Hidden lore in Alexander lyrics? [Potential Spoilers]

[MikaKrystel]

Firstly, let me preface this by saying the lyrics to these songs are unclear, both from English/Japanese translation/pronounciation and the multitude of sound effects applied to the vocals. Because of this, my interpretation of the lyrics varies wildly from others (and yours, most likely!) I'm beginning to wonder if they're purposefully garbled however, given that it may hide a pretty revealing story within it ... maybe.

Many thanks to these users for their interpretation as it laid the groundwork for my own. I also worked on this translation of the final boss lyrics, or gobbie-speak on how the Illuminati plan to destroy us.

    Snap click, crank-whirr whizz, bam boom.

    Wheels hum-sing uplander doom!

    Crack-thoom snap, bam bing bangy-zoom.

    A near-soon far-bloom crimson THOOM!



    Stop dizzy-heels of the wicked,

    Defuse pop, debone stop, deflate.

    No busy-deals for the wicked,

    Too late, far too late, far too late!



    Wake the metal!

    Create the metal!

    Unfold the metal!

    Control the metal!

    Embrace the metal!

    We raise the metal!

    Restore the metal!

    Before the metal!



    Thud tick, clank purr-fizz, blam crash.

    Brew hand-back uplander bash.

    Whack-boom clap, slam zing spinny-splash.

    Not far-soon we smash heads, we dash!



    Boom! Gobbie-bomb, gobbie neck-breaks,

    Again, and again, and again.

    Doom, gobbie-hands, gobbie end-makes.

    The end, oh the end, yes! The end!



    Wake the metal!

    Create the metal!

    Unfold the metal!

    Control the metal!

    Embrace the metal!

    We raise the metal!

    Restore the metal!

    Before the metal!

For me, the far more interesting song of the two is the default boss music, however. This interpretation reads as an ambiguous story that might reveal some undisclosed details about the primal Alexander.

    Seeking a piece of reason,

    Shaping a peaceless season,

    Reason to keep believing,

    Waking the beast who's sleeping ...



    I call this destiny (you're caught in a trance)

    Ever march inside, there's got to be no sign of advance (you see?)

    This mortal coil we serve is taut like a spring; step back,

    Two-step, two-step, two-step-one-two-back!



    The world's a fantasy (no more than a test)

    Ever feeding off the fantasy, creating this mess (deep down)

    Inside this bleak machine with all of the rest,

    Break free! To praise, to praise electricity!



    Time turning up the volume,

    Time turning on as always.

    No time-enough tomorrow,

    For turning back to where we began!



    Trying to set those twisted fragments in one direction ...

    Celestial noise detected, but maybe I'm unsuspected?

    Standing to give to reason, turning the key for defense ...

    Transmissions begun completing, setup to >BREACH and >RESET.



    Now what's the destiny (alone in a trance?)

    No escaping from this waking dream, no hope for advance (you see?)

    The mortal coil we serve is naught but a spring; unwind,

    Too slow, too quick, too much to believe!



    Your world's a fantasy, you failed the test.

    Ever forging all-new fallacies, creating a mess (direct)

    Into this bleak machine with all of the rest-

    D/C! Dying, dying! Electricity-



    (Falling back right into the system, falling back on all the T-rays)

    (When falling back right out of the system means falling back right into disgrace ...)

    (Yes falling back right in with the system, while slipping, falling back to the end)

    (When falling back is better and simple, we're falling back into business again!)



    Silence to beat and rhythm, memory: >WIPE and >READ (>END) 

    Error, repeat: >DEFEATED. Radicals flowing free (>END)

    Energy slowing seeping, suspending all disbelief (>END)

    Synergy with our being ... synapses firing, breathing ...

Let's start with the vocals, of which there are three variations. These seem to indicate the viewpoints of different characters and their description of events. I've colour-coded these dubious characters as Invader, Defender and Unknown.

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

This fits with what we currently know of the Illuminati and their plan to take control of the once docile Alexander, a self-sustaining haven for scientists and philosophers (a piece of reason, the beast who's sleeping). It is also possible that this is written from a Sharlayan or Allagan viewpoint, depending on Alexander's as-yet-unknown history.

I call this destiny (you're caught in a trance)
Ever march inside, there's got to be no sign of advance (you see?)
This mortal coil we serve is taut like a spring; step back,
Two-step, two-step, two-step-one-two-back!

The world's a fantasy (no more than a test)
Ever feeding off the fantasy, creating this mess (deep down)
Inside this bleak machine with all of the rest,
Break free! To praise, to praise electricity!

This indicates that the dormant machine was invaded, and that the invader(s) shunned the outside world, hoping instead to "break free" and "praise electricity". Prayer and hope have been two frequent ingredients in the creation and summoning of primals.

Time turning up the volume,
Time turning on as always.
No time-enough tomorrow,
For turning back to where we began!

Big emphasis on time here. More on that later ...

Trying to set those twisted fragments in one direction ...
Celestial noise detected, but maybe I'm unsuspected?
Standing to give to reason, turning the key for defense ...
Transmissions begun completing, setup to >BREACH and >RESET.

This interpretation reads like an administrator operating a computer-like machine, and the lyrics seem to make the most sense when you throw in some command-line-style arguments (again, more of those later).

It begins to get really interesting here. It refers to itself being or generating "celestial noise". As long-time fans of the FF series will know, Alexander has typically been holy aspected and depicted with large angel-like wings.

Now what's the destiny (alone in a trance?)
No escaping from this waking dream, no hope for advance (you see?)
The mortal coil we serve is naught but a spring; unwind,
Too slow, too quick, too much to believe!

Your world's a fantasy, you failed the test.
Ever forging all-new fallacies, creating a mess (direct)
Into this bleak machine with all of the rest-
D/C! Dying, dying! Electricity-

When listening to the singer of this verse, you can very clearly hear them getting cut off at the end. The D/C refers to either a direct current (electricity) or a disconnection. This viewpoint continued repeating the mantra that the outside world is doomed and again seems to have a pretty ecclesiastical vibe to it.

(Falling back right into the system, falling back on all the T-rays,)
(When falling back right out of the system means falling back right into disgrace ...)
(Yes falling back right in with the system, while slipping, falling back to the end.)
(When falling back is better and simple, we're falling back into business again!)

This part is pretty trippy, and I have a hard time concluding what this might be in reference to. The repeated "falling back" could be a reference to time passing or even something wild like time compression. It could also refer to intergration with "the system", which would synchronise well with the final verse ...

Silence to beat and rhythm, memory: >WIPE and >READ (>END)
Error, repeat: >DEFEATED. Radicals flowing free (>END)
Energy slowing seeping, suspending all disbelief (>END)
Synergy with our being ... synapses firing, breathing ...

The last verse reads like an emergency report, a final message after some large calamity. It's also the verse I had the hardest time reciting, as the only way the lyrics made any sense was if I included words as command-line-esque messages. Perhaps the confusion was intended, as there could be a lot of information to deduce from this passage.

I will leave said conclusions to good folks like yourself however, as I'm sure your imaginations are far more vibrant than mine. My lore knowledge is probably a bit lacking too (I'm sure there's a face-palm in there somewhere!)

While this may just be a lot of mis-heard lyrics, hopefully you will find some interesting clues in there! Many thanks to the team at SE for creating such wonderful music, every time new content is released I am always impressed by the depth and quality. Looking forward to the next primals!

[FinalWolf]

BREAK THE METAL!
CREATE THE METAL!
MOLD THE METAL!
CONTROL THE METAL!
BREAK THE METAL!
REMAKE THE METAL!
RESTORE THE METAL!
BEHOLD THE METAL!!!!

[-Krypyonite-]

first of all, thank you for posting my link!

If you read the comments on my reddit thread, we comment me and some also did some analysis.

I would only divide them in two voices. Alexander's sistem and The iluminaty goblin. Yet there are some words where i differ in opinion in wich i will explain in detail later on.. The overall idea its quite simple.

Its the story and description of Iluminaty and its relation with the fortress.

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

about this part its quite simple, its their plan and ideal.

I call this destiny (you're caught in a trance)
Ever march inside, there's got to be no sign of advance (you see?)
This mortal coil we serve is taut like a spring; step back,
Two-step, two-step, two-step-one-two-back!

Okay in this one it uses verbs that show a paradox, literally ''taut like a spring'', the whole chunk its like they are, stagnated.

The world's a fantasy (no more than a test)
Ever feeding off the [balance], creating this mess (deep down)
Inside this bleak machine with all of the rest,
Break free! To praise, to praise electricity!

this one is, however, by bleak machine i take it not as Alexander but as a metaphor for the world of hydalein. The sect before shown a problem, this one now shows a solution, By breaking free techinicly works as in a wake up.

we know that the enigma codex is pretty much the base of the goblin technology. My thoughts in overall is that 3 years ago goblins entered alexander, found the codex, with that knowledge built their machines and eventually woke up the fortress, wich is, where they found the codex in the first place.

I think there sounds more of balance (repeating fantasy twice and taking in mind the context, makes no sense)

Quote Originally Posted by MikaKrystel
Time turning up the volume,
Time turning on as always.
No time enough to wallow.
For turning back to where we began!

this is literally their call to arms, they got so far, done so much, and now they got no time to waste, they can't lose what they achieved, they can't go back to stagnation.

Quote Originally Posted by MikaKrystel
Trying to set those twisted fragments in one direction ... (here i think it might be slightly difrent but the idea wouldnt differ much)
Celestial noise detected, but maybe I'm [not so expected]?
[Starting] to give to reason, turning [to me] for defense ...
[Transmissions begun > Completed], setup to >BREACH and >RESET.

Okay, in here the ''machine'' that is alexander's sistem, represented by the female robotish voice.

''celestial noise detected'' its my biggest doubt in this line, i cant be sure of what means but if i were to bet, its the primal part of it. Since it refers to itself.

Remember that primals are not exactly the being. They are, modified versions of the original. So this would be like Alexander sistem waking up.

''starting to give to reason'' its like as in alexander gained life, and now is thinking. the next line clearly refers to goblins that are using Alexander as the fortress it is. Later on, we see it sort of questioning them and their reasons, and also If alexander sistme thinks if its doing what is suposed to.

__

Quote Originally Posted by MikaKrystel
[It was the destiny alone in a trance,
No escaping from this waking dream,
No hope for the past. (You see?)]
The mortal coil we serve is naught but a spring; unwind,
Too slow, too quick, too much to believe!

Your world's a fantasy, you failed the test.
Ever forging all-new fallacies, creating a mess (direct)
Into this bleak machine with all of the rest-
D/C! Dying, dying! Electricity-

in this line i pretty much agree with your point of view. But the first lines show that the goblins realise what is happening and what they have done, that their plan is pretty much suceeding.

___

Quote Originally Posted by MikaKrystel
(Falling back right into the system, falling back on all the [empty ears] t rays fits the sound but taking in mind its meaning does not fit , )
(When falling back right out of the system means falling back right into disgrace ...)
(Yes falling back right in with the system, while slipping, falling back to the end.)
(When falling back is better and simple, we're falling back into business again!)

here it would seem as that the sistem is realizing that is alive, questioning its own thought and not doing exactly what was programmed to, creating showing doubt, as its now alive.

the last line i would take it difrently.

i hear it as in :

Sounds to be in rhythm
Memory wipe > COMPLETED
Narrowly beat > DELETED
Radicals flowing freer
Energy store > RECIEVED
Suspending all disbelief in
Synergy with our being,
Synapses FIRE and breathin'.

Here i would literally take it as an emergency program, but now it has changed, its alive ! It works as a checklist. Synergy means it is stable within, the synapses can be taken as a thoguht or a movement, wich means, it can either move or think.

I slacked on this one and delayed alot, ended up a bit sloppy but thats pretty much my thoughts on this.

[Eul]

This is the best song after Titan's BGM~

[Lusavari]

Trying to set those twisted fragments in one direction ...
Celestial noise detected, but maybe I'm unsuspected?
Standing to give to reason, turning the key for defense ...
Transmissions begun completing, setup to >BREACH and >RESET.

Interference here can be either referring to something like the cosmic microwave background radiation (i.e. the static you see when you turn on an old TV) or some sort of interference run by an aetheric being. Both possibilities could refer to Hydaelyn, though the second could refer to another Primal. It might not be unreasonable to assume that Alexander's original summoning 3 summers prior may have failed in large part due to Bahamut, who would have been competing to consume large amounts of Aether. However this whole line also should be talking about the Enigma Codex.

Trying to set those twisted fragments up in one direction, would imply they're trying to interpret the data encoded within. Celestial Noise would most likely be referring to Hyadaelyn here, though it could be referring to the codex serving as Alexander's brain, and being unaware that the Goblins are controlling him.

[FaerieAura]

I actually have been thinking about the normal boss music for awhile now. I hadn't thought of the parts where the voice turns mechanical as being lines of computer code being input into the system, but it does make a lot of sense.

For me, the song isn't a celebration of the triumph of the Goblins so much as it is a lament. One thing we know about Primals: They temper people. When I listen to the song, I imagine the tension between a faction of the Goblins that didn't want to activate Alexander as a primal, instead finding a different energy source, and those who grew impatient, and decided to forge ahead with the creation of the Primal Alexander.

The opening lines are from a time when everyone agreed on what to do:

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

Basically, wanting to turn the fortress into the place of peace and reason it was meant to be after the Sharlayans abandoned it.

In my view, the next lines are an argument between the potential Splinter Faction I mentioned above and the faction that wanted to awaken Alexander as a Primal:

I call this destiny (you're caught in a trance)
Ever march inside, there's got to be no sign of advance (you see?)
This mortal coil we serve is taut like a spring; step back,
Two-step, two-step, two-step-one-two-back!

The world's a fantasy (no more than a test)
Ever feeding off the fantasy, creating this mess (deep down)
Inside this bleak machine with all of the rest,
Break free! To praise, to praise electricity!

Basically, the first set of lines is the argument of the Alexander faction. They wanted to create the Primal because the progress on the fortress without a supernatural power source was too slow. The phrase "this mortal coil we serve is taut like a spring" is referring to the idea that they are literally not going to be able to complete Alexander before they die if they don't do something drastic. The lines in parentheses are the rebuttals given by the group who didn't want to make Alexander a primal (see specifically: " I call this destiny (you're caught in a trance)." The same idea holds for the second set of lines, but in reverse - it's the Splinter faction's argument, with the parentheses being the rebuttals by the Alexander faction. Essentially, they're arguing that this is a fantasy, and all it will lead to is breaking free from the violence of the world to become enthralled to the machine. The Alexander faction is arguing it's nothing more than a test, just like all the other experiments they've done in the past.

Then, the next lines:

Time turning up the volume,
Time turning on as always.
No time-enough tomorrow,
For turning back to where we began!

Trying to set those twisted fragments in one direction ...
Celestial noise detected, but maybe I'm unsuspected?
Standing to give to reason, turning the key for defense ...
Transmissions begun completing, setup to >BREACH and >RESET.

To me, these lines are basically showing the process through which the Alexander faction activated the system, and continued justification for doing so. Again, there's not enough time - we have to do something now. No going back to where we began when the solution is right in front of us! So we're going in, we're going to activate this thing as a primal, and we're going to realize our dream now, regardless of what our fellow goblins think about it.

Then we have a second set of "argument" lines. In this theory, you can actually see the Alexander faction realize they screwed up badly:

Now what's the destiny (alone in a trance?)
No escaping from this waking dream, no hope for advance (you see?)
The mortal coil we serve is naught but a spring; unwind,
Too slow, too quick, too much to believe!

Your world's a fantasy, you failed the test.
Ever forging all-new fallacies, creating a mess (direct)
Into this bleak machine with all of the rest-
D/C! Dying, dying! Electricity-

Basically, the first lines are the Alexander faction realizing they have created a beast that can't be stopped through their impatience, and probably are likely to be tempered. The second set of lines is blaming this faction for creating this "mess". The Alexander faction doesn't even have a rebuttal this time.

The "trippy part" you mentioned also feeds into this theory for me, as it sounds more like a lament as well:

Falling back right into the system, falling back on all the T-rays
When falling back right out of the system means falling back right into disgrace ...
Yes falling back right in with the system, while slipping, falling back to the end
When falling back is better and simple, we're falling back into pieces again!

To me, this is referring to the fact that activating Alexander as a primal has essentially caused them to be stuck. They can't leave, because they created something that can't be stopped. They have no choice but to fall back with the system they created, and that means that they're literally broken (I always heard "Business" as "Pieces".)

This gives the final lines a darker tone. I think it's literally the process of a now self-aware Primal Alexander tempering all of the Goblins.

Silence to beat and rhythm, memory: >WIPE and >READ (>END)
Error, repeat: >DEFEATED. Radicals flowing free (>END)
Energy slowing seeping, suspending all disbelief (>END)
Synergy with our being ... synapses firing, breathing ...

He's wiping the memory of the Goblins. Suspending their disbelief in the system. Slowly making them serve him. They awaken, servants of the system that at least some of them tried to stop from happening in the first place.

Now, my theory hinges heavily on there being some faction that opposes the Illuminati goblins. My thoughts right now are that this may be another group of Goblins, but it could be whatever faction Mide turns out to be a part of, the Idyllshire goblins, pretty much anyone.

[-Krypyonite-]

- .

I do really like the way you're thinking, i havent thought about they being tempered! It really makes sense. What if the ''faction'' is what mide is looking for, the ''him'' well, he is probably tempered aswell, in that case, Mide would be the new alisae, and whoever she is looking for would be the new ''louisoux''... Though seems like a repetitive plot...

[MikaKrystel]

Now, my theory hinges heavily on there being some faction that opposes the Illuminati goblins. My thoughts right now are that this may be another group of Goblins, but it could be whatever faction Mide turns out to be a part of, the Idyllshire goblins, pretty much anyone.

I really like this theory, and Mide being a Xaela gives some support to it. The Xaela are traditionally nomadic and close-knit with their clans and we don't yet know her surname. It could be that this clan are the faction you're speaking of.

[FaerieAura]

I do really like the way you're thinking, i havent thought about they being tempered! It really makes sense. What if the ''faction'' is what mide is looking for, the ''him'' well, he is probably tempered aswell, in that case, Mide would be the new alisae, and whoever she is looking for would be the new ''louisoux''... Though seems like a repetitive plot...

I am thinking along the same lines. I'm wondering if this isn't the reason she's looking for the Enigma Codex, and why the tempered Goblins are trying so hard to keep it from us. It's the source of all knowledge, right? What if it contains the knowledge of how to remove tempering? The Illuminati Goblins want to control all knowledge while also serving Alexander, who like all primals wants as many followers as possible to sustain his aether. By protecting the Codex, they protect both their interest and the interest of their deity. If we can find the Codex, maybe we can learn how to undo the tempering process - and in turn, save "him" and others who may also have fought against the activation of the primal.

[ZanzhizExaverion]

Pretense: Grammar is a little hard to get, make sure you understand the PRIMAL and the MACHINE/AI are separate "entities" in this theory.

All things considered we really do need the TRUE lyrics of the song to grasp it. One or two words can change the meanings entirely.

My theory behind Alexander is that the machine and the Primal are one and the entity doesn't understand exactly what it is, (The Machine is the restriction of what the Primal is allowed to understand.) and all the data it's trying to dig into was erased and/or locked away by the Goblins or the Sharlayan's, so as we move through the story I think the machine will soon become sentient and controlled by Alexander itself as the Goblins lose control, as we can PROBABLY expect to kill Allthoughts in Alexander Wave 2.

To simplify, the AI was created to prevent the Primal from accessing it.

I hear differently on a couple lines.

Falling back right into the system,
Falling back on all that's Erased
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!

To clarify the verse, it sounds as if the primal is trying to find some sort of backup to figure out what it actually is, the problem is that the Primal is losing control over the machine once again and doesn't want to slip back into it's dormant state. If it doesn't access the system it falls dormant again and finds out nothing about what it actually is.

And

Sounds to be in rhythm
Memory wiped and bleedin'
Narrowly beat, defeated
Radicals flowing freer
Energy slowly seepin'
Suspending all disbelief in
Synergy with our being,
Synapses fire and breathin'.

The second correction stands out more to me as the primal realizing that it's one step behind so it starts creating it's own backup to recover the data it's trying to decipher.

Both of these instances it is the Female vocalist. I understand the Defender and the Unknown are different voices, but the fact that they're both SIMILAR leads me to believe that the Primal is having a tussle with the AI, trying to overtake it before it's too late.

EDIT: Synapses in the brain are related to Memories. Checkmate.

I'd also like to touch on this verse.

Trying to set those twisted fragments in one direction ...
Celestial noise detected, but maybe I'm unsuspected?
Starting to give to reason, turning the key for defense ... (Turning to me? Key sounds more correct in this instance.)
Transmissions begun completing, setup to >BREACH and >RESET.

This sounds like the machine specifically arguing with the primal.
Trying to set those twisted fragments in one direction, the primal is trying to pull apart the data.
Celestial noise detected - the AI detects the primal becoming less dormant - the primal is trying to get in undetected, Unsuspected.
The primal was wrong, the AI begins to give in to REASON, aka a BELIEF, something AI cannot achieve, so it turns the key and strengthens its defenses against the Primal.
The AI then detects a >BREACH and >RESET's it's files to keep the Primal out.

TL;DR - The machine (Artificial Intelligence) was built to keep the Primal dormant and under wraps, hence the shield the Sharlayan's built along with the machine itself. (Just in case the machine fails it's protocol.)
The information that our Au'Ra friend is looking for is the knowledge Alexander (Primal) is trying to find, and that's why it's locked so deeply inside of it's systems. **Because it doesn't understand WHAT it is.**

The fact that Allthoughts didn't really care that we found the information just forwards his plan - to prevent the Primal from attaining this information and have the Goblins control the fortress.