MUSIC DIRECTOR REACTS | Dragonsong - Final Fantasy XIV

The orchestration prowess of Nobuo Uematsu is mind-blowing!

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-MY GEAR-

#ffxiv #Reaction #DrumRollTonyReacts

[DrumRollTonyReacts]

Alright, which piece are we listening to next? 👀

[MrKanooe]

Then the order will be, Answers => Dragonsong => Revolutions => Tomorrow and Tomorrow => Flow

[pipin]

One amazing thing about this song is there's actually two main versions of it. The first one is without lyrics and is played during the first chunk of the expansion story. There's then a really dramatic turning point in the story and the song starts playing again. Only this time, it's the second version and you actually hear the lyrics for the first time and understand. Truly an amazing experience when you realize that and hear the true version of the song that you've been listening to for the entire time so far.
Also, the name of the song is a bit of a key to all of this as it's kind of the song that the dragons sing to humans (children of the land) asking why did they do what they did and asking them to understand/remember what actually happened.

[donteddy]

The great thing about this piece is it builds slowly over the whole story arc becoming more and more complete and at the end of the expansion when the story hits the hardest it plays the full song.

[Sephalia]

You've opened up an enormous can of worms with FFXIV music. It's an endless selection.
One thing you may be interested to note is that Answers (from base game) and Dragonsong (from first expansion) are from Nobuo Uematsu. At around the third expansion, Masayoshi Soken takes over as lead composer for the game so you may notice some differences. Still very great music, bit of a different style. Soken is also part of a metal band for the game, The Primals, which features a lot of great music as well.

[seekittycat]

When she sings "A throne lying empty, A reign incomplete, Alone for eternity, A pain without cease." That whole section with the orchestra just stabs straight in my heart the best way.

[Disnean]

Oh, he stumbled on FFXIV. Have fun on your listening journey :D

[Mocca_Master]

"When this plays I'll put the controller down"

Well, rip the rest of your team mates facing the expansions final boss

[maikocat]

I never "got" Dragonsong the same way I did with Answers. Until I got to the Final Steps of Faith. That they chose this soft, melancholic song for the boss music is brilliant. There's so much storytelling that goes on through music.

[omegagilgamesh]

So, a few things about the context of the lyrics, Heavenward is about finding the truth behind the theocratic city-state of Ishgard (the "Children of the Land" in the lyrics). It was once ruled by a king, and they went to war with dragonkind over territory. One day, a woman of Ishgard fell in love with a dragon, and together they brought their people together in peace, ("one true love they did find, bringing land and heavens near") until a king, after 200 years, was manipulated into killing and harvesting one of the elder dragons for power. That dragon's brother went mad with grief and anger, determined to bring pain to that king's people and decendants for all time, as dragon perception of time is different from mortals: after a thousand years, his sister's death was as fresh as when he first discovered her mutilated corpse.

The king's children thought they killed this dragon, and decided Ishgard no longer needed a king, ("a throne lying empty, a reign incomplete") and gave a false account of events to take away their complicity in events. But that dragon didn't die, and instead periodically continued the war, killed thousands of Ishgard's people every few years for the next 1, 000 years, with Ishgard changing their doctrine to obsolve them of guilt and making the war with dragons a holy war in order to provide stability and hope for their people, even though it also ensured the people of Ishgard would never want the war, and the cycle of retaliation, to end.

The expansion really delves into themes of how lies create pain far beyond what you initially expect, and the importance of letting go.

[snakkupakku]

Your companion possessed by an evil dragon, the dragon's brother coming to help us stop his rampage -- after a vicious battle of two ancient dragons tangled in the skies it concludes with the two collapsing on a bridge before you. The evil dragon is victorious, but not all hope is lost... bestowed with the last of the fallen dragon's power, it's up to you to fight the evil dragon and try to save your companion from the evil dragon's thrall and put an end to the 1000-year dragon war once and for all.
As you turn to face the evil dragon this song begins to plays seamlessly from cutscene into battle.

[TristamWolf]

So, fun fact for you. You mentioned playing the OG 8-bit Final Fantasy, which would have been Final Fantasy 1. The composer for that game was Nobuo Uematsu, who composed both Answers and Dragonsong. Of course, our boy Masayoshi Soken has been doing a lot of the other FFXIV music by this point so I'm really excited for you to get to Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Flow to finally get your first couple of doses of Soken's work!

[taijigtr]

Great timing to do FF14 reactions with the new expansion, Dawntrail dropping soon

[DespiadaNamira]

I'm sure I do not talk only for myself but on behalf of others by saying this : I would pay you for sure to see you play this game. I mean... It's a must and a once a in lifetime experience to listen to that beautiful music and to play at the same time because then you understand what is at stake. The story is as beautiful as the music. Who's with me? Who wants to see him play this masterpiece?? Do a thumbs-up!

[jaron]

16:41 You ask when this song plays in the game, and the answer is kind of constantly? Just about all the rest of the music used throughout an expansion is based on the main theme via heavy use of leitmotifs, but each track is done in different styles and tempos. The repetition of the theme in this way really cements the vibe of each chapter in the game's sprawling story.

[kellymundt-czerkawska]

I've been an Nobuo Uematsu fan ever since I booted up my first introduction to the Final Fantasy series, FFVIII, in 1999. I have listened to each FF soundtrack so many times I've lost count, been to Distant Worlds orchestra concerts (cried every time "At Zanarkand" has been played), played every game he's composed for multiple times, and still to this day, this Uematsu-san's music makes me emotional. Each time someone in the music world listens to his work and validates what I have felt for years, it brings tears to my eyes. I love watching people react to his pieces and can't wait to see more from DrumRollTony and others.

So, this was a mushy way of saying, "thank you" for listening to the music that has been the soundtrack to my life's journey for so long and I'm so glad you've enjoyed it so far! I look forward to seeing even more pop up on this channel and will probably geek out every time they do.

[Julius_]

I can't tell you how excited I am for you to listen to the countless FFXIV ost masterpieces

[VaelryckSvitkona]

I hope you review so many of Uematsu's work. He's a legend and I absolutely am in love with your reviews.

[clumsyturtle]

Funny part is this song in game plays just before the final boss of the expansion AND during the boss fight. So you are trying to stay alive while in awe of this track. Made for a memorable experience.

[Amandaachen_official]

Omg you should do “Tomorrow and Tomorrow” and “Flow” next
(but I’m biased cuz I sing those songs…. 😅)