Song Lyrics in FFXIV: Compilation, Discussion, and Interpretation

[Rosenstrauch]

We all make mistakes or misunderstand things. It's nothing to be ashamed of, y'know?

[MrThinker]

I think Ali is more focussing on the "it's embarrassing to get called out on that by a stranger" part, though most of the time, corrections made on the lore forum are usually done in good faith rather than a concerted effort at bashing one's self-esteem. Usually.

[alibutterfly]

Thanks, guys - yes, MrThinker is right, I was focusing more on it being embarrassing to have your error recognized and commented on by a stranger, especially when it's something that's such a central story point like this. But yes, I know the comments were made in good faith and not meant to offend. I appreciate our community for that kind of thing.

Anyway, my mistaken derailment is over lol. I was so sure I was having a great thought earlier today, haha.

[Sove92]

So after hearing the full lauch trailer song, this is what I could come up with

Whispers, falling silently drift on to wind
But I hear you
Our journey, now a memory fading from sight
But I see you
Unbroken promises we made so long ago
You're still here
Unspoken requiem for a river of tears

Flowing, winding to our eternal sea
And yet our hope remains
Guiding! Lighting our way
No time for mourning

Rises, all the memory born from the ashes
With the heavens due sunset
Blood red skies tranquil after the storm
There's a channel, turning, wending, always
Not for long tame
The sun will shine again
Walk on, never look back
For you, we live

Tales of loss, and fire, and fate
Everywhere our hearts in pain
In the dark, you will not stray
Forge ahead, 'til the end we pray

[Annana]

There's a certain song that plays during a solo duty at level 87, was wondering if anyone else has tried to parse the lyrics.

Here's my take on it from hours of listening while stuck in queue.

EDIT: Post second trial there's a version that plays so much clearer lyrics.

Welcome and well met
My brave little spark
How long you've wandered
Burned bright as a star
For I have awaited you patiently
All this time
Past every fate

Now sing with me once more
Share of your life
Far greater than memory
It's loss and love
Words cannot hold
Boundless but ne'er overflows
And carries all lives out to sea

Remember the rain, near and far below
Each drop in the sea from heavens above
And how as time flowed on
Those waters became one
Streams, rivers, and lakes
Reaching for the horizon and far beyond
They carry onwards
However changed with each brief reflection
By setting sun, by storm's wake
Till welcomed home to gentle sea

Singing deeper and deeper
In pall and rains
Loving tides sweeping a new dawn

Should you meet us
---
With your unbeating heart wish them well

Deep dark far away
I heard in your voice
With your every choice
Now our hearts join 'round the meaning you sought

I'll catch your tears
Quench your thirst with joy
Till your --
Where in time
All shall as hope be reborn

Hush love, close your eyes
---
---
to dreams held aloft
Now you will hear ---
One step from tomorrow

[MrThinker]

So after hearing the full lauch trailer song, this is what I could come up with

That song is called

Close in the Distance

You got it mostly right I think but here is what I heard:

Whispers, falling silently drifts on the wind
But I hear you
Our journey, now a memory fading from sight
But I see you
Unbroken promises we made so long ago
You're still here
Unspoken requiem for a river of tears

Flowing, winding to our eternal sea
And yet our hope remains
Guiding! Lighting our way
No time for mourning

Rises on a memory born from the ashes
With the heaven's true sunset
Blood red skies tranquil after the storm
Blessed shadow -------> (This entire verse is a reference from ARR to ShB)

Turning, wending always
Night follows day
The sun will shine again
Walk on, never look back
Through you we live

Tales of loss, and fire, and faith
Everywhere, our hearts impaled
In the dark, you will not stray
Forge ahead, 'til the end we pray

[Mysteltain]

I've updated the main post with all of the EW vocal themes, as well as what lyrics I've been able to gather and compile from here and youtube. Since the MULA was updated, it's a bit harder to find the music on youtube, and harder still to find consistent comments for lyrics, but I think I've managed to draw from the best guesses there and here, and can put them on the first page with confidence.

[Enkidoh]

Is that all of them though? I'm wondering if the aetherial chanting in One Small Step (the

Mare Lamentorum/lunar surface zone theme

) for instance is actual lyrics or just Soken using the synthetic vox fx again like Ultima, Civilizations and others. I'm certain I can pick out some words in them, or at least sound like words, (I think I hear "twisting, turning" and "transcending" mentioned for instance), so I'm curious if that really has lyrics. I certainly hope it does!

Also speaking of the

moon

, has the lyrics for Endcaller, the Dark Inside's theme been released yet? (aka

Zodiark's battle theme

) I did consider at least some of it might be part of Endwalker ~ Footfalls's lyrics (particulary in the final stanza), but knowing Soken he might have changed things. I'm pretty sure I can hear "Forevermore" in there, and I'm certain I hear "Lord Zodiark"... "while we fall..." but that's all I can come up with on that front.

As I fell in love with this particular track hearing it in the launch trailer (it's the orchestral/choral section in the second half of the trailer), I'm very interested in what the lyrics were (my only disappointment is I was so sure this was going to be the final battle theme for EW, given SE had a habit of sneaking a preview of the final battle theme into the previous launch trailers with the exception of ARR, but that's just me.:P)

[Mysteltain]

I get the feeling that those two songs are using synthetic vocals. I can't really make out any distinct words in either, but we can't be certain until the OST gets released next year. What I'm most curious about is (major endgame spoilers!)

the opening to the final boss' theme. I'm not sure if those are actual words during The Worm's Tail section, since they don't sound like the Eorzean Symphony version, nor do they resemble the synthetic vocals in the game soundtrack. The Invincible section definitely sounds like the synthetic vocals from the game soundtrack, though, which is a bit disappointing, since I like the lyrics for the Symphony version.

[Iscah]

Regarding lyrics for "Close in the Distance"

You got it mostly right I think but here is what I heard:

Whispers, falling silently drifts on the wind
But I hear you
Our journey, now a memory fading from sight
But I see you
Unbroken promises we made so long ago
You're still here
Unspoken requiem for a river of tears

Flowing, winding to our eternal sea
And yet our hope remains
Guiding! Lighting our way
No time for mourning

Rises on a memory born from the ashes
With the heaven's true sunset
Blood red skies tranquil after the storm
Blessed shadow -------> (This entire verse is a reference from ARR to ShB)

Turning, wending always
Night follows day
The sun will shine again
Walk on, never look back
Through you we live

Tales of loss, and fire, and faith
Everywhere, our hearts impaled
In the dark, you will not stray
Forge ahead, 'til the end we pray

I feel like firstly it needs to be broken up differently, or less – you've put verse breaks where the music shifts, but lyrically the words should continue directly.

My arrangement, with edits in bold:

* I also pulled out a lot of commas

Whispers
Falling silently, drift on the wind
But I hear you

Our journey
Now a memory fading from sight
But I see you

Unbroken
Promises we made so long ago
You're still here

Unspoken
Requiem for the river of tears
Flowing, winding to an eternal sea
And yet our hope remains
Guiding, lighting our way
No time for mourning

Rises on a memory born(e?) from the ashes
'Mid the heavens to sunset
Blood red skies tranquil after the storm
Blessed shadow
Turning, wending always
Night follows day
The sun will shine again
Walk on, never look back
Through you we live

Tales of loss and fire and faith
Every word on our hearts engraved
In the dark you will not stray
Forge ahead 'til the end, we pray

And interpretation notes, some of which contain late game spoilers:

Re. general pacing, the whole thing feels like it may be structured like one big blank-verse poem and phrases sit across what seem to be verse breaks, like "a river of tears / flowing to an eternal sea" and "through you we live / tales".

Also, an important thing to notice with the first sets of lyrics is that they seem intended to echo the Scions' sacrifices as we progress through the zone, starting with Estinien (a wind to carry us forward), Y'shtola and Urianger (sight, seeing the truth), G'raha (promises made).


On some specific verses:


"Rises on a memory..."

"Born" could also be "borne" – so instead of rising on [a memory born from the ashes], it's rising on [a memory] carried from the ashes to new destinations.

I'm not convinced of my other edits but "Heaven's true sunset" is a rather meaningless phrase (and nothing that links clearly to Heavensward) so I'm trying to think what else it could be. I definitely think it sounds like "to" not "true".

On the note that it's referencing our journey through each expansion's symbolism, I see that flowing into the next verse too – more on Shadowbringers and the idea of an unending journey.


"Every word on our hearts engraved"

I'm certain of this one.