The Music of my Daily Life

Music is an important part of daily human life, and that goes for both musicians and everybody else. I listen to music everyday and while I am no musician, I feel music is the true reason why I get up every morning. Without music, my life would be too dull and grey to carry on and since I love music so much, especially video game music, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about my love affair with this art.

 Specifically, I want to talk about the music that plays in my daily life. That is, music that I commonly listen to during everyday tasks such as work, exercise, or even relaxing. I'm sure many of you out there do the same thing - you have that one song you must listen to while doing a certain thing. I know many people who cannot break a sweat unless if they have Lady Gaga blasting in their ears. But this is a Final Fantasy blog, so I'll be talking about the Final Fantasy tunes I frequently absorb myself in.

 It would only be appropriate to start with the song that wakes me up every morning: Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony from Final Fantasy VII. I have this song set as a ringtone-alarm on my cellphone so it's actually quite convenient. This song is perfect for waking up since the tune is essentially a marching song and some mornings I just want to get up and march to the bathroom while screaming, "All hail Rufus!" Right now, this song is the reason why I can get to school on time and get a good start to every day. Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony plays during the party's first visit to Junon Harbour.The song is just below if you're interested in hearing it.

Next up, I'd have to talk about the songs that I listen to while exercising, which include Worlds Collide and Limit Break! from Final Fantasy XIII-2, Clash on the Big Bridge from Final Fantasy XII, and Blitz Off! and Otherworld from Final Fantasy X. What all of these songs have in common is that they're energetic and most importantly, loud. They help keep me going past what my endurance and stamina are normally capable of, so these songs are of great help in building my physical ability. In the games, Worlds Collide and Limit Break! play during certain boss battles, Clash on the Big Bridge plays during the boss battle with Gilgamesh, Blitz Off! plays during the blitzball mini-game, and Otherworld plays in the opening cutscene of X as well as the second last boss battle. I should mention that Worlds Collide, Limit Break!, and Otherworld contain lyrics, which is actually not a common element in video game music. Tracks of these songs are just below.

Whenever I'm studying or working on various other things, I tend to listen to orchestral music. The Grand Finale was an orchestral arrangement of various Final Fantasy VI tracks released in 1994. The whole thing is a great piece of work and it's such a joy to listen to. I also like to listen to Challenge from Final Fantasy X, which is the track that plays during the boss fight with Yunalesca. The track is an intimidating one so it's good whenever I'm writing a self-test to prepare myself for upcoming exams since it keeps me on my toes and my tension high.

 I often relax outside outside my front door while drinking a hot beverage and listening to music. Since I usually go outside during the night time, it's only appropriate that I listen to music that's steady, low, and somewhat dark. Final Fantasy tracks that fits this profile are Underneath the Rotting Pizza and Oppressed People from Final Fantasy VII and Besaid Island from Final Fantasy X. Both tracks from VII exhibit a feeling similar to something you might hear in a noire film, while Besaid Island feels perfect for an evening of relaxation as it provides a calming mood to a long, tense day.

 If anyone out there has taken the time to read this: what do you like to listen to in your daily life and for what purpose? I'd like to hear what you guys have to say. This is the Onion Knight signing off. Have a good day!