future) to fututum (to f**k).

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Not anymore they don't, haha. Thanks for the catch. I'm pretty sure I just copy/pasted those from somewhere, so I hadn't noticed that that was a typo.

I have been listening to the guildhest theme and notice a choir but I cannot for the life of me make out the lyrics. Are there any lyrics available for this?

Brothers in Arms(?) - Guildhest Theme
Vocals: ???

I don't think there is any, it must be like Ultima's theme, only voices that looks cool but don't mean anything.

Anyone try to listen to the chanting in the first part of Shiva?

I always figured that it was Dravanian, so I never bothered to try and transcribe them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mysteltain

I always figured that it was Dravanian, so I never bothered to try and transcribe them.

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All the more reason to IMO

So, while waiting for server congestion to die down, I found Ravana's theme! Here's my transcription of the lyrics with only one line missing, and a few I'm questioning. In terms of the song itself, "heroic" is the only way I can describe, like Greek army marching into glorious battle! ...okay, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but it's the closest I can describe it.

Ravana Theme

High on high I stand,
Gazing down to see
The endless garden
Awaiting me!

Red bloometh the rose of conviction.
And red bloometh the rose of hate.
Yes, red bloometh the rose of conquest!
So we ???

And the war it wageth on!
The storm it rageth on!
The bold ever fight on!
Their lives, a golden Song!

HAH!

All, like snow, lay fall.
Petals blocked and strewn.
Yet from their seeds grow
This war anew!

Blood trickling down from my fullers.
And blood trickling down mine hands.
This blood trickling down to Hydaelyn.
Until I understand!

And the war stil wageth on!
The storm still rageth on!
The bold blindly march on!
Their lives lost in a Song!

To avoid spoilers at the moment, I'll simply say that I'm surprised to find a certain character directly referenced. I don't think any other song directly references another character (beyond Dalamud, which we know what was in it).

So, some updates to the Dragonsong speculation, based on level 55 quests, so spoilered:

So, according to Hraesvelgr, his sister Ratatoskr was slain by a traitorous King Thordan, who then consumed her eye. I think this answers the lines about treachery, and the empty throne. Also, Hraesvelgr mentioned that the dragons experience the past the same way they experience the present, explaining why Nidhogg, who was first to discover the betrayal, is still enraged a thousand years later.

Correction, the Aery final scene shows that the empty throne would be Ishgard, after Haldrath refused to take the throne.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mysteltain

To avoid spoilers at the moment, I'll simply say that I'm surprised to find a certain character directly referenced. I don't think any other song directly references another character (beyond Dalamud, which we know what was in it).

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I don't think the word is being used to reference the character in that context.

Hydaelyn as in the planet itself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ibi

I don't think the word is being used to reference the character in that context.

Hydaelyn as in the planet itself.

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True enough, I think I was just wrapped up with that character's name being used that I forgot its other use.

Also, I've updated the first post with the lyrics for Ravana. I've seen some transcriptions on youtube and a reddit thread, and theirs line up with what I have, as well as fill in the blanks, so I'm confident in posting them.

EDIT: And upon finishing the story, I have to ask if anyone else thinks that the final boss' theme has real lyrics, or if it's just chanting. If so, that means I may start transcribing it as best I can. Otherwise, I'll wait for Soken or Ferne to reveal the true nature of the lyrics.

Anyone got the lyrics for Alexander theme song?

I'll start working on them later today, assuming a video is posted with them today. Two new songs with lyrics, and damn does that last one sound good, haha!

I know that this was a song they threw out there while they were waiting for Nobuo to finish Dragonsong but honestly I love it a lot over Dragonsong. Square doesn't seem to have it for sale either unless I'm looking in the wrong place.

Alright, so here's my (mostly) complete transcription of the lyrics for the general boss theme. This is definitely one of the more complex songs, lyrically speaking, as it never really repeats itself but is pretty long, at the same time.

EDIT: Also, upon listening to the final boss' theme, I noticed something pretty cool: it's sung in Gobbie-speak, haha! It's gonna be fun to figure out, I can tell already =P

Alexander Boss Theme

Seeking the peace of reason...
Shaping the peaceless season...
Reason to keep believing...
Waking the beast still sleeping...

We call this destiny, you're caught in a trance, and the
Monster inside trying to dream knows I'll
Never ???
This mortal coil we serve is taut like a spring,
Step back!
Two step two step two step;
One two back!

Our world's a fantasy no more than a test, and they're
Feeding off the fallacy creating this mess. Deep down
Inside this bleak machine with all of the rest,
Break free!
Today's today's;
Electricity!

Time turning on the moment...
Time turning on as always...
No time enough tomorrow...
For turning back to where we began!

Trying to send our ???
Fragments in my connection...
Suppose??? more detected...
But maybe I'm unsuspecting?
Standing to live to reason.
??? me from defects.
Confusions begun complaining.
Set the ??? to reset.

We're in this destiny alone in a trance. No escaping
From this waking dream, no hope for the best. You see
The mortal coil we serve is not like a spring,
Unwind!
Too slow to grip ???

Your world's a fantasy, you failed the test. Ever forging
On in fallacies creating the mess. Direct
In through this brick machine with all of the rest.
Decease!
Dying dying
Electricity!

(Falling) back right in to the system.
(Falling) back on all ???
(Falling) back right out of the system.
(Falling) back right in to this space.
(Falling) back right in to the system.
Falling back here again.
Going back is very simple.
(Falling) back here to this place again!

Silence to meaning breathing.
Memory quiet and ???
Everything ???
Radicals flow in freedom.
Energy slowly seeping.
Suspending all disbelieving.
Synergy without being.
Sin like the fire is breeding.

Seeking the peace of reason...
Shaping the peaceless season...
Reason to keep believing...
Waking the beast still sleeping...

EDIT 2: So, after listening to the Floor 4 boss theme, this is what I got, although it's incomplete. And I get the feeling this was a fun song for everyone to write, haha.

Manipulator Theme

Stamp, clink, clank , whirl, whizz, and boom!
Wheels-housing up the land a doom.
Crash, thoom, snap, bam, bing, bang, and zoom!
A near-soon fallen crimson tomb.

Stomp busyhills of the wicked
The hillstop, the runstop, deflate!
No busydeals for the wicked
Too late, far too late, far too late

Wake the metal! (Alexander!)
Create the metal! (Alexander!)
Uphold the metal! (Alexander!)
Control the metal! (Alexander!)
Embrace the metal! (Alexander!)
We raise the metal! (Alexander!)
We stole the metal! (Alexander!)
We hold the metal! (Alexander!)

Stomp, clink, clank, whirl, whizz, and crash!
We'll hack-back Uplander bash!
Whack, boom, clack, slam, bing, spin, splash!
Not far-soon we smash and we dash!

Throw gobbiebombs, galore neckbreaks.
Again and again and again!
Go gobbiehands, galore endmakes.
The echo, the Unguest, the end!

Wake the metal! (Get out!)
Create the metal! (Get out!)
Uphold the metal! (Get out!)
Control the metal! (Get out!)
Embrace the metal! (Get out!)
We raise the metal! (Get out!)
We stole the metal! (Get out!)
We hold the metal! (Get out!)

A few suggestions/corrections on the first one:

Stanza 2:

Quote:

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Monster inside trying to dream knows I'll
Never dance, you see

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Stanza 5:

Quote:

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Fragments in my direction...

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Stanza 7:

Quote:

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In through this brick machine with all of the rest.
DC!

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Less sure about that one.

Stanza 8:

Quote:

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(Falling) back right in to the system.
(Falling) back on all that's erased.

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Quote:

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(Falling) back right in to the system.
Simply falling back here again.

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Here is my last edit of what I think the lyrics are. Originally posted on reddit, with a few minor changes:

(Intro)

Seeking the piece of reason,
Shaping a peaceless season,
Reason to keep believing,
Waking the beast who's sleeping.

(Instrumental)
(Verse 1)

I call this destiny,
Or caught in a trance,
And I march inside a kind of dream
No sign in advance. You see?
This motor coil we serve is taut like a spring,
Step back, two step, two step,
Two step, one two three(yeah!)

(Instrumental)

Our world's a fantasy no more than a test,
Ever feeding off the fallacy,
Creating this mess
(Deep down) inside this bleak machine,
With all of the rest
Break free, to praise, to praise electricity!

(Break)

Time turning up the volume,
Time turning on us always,
No time enough to wallow,
For turning back to where we began.

(Chorus)

Trying to set those tested,
fragments in one direction,
Celestial noise detected,
but maybe I'm unsuspected.
Static to give, to reason,
Turning to me for a defense,
Transmissions begun, completed,
Setup agreed to reset

(Verse 2)

It was the destiny alone in a trance,
No escaping from this waking dream
No hope for the best (you see)
The motor coil we serve is naught but a spring.
Unwind, too slow, too quick, too much to believe!

(Instrumental)

Your world's a fantasy you failed to test,
Ever forging all new fallacies creating a mess
(Direct) into this bleak machine with all of the rest
Dizzy, dying, dying! Electricity!

(Break)

Falling back right into the system,
Falling back on all empty ears,
When falling back right out of the system
Means falling back right into disgrace
Yes, falling back right in with the system,
Is slipping, falling back to the end,
When falling back is better and simple,
(We're) falling back into pieces again!

(Chorus)

Sounds to be in rhythm,
Memory wiped and beaten.
Narrowly beat, defeated.
Radicals flow in free air.
Energy slowly seeping.
Suspending all disbelieving.
Synergy with our being,
Synapses fire and breathing.
(repeat)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mysteltain

Manipulator Theme
Don't jollyhands ???

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Probably just convincing myself it's this after fifty or so listens, but could this be

Quote:

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Don't jollyhands Garlean-makes

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?

Well, I've updated my Manipulator lyrics so that they're complete, if incorrect in some places. And I think, MiaJr, your lyrics are far more correct than mine will ever be for the boss theme, although thank you for the help Ibi and VitaminMT.

EDIT: I saw some suggestions on the Reddit thread about this song and applied some changes and am thinking about a few others. Lots of good ones, to be sure!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Manipulator Theme

Stamp, clink, clank , whirl, whizz, and boom!
Wheels-housing uplander doom.
Crack, thoom, snap, bam, bing, bang, and zoom!
A near-soon fallen crimson tomb.

Stomp busyhills of the wicked
The hillstop, the runstop, deflate!
No busydeals for the wicked
Too late, far too late, far too late

Wake the metal! (Alexander!)
Create the metal! (Alexander!)
Uphold the metal! (Alexander!)
Control the metal! (Alexander!)
Embrace the metal! (Alexander!)
We raise the metal! (Alexander!)
Restore the metal! (Alexander!)
Behold the metal! (Alexander!)

Stomp, clink, clank, whirl, whizz, and crash!
We'll hack-back Uplander bash!
Whack, boom, clack, slam, bing, spin, and splash!
Not far-soon we smash and we dash!

Throw gobbiebombs, galore neckbreaks.
Again and again and again!
Go gobbiehands, galore endmakes.
The echo, the Unguest, the end!

Wake the metal! (Get out!)
Create the metal! (Get out!)
Uphold the metal! (Get out!)
Control the metal! (Get out!)
Embrace the metal! (Get out!)
We raise the metal! (Get out!)
Restore the metal! (Get out!)
Behold the metal! (Get out!)

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For 'Wheels-housing up the land a doom.' I think it's uplander at the end, not up the land.
For 'We stole the metal! (Alexander!)' I'm fairly certain it's restore, not 'we stole.'
I would also argue that 'Throw gobbiebombs, galore neckbreaks.' and 'Go gobbiehands, galore endmakes.' is gobbie neckbreaks/endmakes.

I think your "up the land a doom" might be as simple as "uplander doom"
(I also hear "stop busydeals" or "stop busyheels" but that's close enough imo)
"Runstop" fits and I can hear it but I hate it lol

I also really doubt they're shouting Alexander! in the first set of Titan-wannabe periods though I haven't the foggiest what they're shouting but I hear "gobbie" in it

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EDIT: And upon finishing the story, I have to ask if anyone else thinks that the final boss' theme has real lyrics, or if it's just chanting. If so, that means I may start transcribing it as best I can. Otherwise, I'll wait for Soken or Ferne to reveal the true nature of the lyrics.

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I swear I hear the word "Praise" a lot in that song but it might be the mind playing tricks. Lord knows it's probably another Ultima theme debacle

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Originally Posted by Teuciont

For 'Wheels-housing up the land a doom.' I think it's uplander at the end, not up the land.
For 'We stole the metal! (Alexander!)' I'm fairly certain it's restore, not 'we stole.'
I would also argue that 'Throw gobbiebombs, galore neckbreaks.' and 'Go gobbiehands, galore endmakes.' is gobbie neckbreaks/endmakes.

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Yeah, it is most likely "Uplander doom", I don't know why I didn't put that together. And restore is probably correct, as well. In fact, the video I was watching for the lyrics had a comment of someone writing what they heard, and I they also had "Behold the metal!" for the last part, so I may change it to that, as well. As for the last lines you mention, I don't hear "gobbie" again, but I'll try listening a few more times for it.

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Originally Posted by Rocl

I think your "up the land a doom" might be as simple as "uplander doom"
(I also hear "stop busydeals" or "stop busyheels" but that's close enough imo)
"Runstop" fits and I can hear it but I hate it lol

I also really doubt they're shouting Alexander! in the first set of Titan-wannabe periods though I haven't the foggiest what they're shouting but I hear "gobbie" in it

I swear I hear the word "Praise" a lot in that song but it might be the mind playing tricks. Lord knows it's probably another Ultima theme debacle

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I actually couldn't really decide between "busyheels" and "busyhills", but given that the following line mentions "runstop" (I'm guessing on "hillstop"), it would make more sense for the latter. It's been pretty interesting trying to figure out what some of these words are, but I think I'm getting them right, for the most part. And yeah, I don't think they're shouting "Alexander" either, but it was the closest thing to what I heard, although I do kind of hear "gobbie" in it.

As for Thordan's theme, the only reason I think there may be lyrics is because I sometimes hear what I think is "Credo", but I'm not sure. I've tried listening a few more times, and I really cannot make heads or tails of it.

I'm definitely hearing "Restore", "Behold" and "gobbie". I'm annoyed by this "We raise", which then doesn't fit, and "Reraise", though fun, seems unlikely.

Finally, I really can't hear "Alexander". I'm getting some four syllable word(s) gibberish like [dungebenaaa], which I've internally processed as "Turn Gobbie now!" because it's fun. Now to know what it really is?

I mean if you can somehow believe that the Titan lyrics have them yelling 'Titan' when it sounds like total gibberish, stretching these lyrics to make it sound like they might be saying 'Alexander' isn't all that far off.

Interesting twist to the Manipulator theme that I don't think we've seen before* is that while the instrumental part plays continuously while you're in the instance (until you defeat it), the lyrics won't start until you initiate combat, and will cease again in the event that you wipe.

*we've seen it with non-lyrical songs switching between arrangements depending on combat, but not a lyrical one yet

I don't know if that's just a random interesting thing they added for that fight or if it's supposed to actually signify something, especially given that the normal Alexander boss theme does not do the same.

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Originally Posted by Ibi

I don't know if that's just a random interesting thing they added for that fight or if it's supposed to actually signify something, especially given that the normal Alexander boss theme does not do the same.

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I think it's mostly that the music can be really annoying if the lyric are permanent, while with only the instrumentals you can bear it even for multiple wipes.

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Originally Posted by Teuciont

I mean if you can somehow believe that the Titan lyrics have them yelling 'Titan' when it sounds like total gibberish, stretching these lyrics to make it sound like they might be saying 'Alexander' isn't all that far off.

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When it comes to understanding Titan, you really need to hear it without the distortion.

The kobold drum-chants for "Bow-down-overdweller / Titan" and "Bow-down-overdweller / Under the Weight" are much easier to pick up, after, lol.

I can't understand him in that video either lol.

I made a few changes to the Manipulator lyrics per some suggestions here and on an accompanying reddit thread (linked in the edited post). A really good suggestion for line 2 was:

"Wheels hum-sing Uplander doom"

Which I really like, to be honest, over my "Wheels-housing" line, although I have yet to add it. I'm also debating a few other lines, especially line 4, as I've never really been happy with it. The lines with "gobbiebombs" and "gobbiehands" also still bother me, but I'm still stumped as to what the whole of those lines are.