Well, let's see if this get's me any hate...

[NeoCracker]

Having just beaten the game for the first time in a few years, there is something odd about the end. Mind you, I find Melodies of Life to be a beautiful and wonderful song, but thinking on it it's bizarre that's the song they use at the end of the game. BoB, you may want to stop reading here for purposes of your current play through. :p


Anyway, Melodies of Life is a song whose lyrical content doesn't really match up with the reunion of Garnet and Zidane. The song is clearly a woman singing about a cherished, yet lost, love. It's about looking back through her memories and remembering the man she loved, and may still love, fondly, even if they are not together now. Why they aren't isn't really important.

This does not quite match up with Zidane and Garnet. Am I off here?

[Wolf Kanno]

I never viewed the song as some love ballad between Zidane and Garnet, I always assumed it was a song for the FF fans themselves. A kind of farewell song since FFIX was the end of Square's successful era on the PS1 and moving forward to the PS2 era.

[NeoCracker]

I can see that, though part of my mind is still bothered by the the scene now, even if I still like it on a whole. :p

[Laddy]

While it's a lovely song, it has indeed always bothered me on how ill-suited it was. In fact, I wasn't a huge fan of IX's ending as a whole in regards to Zidane and Garnet meeting back together. I mean, it's cute and stuff but I would prefer something a little more poignant.

[chionos]

Doesn't Zidane at one point say something like, I had to live, so I sang your song?

It's really Garnet's song: a version of it plays during the opening sequence of the game. Garnet's been damaged, Zidane helps her heal, helps her remember without hurting.

I thought the song was a brilliant use of motif; it shows up all over the place during the game in different ways.

It's not a love song in the typical sense. It doesn't express the love between the two characters. Instead, it's a symbol of their love, because it is emblematic of Garnet's suffering which then recalls Zidane's support and also Garnet's growth.

When you add in the way it also plays as a recap to both FFIX (this is a game not just about getting to the end, but the process of getting there in the first place, which all games should be) and as WK said, a send-off to an the good ol' days of Final Fantasy, then it really becomes quite brilliant. Also, the English lyrics fudge it a bit. The original, I think, is more fitting.

[Mirage]

Good thing I never pay attention to lyrics.

[Gamblet]

I payed attention to the lyrics and it felt like a random "love" song was there just for the feeling.

[chionos]

I payed attention to the lyrics and it felt like a random "love" song was there just for the feeling.

But it's not. Read my post. lol

[Jinx]

It's still better that Eyes on You.

[NeoCracker]

Well it's an amazing song, so of course it's better then Eyes on You. :p

(Unrelated note, for years I thought that Eyes on You was the song that played during the Parade during the assassinationa attempt. :p)

[Snakz92]

Well it's an amazing song, so of course it's better then Eyes on You. :p

(Unrelated note, for years I thought that Eyes on You was the song that played during the Parade during the assassinationa attempt. :p)

LOL

[Greatermaximus]

I did laugh a little at your sig at least. I don't much about the rest of thread. I obviously looks at the games message/essence the most. Or I think I do.

Although it's someone else's we try to satisfy ourself because of it.

[DMKA]

Eh, it's just like every other vocal theme song in the series. The never really fit the game's storyline...they just sort of fit the feel of the scene they're played during. "Melodies of Life" is guilty of this, but it certainly has lyrics that fit it's game better than "Kiss Me Goodbye" or "My Hands" did. :p

The only exception is "Eyes on Me" from Final Fantasy VIII. It was tailored specifically for that game and fits the storyline perfectly.

[Chris]

I thought "Melodies of Life" was an ode to the journey all of them went on together? I never saw it as a theme specifically made for Garnet and Zidane.

[NeoCracker]

As an ode to their journey it doesn't really make much sense either. They are all still clearly in touch and friends at the end, and aside from Vivi, there really isn't any reminiscing of something lost.

I think Wolf had the intent of the song down, even if I still find it a bad choice for that scene due to the stark contrast of lyrical meanings and what you are watching on screen.

[maybee]

It's the song that Dagger/ Garnet sings throughout out the game, that hum song and the song that she sings in Dali ( or rather have some random woman do la-la-la's in the tune of the song ) And the song that Zidane mentions is beautiful in Lindblum and the song he asks to hear again.

Garnet says that she doesn't really know where it comes from or where she heard it last; but she says that it calms her down and keeps her cheerful when she's alone.

Zidane clearly remembers Garnet's song and sings it when he's traveling back to Alexandria castle to survive and again, remind him that he's not alone.

It clearly started out as a Summoner Village song, Dagger managed to remember it- making it her song and then it becoming Zidane and Dagger's song. Nothing to do with FF IX being the last game of the PlayStation era, or anything like that. Just a song symbolizing that " we parted, so when will we see each other again " ? Part of the FF IX ending and Zid's and Dagger's love relationship.

[Jinx]

I think they're discussing the lyrics, not the origins.

[maybee]

Yeah but the lyrics are like " Oh my dearest memory, will you remember loving me " ? " Was it fate, that brought us close and then leaves us behind " ?

How can it be about FF IX being the end of a decade of Vivi dieing when it's clearly talking about loss in love ? And the origins tells us that the song is telling us that it's about Zid and Dag.

[NeoCracker]

The song is clearly about a love that is not coming back, yet reminiscing on the times spent together. This isn't a song about coming back together, it's a song about looking back on what you had fondly as you move forward.

FF IX was, by admition of the directer, a send off to all the FF's before it, a fond farewell to all that FF was. That emotion is the very core of what Melodies of Life is about.

It is, however, not the core of Zidane and Garnets relationship at the end game, which is quite the opposite of a goodbye.

And the line is "In your dearest memories, do you remember loving me. Was it fate that brought us close, and now leaves me behind", just to clarify. :p