Collared / SAROS

—
saros mi bebe mi vida mi wiwe tkm mwah mwah mwah besitos besitos besitos estamos casados

i’d like to thank eclipsed sounds for giving me the opportunity to write this demo song for saros!! they’re SUCH a super awesome voicebank and i really really mean that. please please go support eclipsed sounds - they are such a passionate and kind team and working with them was a pleasure

i’d also like to thank yoppy for tuning the song and also working on the lyrics with me (i got super stuck on some parts so he really helped!!) And another shoutout to crispy for making the SUPER super amazing cool mv! I couldn’t have made this a reality without the both of them, so please check them out and support their works
—
music, lyrics: @vanelily

tuning, lyrics: @YoppyVU

video: @crispy6usiness
—

[NUISANCE_ANIMAL]

one thing not enough people are talking about is the way the rabbits, while being a uniquely interesting metaphor, also happen to be fucking adorable background dancers. the way they just keep popping up at random moments doing goofy little poses aND THE TWO DOING THE TANGO DURING THE INSTRUMENTAL BREAK LIKE THEY'RE SO SILLY I CAN'T, V

[Nanook]

The more I watch this video, the more I realize how clever the writing is. It's clearly dealing with themes of religious guilt and BDSM, and the lines about feeling collared refer to more than just the obvious kink overtones. It also refers to the way that guilt from religious hangs around your neck, like the collar of a priest.

[XadnarVorlexus]

Well that went from religious to kinky real damn fast and I AM HERE FOR IT

[Wince_Media]

I just realized that usually in the chorus, saros is surprised when they turn around, but in the final part, they're confident. Maybe they're no longer ashamed of who they are anymore.

[Wince_Media]

What's really interesting is that, when I listened to the song before thjs MV, it always gave me the imagery of wolves or some other carnivorous predator due to the those types of animals seen to be needing taming, so it's REALLY interesting how this MV uses rabbits instead. Rabbits are seen as docile beings, which is probably what the church wants its members to be, but even bunnies can have a bite to them, kind of like Saros's fangs, something that they were most likely born with

[formerly_human]

The main character in this is literally fucking GORGEOUS I'm gonna draw them in my sketchbook

[calicobunny]

the “what?” in order to get the listener(s) to repeat the name of the song as if in a sermon is so smart

[VocaloKAT]

LOSING MY MIND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH I WILL HAVE THIS ON LOOP.... THANK YOU TO VANE YOPPY AND CRISPY FOR KEEPING THE GAYS

[makosinnergy]

others have already pointed out the more obvious symbolism behind the rabbit imagery, but i'd like to give special mention to tu'er shen, the chinese god of love and sex between men; said to have been a man named hu tianbao, he was caught peeping on the imperial inspector he'd fallen for through a bathroom wall -- forced to confess his affection, only to be beaten to death. a month later, he appeared in the dreams of a man from his hometown as a young hare, claiming that since his crime was one of love -- and thus, an unjust death -- the officials of the underworld had appointed him as god and safe-guarder of homosexual affairs. "rabbit" is actually chinese slang for gay people, although i'm unsure if that came before or after this guy, lmao. he had a pretty decent cult in the fujian province, and was specifically mentioned in the qing dynasty's outlawing of homosexual sex (among other things)... and there remains a temple dedicated to him in taiwan to this day! it frequently sees gay couples looking to officiate gay marriages or make prayers.

on the western side of things, rabbits are traditionally associated with fertility (ofc) -- that's why they're all over easter -- and immortality; the three hares/rabbits is an ancient symbol that appears all the way from east asia to england itself, and its origins are actually unknown (afaik), but it's thought to be a representation of infinity. when present in christian spaces, it represents the holy trinity. back over in east asia, there's also the mythical moon rabbit, said to be pounding out either the elixir of life... or rice cakes.

they're very versatile little guys! :)

(also, this song bangs. holy shit. definitely going on loop for the next week -- amazing work! <3)

[justexisting]

BROO “and if the world wants us to burn, we’ll join the stars and watch it turn” MIGHT BE MY NEW FAV LYRIC LIKE OMG

[YonKaGor]

This is vocal synth?? O-O
Really good instrumentals and lyrics, well done !! :D

[sapphirewolf]

Wait, this is a VOICEBANK?? Not an actual person singing?? Holy shit that’s some good tuning

[jemmajazz]

I'm not even going to lie, this song made me tear up. I've never had a song so perfectly encompass my own feelings with religion and realizing that I like women, while having family around me actively condemn it for religious reasons. I am adding this to the playlist for sure.

[DrgnAnim]

genuinely "Life isnt up to a god, our components are sonnets, they're up to us to write" is like one of THE lines ever to me cuz holy shit bro

[TheCrunchyGamer]

I would KILL for a plushie of this main character

[DoWeNeedToKnow]

Nearing the end of the song after you see broken chains, their eyes switch from swirls to hearts. That was a really neat detail that I thought should be noticed by more people 👏

[obsi]

[Lyrics] (because I wanted to sing and that help me)

Y'know as a kid on Sunday, I'd go to church
And say my daily prayers, it's such a blur
Repeating:
"Padre nuesto en el cielo"
"Santificad—" Um, how did it go?
And so the padre's talking, he's doing his thing
He takes a breath, looks up, and starin' at me
He says: "Holy bunnies, white as snow, "
"Will you promise not to ever roam?"

I don't know when these feelings all began
It seems the Devil and I walked hand in hand
And so I'd run and run and run away
Endless circles through a senseless game
I would pray for an answer every night
But the moon stayed silent with its damning light
And so I'd run and run and run away
Feigning solace through a holy fatе

Now, the echoes intеrlace
Repeating sacred grace to save the misbehaved
A picture-perfect masquerade
Embracing faded pages of tainted saints
"Mijito, Dios te quiere"
"El solo quiere protegere"
A saying I've heard before
Adorning covenants
Dear God, I'm bored

[Pre-Chorus]
We've lost our youth to the night
Left to find reason between every fracture of
Light
In portraits portraying our lives
Can we redefine what it means to be
Alive

If the scripture says it's sin, then let's begin
A dying wish
Although our cards were dealt in blinded bliss
There's hope beyond this lone abyss
Leave bruises on my neck
We won't regret
Our staggered breaths
I wanna feel your body close
But there's something latching to my throat
It's got me
CO-CO-CO-CO—What?
It's got me
CO-CO-CO-CO—What?
Collared

Cheap wine
Cheaper praise
Cheap ways to fill my faith
I got a hundred ways to null the pain
Every day the same
Still trying to pray
Like, "Oye, wey, testas alli?"
"En el cielo tan bello, "
Find it hard to believe
Hey, did you run and run and run
To shun the only one
That could have saved us from
Humanity's sun?

We've lost our youth to the night
Left to find reason between every fracture of
Light
In portraits portraying our lives
Can we redefine what it means to be
Alive
Life
Isn't up to a God
Our components are sonnets
They're up to us to write
Our memories live on through each line
Can we redefine what it means if the—

Scripture says it's sin, then let's begin
A dying wish
Although our cards were dealt in blinded bliss
There's hope beyond this lone abyss
Leave bruises on my neck
We won't regret
Our staggered breaths
I wanna feel your body close
But there's something latching to my throat

I wanna worship you all night
I wanna feel your gentle bite
And if the world wants us to burn
We'll join the stars and watch it turn

I could throw it all away
Repeat the prayers I used to pray
But if I hid behind this broken bliss
I'll never know what lies within
Those markings on my neck
I don't regret the nights we spent
I wanna feel your body close
But there's something latching to my throat

The scripture says it's sin, then let's begin
This sinner's wish
Although our cards were dealt in binded bliss
Let's recreate the serpent's kiss
Leave bruises on my neck
I won't repent
My knees are bent
I wanna hold your body close
Just wrap your hands around my throat
They had me
CO-CO-CO-CO—What?
But now I'm
CO-CO-CO-CO—What?
Pull on my
CO-CO-CO-CO—What?
Collar

[Trivial_Whim]

The adorable little fangs is a really good choice that reflects the stance of the church and conservatives on these things.

In their view, you only become one because you were exposed to one. Which is to say, non-heteronormativity is just like vampirism. That’s why all their talking points are about “turning” people.

…or maybe they are just a vampire and I’m reading too much into the character design.

[camovoca]

the art and editing in this mv is INSANELY good, everyone who worked on this did an absolutely amazing job, and all of it comes together to make something absolutely incredible

I'M ALSO LIKE, , OBSESSED WITH THE THEMES BEHIND THIS SONG AND THE LYRICS. it's a very mature song and it delivers it's messages so well, , the way ur upbringing defines how ur relationships form in adulthood, how people raised with religion are taught to believe some parts of themselves are inherently dirty or unholy, and the ways those things can be reclaimed in adulthood. like u grow up being told that ur feelings are bad or dirty and rather than trying to scrub those parts of u away u embrace them in ways so they no longer hurt you. the way that the metaphor of the collar is used as an agent to bind or restrict, but it turns into something u reclaim and take control back of in the context of BDSM, where any and all activity is safe and only happens on the terms of both parties, is SO GOOD!!! I LOVE THIS SONG SOOO MUCH. VANE, YOPPY AND CRISPY ALL DID SUCH INCREDIBLE JOBS!!

[shinysinger]

Hey I revised the spanish for Vane in this, so here are some translation notes for non-spanish speakers:
0:05 "Padre nuestro en el cielo, santificado-" Is the start of the prayer "Our Father Who Art in heaven, hallowed (...)
0:09 "Padre" In this context Padre is the priest of the church
0:57 "Mijito, dios te quiere, él solo quiere protegerte" means "Dear child* God loves you, He only wants to protect you" In this context mijito doesn't mean literally son like it usually does, it's just an endearing way to call someone else's children.
1:59 "Oye, wey, ¿estás allí? En el cielo tan bello" means "Hey, man, are you there? In the heaven so beautiful"
Hope it helped! 💗