Sorry this one is late, real life got in the way.
Still, I would like to make an addendum to Part 1 of this list. If you recall, I put both "Dream On" and "Path of Genocide" in the number 9 spot, mainly due to Will being the core reason as to why I checked out Undertale to begin with, as I simply could not get those songs out of my head. However, I did neglect to mention one other little gem that he made:
Much like how "Dream On" seemed reflective of Asriel's cycle of grief and "Path of Genocide" was more of a story piece for the games Genocide route, "I Stay Determined" could easily be seen as a P.O.V piece from Frisk's perspective during the Pacifist route. Lyrics like "So you can be not a foe, but a friend" help support that idea. Otherwise, this is probably my favourite Undertale song due to the guitar riffs and Will's vocals ranging from soft and calm to loud and rugged, which compliment the instrumentals perfectly. As far as I'm concerned, this is also on the first part of the list. I only neglected to mention it as I hadn't heard it at the time.
With that said, the rules from last time still apply here. Namely; this is all bias and opinion based, I have not heard every song, and I'm not putting entire albums on here.
But otherwise, from here on out, it'll be solely original songs by him, so let's keep the list going with:
5:
I think I enjoyed this song more for the superficial reasons as opposed to what Will might of intended.
While this song captures the idea of a savage beast being taken out of his cage to hunt down his prey in the dark, I can't help but focus more of the absolutely brutal way that the instruments, vocals and lyrical structure work off of each other. The initial slower pace of the lyrics match up perfectly with the louder build created from the guitars and drums, which help to sell the idea that the artist is a predator, searching through the night for his prey to prove their dominance and strength. The aggressive nature of Will's vocals in this number help to sell to the listener this idea that no matter where you run, you'll never be able to escape from your inner demons as they try to hunt you down.
Always leave it to Will to make a song about being an aggressive monster sound amazing. Lord knows, he did it better than Adam Levine did.
4:
A common motif that I have found in Will's original songs is this idea of defiance to compliance... if that makes any sense.
I feel that what this song represents is a tad more obvious with it's message; that no one is going to control what the artist is going to create, and that the corporate craft is what will destroy any sense of identity or uniqueness about the artist, so the artist has to scream louder that they are not their play things or their tools for gain. Once more, this seems to be a common theme throughout plenty of Will's original scores, but each one is given their own unique flavour so that it never feels old.
Or maybe I'm grasping for straws and should just say this song's awesome. Either way, love it!
3:
This song feels more along the lines of a character piece, which is something I greatly appreciate.
"Kings & Queens" tells the story of two people, so different yet so similar to each other, as they fight their way from the deepest, darkest parts of their lives to reclaim something that once belonged to them in another life. They aren't going to just sit back and wait for it to come to them; they are gonna keep fighting and striving for what they believe in just so they can announce to the world that forgotten them that they are back!
What else can you say except; "They're the fucking Kings & Queens!"
2:
And:
Again, putting more than one song on the same spot, though this one feels more justified as... well, it's the same song in different styles.
I intentionally left the opening of the original version in with the song so that people get the idea this isn't just "another Will Ryan song about his defiance". Instead, he makes it clear as crystal. This is Will's most personal song, as it represents his pain of being seen as an object, a toy; something for the audience to play with and demand more when they aren't satisfied. And as soon as he's out of the spotlight, they ignore him until he tries to satisfy them yet again. That spotlight is something that a lot of people like Will go through, in terms of emotional stress. Stuff like that stays with you, even if you can fight it off. It's not something anyone can take lightly, no matter how times you hear stuff like "Man up" or "Get over it". This Will at his most vulnerable and personal, and he's not going to let you look away this time. The simplicity of the song actually helps the listener to understand the complexities of this subject, and the last line of the song speaks more volumes than any kind of gothy, emo "woe, is me, with my million dollar mansion" trash that larger artists put out on a daily basis.
In short, this song is simply a masterpiece.
... Okay, I'll include the "Steamed Hams" version too:
But only because this is the only time I ever found that stupid late meme funny.
And now, without any further delay, let's get to it:
My Number 1 song by DAGames is:
There was never any doubt in my mind that this would be on the list.
I mentioned before that a lot of Will's original songs, along with dealing with his own emotional struggles, are ultimately about defiance against a negative stigma; to keep true to yourself and to always do what you love. Not because anyone told you to do it, but because you WANT to do it. And if they can't see you for who you are, then they can all fuck off, as you'll never need them again if they continue to stand in your way of growing.
This song captures that idea PERFECTLY, while still showing that no matter what comes his way, no matter what shit people may say about him and his music, Will is not going to stand there and take it any longer, so neither should you. So, simply stand up and shout "Fuck them all"!
But more than that, this song is number 1 on the list for a more personal reason, and this is what I meant when I said this list would become more serious. Know that not a word of this is hyperbolic.
In May earlier this year, I was going through an emotional state of decay. It was the final semester of University in my second year, and I was completely swamped by constant assignment after assignment, task after task. I was struggling just to get started on otherwise relatively simple essays, because of all of these other things just weighing down on my mind. Add on the fact that I was trying to balance that along with time I wanted to spend with my mum and baby brother, as well the fact that I was due for maxillofacial surgery in a few weeks time, and I felt my life just spiralling out of control. I was honestly considering just finishing the second year, dropping out and getting a 9 to 5 job, if only because I didn't want to confront the reality around me as my confidence was falling apart.
What ultimately stopped me from going down that road were two major factors. Firstly, a talk with my mum. She noticed that I was getting into slump and wanted to talk to me, to just allow me to let out any aggression or sense of doubt I had been feeling at that time. Talking with her has always what kept me down to Earth and allowed me to think more rationally. She is the rock that I needed in my time of desperation.
Secondly, this song. Hearing this song telling me that I was worth something, and that if I stand in defiance of my own demons, I will come stronger. So, that's what I did. I pushed those awful thoughts out of my head through sheer anger and kept striving forward to finish my year. And never had I felt more relieved when it was all over. Which is why "Heart of An Artist" will always be my number 1 DAGames song of all time.
And that wouldn't have been possible were it not for my mum and Will Ryan. And so; mum, Will, from the bottom of my heart:
Thank you. For everything.
I hope those of you who are still reading enjoyed the list. You have any other DAGames song that you feel should be on the list? Well, comment below and let me know.
But until next time; this is Callum Lewis, the Media Hood, signing off!
PEACE OUT!!
No comments:
Post a Comment