Song Lyrics in FFXIV: Compilation, Discussion, and Interpretation

[GuyInDogSuit]

I'm curious as to who the singers of all the songs in Shadowbringers are. Specifically "What Angel Wakes Me." I know the "Shadowbringers" main theme is sung by Amanda Achen-Keenan and Jason Charles Miller, but that's about it.

[Atamis]

Hoping they figure out the Civilization's lyrics. I need some insight to what La Hee is actually saying!

[MrThinker]

Maybe they will provide them with ShB OST?

[RicaRuin]

Hoping they figure out the Civilization's lyrics. I need some insight to what La Hee is actually saying!

In the Q&A Live Letter, Soken himself said it's just gibberish.

Q: The "La hee!" from the Rak'tika Greatwood music is stuck in my head! I'd like to know what the lyrics are!
A: * This question was answered by Sound Director Soken.

I’ll leave it up to your imagination. Honestly, I don’t know either...
Let's just say that the lyrics are unknown!

See here

[Atamis]

In the Q&A Live Letter, Soken himself said it's just gibberish.



See here

I didn't take that as "gibberish" I interpreted that as "I don't know" as in maybe he doesn't speak the language and had someone else do the lyrics while he just made it sound amazing. If he specifically said they just made it up, then sure I would accept that. At the very least they probably have a voice track that they could transliterate so it wouldn't be a mystery what is being said, even if it is a fictional language or gibberish, as even gibberish can be spelled out in real words.

[Enkidoh]

I didn't take that as "gibberish" I interpreted that as "I don't know" as in maybe he doesn't speak the language and had someone else do the lyrics while he just made it sound amazing. If he specifically said they just made it up, then sure I would accept that. At the very least they probably have a voice track that they could transliterate so it wouldn't be a mystery what is being said, even if it is a fictional language or gibberish, as even gibberish can be spelled out in real words.

Unfortunately, I'm going to take Soken's comment at face value as some of his earlier tracks with 'vocals' in them also turned out to just have either gibberish or random words with no meaning behind them (a so-called 'vox' effect) - Ultima is a specific example of that. So I believe him when he says Civillizations has no actual lyrics and is just a 'vox' synthetic sound.

Often when such tracks are arranged for orchestra/piano/band (like for the Eorzean Symphony or Distant Worlds orchestral concerts) they finally get actual lyrics written for them, but the actual in-game originals sadly just have nonsense words and sounds that are meant to sound like actual lyrics, but sadly actually are not or have none.

[Kuroka]

Soooo Anything new?

[zuzu-bq]

We're pretty much waiting on Symphony Volume 2's lyrics at this point. I know Worm's Tail is in there. The Orchestral Releases get real lyrics instead of the pseudo generated that we have in game.

[MrThinker]

So, apparently the theme for the 2nd half of the ShB final boss "Invincible" has actual lyrics instead of using some sort of voice synth. Who knew?

From dev blog:

Invincible

Lasciate

Ogne speranza

These memories ache with the weight of fate

Ever we fight

Never we fly

Ever we fall

Forever we fall

Now breathe deep of the darkness beneath the flood

Where all of the proud angels drink to their deeds of blood

Their lies, twisted and torn, into dreams they're spun

Yet ever we still stand tall

Invincible

Never we fall

[RicaRuin]

... huh. I figured that with all the parallels to ancient greece, they would use that language if they used one besides English. But is that Italian I spot? Doesn't really seem like correct latin... would need to look it up in my Stowasser after work.