Most of these songs are from my favorite music genre, punk rock. Even if you're not a big fan of Ramones-influenced three chord punk, trust me, it would make a great soundtrack for Phantasy Star! (I should know, I listen to a lot of it while playing the games.) However, there's also some heavy metal and some "alternative" (a very overused label, in my opinion) herein, as well.
If these artists/songs are unfamilar to you, I encourage you to check them out. Go to a cool record store near you that lets you listen before you buy, or just buy these albums outright if you trust my taste in music. (And then there's always places like Napster, but of course, www.camineet.net officially discourages the dispicable practice of using the Internet to listen to music before you decide if you want to spend your money on it.)
Alis's Theme
"Hold On" by Green Day
Album: Warning
I searched for a long, long time for a song that could be Alis's Theme. I wanted a song that was about what I feel are Alis's two greatest traits -- determination and hope. I should have known that the greatest band in the world, Green Day, would come through for me.
As I stepped to the edge of the shadow of a doubt With my conscience beating Like the pulse of a drum that hammers on and on Until I reach the break of day As the sun beats down on the halfway house Has my conscience beating The sound in my ear, the will to persevere As I reach the break of day
When you lost all hope and excuses
A cry of hope, a plea for peace
When you lost all hope and excuses
When you lost all hope and excuses
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Lassic's Theme
"My Poor Friend Me" by Bad Religion
Album: Recipe For Hate
I know a man who doesn't have many friends I know a place he lives where trouble never ends I know it's hard for him to read 'tween the lines And his days are getting so much shorter
He simply turns away and dons a bitter frown
It's my poor friend me
I know there are people who are cynical and vain
Lately I've come to see the solution
Our people running scared we live, breathe and die
It's my poor friend me
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Phantasy Star II Theme
"Desensitized" by Green Day
Album: Nimrod (Import versions only)
This song is about our modern-day information age, and since PSII-era Mota is the information age from hell, I find this tune very appropriate for that game. Hint: imagine some of these lines coming from Mother Brain, but others coming from Rolf.
Clenching my teeth tight My head is like a sponge Give it to me free
I wanna get ripped off
Bring me blood and pain
I wanna get ripped off
Bring me blood and pain
I wanna get ripped off
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Rolf's Theme
"Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who
www.camineet.net reader Fistan suggested this song to me as Rolf's theme. At his suggestion, I sought it out, and I agree, it makes a great theme for Rolf -- and besides, shouldn't a hero of Algo have some Pete Townshend guitar riffs in his theme song? You're damn right he ought to!
No one knows what it's like To be the bad man To be the sad man Behind blue eyes
No one knows what it's like
But my dreams
No one knows what it's like
No one bites back as hard
But my dreams
When my fist clenches, crack it open
And if I swallow anything evil
No one knows what it's like |
Nei's Theme
"Butterfly" by Weezer
Album: Pinkerton
Site reader Psi3768610 suggested this to me as Nei's Theme and as with some other Dream Soundtrack suggestions I've received, I had to agree. This is another one of those Dream Soundtrack songs where if you can hear an actual recording of the song, rather than just read the lyrics, you'll understand so much more about why it's an appropriate choice. The song is played only with acoustic guitar.
Yesterday I went outside With my momma's mason jar Caught a lovely butterfly
When I woke up today
Smell you on my hand for days
I guess you're as real as me
I told you I would return I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry |
Neifirst's Theme
"Dinosaur Act" by Matthew Sweet
Album: Altered Beast
Yes, the album's name was inspired by the video game. This one was suggested on the Phantasy Star Discussion Board by fellow Matthew Sweet fan Myei. The two of us will now sing along...
Borne on a cloud, stupid and proud I'm gonna take you back now Cursed by the past, held under glass I was too hard to shake down
And I'm coming back with my dinosaur act
Lost in the head, lost in your bed
'Cause I'm coming back with my dinosaur act
I'm coming back with my dinosaur act |
Love Theme For Rolf and Nei
"Nothing Lasts" by Matthew Sweet
Album: Girlfriend
I've never really seen a romantic love between Rolf and Nei, but there was definitely a sibling love there, and that is the type of love I'm speaking of. Matthew Sweet is an awesome artist and this song is a beautiful acoustic guitar tune about love that's been lost, perfect for Rolf and Nei.
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If one could stop time Or make it up If two could realize The best of luck If I could locate a God above And you only wanted to be loved Then I'd try to hang on to the past But you know that nothing, Oh no nothing lasts Nothing lasts
It's time to move on
Nothing's in your way |
Shir's Theme
"Been Caught Stealing" by Jane's Addiction
Album: Ritual de lo Habitual
I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.
I've been caught stealing once when I was five I enjoy stealing, it's just as simple as that Well, it's just a simple fact When I want something and I don't want to pay for it I walk right through the door Walk right through the door Hey all right! If I get by, it's mine Mine all mine!
My girl, she's one, too
We sat around the pile |
Lutz's Theme
"A Story at Three" by A.F.I.
Album: The Art of Drowning
For about as long a time as I searched for a theme song for Alis, I also searched for a theme song for Lutz. There just aren't a whole lot of artists today writing songs about extending your life for centuries in order to battle constantly returning monsters, ya know? There were a couple of songs on A.F.I.'s album Black Sails in the Sunset that I came this close to using as Lutz's theme, but none of them were perfect. Then they released The Art of Drowning, with this song, and I knew I had found Lutz's theme.
This song is perfect for Lutz not only because the refrences to "I" can refer to Lutz speaking of himself, but the refrences to "we" can apply to Phantasy Star II era Esper society, as well.
Again and again they blend into one My father the morning pushes through my moonlight love So what's sleep? (Sleep!) I'm tired, so tired, so tired... But it seems there's someone here with me
We are the wakeful, wry and watchful
A story at three with the shrillest of cries
We are the wakeful, wry and watchful
I hear the morning choir sing to me their elegy...
We are the wakeful, wry and watchful Requiem
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Phantasy Star III Theme
"Cupid de Locke" by Smashing Pumpkins
Album: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
This is a song about love, and because one of the prevalent themes of Phantasy Star III is love, I feel the song works perfectly for the soundtrack -- especially the spoken word part at the end of the song, which might as well have been specifically written for PSIII, as far as I'm concerned. Besides the lyrics, though, there's also just something about the music that makes me think of PSIII.
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Cupid hath pulled back his sweetheart's bow To cast divine arrows into her soul To grab her attention swift and quick Or morrow the marrow of her bones be thick With turpentine kisses and mistaken blows
See the devil may do as the devil may care
Your world be shattered with nary a note
And in the land of star crossed lovers |
Lena's Theme
"I Can't Be With You" by The Cranberries
Album: No Need to Argue
This song is just heart-wrenching. It makes you feel like your heart's been ripped out and thrown down on the ground in front of you. I think it more or less perfectly sums up what Lena had to be feeling in the Ayn timeline, where Rhys leaves her -- and the entire world of Landen -- to stay with Maia in Cille.
Lying in my bed again And I cry cos you're not here Crying in my head again And I know that it's not clear Put your hands, put your hands Inside my face and see that it's just you But it's bad and it's mad And it's making me sad Because I can't be with you
Be with you, be with you...
Put your hands in my hand
Cause you're not here, you're not here ...Still in love with you |
Alair's Theme
"Kinder Words" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Album: Question the Answers
"Kinder Words" is about making peace, and that is most definitely Alair -- one of the only residents of the Alisa III who wants to make peace between the Orakians and Layans.
No time now for losing tempers Or filling up with rage or anger Flying off the handle could be detrimental Calmer heads are called for here A breath or two could be applied Count to ten and then decide A rash decision, crash collision Damage done beyond repair
Kinder words here we could pick
A wrong move now might spell disaster
Kinder words here we could pick
Kinder words here we could pick
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Chaz's Theme
"Bottom of the 9th" by Screeching Weasel
Album: Teen Punks in Heat
At first I was hesitant to use this song in the Dream Soundtrack because I felt the baseball refrences in the song made it "too Earthy," and not universal enough to be able to apply to characters in the distant Algo Star System. But then I realized that "The Bottom of the 9th" is a good analogy for the time in which Chaz lives, the time of Phantasy Star IV.
This song basically says that there comes to be a time where you just have to live your life, and it calls that time "The Bottom of the 9th." The time of the impending release of The Profound Darkness into Algo could basically be called "two outs in the bottom of the 9th," and it is most definitely at this time that Chaz needs to suck it up and live his life.
So in the end, I felt it felt it was perfect to use as Chaz's Theme, not despite the baseball refrences, but because of them.
You've gotta have love in your heart And you've gotta have pain in your life And you've gotta have some vision and confusion for some peace of mind You've gotta respect what you can't control 'Cause you'll never even get to second base When you're on your ass 'cause you got brushed back when you crowded the plate
You've gotta know when you're all fucked up
...With two outs in the bottom of the ninth
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Phantasy Star IV - Night of Alys's Death Theme
"Scattered" by Green Day
Album: Nimrod
The speaker in this song is Chaz; the "you" is sometimes Rika, but most of the time Alys. This song perfectly sums up the number of emotions Chaz was no doubt going through the night his mentor died.
Well I've got some scattered pictures Lying on my bedroom floor Reminds me of the times we shared Makes me wish that you were here 'Cause now it seems I've forgotten My purpose in this life Now all the songs have been erased Guess I learned from my mistakes
Open the past and present now and we are here
Loose ends tied in knots
Open the past and present now and we are here
If you've got no one
I've got some scattered pictures
Open the past and present now and we are here
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Zio's Theme
"Blackened" by Metallica
Album: ...And Justice For All
Blackened is the end Winter it will send Throwing all you see Into obscurity Death of mother earth Never a rebirth Evolution's end Never it will mend Never
Fire to begin whipping dance of the dead
Blistering of earth
Fire to begin whipping dance of the dead
Opposition... contradiction... premonition... compromise
Smouldering decay
Fire to begin whipping dance of the dead |
Our reunion was preordained by prophesy.. |
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Please send all comments and feedback to mike at ripplinger dot us |