But in the interest of figuring out just how similar the songs are, I spoke with a few musicians to see how far the connection goes. Now, I fully recognize that spewing a dozen paragraphs about how two songs are sort of similar makes me sound like a nut. I realized that not only did I dig Townshend’s “pop ditty” because it’s a straight-up feel-good jam, but also because it tapped into my fondness for Cloud’s weird, wild journey to save the world. Whenever I’d hear “Let My Love Open the Door” on the radio, I felt a stirring in my bones. Examining “Let My Love’s” sheet music reveals that the opening notes are played “with a bounce” and “optional synth.” Nothing is more ’80s than bouncy, synthy music, so it only makes sense that the first Final Fantasy game to take inspiration from that decade would incorporate the same themes into its iconic tune.įor the last few years, I haven’t been able to shake the Townshend/Uematsu connection without even knowing it. Though I can’t say for sure, my theory is that VII’s “Prelude” most closely resembles “Let My Love Open the Door” because of the game’s reliance on neo-’80s aesthetics. Although each game has its own version of the song, composer Nobuo Uematsu’s rendition in Final Fantasy VII sounds the most like Townshend’s 1980 single. Now follow me down the Townshend rabbit hole.īefore we go any further, it’s important to note that “The Prelude” has been a Final Fantasy staple since 1987.
Final fantasy 7 train graveyard cracked#
After years of suspicion and a few hours of research, I’ve cracked the code between Final Fantasy VII‘s score.īasically, Final Fantasy VII‘s opening song, “The Prelude,” sounds identical to parts of Pete Townshend’s “Let My Love Open Your Door.” Don’t believe me? That’s fine, listen to “The Prelude” for yourself. It’s not just that its soundtrack is the game’s emotional pulse or the connective tissue between story beats. What other game can go from orchestral chanting to mellow, beachy bossa nova tunes with such grace?īut I think there’s a deeper reason that Final Fantasy VII‘s music is so memorable.
The game’s soundtrack is a sonic triumph a collection as varied as it is dynamic. I’m not proud of that last point - plagiarism is lame and all - but you bet your butt my teacher was blown away.ĭespite all of those memories, it’s Final Fantasy VII‘s music that sticks with me the most. In third grade, I lifted parts of FFVII‘s train graveyard sequence and used it for a school assignment. One of the most embarrassing moments in my young life involved my dad walking in on me, red-eyed and crying, after Aeris’ now-infamous death and laughing before he walked back upstairs. I remember poring over the game’s early hours in my parent’s basement, entranced by Midgar’s neon lights and cyberpunk stylings. Final Fantasy VII is twenty years old, and I still love it dearly.