Song Lyrics in FFXIV: Compilation, Discussion, and Interpretation

[StarDrake]

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.

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").

[Anonymoose]

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

[Mysteltain]

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

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.

[Tanama]

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: ???

[lololink]

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

[PArcher]

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

[Mysteltain]

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

[PArcher]

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

All the more reason to IMO

[Mysteltain]

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).

[Viridiana]

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.