How Civilization 6 Uses Music to Play with History

Civilization 6 lets you play with history, but have you considered how it shapes our understanding of the past? How music gives us ideas about cultures we've never encountered, as well as our own? Let's examine the musical ideology behind Civilization 6.

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CORRECTIONS: Mount Rushmore appeared in Civ IV, not II. And the American theme includes a fiddle as well as a banjo.

0:00 Intro
2:05 Politics
3:43 America
5:50 Zulu

Works referenced:
Johannes Fabian, Time and the Other: How Anthropology Makes Its Object

Other music used:
Civ VI Kongo Industrial Theme
Civ VI Ottoman Atomic Theme

Credit to Wikimedia commons for images
Credit to The Guardian for Trump rally video

All materials used under Free Use for educational and entertainment purposes.

[crypticmrchimes]

Not to be that guy, but as a big Civ fan... you’re totally right. You cannot really escape the Eurocentric Western influences on the game. Loved the video and am now a happy subscriber!

I was really interested in your observations of vocals in the Zulus. Looking back into the civ 6 musical playlist I found that while you mention four civilizations maintaining vocal elements by the Atomic Age, there’s an interesting categorization that appears.

The first is very much along the lines of what you talk about with the Zulu which includes the Maori and the Cree. I don’t think I can add anything more than what you have already said.

The second category are the civs that use religious chants in their main themes: Georgia and Byzantium. In this weird alternative history, this hits different than the moods of the previous category. Instead of seemingly locking them in a dated past (which depending on your views of organized religion could still be applied), it instead imparts a mood of spiritual unity against adversity and the survival of their faith and empire through the ages. Now, the fact that these are Christian civs of the Orthodox tradition does feed into the Western focus of the games, but it is interesting to note.

However, what really got my gears turning after watching this were the civs that GAINED a voice as they advanced into the later eras: Russia and the Ottomans. In both, their later themes begin with modernized renditions of their themes before the emotions swell for the finale. However, instead of ending with an orchestral fanfare... it sings. The music quiets as a chorus takes front and center, throwing you off before becoming awed by the wonder unfolding. It becomes all the more interesting when you remember that these civs are also on the edges of the “civilized” world of Imperial Europe. Russia was seen as a backwards kingdom trapped in feudal idiocy, the Ottomans as the debauched Sick Man of Europe. And yet despite their troubled history... they sing. What does that say about them?

Food for thought.

[Chris_Cross]

10:00 I was not prepared to hear Zulu warriors say "Among Us"

[werothegreat]

So in general you raise some good points, but I think it's interesting looking at counterexamples to your idea that, to paraphrase, "primitive cultures keep singing into the Atomic era". Without looking at an exhaustive list of the soundtracks, I'm remembering that along with the Zulu, the Cree, Georgia, and Byzantium sing all the way through. While your point could apply to the Zulu and Cree, indigenous cultures that were colonized by European powers and were viewed as "barbaric" or "backwards", and then viewed as "noble savages", Georgia and Byzantium are very much European, even if they are Eastern European and thus perhaps considered on the more foreign side. I think it's not a coincidence that they both have religious choral music as their soundtrack. And speaking of Eastern Europeans, Russia *adds* a chorus in the Atomic era where there was none previously!

[MaitlandJones]

I love Sumeria's atomic theme, a civ that never made it past ancient, now portrayed as a futuristic superpower. It delves into alternative history and the track rightfully feels like I stepped into Beyond Earth if the great mistake never happened. It evokes a feeling of progress uninterrupted now having brought on a golden age of science.

[MrJero]

A huge reason this happens is that civs are often as not defined at specific times. In civ the Byzantines can never become the Ottomans. Nor the Zulu South Africa. Civ by design fixes peoples and cultures at certain times into "civs", even having civs for the same regions and cultures at different periods.

[thecornseller]

I liked your analysis, but I'd say the point of Civ 6 is to reconstruct history in your own way. For example, China building the Pyramids. Or the Byzantines conquering the Ottomans. Or the Scythians building helicopters.

[isaiahmiller]

The industrial Zulu theme is one of my favorite things to come from this game

[TheViolaBuddy]

One thing I thought you were going to talk about was how the music styles themselves also evolved parallel to Western musical progression through history, rather than each culture's musical progression through history. This was stated by the composers to be intentional in general: the Ancient Era theme is generally done purely in the style of that culture (but also with the stipulation that it has to be sort of slow and ambient, as you talk about with the banjo-plucking of the American theme), but the Medieval theme adds in European medieval strings to every arrangement, and the Industrial theme is arranged for full Western orchestra. The Atomic theme is interesting because the elements they add - autotune, electronic instruments, etc. - were developed at a time in history where it got spread around the world pretty quickly so although it was developed in many cases from Western invention, they are now a pretty integral part of the modern pop music of non-Western countries. (Then again, Western pop songs themselves are also usually part of modern pop music of non-Western countries. And I mean, at this point, I guess so are many of the orchestral instruments of the Industrial Era.) It's a bit of a mess when trying to separate out what is culturally accurate and what is not - but regardless, the composers make no claim on this statement either way, and instead just consider it to be a full Western orchestra.

It's always this push-and-pull between conveying the culture accurately, conveying them in a way that's relatable to your audience and consistent in style across different civs, and highlighting their differences and special aspects - not to mention avoiding stereotyping. Civ 6 leaned towards relatability and consistency rather than cultural accuracy, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's good to keep that in mind - the composers are transparent about it, but only if you look for their statements on the game's soundtrack; for an average player who doesn't, this idea might be lost and you might get to thinking that these full orchestrated versions are culturally accurate.

[funnelvortex]

Here’s my take on America’s theme. The ancient version is supposed to be nostalgic, it reminds you of a time long past in your childhood, it reminds you of home. It reflects the simplicity life used to be. It reflects how America is a country born of small humble beginnings, much like a new child on the world stage. When the Industrial theme kicks in its been noted to suddenly be much more triumphant, but this is also by design, it reminds you of when you really began to get out in the world and represents the era which America began to rapidly evolve into a global superpower. The atomic era theme has a futuristic undertone, and it makes you think about what lies ahead of you, and the great potential America still has.

America could have easily remained a backwater collection of farms on the eastern seaboard, but instead it went out to become much much more, while never forgetting its humble roots. The progression of America’s theme truly represents American history and what America is as a culture.

That’s my take at least.

[Combobattle]

I struggle with what to think of this video. The argument implies that the composers had an artistic motivation to imply a false history where in reality what truly mattered to them was presenting the variety of distinct cultures in a way that meshed together for a single, entertaining feel. However, this absurd thesis is explained so well that I feel like others should see it. I want this take to be influential in how we talk about gaming music.

[BigGooba]

Great video however one thing to note about the late game Zulu theme is that south African music uses a lot of autotune as part of their sound, whilst it at first feels out of place in a western game of high orchestral arrangements. I feel it's actually a tribute to the modern southern African people and their modern music culture.

[MochaKimono]

A bit funny but entirely biased take: America's theme doesn't feel any more 'ancient' than my own childhood because I grew up listening to A LOT of folk music, so it's just another nostalgic oldie with all the other music my parents would put on, haha. Personal anecdotes aside, this is a very interesting analysis, and now I've got to go listen to all the theme songs for the civs I haven't had a chance to play yet.

[petemagyar]

A Civ player's first day at college...

[jakehatton]

Excellent video echoing some thoughts I've had myself but not put into words. It's becoming quite popular to speak about the philosophy of games like this or Hearts of Iron, but music often gets left out. Glad to see a good video on it!

[sneechuc]

Nice video, but you're missing one critical point. The compositions and arrangements for every track is fine tuned to fit in a 3-4 minute time slot and meant to be just long enough to portray and exemplify a civilization's identity, while also be enjoyable for a video game. No one would play the Maori if their Haka, which their theme in 6 is based off of, was as long as they are in the real world, anywhere from 9 minutes to half an hour. Not to mention the Zulu having their unique unit being a replacement for the Pikeman is a game play mechanic, not some secret smarmy jab against the Zulu culture. I can see where you would think that, but as technology evolves, so do military tactics. And this a permeable trait seen in every single culture ever, even the North Sentinels, who use throwing spears. The civilization list alone can be seen as a Eurocentric bias, but Firaxis is very transparent, and try their best to be as unbiased as possible; however, there is no one on this Earth who is without bias. They communicate with the community frequently, and try their best to be as respectful as possible (Knorr, the game's composer, personally reached out to the Cree tribe for insight on how to craft their music) ; I really think you're looking too much into it.

[TheJupiter]

I'm sorry but that is not just a single banjo strumming that tune - love the vid tho!

[plantcat]

great and interesting video! honestly I'd love to hear you analyse the themes of many other civs too hahah. I'm interested in more essay form analysis of civ vi over all the strategy guides, these videos are few and far between

[Satellaview]

Personally, I think it's more about how when you take a "civ" which exists only for portion of time, and try and blow it up to the scale of all of recorded history, you get weird artifacts like displaced tactics or technology. The Zulu eventually became a part of South Africa, and their culture evolved with the world. But in Civ 6, the Zulu cannot do that, because while they evolve, they are equally frozen in time. If they are conquered, it is not like what happened in real life, where the culture of Zulu changed in the wake of an empire, and survived through that change. Instead "Zulu" simply ceases to be, replaced by whatever moves in.

Like you said, Civ 6 doesn't really define a civ in such a way as to let them be born, grow, evolve, change, die, merge, divide, or any number of things actual cultures do. But that's part of the beauty. It's a bazar alternate history, where Catherine de' Medici can discuss peace terms with Gilgamesh, where Montezuma has to worry about getting nuked by Gandhi, where Eleanor of Aquitaine and Kupe can become allies. The game (in my humble opinion) seeks to capture, not a culture per say, but a version of the culture, frozen in time, and then given the chance to evolve. All of these places lost to time are brought to the modern day, and in the same way, modern civs are brought to the past.

I say all of this because I think this isn't meant to declare that there is some rightness to a group's progress, but that these are a celebration of a group of people at a particular moment, given the impossible task of being themselves through every stage of history. In the same way the America of Teddy Roosevelt played the simple strings of the banjo all the way to grand orchestral, the Zulu sang, so their music in turn follows the singing! At least that's the conclusion I came to. Might be completely off the mark I suppose.

Anywho, looking forward to Civ VII.

[arthurguillaume]

This take is very interesting.
I don't agree fully with your message however.
I don't think that civ 6 using eurocentric music history and science to every civ is a bad thing. they are trying to be clear and have a somewhat unique theme (even for civilisations that didn't exist for all of history like america or the zulu). They do that by pasting the european (and east asian for that matter since they had a very similar technology advancment) because it's clear, linear and was present for the whole recorded history.

[SnakeonLSD]

I've been looking for this forever! Underrated video.