Original Theme Song A Precurser?

[MartaDemireux]

So, the original song that many heard during the beta days had the following lyrics:

I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer
Release your hands for your will runs asunder
My legs long tired, tell us where must we wander
How can we carry on with redemptions beyond us

To all of my children in whom life flows abundant
To all of my children to whom death hath passed his judgment
The soul yearns for honor and the flesh the hereafter
Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after

Shining is the land's light of justice
Ever flows the land's well of purpose
Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe,
The land's alive, so believe

Suffer [feel] (me) Lonely [face] (me) Weakness [teach] (me) Evil [Fear] (me)
although[feel] (me) one must [face] (me) stumble [teach] (me) listen [speak] (me)
(Although we) [speak] we (might) [tell] them (we must) [tell] them (land of) [hope] hope
(Mother) [hope] hope (father) [wish] wish (every) [wish] wish(has a) [roam] home
(we must go) [roam] go (listen) [roam] go (suffer) [roam] home (sanctum) [swim] leap ---unsure
(And as) [speak] we (wander) [sleep] sleep (answer) [sleep on] sleep on (on) --- unsure

Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated
Still deaf to our cries lost in hope we lie defeated
Our souls have been torn and our bodies forsaken
Bearing sins of the past for our future is taken

War, born of strife these trials dissuade us not
Words without sound these lies betray our thoughts
Mired by your plague of doubt, the land she thorns
Judgment binds all we hope to a memory of scorn
Tell us why, given life, we are meant to die? help us in our cry!

witness suffer grumble(grovel?) reason
follow struggle wander listen
whisper shoulder addle weather
answer answer answer together

My life is a riddle to bear rapture and sorrow
To listen to suffer to entrust unto tomorrow
In one fleeting moment from the land doth life flow
Yet in one fleeting moment for the new leaf doth grow
In the same fleeting moment thou must live, die and know

Doesn't it seem like the perfect story from game launch up until now? The whole RAPTURE thing really seems like this was almost predetermined or a backup plan with the whole Dalamund ordeal and the coming of the seventh umbral era. Anyone else pick up on this? I was just randomly listening to it tonight and it sort of "clicked."

Fan-made video with the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxQIciJWx9g

[Answa]

I think you're reading too much into it. I don't know if it's the particular usage of the word rapture that triggered your thoughts, but rapture just means pleasure and sometimes joy. The rest of it just sounds like the Age of Adventure starting out.

Though thanks very much for disseminating the video. It's really nice and I'd not heard that song in a while.

[MartaDemireux]

Well rapture is also a French-based, English loanword which can mean an abduction or to be carried off by. We're being carried into the seventh umbral era via (supposedly) a violent and sorrow-filled event with Dalamund. Most think that Dalamund is going to change the world much like a phoenix - from a fiery death comes a new world abundant with life. The joy of English and all of its dualities! It could make sense in either fashion.

[Masamune1004]

The songs lyrics do seem to fit what is happening now almost perfectly, but I think it's just a coincidence.

[JDR388]

Interesting. I had never heard this song in its entirety before. Where did it play during beta?

[Kerath]

I have actually been wondering if they would keep this song as the Main Theme for 2.0. I am wondering if they change it kind of like in XI when we had new expansions we have different loading theme music?

[Elexia]

Yeah, XI had different marches but it ended up having this song being considered the main theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...-QOXtQGY#t=31s

'Answers' is basically the main theme, but it's highly unlikely to have been a Presurser to anything since it was around long before they decided to reform the game from the ground up. Depending on what the loading is like (if it'll actually copy how FFXI's gave a flythrough of a lot of zones) then yeah we may get a new song every load up.

[MartaDemireux]

Song never played full in the game but was found in the .dats in its full version. Otherwise it can be heard when we're "awakened" or whatever. I could definitely see them keeping this as the main theme, it fits so well with whats going on now.

I honestly find it hard to believe that they didn't have even a basic backup plan should the game flop at launch. There was information about umbral eras and even mention of a seventh at one point without going into it any. If it's the one thing I've learned about SE: little happens by coincidence. It certainly could still be coincidence, don't get me wrong, it just feels planned at least on a very broad and basic spectrum.

[bobbygunz]

So, the original song that many heard during the beta days had the following lyrics:


Doesn't it seem like the perfect story from game launch up until now? The whole RAPTURE thing really seems like this was almost predetermined or a backup plan with the whole Dalamund ordeal and the coming of the seventh umbral era. Anyone else pick up on this? I was just randomly listening to it tonight and it sort of "clicked."

Fan-made video with the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxQIciJWx9g

Welcome to Literary Analysis 101.


The first voice in the song is the voice of "The One" who the Walkers of the Path are searching for.

"Look to those who walked before" is a reference to the Echo.

The voice is trying to paint a picture of a happy, everything-is-so amazing world, where there is a reason for everything. Where everyone has a purpose.

The second voice in the song (the choral part) is reality setting in.

And then the third voice (where Susan Calloway tries to sound like a rocker) is the voice of cynicism, skepticism and her crying out for "answers".

It's a song about people's quest for meaning, and not really finding it. That's all. The ending stanza/verse tells of how the cycle repeats and you have to make the most of your fleeting life.

[MartaDemireux]

Welcome to Literary Analysis 101.


The first voice in the song is the voice of "The One" who the Walkers of the Path are searching for.

"Look to those who walked before" is a reference to the Echo.

The voice is trying to paint a picture of a happy, everything-is-so amazing world, where there is a reason for everything. Where everyone has a purpose.

The second voice in the song (the choral part) is reality setting in.

And then the third voice (where Susan Calloway tries to sound like a rocker) is the voice of cynicism, skepticism and her crying out for "answers".

It's a song about people's quest for meaning, and not really finding it. That's all. The ending stanza/verse tells of how the cycle repeats and you have to make the most of your fleeting life.

Interesting take on the song

I interpret the, "Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after," part to be quite literally a call to reality that we're playing an MMO. Look to those who played the game in the Beta so they can teach you about the world and what to do in the real game. This now applies again: those who played in 1.0 will teach those who come to the game in 2.0.

However, my main point:

"In one fleeting moment from the land doth life flow" - one instant a huge cataclysm destroys everything (Dalamund, end of 1.0).
"Yet in one fleeting moment for the new leaf doth grow" - revival like a phoenix (beginning of 2.0)
"In the same fleeting moment thou must live, die and know" - if you're revived the instant you die, have you ever really died? Being crushed by Dalamund and being alive at the same time to witness and know what is going on...