PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING!!! - I’ve gotten a few comments asking about Un-Gravitify from Sonic Riders Zero Gravity. Now the wikis say the song is the theme of the heroes just like how Catch Me If You Can is the theme of the Babylon Rouges. In hindsight I still should’ve covered it, but that’s the reason it’s not present in the video. - I said something wrong about Super Sonic Racing playing in a race that it actually doesn't. I'm sorry I must've misread the wiki when doing research for this video. I promise to do better next time! Have a great day everyone!!
Referring to "I Am All of Me" I think the idea of "I see no, hear no evil" also ties into the idea that Shadow isn't choosing to do what is considered right or wrong, but rather what he wants to do, i.e. "Nobody tells me what to do!" The conceit of the song is that Shadow in this game is not tied down to the ideals of others, but rather his own moral code. A cool idea of him as he tries to remember who he is even if it is misguided.
The opening lines of the first and second verse are like Good and Evil lines Good: I see no, hear no evil Evil: I see and feel the evil Ties into the whole “You decide Shadows fate” thing the game is doing.
I think "I see no, hear no evil" is actually Shadow initially having a morally grey outlook on life and thinking that Black Doom is no different than the people who **spoke** to manipulate him. Essentially hes saying "You all try to manipulate me into doing what you want. You're no better than Black Doom" The next line "Black writings on the wall" is about how Black Doom will destroy their kingdoms. (G.U.N. and Eggman) I'm not sure what "Unleashed a million faces" means but it's probably referring to the Black Arms. The next part is how Eggman, G.U.N., and Sonic all fall one by one. We know this because it's referring to multiple people and wouldnt really make sense to be about Black Doom. However, we get the transition mid song. This reflects the generally thought of canon route for Shadow 05 "Together with Maria" which has Shadow initially start out neutral and kinda just helping Doom only so far as getting the Chaos Emeralds, but upon remembering a bit of his past with Maria he changes and starts helping the good guys. The lyrics "Black hearted evil. Brave hearted hero." reflect this shift. Then when we get to "I see and feel the evil" he's realized that Black Doom truly is worse than all of them and vows to "crush 'em all." This is a general reference to the Black Arms. Black Doom promised him answers at the beginning of the game but Shadow in the "Together with Maria" route finds his answers along the way. He holds the answers he sought, not Black Doom. This is why now "I'll laugh and watch **you** fall."
That's the same for me I always felt like shadow was saying he can't be labeled as good or evil, he can only be labeled as shadow the hedgehog He does what he believes he should not, not what's right or what's wrong Hes not a hero or a villian, hes just shadow
Something i love about live and learn is that its a culmination of Sonic and Shadows character themes in the game, It doesnt matter, and Throw it all away. Two songs that have similar messages from very different, emotional POVs Sonic is "it doesnt matter how you live your life so long as you live it to the fullest and dont hurt others while doing it." While shadow is very much "this world has wronged me, nothing else matters but my revenge. Throw it all away." Live and Learns message at the end is "yes the world can be awful sometimes, but dont let those define who you are or how you view the world as a whole, live through it, and learn from it."
Even though I haven't played it, once I started listening to it on repeat, and with the little information I had on the game from short peaks of playthroughs, I had a feeling that it was directed towards Chaos, especially with the aspects of hatred and wishing to set him free from said hatred.
@ no, not all the time. The song’s nice, and Stryxo has used it before and his videos aren’t stale. I don’t know what videos you’ve seen it in though, so maybe it’s those.
"If you beg or if you borrow, you may never find your way" reads to me like a call to existentialism - in effect, demanding the listener come up with their own reasons to live and to fight, rather than "begging" for a greater power to give them meaning, or "borrowing" their beliefs and ideology from someone else. It's a remarkably elegant summary of Shadow's arc in the game.
One thing with the pre-chorus in Endless Possibility I love how the music accompanies the lyrics cause if you think about it, this is one of the few instances where we see Sonic vulnerable. The anxiety of "How will I know when I get there?" is something felt by everyone and I love how the hard, fast guitar riff ceases with a much more gentle melody taking its place, I am not a music expert but you can really feel the change that shows Sonic's vulnerability in this one brief moment before he decides "the possibilities are never ending" and the riff comes back in for the chorus! He's a character that's so sure of himself but this strength of character has come from a positive mindset he's developed that instead of dwelling and retreating in the uncertainty of life, embraces it as a realm of "endless possibilities" Can I just say dude I love your energy as a content creator! Your diction and tonality is clear enough so we can understand you so clearly but there is also this pep to your voice that really conveys passion in what you are talking about and I love hearing your different perspectives on these bangers! Keep it up dude!
27:49 the line "if you beg or if you borrow" at least for me, considering the lore in retrospect i thought was in reference to Gerald and how he in a desperate attempt to save Maria's life, reluctantly worked on project shadow and lost his way, went crazy then harbored a vendetta against humanity that bled into shadow the hedgehog. and you could also say he borrowed Black Doom's DNA causing problems later? in my opinion i think live and learn in general reflects pretty heavily on Gerald's decisions and how it set up the conflicts in SA2 as a sort of warning and what to learn from it . i think it humanizes Gerald alott because it really was a desperate situation for him, but thats just me lol
I always felt like that line was shadow talking It's not that someone has begged or borrowed It's the line itself, if you beg or if you borrow you may never find your way Showing how shadow and sonic both choose to do things for themselves and find their own way in life They don't beg or borrow from others, they take their path for themselves, following their own goals and not what's expected of them
Tbh, I think the line can only be fully understood if you take the next one into account: "You may never find your way". The two together kinda make me think that you can only truly find your own path on your own. I also think that, although it came later, Shadow 2005 supports this view due to the branching paths of that game.
@@joshshrum2764 Endless is indeed a banger but doesn't go into so much detail about Sonic himself and the themes of Sonic along with his character that encompass the entire sonic series. For His World, Sega and sonic team actually went to the get a band to write the lyrics, when sonic fans grow more, they'll analyze His World more and more, like what this video does. This is also proven when covering His World goes to 13 minutes and 17 seconds whereas Endless Possibility goes to 11 minuets and 42 seconds. Also, feel that this video doesn't do the song His World full justice with the melody and leitmotifs used in game, since His World is so adaptable for any kind of mood, kind of like Sonic himself. How His World is so good that in the sonic symphony when paired up with footage of Sonic 06, makes Sonic 06 look like a great, the coolest or greatest game ever.
I've always considered Reach For The Stars a spiritual successor to It Doesn't Matter from Sonic Adventure. Having similar lines about not looking back, not giving up, continuing to run, doing things his way, and reaching the top. But this time, it's feels less like Sonic establishing himself to the listener, and more him describing his thoughts as he uses his established self to run though these new colorful worlds with help from the colorful Wisps. He took his own advice, literally and metaphorically reached greater heights, and is having the time of his life
Fr me its “his world” or “endless possibilities” or for recent relatability, “one way dream” tho one way dream is more of a song for sonic team if anything
For _You Can Do Anything,_ the countdown segment ending with "Blast off!" seems to be like a rocketship blasting off after a countdown. And considering that Sonic is traveling to another planet, that checks out.
As the person who's been making the Sonic Radio playlist on spotify, compiling every track on there, I can attest that the community is passionate af, there's an absolute ton of music to work with and most of them are absolute bangers!
Ive always read Live and Learn as moreso being Sonic's worldview overcoming Shadow's, if you're stuck in the past and defined by your pain instead of learning from it and moving forward you'll be trapped. "Hold on to what if" always felt like Sonic asking Shadow if he's ever considered tomorrow.
I KNEW I HEARD IT SOMEHWERE!!!! My only memory of blast was playing it once as a kid and never again and didnt even KNOW it had a track, but hearing this in the video i was like "Ive heard this melody somewhere before i swear!"
The emphasis on "I am" as a line strikes me as a particular reference to how most of the routes have Shadow dramatically declare "THIS IS WHO I AM" upon making the final decision that defines his path.
Im about to explain Without You since it's out at the time of me watching this Verse 1 Can you hear me? Do you still my voice? It echoes back at me Why did you make that choice? This is obviously Shadow thinking to himself and asking Maria if she can still hear him and how he knows she can't and asking her "Why did you put me in the capsule to send me down to earth?" Second verse You surround me And your memorie's crowded by all things dark I can't feel you there This is basically shadow saying "You're still alive in my mind but in reality you're gone and I don't want to be" pre chorus You'll never leave me I swear It's just a nightmare that won't end So I pretend this is shadow saying the same thing as before but just flipped so there's really not a lot to go through here chorus That I'll see you again and that I'll save you from all the things I've failed to now I'm without you I can't forgive the wrongs I've done you cuz now you're gone forever and I remember how bright you shined on your own yet I remain alone this is shadow saying "if i could see you again and save you from your fate and and apologized for the wrong things I've done I would but I can't. But I still remember how cheerful you were and I wish I could see you again"
I am about to go to sleep and still haven't finishes the video (50 minutes left), but I just wanted to say that youhave done such agreat job! Your understanding and/or interpretations of the songs are so interesting, and some stuff I even haven't thought about. Great work that deserves more views and subs :)
@@llennoxytjust finished watching the video. My opinion still stands, I think this is a wonderful video. Maybe, even TOO good because nowadays I watch videos while doing something, but I watched this without distracting myself. Cliked on your channel and realized I've watched two of your other videos already, which I liked. Masterful job! Also, merry Christmas :D
I think some of the songs aren't just about Sonic, but the other playable characters as well. For instance, for Open Your Heart, the intro of the game shows off a lot of characters and they fit the lyrics they are paired up with really well. Like Knuckles not relying on others, which is a major part of his character at that point.
I always saw i am all of me differently It feels like shadows saying he cant be labelled Hes not evil and hes not good, hes just shadow Everything shadow does he does for himself, he doesnt join black doom to help him, he joins him to learn about his past He doesnt fight black doom to be a hero, he fights black doom to rebel against him My favorite line from shadow "If the world turns against me then ill fight like i always have" He doesnt fight for others, he fights for himself and what he believes in Whether he fights for good or fights for evil hes fighting for what he believes is right, not what someone else believes is right A nice contrast to live and learn as well, where shadow has only been doong what others want of him, now hes finally breaking free to do what he wants, regardless of what other people think It doesnt matter who fights against him, hes on his own path Hes not a black hearted evil, and hes not a brave hearted hero, hes shadow the hedgehog, the ultimate lifeform
My personal take is that the "bridge" in Endless Possibility is more a head conversation between the two sides of Sonic in this game, his normal self and his Werehog self, yes they are the same character and in the game it doesnt look like a double personality thingy, but its more symbolic than that, since the Werehog is kind of a darkness hidden inside sonic, brought outside because of the dark gaia shenanigans, just like a your inner voice in your head trying to get to you, when it says "Drop that smile, 'cause you're beaten again" and "You're losing your speed, losing your flow" it sound like the Werehog trying to make sonic feel bad for his mistake getting captured by eggman in the beggining of the game, like he is mocking him because he was too cocky, and the losing speed just like you said in the video, sounds like the Werehog proving Sonic he lost his way, he can't get to where he wants because of the transformation being a obstacle every night, and finally the part where Sonic says he got a power in him, and the Werehog goes and says "Then let it out, it's inside you." again trying to be the inner voice, like saying LET EVERYTHING OUT, LET THE ENTIRE DARKNESS OUT, and then they both shout at the end symbolizing his Day and Night form trying to work togheter or achieve some understanding i know it sounds maybe a bit cringe, but why i interpret as Sonic and the Werehog is only because the entire song is around the theme of being capable of reaching somewhere, a higher place in your life, achieving something and learning that there is so much you can do, it's a very optimistic and comforting song, the lyrics is like someone trying to say to you, how you are very special, and don't need to feel sad because there is a whole world of possibilities that you can go, don't need to be afraid of following the wrong path, eventually you will get there and won't even know it, i think the Werehog being the inner voice everyone has that represents the anxiety, the anger, the fear inside all of us is a very beautiful idea to add to this song, the entire game Sonic doesn't like his new form, but in the end he eventually "makes peace" with it, accepting all of his sides, the dark and the light one, just like a Yin Yang situation Edit: im pretty sure when they pitched Endless Possibility to Jaret Reddick, the creator of the Lyrics, SEGA tried to give a bit of the games narrative of Sonic and his Werehog form, and those lyrics are the creative decision of the writer to fit in the Werehog form
I think the "If you beg or if you borrow" correlates with "you may never find your way" and talks more about how they can't afford to take shortcuts in this fight. begging and borrowing being ways to find a quick solution. You gotta complete the journey your self, otherwise you'll end up lost. 27:08
I always saw it as them saying if you beg or borrow from others you won't find your own path If you follow other people instead of following what you believe in you'll never find your own path in life
In Open Your Heart, the line “Shadows keep attacking” is in reference to earlier in the song “Shadows of dark creatures”. Since this is a callback to verse 1 it’s showing how the aforementioned chaos is continuing to happen.
45:31 you see, I kind of thought this was shadow saying “no matter how far back you try to push me I’ll keep inching forward until ‘I’m here’” like he can’t be stopped no matter how hard you try
i thought the argument section in Endless Possibilities was sonic arguing with himself , as Dark Gaia attempts to take hold, by attempting to exploit his loss in his usual abilities and the end where they both speak is sonic as the werehog using that curse to fight against the force that placed it upon him
I'm Here made me look up To Octavia, and now they're one of, if not my very favorite band of all time. I highly recommend them to anyone who likes metal, they're PEAK.
Dear Father is a song that I don't hear a lot of people talk about. I really like the song for what it is, it talks about how Sage was finally able to understand and feel love, and hoped that her father (eggman) was proud of her and she hoped he loved her as his daughter. It's definitely different from the usual rock, or metal you get in these games now, but it's one that I really like and have a personal connection with. I did and said stupid and messed up things to my parents when I was a kid, and while that's different from Sage I still hope my father loved me and was proud even with the things I did. He had passed away a few years ago, and was actually the person who introduced me to Sonic with Sonic's ultimate Sega Genesis collection, and Sonic Underground. So while it's not the best, it's definitely a song I love to listen and or cry to.
Someone mentioned in the "Knight Of The Wind" part, "In a rage, I'll save", that it was originally "I'll slay". The change is made because according to the legends, the Calliburn, or Excallibur, shatters when hit with rage.
As someone who's made the Sonic Mega Music Collection playlist on Spotify, the music is the heart and soul of Sonic, hands down. Thank you for your hard work on this video!
It's fine that you're not doing all vocal tracks. It'd be difficult to find much to talk about and take away from songs like The Wicked Wild, for example. That doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see you try to dissect that song, lol.
I just wanted to say. Your video was amazing. I watched it in the morning because I thought sonic music would be the best choice to truly wake me up. But I must say that it was really fun hearing you talk about these songs which I love to hear.
your video's made me realize the deeper meaning in some of the most important songs throughout my life (particularly for his world and endless possibility) and it's really made me connect with these songs even more thank you
Referring to "Open Your Heart" I like to think that some of the lyrics correlate to each of the six playable characters in SA1 (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Big, and Gamma) For example; "I'm not gonna think this way NOR WILL I COUNT ON OTHERS", refers to Tails wanting to prove himself, and "Close my eyes and feel it burn NOW I SEE WHAT I'VE GOTTA DO" refers to Gamma realizing that he has to 'save' his fellow E-Series robots. Also, "Can't hold on much longer BUT I WILL NEVER LET GO" is a pretty good description of Big's levels.
34:10 I like to think this more relates to the four different teams. The following list also correlates to the order in which the teams are shown in the story select screen. Team Dark rules the night away. They operate very differently from Team Sonic as the Anti-Hero team. The Batman to Team Sonic's Superman. Team Sonic saves the day as they always do. Team Rose is like a storm that is ran by pure emotion and desire to accomplish their goals for love. Team Chaotix is the wild card. In the game's story, their client recruits them to disrupt "Eggman's" affairs which throws a major wrench in his plans. Even if it's without knowing the final goal meant for them they're still heading straight for that target, even if the biggest motivation is money.
I always heard the chorus part of His world as "Every step meets the rest" instead of "risk" lol. But somehow it doesnt detracts from the message for me. I interpreted it as never letting go and always pushing forward. A.k.a walking (Or running) to our dreams trying to achieve them. We dont turn back, every step will meet the next one forward through our lives.
19:15 This is probably one of the very few things I really liked that they did in Forces: At the end of the game, everyone seems to know that Sonic's just gonna dip out for awhile. The fight is over and he's just gonna go off and do his own thing until the next big bad shows up. And for what it's worth for the OC; Sonic sticks around for a second to consider you're just like him in that way.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: while I enjoy _Sonic Boom_ more as a song, I can't watch CD's opening without _You Can Do Anything_ playing. It was literally _made_ for the opening, and the song syncs up in all the best ways (like how the countdown syncs with the camera cuts, or how the guitar leading into the chorus syncs perfectly with Sonic breaking the boulder - meanwhile, with _Sonic Boom,_ the choruses line up with Sonic stumbling in the water and standing atop the mountain) - it gets me hyped every time.
I'm pretty sure the line "but you can't save your sorrow, you've paid in trade" is Sonic telling Shadow that holding onto his grief is only hurting him. He "can't save his sorrow" because it isn't a currency or a resource; all it's doing is blinding him to the pain he's causing others. Trying to assuage that grief by working with Robotnik to "pay in trade" is what lead to this point. Letting go and moving on is part of "living and learning".
2:02:50 There's also the "Drive through forever" line that's a direct reference to the Crush 40 album / compilation of their songs "Driving Through Forever" (sorry if it was mentioned already lol)
Absolutely amazing analysis on the themes of Sonic music and your commitment to such a long video is inspiring. I hope you’re proud of your work and all your videos and I hope this video gets all the views it deserves.
Long Read "About His World Song" trust me you are going to love it 57:47 - 59:34 Shadow as they talk about his shoes and that he is back again by how many times he mind has reset and people keep finding me but he always come back to right and that he is FROM outer-space also saying "he's the best that every was" is saying how he is the ultimate life form and when they say "he is the one that understands when the tides will swing" his how in Shadows game he can change between good and evil 1:00:40 - 1:01:32- "come on and psyche yourself up" could be talking about Silver's ability you know PSYCHokinesis (kinda funny, no?) and it can also be like how Silver feels about FINALLY able to save his world and go back in time and fight this guy that did this a life of pain that is all he knows. He is saying "ok ok ok lets do this lets save the world" i feel is Silver as "the pressures of this world they can take a toll" is how Silver doesn't know if killing one guy to save the world is right. I do feel like when the song says "it's tough to get away when they take a hold the only way to break free is to break the mold" is how Silver holds Sonic kind of a stretch but really feel that A lot of Sonic songs go between Sonic and the main boss but the main boss is a secret and the main forces is the three boys the last lines can be seen as saying much 1:03:00 - "gotta make your own way" Silver as he is changing the past to make his own way and "life is strong" is how he feels seeing all the green and beauty a world full of LIFE "Life is just a game you play" Sonic as how free he is with a smile he runs and jumps never scared its almost like its all a game to him "life's an open book" he is free and open nothing to hide and he shares this life with everyone "Nothing's forever here to stay" Shadow always losing his memory and his lost of Maria "Where compromise dose not exist" as he will not change or give up for anyone like in his game he is done with that as he knew now what he is and knew he can't let anyone change that these line the song is talking to use this is how they see their world they say his as to say Silver, Sonic and, Shadow this is there world "in his WORLD OF WORLDS-" it is all of their worlds all of theirs at once aka "WORLD OF WORLDS" world in worlds this is why i love the song so much and yes it plays as SONIC SONG BUT remember THIS SONG HAS THREE VERSIONS. Cool right?
I believe the "I'm here" part of such song also reffers on how we're back to a good formula for the games, and how the open zone format is here to stay. As well as how frontiers was much more successful than forces, colors and lost world.
Yeah, its like if sonic team yelled to the whole world the they are here to stay, No matter the blunders of the past they were willing to improve and made such a comeback lol.
Absolutely love the video! I really enjoy your analysis and perspectives! I could totally sit here and hear you talk endlessly about Sonic music! Especially the other minor themes like in the adventure games, Heroes, Riders, etc. but understandably that might be a bit much haha. Seriously tho, LOVE this video.
1:35:47 second comment but I think it’s cool not because he’s fast, but because he’s free and that’s something he really values. After all, in response to Percival asking who he is, he says “I have no master, except the wind that blows free”
would like to mention that the first line of the Chorus in Green Light Ride have a very similar rhythm to the first line of the pre-chorus in Live and Learn
I think Open your Heart is from the perspective of both Sonic and Eggman. The first verse fits Sonic's character well, but the second not so much, which is why I think that it's Eggman talking about how he's sick of Sonic foiling his every plan
sa2's Live and Learn "if you beg or if you borrow / you will never find your way" these aren't separate thoughts. its an if x then y statement. if you rely on others and cannot do things for yourself you will be lost. its pretty straight forward. Sonic is all about doing things his own way.
Dude I love your video! Sonic songs are what take my Spotify wrapped every year! If you want to do more, you should do character songs next! I love that even Elise and Chip have a character song, (and even each team in Sonic Heros has one) My favorites are Dreams of an Absolution and Fly in the Freedom
I think the beg and borrow in live n learn is showing how if you either let life beg and borrow from you all the time or if you only ever do that, that you'll never get anywhere in life, and thus you have to take your life into your own hands to get where you want to head. Shadow is quite literally taking his own life into his own hands to go where he wants to, not by anybody else's choice, but his own, and not sitting idly by. He lived and learned, and continues to. Sonic in a similar light has been doing the exact thing all his life, not letting those around him control his life or tell him what he can or cannot be or where can or cannot head in life, and doesn't sit idly by, he takes action when its needed.
Is the "place where you dreamed you'd never find" in Live and Learn related to "inside your heart you will find a special place to unwind" from Sonic CD's Cosmic Eternity? Food for thought.
its def the underlying optimism in all the sonic games and sonic himself that make me fall in love with this series, even during the "dark" games, theres still some optimism in the main themes /story.
Sonic cd’s (jp) cosmic eternity is classic sonic’s theme, it doesnt matter is sonics main theme, classic, modern, it doesnt matter. His world and endless possibilities is more of modern sonics theme
great video. havent finished it yet but luv the passion, analyzation, and attention to detail. good editing too. on another topic, i wonder how much of this was intended by the writers/creators of these games and the songs
46:00 I think these lyrics are the character of Maria (not her literally) speaking to Shadow "Can you see ALL of me? Walk into my mystery, step inside and hold on for dear life. Do you remember me? Capture you, I'll set you free; I am all, I am all of me." Throughout the whole game Shadow is chasing his lost memories, specifically his past with Maria. This is his main motivation for the majority of the game before settling on a concrete goal or side to take: _("walk into my mystery")_ Obviously, as seen by every level in the game, this journey to discover where he came from is filled with danger, both in a physical sense, and in the possibility that Shadow will lose himself along the way: _("step inside and hold on for dear life")_ The questions are where it gets interesting, _("can you see ALL of me? Do you remember me?")_ Maria wanted no harm to come to anyone, iirc she even tells Shadow to forgive the GUN Soldiers slaughtering them in "The Doom" level (the flashback where GUN is destroying the research lab on the ARK and everyone aboard it, shortly before her own death). She wants him to remember more than just his lost friend, but the compassion and willingness to forgive she exhibited. That revenge is wrong, and only brings more suffering. She knows that this knowledge will bring Shadow peace, thus the line _("capture you, I'll set you free")_ saying that his memory of Maria will both start his journey, and end it. The final line could just be tieing the song back into Shadow's perspective, but if Maria were to be saying it, _("I am all, I am all of me")_ could be communicating a couple things. That Maria is a human too, and that everyone is an individual person like she is. To condemn and destroy all of humanity would be condemning her too. Or, that she is not only the friend that Shadow lost, but also the peaceful girl that showed him how to be kind in the face of adversity (the most important memory he needs to find his peace). Cool detail, this part of the song is what the piano plays during the credits of the True Ending (The Last Way), after Shadow "puts the past behind him" as he states in one of the final cutscenes, and "Never Turns Back" as said in the final credits. ... (This is from a comment I left on a video of the song years ago lol, this reminded me of it. I think I got a lyric wrong here but the main idea is the same, the memory could either put him on a path of destruction or freedom)
When I first heard "You're My Hero" I thought it was an Amy song. The interesting thing that nobody seems to mention about "Live & Learn" is that it wasn't even written with SA2's story in mind. Johnny Gioeli says it was just about playing video games. Super cool how well it works. A possible reason Classic Sonic isn't mentioned in "Fist Bump" is that he wasn't initially supposed to be in the game, but SEGA told Sonic Team to make it tie-in to Mania. I love what you did with the fonts and styles for the on screen lyrics, with my favorite being Frontiers. I would definitely watch more of this type of content.
Great Video! I personally disagree about Fist Bump being the best one out of Forces tho, Theme of Infinite is that for me. It's not the main theme though so I didn't expect it to be covered in this video of course. Fist Bump is still great. Funnily enough I also quite enjoy the Metal Sonic Fight Remix Song, even though I'm not a Dubstep person
Not only that, I recently revisited some of the Forces vocal tracks and main level tracks thanks to Shadow Generations and... Man, Forces has a really good soundtrack. I wouldn't call it the best of the franchise, but I wouldn't say it's bad at all.
A couple points: 1. I always interpreted "I will not count on others" as basically a spin on the phrase "If not me, then who?", meaning that in the moment he's the only one who can take care of the problem. 2. I believe "I Am... All Of Me." isn't exactly Shadow trying to figure out what he is meant to be, that being a hero or a villain, but rather it's him coming to the conclusion that he's... Well, neither. Everything that he does isn't guided by being a hero or a villain, all of it is guided by what he, himself, believes he needs to do. Thus he is not a "brave-hearted hero" or a "black-hearted evil", he is simply him. All of him.
You missed something in I Am... All of Me. The "Unleashed a million faces, and one by one they fall" is a reference to What I'm Made Of from Sonic Heroes, in which there's this in the second verse: "Like a million faces, I've recognized them all. And one by one they all become just a number as they fall".
I think "Free" could have a deeper meaning more than just "characters going fast in Extreme Gears and feeling free with its speed" "Beg, borrow, steal, you've made your deal, and with no hesitation" The Babylon Rogues are known for being thieves, this line could be talking about them maybe "Crawl, walk or run, you had your fun, of which was very certain" could be talking about those negative actions, and how I also think the "Free" meaning is more than just "being free because Extreme Gear makes you feel like that" and more in a sense that you feel like you can make whatever you want, "Felt so refrained, felt so constrained" as if they couldn't be truly free, be who they are, but then "But now I'm breakin' out and free" you can finally be yourself, feel free and do whatever you want It's a fact that all those characters feel pretty free, like the wind, Jet talks about becoming one with the wind, and Sonic himself is the embodiment of freedom always talking about the wind and how it blows free Other than that, I liked the explanation in the songs, and liked the explaining on Sonic's personality and each game's individual story, also connecting both aspects of the song talking about Sonic as a character and the story of each game (especially considering usually each game theme is also considered Sonic's theme, because they really DO talk about Sonic and portray his character really well, while also being different talking about and fitting into the story of each game), especially since all the songs are treated equal and positively all the same, they're all really good, sound amazing, and do a really good job portraying both Sonic and the game they were made for Maybe the only part I don't 100% agree with (although there is some truth to it) is in Knight of the Wind where it is said that Sonic isn't necessarily a good guy but his mission aligns with what is seen as good, it is true that Sonic does what he personally believes and that he doesn't care for what others think of him, reason why he escaped from GUN in SA2 and decided to end King Arthur's reign in BK things which would't be seen as good things, but he STILL went after King Arthur for others, instead of doing it for himself, Sonic is selfless, he did because he wanted to help the people of Camelot and make a dictator king, he hates injustice and opression It's not as if he would do something selfish because he personally think it's a good thing, even though he does things HE wants, because his view of good things is being kind and caring for others, it's not as if he just wanted to fight King Arthur for the fun, or for any other reasons, and just coincidentally that lined up with Sonic saving the villagers from the king, Sonic did it *exactly* for them, even if many would see him as a bad person, because he doesn't care how he's seen as long as those around him can live a free life without opression and injustice It is his style helping those in need along his way, if someone asks for help he probably won't think twice, he's more likely to leave duties aside to help someone, he does that in Black Knight by going to save a little kid's family in a cave instead of completing the Lady of the Lake's tasks even if he had a limited time to do so But yes, Sonic does what his heart tells him, and his heart is in the right place, because if his heart wasn't selfless, that would completly change who the character is anyway, but, he does indeed do what he wants to, instead of what the masses believe it's the hero/right thing to do, and I think that makes him a much more cooler and genuine hero, he doesn't do for his image, he's not that image of a superhero which just does good and what is accepted by the population as "good", he does it for the good of others, without caring about his own image And last, I think that part about Black Knight ended up being too long so I'll be brief, another cool interpretation of the beggining of I'm Here I've seen around is "Leave the life you knew before" -representing Knuckles, since he was up to exploring more the world outside Angel Island "See a new world worth fighting for" -representing Amy, wanting to share her love around thr world "Find the truth of who I'm meant to become" -representing Tails, which wants to become more independent, less insecure, more brave Maybe it could have the double meaning representing both Sonic as you mentioned, and those characters, maybe just one of them, or maybe even other meanings, I think it's pretty cool to try and find an interpretation of those songs Having said that, adding what I wanted to add here, pretty cool video, I liked it a lot!
The first song in this vid 'Sonic Boom' that first part of it reminds me so much of Tails with the whole "you can fly" and "with your mind" parts of it, i know its definitely not intended, but i like it so thats what matters to me.
"There's no chance, Sonic Boom" not "Head's up Jake, it's Sonic Boom", and based on context is basically saying "Eggman stands no chance, we're too fast" Honestly the second half of the chorus gives us a good look at part of Sonic's personality. He's always takes on the challenges ahead even if they're so monumental that it looks impossible. This is added on to in both versions of Sonic Boom and in Cosmic Eternity as well as later songs. 14:47 this is wrong. Radiant Emerald's theme is "Diamond in the Sky". Super Sonic Racing is the song that plays when Super Sonic is any of the Racers on Radiant Emerald (It may also play in other levels but I'm not sure). 21:51 I feel like there's also some subtext of Sonic also telling Eggman that "I won't let you have Chaos. I'll pacify him and reunite him with his friend so the two can finally pass on in peace." 25:36 This is 100% Sonic talking to Shadow, telling him that he can barely bare the sins of his past now that his true memories are unlocked, that he KNOWS Shadow's fear, and the pain of his loss is too much to bare, but that when you follow someone else's lead blindly you can't move forward, you stagnate. 26:11 Fear is a constant motivator of Shadow's throughout all three of the games that gives him emotional growth. Fear of losing those he's come to care for in SA2, Fear towards those who, for seemingly no reason, seek to do him harm in Shadow 2005, Fear of losing HIMSELF in Shadow Generations. Fear is a powerful motivator, and a lesser man would crumble and let it consume him. 27:08 I interpret the first two lines as having "Live and Learn" as part of the meaning. You have to live and learn from whatever may happen in the future, and that you have lived through and must learn from the events of the past. While the rear two lines are a direct question and answer. If you beg for answers or if you borrow from others without ever doing things for yourself you will NEVER find your way in life. 1:13:34 Sonic Rush Adventure? Best game on the DS? The World Ends With You begs to differ.
ima be honest I completely misheard a line in knight of the wind till this video instead of "Like the sun, I run" I heard "Like a sword, I'm drawn" which still works if you ask me
I don't actually mean it,i understand the hard work you've done and talking 'bout 1 mistake is kinda stupid I appreciate the dedication for this , don't take it seriously!😅😅
PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING!!!
- I’ve gotten a few comments asking about Un-Gravitify from Sonic Riders Zero Gravity. Now the wikis say the song is the theme of the heroes just like how Catch Me If You Can is the theme of the Babylon Rouges. In hindsight I still should’ve covered it, but that’s the reason it’s not present in the video.
- I said something wrong about Super Sonic Racing playing in a race that it actually doesn't. I'm sorry I must've misread the wiki when doing research for this video. I promise to do better next time!
Have a great day everyone!!
probably my favourite vocal song (crush 40 version)
@Belozonefinally, someone who likes ungravitify crush 40 version. Its my favourite Crush 40 song for sure
@chaosspider5765 yeah, I personally think they're both good but the vocals sound slot cleaner in the crush 40 version,
wait... why no "find your flame"???
Awww I’m so sad I was waiting for un-gavitify but it’s whatever at least you have a good reason for it
Playing "Open your heart" while driving in the rain is honestly one of the most fun experiences I've ever had
Referring to "I Am All of Me"
I think the idea of "I see no, hear no evil" also ties into the idea that Shadow isn't choosing to do what is considered right or wrong, but rather what he wants to do, i.e. "Nobody tells me what to do!" The conceit of the song is that Shadow in this game is not tied down to the ideals of others, but rather his own moral code. A cool idea of him as he tries to remember who he is even if it is misguided.
That's a very good point to add. U're totally correct
The opening lines of the first and second verse are like Good and Evil lines
Good: I see no, hear no evil
Evil: I see and feel the evil
Ties into the whole “You decide Shadows fate” thing the game is doing.
I think "I see no, hear no evil" is actually Shadow initially having a morally grey outlook on life and thinking that Black Doom is no different than the people who **spoke** to manipulate him. Essentially hes saying "You all try to manipulate me into doing what you want. You're no better than Black Doom" The next line "Black writings on the wall" is about how Black Doom will destroy their kingdoms. (G.U.N. and Eggman) I'm not sure what "Unleashed a million faces" means but it's probably referring to the Black Arms. The next part is how Eggman, G.U.N., and Sonic all fall one by one. We know this because it's referring to multiple people and wouldnt really make sense to be about Black Doom.
However, we get the transition mid song. This reflects the generally thought of canon route for Shadow 05 "Together with Maria" which has Shadow initially start out neutral and kinda just helping Doom only so far as getting the Chaos Emeralds, but upon remembering a bit of his past with Maria he changes and starts helping the good guys. The lyrics "Black hearted evil. Brave hearted hero." reflect this shift.
Then when we get to "I see and feel the evil" he's realized that Black Doom truly is worse than all of them and vows to "crush 'em all." This is a general reference to the Black Arms. Black Doom promised him answers at the beginning of the game but Shadow in the "Together with Maria" route finds his answers along the way. He holds the answers he sought, not Black Doom. This is why now "I'll laugh and watch **you** fall."
That's the same for me
I always felt like shadow was saying he can't be labeled as good or evil, he can only be labeled as shadow the hedgehog
He does what he believes he should not, not what's right or what's wrong
Hes not a hero or a villian, hes just shadow
Something i love about live and learn is that its a culmination of Sonic and Shadows character themes in the game, It doesnt matter, and Throw it all away. Two songs that have similar messages from very different, emotional POVs Sonic is "it doesnt matter how you live your life so long as you live it to the fullest and dont hurt others while doing it." While shadow is very much "this world has wronged me, nothing else matters but my revenge. Throw it all away." Live and Learns message at the end is "yes the world can be awful sometimes, but dont let those define who you are or how you view the world as a whole, live through it, and learn from it."
Man.✍🏽🔥
👌
I so agree with the take of open your heart being a conversation between sonic and perfect chaos
Exactly, I feel that way about supporting me.
Even though I haven't played it, once I started listening to it on repeat, and with the little information I had on the game from short peaks of playthroughs, I had a feeling that it was directed towards Chaos, especially with the aspects of hatred and wishing to set him free from said hatred.
Oh yeah, so many people use Windmill Isle for videos, it’s crazy
Cause it's a banger and it usually fits as background sound for videos really well
@ yeah, but even people I wouldn’t expect to use that song use it. Kinda funny when I hear it.
Yeah it's pretty bland and fitting of most of the videos it's used in
@ no, not all the time. The song’s nice, and Stryxo has used it before and his videos aren’t stale. I don’t know what videos you’ve seen it in though, so maybe it’s those.
FACTS!!!!!
"If you beg or if you borrow, you may never find your way" reads to me like a call to existentialism - in effect, demanding the listener come up with their own reasons to live and to fight, rather than "begging" for a greater power to give them meaning, or "borrowing" their beliefs and ideology from someone else. It's a remarkably elegant summary of Shadow's arc in the game.
One thing with the pre-chorus in Endless Possibility I love how the music accompanies the lyrics cause if you think about it, this is one of the few instances where we see Sonic vulnerable. The anxiety of "How will I know when I get there?" is something felt by everyone and I love how the hard, fast guitar riff ceases with a much more gentle melody taking its place, I am not a music expert but you can really feel the change that shows Sonic's vulnerability in this one brief moment before he decides "the possibilities are never ending" and the riff comes back in for the chorus! He's a character that's so sure of himself but this strength of character has come from a positive mindset he's developed that instead of dwelling and retreating in the uncertainty of life, embraces it as a realm of "endless possibilities"
Can I just say dude I love your energy as a content creator! Your diction and tonality is clear enough so we can understand you so clearly but there is also this pep to your voice that really conveys passion in what you are talking about and I love hearing your different perspectives on these bangers! Keep it up dude!
Awww thank you so much!!! That really means a lot (:
27:49 the line "if you beg or if you borrow" at least for me, considering the lore in retrospect i thought was in reference to Gerald and how he in a desperate attempt to save Maria's life, reluctantly worked on project shadow and lost his way, went crazy then harbored a vendetta against humanity that bled into shadow the hedgehog. and you could also say he borrowed Black Doom's DNA causing problems later?
in my opinion i think live and learn in general reflects pretty heavily on Gerald's decisions and how it set up the conflicts in SA2 as a sort of warning and what to learn from it . i think it humanizes Gerald alott because it really was a desperate situation for him, but thats just me lol
I always felt like that line was shadow talking
It's not that someone has begged or borrowed
It's the line itself, if you beg or if you borrow you may never find your way
Showing how shadow and sonic both choose to do things for themselves and find their own way in life
They don't beg or borrow from others, they take their path for themselves, following their own goals and not what's expected of them
Tbh, I think the line can only be fully understood if you take the next one into account: "You may never find your way". The two together kinda make me think that you can only truly find your own path on your own. I also think that, although it came later, Shadow 2005 supports this view due to the branching paths of that game.
These songs were unironically a huge part of my childhood and teenage years, thanks for covering them so well!
Even after all the years passing relating to sonic, I feel that no Sonic theme song has ever topped His World
Fr
Endless possible is s bsnger though.
@@joshshrum2764 Endless is indeed a banger but doesn't go into so much detail about Sonic himself and the themes of Sonic along with his character that encompass the entire sonic series. For His World, Sega and sonic team actually went to the get a band to write the lyrics, when sonic fans grow more, they'll analyze His World more and more, like what this video does. This is also proven when covering His World goes to 13 minutes and 17 seconds whereas Endless Possibility goes to 11 minuets and 42 seconds. Also, feel that this video doesn't do the song His World full justice with the melody and leitmotifs used in game, since His World is so adaptable for any kind of mood, kind of like Sonic himself. How His World is so good that in the sonic symphony when paired up with footage of Sonic 06, makes Sonic 06 look like a great, the coolest or greatest game ever.
It says Ass so it's top teir
Personally I think I'm here is the best tho
@@thechargedfoxie456yt2 funny that came out of 06 but not Shadow
I've always considered Reach For The Stars a spiritual successor to It Doesn't Matter from Sonic Adventure. Having similar lines about not looking back, not giving up, continuing to run, doing things his way, and reaching the top. But this time, it's feels less like Sonic establishing himself to the listener, and more him describing his thoughts as he uses his established self to run though these new colorful worlds with help from the colorful Wisps. He took his own advice, literally and metaphorically reached greater heights, and is having the time of his life
Fr me its “his world” or “endless possibilities” or for recent relatability, “one way dream” tho one way dream is more of a song for sonic team if anything
For _You Can Do Anything,_ the countdown segment ending with "Blast off!" seems to be like a rocketship blasting off after a countdown. And considering that Sonic is traveling to another planet, that checks out.
A 2h+ video on Sonic's music? Just what I wanted for Christmas.
As the person who's been making the Sonic Radio playlist on spotify, compiling every track on there, I can attest that the community is passionate af, there's an absolute ton of music to work with and most of them are absolute bangers!
Ive always read Live and Learn as moreso being Sonic's worldview overcoming Shadow's, if you're stuck in the past and defined by your pain instead of learning from it and moving forward you'll be trapped. "Hold on to what if" always felt like Sonic asking Shadow if he's ever considered tomorrow.
"hold on to "what if"" is like if Vector the Crocodile knew what to say instead of "Don't go there! ...Yet!" at the end of Shadow the Hedgehog
12:28 OMG NO WAY THEY RECYCLED THIS MELODY IN THE GENERATIONS CHALLENGE LVLS THATS SO SICK
DUDE IT DAWNED ON ME AS SOON AS I SAW THIS COMMENT I LOVE THIS SERIES' MUSIC SO MUCHHHHHH
I KNEW I HEARD IT SOMEHWERE!!!! My only memory of blast was playing it once as a kid and never again and didnt even KNOW it had a track, but hearing this in the video i was like "Ive heard this melody somewhere before i swear!"
The emphasis on "I am" as a line strikes me as a particular reference to how most of the routes have Shadow dramatically declare "THIS IS WHO I AM" upon making the final decision that defines his path.
Im about to explain Without You since it's out at the time of me watching this
Verse 1
Can you hear me?
Do you still my voice?
It echoes back at me
Why did you make that choice?
This is obviously Shadow thinking to himself and asking Maria if she can still hear him and how he knows she can't and asking her "Why did you put me in the capsule to send me down to earth?"
Second verse
You surround me
And your memorie's crowded by all things dark
I can't feel you there
This is basically shadow saying "You're still alive in my mind but in reality you're gone and I don't want to be"
pre chorus
You'll never leave me
I swear
It's just a nightmare
that won't end
So I pretend
this is shadow saying the same thing as before but just flipped so there's really not a lot to go through here
chorus
That I'll see you again
and that I'll save you
from all the things I've failed to
now I'm without you
I can't forgive the wrongs I've done you
cuz now you're gone forever
and I remember
how bright you shined on your own
yet I remain alone
this is shadow saying "if i could see you again and save you from your fate and and apologized for the wrong things I've done I would but I can't. But I still remember how cheerful you were and I wish I could see you again"
I am about to go to sleep and still haven't finishes the video (50 minutes left), but I just wanted to say that youhave done such agreat job! Your understanding and/or interpretations of the songs are so interesting, and some stuff I even haven't thought about. Great work that deserves more views and subs :)
Awww thank you so much!!!
@@llennoxytjust finished watching the video.
My opinion still stands, I think this is a wonderful video. Maybe, even TOO good because nowadays I watch videos while doing something, but I watched this without distracting myself.
Cliked on your channel and realized I've watched two of your other videos already, which I liked. Masterful job!
Also, merry Christmas :D
I think some of the songs aren't just about Sonic, but the other playable characters as well.
For instance, for Open Your Heart, the intro of the game shows off a lot of characters and they fit the lyrics they are paired up with really well. Like Knuckles not relying on others, which is a major part of his character at that point.
I always saw i am all of me differently
It feels like shadows saying he cant be labelled
Hes not evil and hes not good, hes just shadow
Everything shadow does he does for himself, he doesnt join black doom to help him, he joins him to learn about his past
He doesnt fight black doom to be a hero, he fights black doom to rebel against him
My favorite line from shadow
"If the world turns against me then ill fight like i always have"
He doesnt fight for others, he fights for himself and what he believes in
Whether he fights for good or fights for evil hes fighting for what he believes is right, not what someone else believes is right
A nice contrast to live and learn as well, where shadow has only been doong what others want of him, now hes finally breaking free to do what he wants, regardless of what other people think
It doesnt matter who fights against him, hes on his own path
Hes not a black hearted evil, and hes not a brave hearted hero, hes shadow the hedgehog, the ultimate lifeform
Fun/Sad fact, the Biolizard was Maria's Pet so Gerald wasn't the only one bent on revenge to his last breath
My personal take is that the "bridge" in Endless Possibility is more a head conversation between the two sides of Sonic in this game, his normal self and his Werehog self, yes they are the same character and in the game it doesnt look like a double personality thingy, but its more symbolic than that, since the Werehog is kind of a darkness hidden inside sonic, brought outside because of the dark gaia shenanigans, just like a your inner voice in your head trying to get to you, when it says "Drop that smile, 'cause you're beaten again" and "You're losing your speed, losing your flow" it sound like the Werehog trying to make sonic feel bad for his mistake getting captured by eggman in the beggining of the game, like he is mocking him because he was too cocky, and the losing speed just like you said in the video, sounds like the Werehog proving Sonic he lost his way, he can't get to where he wants because of the transformation being a obstacle every night, and finally the part where Sonic says he got a power in him, and the Werehog goes and says "Then let it out, it's inside you." again trying to be the inner voice, like saying LET EVERYTHING OUT, LET THE ENTIRE DARKNESS OUT, and then they both shout at the end symbolizing his Day and Night form trying to work togheter or achieve some understanding
i know it sounds maybe a bit cringe, but why i interpret as Sonic and the Werehog is only because the entire song is around the theme of being capable of reaching somewhere, a higher place in your life, achieving something and learning that there is so much you can do, it's a very optimistic and comforting song, the lyrics is like someone trying to say to you, how you are very special, and don't need to feel sad because there is a whole world of possibilities that you can go, don't need to be afraid of following the wrong path, eventually you will get there and won't even know it, i think the Werehog being the inner voice everyone has that represents the anxiety, the anger, the fear inside all of us is a very beautiful idea to add to this song, the entire game Sonic doesn't like his new form, but in the end he eventually "makes peace" with it, accepting all of his sides, the dark and the light one, just like a Yin Yang situation
Edit: im pretty sure when they pitched Endless Possibility to Jaret Reddick, the creator of the Lyrics, SEGA tried to give a bit of the games narrative of Sonic and his Werehog form, and those lyrics are the creative decision of the writer to fit in the Werehog form
I agree 👍
great video. amazing how many great songs sonic has
I think the "If you beg or if you borrow" correlates with "you may never find your way" and talks more about how they can't afford to take shortcuts in this fight. begging and borrowing being ways to find a quick solution.
You gotta complete the journey your self, otherwise you'll end up lost. 27:08
I always saw it as them saying if you beg or borrow from others you won't find your own path
If you follow other people instead of following what you believe in you'll never find your own path in life
In Open Your Heart, the line “Shadows keep attacking” is in reference to earlier in the song “Shadows of dark creatures”. Since this is a callback to verse 1 it’s showing how the aforementioned chaos is continuing to happen.
45:31 you see, I kind of thought this was shadow saying “no matter how far back you try to push me I’ll keep inching forward until ‘I’m here’” like he can’t be stopped no matter how hard you try
i thought the argument section in Endless Possibilities was sonic arguing with himself , as Dark Gaia attempts to take hold, by attempting to exploit his loss in his usual abilities and the end where they both speak is sonic as the werehog using that curse to fight against the force that placed it upon him
I'm Here made me look up To Octavia, and now they're one of, if not my very favorite band of all time. I highly recommend them to anyone who likes metal, they're PEAK.
Dear Father is a song that I don't hear a lot of people talk about. I really like the song for what it is, it talks about how Sage was finally able to understand and feel love, and hoped that her father (eggman) was proud of her and she hoped he loved her as his daughter. It's definitely different from the usual rock, or metal you get in these games now, but it's one that I really like and have a personal connection with. I did and said stupid and messed up things to my parents when I was a kid, and while that's different from Sage I still hope my father loved me and was proud even with the things I did. He had passed away a few years ago, and was actually the person who introduced me to Sonic with Sonic's ultimate Sega Genesis collection, and Sonic Underground. So while it's not the best, it's definitely a song I love to listen and or cry to.
Someone mentioned in the "Knight Of The Wind" part, "In a rage, I'll save", that it was originally "I'll slay". The change is made because according to the legends, the Calliburn, or Excallibur, shatters when hit with rage.
As someone who's made the Sonic Mega Music Collection playlist on Spotify, the music is the heart and soul of Sonic, hands down. Thank you for your hard work on this video!
It's fine that you're not doing all vocal tracks. It'd be difficult to find much to talk about and take away from songs like The Wicked Wild, for example.
That doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see you try to dissect that song, lol.
I just wanted to say. Your video was amazing. I watched it in the morning because I thought sonic music would be the best choice to truly wake me up.
But I must say that it was really fun hearing you talk about these songs which I love to hear.
your video's made me realize the deeper meaning in some of the most important songs throughout my life (particularly for his world and endless possibility) and it's really made me connect with these songs even more
thank you
Referring to "Open Your Heart"
I like to think that some of the lyrics correlate to each of the six playable characters in SA1 (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Big, and Gamma)
For example; "I'm not gonna think this way NOR WILL I COUNT ON OTHERS", refers to Tails wanting to prove himself, and "Close my eyes and feel it burn NOW I SEE WHAT I'VE GOTTA DO" refers to Gamma realizing that he has to 'save' his fellow E-Series robots.
Also, "Can't hold on much longer BUT I WILL NEVER LET GO" is a pretty good description of Big's levels.
34:10 I like to think this more relates to the four different teams. The following list also correlates to the order in which the teams are shown in the story select screen.
Team Dark rules the night away. They operate very differently from Team Sonic as the Anti-Hero team. The Batman to Team Sonic's Superman.
Team Sonic saves the day as they always do.
Team Rose is like a storm that is ran by pure emotion and desire to accomplish their goals for love.
Team Chaotix is the wild card. In the game's story, their client recruits them to disrupt "Eggman's" affairs which throws a major wrench in his plans. Even if it's without knowing the final goal meant for them they're still heading straight for that target, even if the biggest motivation is money.
I always heard the chorus part of His world as "Every step meets the rest" instead of "risk" lol. But somehow it doesnt detracts from the message for me. I interpreted it as never letting go and always pushing forward. A.k.a walking (Or running) to our dreams trying to achieve them. We dont turn back, every step will meet the next one forward through our lives.
19:15 This is probably one of the very few things I really liked that they did in Forces:
At the end of the game, everyone seems to know that Sonic's just gonna dip out for awhile. The fight is over and he's just gonna go off and do his own thing until the next big bad shows up. And for what it's worth for the OC; Sonic sticks around for a second to consider you're just like him in that way.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: while I enjoy _Sonic Boom_ more as a song, I can't watch CD's opening without _You Can Do Anything_ playing. It was literally _made_ for the opening, and the song syncs up in all the best ways (like how the countdown syncs with the camera cuts, or how the guitar leading into the chorus syncs perfectly with Sonic breaking the boulder - meanwhile, with _Sonic Boom,_ the choruses line up with Sonic stumbling in the water and standing atop the mountain) - it gets me hyped every time.
I'm pretty sure the line "but you can't save your sorrow, you've paid in trade" is Sonic telling Shadow that holding onto his grief is only hurting him. He "can't save his sorrow" because it isn't a currency or a resource; all it's doing is blinding him to the pain he's causing others. Trying to assuage that grief by working with Robotnik to "pay in trade" is what lead to this point. Letting go and moving on is part of "living and learning".
2:02:50 There's also the "Drive through forever" line that's a direct reference to the Crush 40 album / compilation of their songs "Driving Through Forever" (sorry if it was mentioned already lol)
It wasn’t! Thanks for letting me know I didn’t know that!!
Absolutely amazing analysis on the themes of Sonic music and your commitment to such a long video is inspiring. I hope you’re proud of your work and all your videos and I hope this video gets all the views it deserves.
Awww thank you so much!!!
Where was this when i did my final paper for my first semester of college!? I couldve used this man!
You could do a video looking into all the knuckles raps or you could go all the way and look at all the character themes
Long Read "About His World Song" trust me you are going to love it
57:47 - 59:34 Shadow as they talk about his shoes and that he is back again by how many times he mind has reset and people keep finding me but he always come back to right and that he is FROM outer-space also saying "he's the best that every was" is saying how he is the ultimate life form and when they say "he is the one that understands when the tides will swing" his how in Shadows game he can change between good and evil
1:00:40 - 1:01:32- "come on and psyche yourself up" could be talking about Silver's ability you know PSYCHokinesis (kinda funny, no?) and it can also be like how Silver feels about FINALLY able to save his world and go back in time and fight this guy that did this a life of pain that is all he knows. He is saying "ok ok ok lets do this lets save the world" i feel is Silver as "the pressures of this world they can take a toll" is how Silver doesn't know if killing one guy to save the world is right. I do feel like when the song says "it's tough to get away when they take a hold the only way to break free is to break the mold" is how Silver holds Sonic kind of a stretch but really feel that
A lot of Sonic songs go between Sonic and the main boss but the main boss is a secret and the main forces is the three boys the last lines can be seen as saying much
1:03:00 - "gotta make your own way" Silver as he is changing the past to make his own way and "life is strong" is how he feels seeing all the green and beauty a world full of LIFE
"Life is just a game you play" Sonic as how free he is with a smile he runs and jumps never scared its almost like its all a game to him "life's an open book" he is free and open nothing to hide and he shares this life with everyone
"Nothing's forever here to stay" Shadow always losing his memory and his lost of Maria "Where compromise dose not exist" as he will not change or give up for anyone like in his game he is done with that as he knew now what he is and knew he can't let anyone change that
these line the song is talking to use this is how they see their world they say his as to say Silver, Sonic and, Shadow this is there world "in his WORLD OF WORLDS-" it is all of their worlds all of theirs at once aka "WORLD OF WORLDS" world in worlds
this is why i love the song so much and yes it plays as SONIC SONG BUT remember THIS SONG HAS THREE VERSIONS.
Cool right?
A Character Theme video in a similar vein to this would be pretty cool, way longer but definitely a cool idea
I believe the "I'm here" part of such song also reffers on how we're back to a good formula for the games, and how the open zone format is here to stay. As well as how frontiers was much more successful than forces, colors and lost world.
Yeah, its like if sonic team yelled to the whole world the they are here to stay, No matter the blunders of the past they were willing to improve and made such a comeback lol.
Absolutely love the video! I really enjoy your analysis and perspectives! I could totally sit here and hear you talk endlessly about Sonic music! Especially the other minor themes like in the adventure games, Heroes, Riders, etc. but understandably that might be a bit much haha. Seriously tho, LOVE this video.
Dude, great job. Seriously I love this
1:35:47 second comment but I think it’s cool not because he’s fast, but because he’s free and that’s something he really values.
After all, in response to Percival asking who he is, he says “I have no master, except the wind that blows free”
I almost collapsed when I saw the runtime. This must have taken a long time
would like to mention that the first line of the Chorus in Green Light Ride have a very similar rhythm to the first line of the pre-chorus in Live and Learn
I think Open your Heart is from the perspective of both Sonic and Eggman. The first verse fits Sonic's character well, but the second not so much, which is why I think that it's Eggman talking about how he's sick of Sonic foiling his every plan
I like how triumphant and optimistic most of those song names in the thumbnail are and the last one is just "I'm here".
This Video is the best christmas gift ever!
sa2's Live and Learn
"if you beg or if you borrow / you will never find your way" these aren't separate thoughts. its an if x then y statement.
if you rely on others and cannot do things for yourself you will be lost. its pretty straight forward. Sonic is all about doing things his own way.
My fav main theme gotta be open your heart because man it just fits so well plus the meanings are peak
1:25:09 I think that's more for Chip though? Considering his memory loss
Dude I love your video! Sonic songs are what take my Spotify wrapped every year! If you want to do more, you should do character songs next! I love that even Elise and Chip have a character song, (and even each team in Sonic Heros has one) My favorites are Dreams of an Absolution and Fly in the Freedom
I think the beg and borrow in live n learn is showing how if you either let life beg and borrow from you all the time or if you only ever do that, that you'll never get anywhere in life, and thus you have to take your life into your own hands to get where you want to head. Shadow is quite literally taking his own life into his own hands to go where he wants to, not by anybody else's choice, but his own, and not sitting idly by. He lived and learned, and continues to. Sonic in a similar light has been doing the exact thing all his life, not letting those around him control his life or tell him what he can or cannot be or where can or cannot head in life, and doesn't sit idly by, he takes action when its needed.
Is the "place where you dreamed you'd never find" in Live and Learn related to "inside your heart you will find a special place to unwind" from Sonic CD's Cosmic Eternity? Food for thought.
This voice sounds familiar...
god his world is so fitting to be sonic's theme
its def the underlying optimism in all the sonic games and sonic himself that make me fall in love with this series, even during the "dark" games, theres still some optimism in the main themes /story.
Reach for the stars is the song that got me REALLY hooked on Sonic. 6 year old me ate that shit up.
Finally, my favourite would be Reach For The Stars, it’s so uplifting.
My top 3 sonic SONGS
3. I Am... All of Me
2.Super sonic racing (I'm a doudoug fan)
1. Escape from the city
I think Windmill isle is like the most common sonic music I hear in non sonic videos.
Sonic cd’s (jp) cosmic eternity is classic sonic’s theme, it doesnt matter is sonics main theme, classic, modern, it doesnt matter.
His world and endless possibilities is more of modern sonics theme
1:04:10 maybe it shows his life perspective because it’s the game he dies in
great video. havent finished it yet but luv the passion, analyzation, and attention to detail. good editing too.
on another topic, i wonder how much of this was intended by the writers/creators of these games and the songs
57:19 I also like to see this as Sonic not taking any fall damage as well lol
Please do an analysis on “What I’m Made Of”! Absolutely wonderful song imo
Your editing is immaculate
I'd love to see an in depth look at all of the sonic frontiers vocal tracks
46:00 I think these lyrics are the character of Maria (not her literally) speaking to Shadow
"Can you see ALL of me? Walk into my mystery, step inside and hold on for dear life. Do you remember me? Capture you, I'll set you free; I am all, I am all of me."
Throughout the whole game Shadow is chasing his lost memories, specifically his past with Maria. This is his main motivation for the majority of the game before settling on a concrete goal or side to take:
_("walk into my mystery")_
Obviously, as seen by every level in the game, this journey to discover where he came from is filled with danger, both in a physical sense, and in the possibility that Shadow will lose himself along the way:
_("step inside and hold on for dear life")_
The questions are where it gets interesting,
_("can you see ALL of me? Do you remember me?")_
Maria wanted no harm to come to anyone, iirc she even tells Shadow to forgive the GUN Soldiers slaughtering them in "The Doom" level (the flashback where GUN is destroying the research lab on the ARK and everyone aboard it, shortly before her own death).
She wants him to remember more than just his lost friend, but the compassion and willingness to forgive she exhibited. That revenge is wrong, and only brings more suffering.
She knows that this knowledge will bring Shadow peace, thus the line
_("capture you, I'll set you free")_
saying that his memory of Maria will both start his journey, and end it.
The final line could just be tieing the song back into Shadow's perspective, but if Maria were to be saying it,
_("I am all, I am all of me")_
could be communicating a couple things.
That Maria is a human too, and that everyone is an individual person like she is. To condemn and destroy all of humanity would be condemning her too.
Or, that she is not only the friend that Shadow lost, but also the peaceful girl that showed him how to be kind in the face of adversity (the most important memory he needs to find his peace).
Cool detail, this part of the song is what the piano plays during the credits of the True Ending (The Last Way), after Shadow "puts the past behind him" as he states in one of the final cutscenes, and "Never Turns Back" as said in the final credits.
...
(This is from a comment I left on a video of the song years ago lol, this reminded me of it. I think I got a lyric wrong here but the main idea is the same, the memory could either put him on a path of destruction or freedom)
I hear "Feels like the storm is getting close", hmm...
When I first heard "You're My Hero" I thought it was an Amy song.
The interesting thing that nobody seems to mention about "Live & Learn" is that it wasn't even written with SA2's story in mind. Johnny Gioeli says it was just about playing video games. Super cool how well it works.
A possible reason Classic Sonic isn't mentioned in "Fist Bump" is that he wasn't initially supposed to be in the game, but SEGA told Sonic Team to make it tie-in to Mania.
I love what you did with the fonts and styles for the on screen lyrics, with my favorite being Frontiers. I would definitely watch more of this type of content.
Aww thank you so much! And thanks for letting me know that Live & Learn wasn't written with SA2's story in mind!!!
as silly as it sounds these's tracks lyrics have helped me mentally thouhout the years
The main theme in Sonic CD could also be referring to Amy since she was introduced in this game.
Great Video!!
Great Video!
I personally disagree about Fist Bump being the best one out of Forces tho, Theme of Infinite is that for me. It's not the main theme though so I didn't expect it to be covered in this video of course. Fist Bump is still great.
Funnily enough I also quite enjoy the Metal Sonic Fight Remix Song, even though I'm not a Dubstep person
Honestly I totally forgot about it when making this video because I definitely agree with that statement 😅
Not only that, I recently revisited some of the Forces vocal tracks and main level tracks thanks to Shadow Generations and... Man, Forces has a really good soundtrack. I wouldn't call it the best of the franchise, but I wouldn't say it's bad at all.
A couple points:
1. I always interpreted "I will not count on others" as basically a spin on the phrase "If not me, then who?", meaning that in the moment he's the only one who can take care of the problem.
2. I believe "I Am... All Of Me." isn't exactly Shadow trying to figure out what he is meant to be, that being a hero or a villain, but rather it's him coming to the conclusion that he's... Well, neither. Everything that he does isn't guided by being a hero or a villain, all of it is guided by what he, himself, believes he needs to do. Thus he is not a "brave-hearted hero" or a "black-hearted evil", he is simply him. All of him.
44:20 I think there’s a little bit more than 10 endings😅
You missed something in I Am... All of Me. The "Unleashed a million faces, and one by one they fall" is a reference to What I'm Made Of from Sonic Heroes, in which there's this in the second verse: "Like a million faces, I've recognized them all. And one by one they all become just a number as they fall".
Mind if I ask if you will cover one way dream one day. That one's so good and I'd love to here you talk about that and the other characters theme
I remember watching this Sonic video and it was talking about how Sonic R told a story for each song and each song continues the story.
I think "Free" could have a deeper meaning more than just "characters going fast in Extreme Gears and feeling free with its speed"
"Beg, borrow, steal, you've made your deal, and with no hesitation" The Babylon Rogues are known for being thieves, this line could be talking about them maybe
"Crawl, walk or run, you had your fun, of which was very certain" could be talking about those negative actions, and how
I also think the "Free" meaning is more than just "being free because Extreme Gear makes you feel like that" and more in a sense that you feel like you can make whatever you want, "Felt so refrained, felt so constrained" as if they couldn't be truly free, be who they are, but then "But now I'm breakin' out and free" you can finally be yourself, feel free and do whatever you want
It's a fact that all those characters feel pretty free, like the wind, Jet talks about becoming one with the wind, and Sonic himself is the embodiment of freedom always talking about the wind and how it blows free
Other than that, I liked the explanation in the songs, and liked the explaining on Sonic's personality and each game's individual story, also connecting both aspects of the song talking about Sonic as a character and the story of each game (especially considering usually each game theme is also considered Sonic's theme, because they really DO talk about Sonic and portray his character really well, while also being different talking about and fitting into the story of each game), especially since all the songs are treated equal and positively all the same, they're all really good, sound amazing, and do a really good job portraying both Sonic and the game they were made for
Maybe the only part I don't 100% agree with (although there is some truth to it) is in Knight of the Wind where it is said that Sonic isn't necessarily a good guy but his mission aligns with what is seen as good, it is true that Sonic does what he personally believes and that he doesn't care for what others think of him, reason why he escaped from GUN in SA2 and decided to end King Arthur's reign in BK things which would't be seen as good things, but he STILL went after King Arthur for others, instead of doing it for himself, Sonic is selfless, he did because he wanted to help the people of Camelot and make a dictator king, he hates injustice and opression
It's not as if he would do something selfish because he personally think it's a good thing, even though he does things HE wants, because his view of good things is being kind and caring for others, it's not as if he just wanted to fight King Arthur for the fun, or for any other reasons, and just coincidentally that lined up with Sonic saving the villagers from the king, Sonic did it *exactly* for them, even if many would see him as a bad person, because he doesn't care how he's seen as long as those around him can live a free life without opression and injustice
It is his style helping those in need along his way, if someone asks for help he probably won't think twice, he's more likely to leave duties aside to help someone, he does that in Black Knight by going to save a little kid's family in a cave instead of completing the Lady of the Lake's tasks even if he had a limited time to do so
But yes, Sonic does what his heart tells him, and his heart is in the right place, because if his heart wasn't selfless, that would completly change who the character is anyway, but, he does indeed do what he wants to, instead of what the masses believe it's the hero/right thing to do, and I think that makes him a much more cooler and genuine hero, he doesn't do for his image, he's not that image of a superhero which just does good and what is accepted by the population as "good", he does it for the good of others, without caring about his own image
And last, I think that part about Black Knight ended up being too long so I'll be brief, another cool interpretation of the beggining of I'm Here I've seen around is
"Leave the life you knew before" -representing Knuckles, since he was up to exploring more the world outside Angel Island
"See a new world worth fighting for" -representing Amy, wanting to share her love around thr world
"Find the truth of who I'm meant to become" -representing Tails, which wants to become more independent, less insecure, more brave
Maybe it could have the double meaning representing both Sonic as you mentioned, and those characters, maybe just one of them, or maybe even other meanings, I think it's pretty cool to try and find an interpretation of those songs
Having said that, adding what I wanted to add here, pretty cool video, I liked it a lot!
I know I wasn't the only one singing along to the songs as you played them.
The first song in this vid 'Sonic Boom' that first part of it reminds me so much of Tails with the whole "you can fly" and "with your mind" parts of it, i know its definitely not intended, but i like it so thats what matters to me.
This is great so far!
While a sonic game might not be good the music will always be awesome
"There's no chance, Sonic Boom" not "Head's up Jake, it's Sonic Boom", and based on context is basically saying "Eggman stands no chance, we're too fast"
Honestly the second half of the chorus gives us a good look at part of Sonic's personality. He's always takes on the challenges ahead even if they're so monumental that it looks impossible. This is added on to in both versions of Sonic Boom and in Cosmic Eternity as well as later songs.
14:47 this is wrong. Radiant Emerald's theme is "Diamond in the Sky". Super Sonic Racing is the song that plays when Super Sonic is any of the Racers on Radiant Emerald (It may also play in other levels but I'm not sure).
21:51 I feel like there's also some subtext of Sonic also telling Eggman that "I won't let you have Chaos. I'll pacify him and reunite him with his friend so the two can finally pass on in peace."
25:36 This is 100% Sonic talking to Shadow, telling him that he can barely bare the sins of his past now that his true memories are unlocked, that he KNOWS Shadow's fear, and the pain of his loss is too much to bare, but that when you follow someone else's lead blindly you can't move forward, you stagnate.
26:11 Fear is a constant motivator of Shadow's throughout all three of the games that gives him emotional growth. Fear of losing those he's come to care for in SA2, Fear towards those who, for seemingly no reason, seek to do him harm in Shadow 2005, Fear of losing HIMSELF in Shadow Generations. Fear is a powerful motivator, and a lesser man would crumble and let it consume him.
27:08 I interpret the first two lines as having "Live and Learn" as part of the meaning. You have to live and learn from whatever may happen in the future, and that you have lived through and must learn from the events of the past. While the rear two lines are a direct question and answer. If you beg for answers or if you borrow from others without ever doing things for yourself you will NEVER find your way in life.
1:13:34 Sonic Rush Adventure? Best game on the DS? The World Ends With You begs to differ.
Endless Possibilities is my favorite song. I like hopeful songs.
Would you ever do one for every end-credits song ?
I definitely would if people want it!
Cool video! Although you forgot "Un-Gravitify" from Sonic Riders Zero Gravity. Hope you can cover this one as well eventually
Technically it’s a character theme not the main theme song. Weird technicality but that’s why I didn’t cover it here (:
ima be honest I completely misheard a line in knight of the wind till this video
instead of "Like the sun, I run" I heard "Like a sword, I'm drawn" which still works if you ask me
Don't wanna be that guy, but LINE AND LEARN? REALLY? THE BEST SONIC SONG(IMO) HAS A TYPO?! UNFORGIVABLE
I don't actually mean it,i understand the hard work you've done and talking 'bout 1 mistake is kinda stupid I appreciate the dedication for this , don't take it seriously!😅😅
Wait where’s the typo??
@@llennoxytI think he means the timestamp, it says Line and Learn, instead of Live and Learn
@@jking446 Ahh I se now, thanks!