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Analyzing Songs Not In Zombies


RadZakpak

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So I often have a habit of trying to apply song lyrics to Zombies in some way whenever I listen to new music, as if I was analyzing it like one of Kevin Sherwood's songs to get some deeper meaning. I've seen threads before where people share songs that they feel would be a perfect fit as a song in Zombies, but I thought it would be neat to have a thread dedicated to lyrical analysis of those songs. So if you've got something in mind, feel free to share the lyrics and your thoughts; You can go as in-depth as you want.

 

 

I'll start off with a song called I'll Be Seeing You. It was written in the 40s and famously performed by Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra as a love song. My particular favorite version is the one by James Darren which has some additional lyrics:

 

 

Though the song is intended as a ballad about a man in love with a woman, I can't shake how well it fits as a metaphor for the Shadowman's control over Richtofen in the cycle. From the get-go, it's been performed by Sinatra, and the Darren cover is reminiscent of the Sinatra style from "My Way." And to quote the timeline: "They trap him in the Summoning Key, but before they can hand it over to the Keepers, Primis Richtofen arrives and steals the key. Richtofen travels to Dimension 2210 to secure an innocent Richtofen Soul. He delivers the soul to the House. From within the Summoning Key, the Shadowman states, 'I’ll be seeing you…'"

 

Analysis:

 

Cathedral bells were tolling
And our hearts sang on
Was it the spell of Paris
Or the April dawn?

[Cathedral bells are used not only in times of celebration, but mourning as well. Particularly, funerals. This is also similar to the lines in "The Gift" regarding ringing a bell and singing: "And the bell I'll be ringing when I sing for you." To me this would signify the end of their journey in Revelations as the Shadowman is defeated and Richtofen is banished.]

Who knows, if we shall meet again?
But when the morning chimes ring sweet again:
I'll be seeing you
In all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces all day through:

[When the morning comes, i.e. the cycle begins again, the Shadowman and Richtofen will meet again in all the old, familiar places, because it's happened over and over again. "That this heart of mine embraces" to me says those familiar places are those corrupted and embraced by the Apothicons, like the Moon Pyramid Device and Morg City.]


In that small cafe
The park across the way
The children's carousel
The chestnut trees
The wishing well

[Here he's saying he will always be there watching. (Kind of creepy for a love song, but I digress.) In particular, the children's carousel tells me he's watching him as a young Eddie, the chestnut trees could be the forest where Primis always seems to go before Revelations, and the wishing well is the well of knowledge that is 115, also depicted in I Am The Well.]


I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and gay
I'll always think of you that way
I'll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you

[He'll be seeing Richtofen every cycle, and though the Apothicons are typically associated with darkness, their Apothicon Sun in Revelations is the light where they will always be. They will always think of Richtofen as a pawn, nothing more, nothing less. "I'll find you in the morning sun" could refer either to the beginning of a fresh cycle, or to Revelations, where the Apothicon Sun is most prevalent. Subsequently, "And when the night is new" refers to the night after defeat, when it all begins again in the Great War. My favorite line in the song, "I'll be looking at the moon" would refer to the MPD, where the Shadowman will always be waiting for Richtofen to arrive, without fail, and become corrupted. Even after the Shadowman's defeat, he always knows he will be seeing you on the moon.]
 

[The lyrics are repeated from here, but the line "I'll be looking at the moon" is even further emphasized to drive home to point that Richtofen cannot escape his fate; They will always meet again on the rock.]

 

In that small cafe
The park across the way
The children's carousel
The chestnut trees
The wishing well

I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and gay
I'll always think of you that way
I'll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you

I'll be looking at the moon
I'll be looking at the moon
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you

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Do you listen to Sinatra often, Rad?

 

One particular song came up in my mind: "I see a darkness" by Johnny Cash. Admitted, not his most happy song, but to what that it relates isn't happy either. It reminds me of the story of Primis espessially, a story initially bound on a fragile alliance but eventually becoming real brothers in arms, the more they realize that this journey may be their last. And yet, there was always hope in their hearts, hope that they could return to home in peace in the end.

 

 

Well, you're my friend and can you see?
Many times we've been out drinking
Many times we've shared our thoughts
But did you ever, ever notice, the kind of thoughts I got?

 

Fair enough, Primis never went out for a drink together. But through their battles, their trust and friendship grew. In battle, they often speak with a loud language, making fun of killing the undead and seeing beaty in annihilation. But sometimes a quote reveals that our Primis characters do not feel so confortable at all. They may want to come across as badass, brave or funny, but deep down in their hearts is darkness. Like fear of a dark and inconvenient fate that awaits them, and deep down they know.


Well you know I have a love, a love for everyone I know
And you know I have a drive to live I won't let go
But can you see this opposition, comes rising up sometimes?
That it's dreadfull and position, comes blacking in my mind


And there I see a darkness
And there I see a darkness
And there I see a darkness
And there I see a darkness
Did you know how much I love you?
Here's a hope that somehow you
Can save me from this darkness

 

The plot of this song is that even while you come across as 'good' to your friends, you may be screaming underneath. It is about having some good friends, but at the same time, having a dark side to yourself. You see it eating away at you, this fear, depression, or maybe a dark rage or anger problem. Primis try to hide this from each other, try to be a badass soldier, a crazy doctor, a wise samurai or a bon vivant.


Well I hope that someday buddy, we'll have peace in our lives
Together or apart alone or with our wives
And we can stop our whoring and pull the smiles inside
And light it up forever and never go to sleep
My best unbeaten brother, this isn't all I see

 

Hope that one day it will be over. They will survive. They can set aside their fear and really be the person they always acted like they were.. It kinda reminded me of Terminis, that cut chapter you wrote for the Storybook.

Spoiler

Primis Nikolai: I would like to return to my home. My beloved. Before the bombs fell. If only to die by her side.

Primis Masaki: I see myself at peace. Serene. Sitting beneath a cherry blossom tree. Listening to the joy of my children at play.

Primis Richtofen: I think I'd like to teach... medicine... maybe pathology.

Primis Dempsey: You know the more I think about it, the more I think I'd be a darn good DI. Heh. Get those kids toughened up...

Ultimis Nikolai: I would like to be in favorite bar. But as long as I have vodka... I am happy man. (burps)

Ultimis Takeo: I would like to know for sure that I brought honor to my ancestor... and the Emperor.

Ultimis Richtofen: I should probably try to relax. Take up a hobby. Maybe I could open my own morgue...

Ultimis Dempsey: Hmmm... Lemme think about it. But wherever I go, you know I'll be kickin' ass... 

 

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15 hours ago, RadZakpak said:

I'll start off with a song called I'll Be Seeing You. It was written in the 40s and famously performed by Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra as a love song. My particular favorite version is the one by James Darren which has some additional lyrics:

 

 

Though the song is intended as a ballad about a man in love with a woman, I can't shake how well it fits as a metaphor for the Shadowman's control over Richtofen in the cycle. From the get-go, it's been performed by Sinatra, and the Darren cover is reminiscent of the Sinatra style from "My Way." And to quote the timeline: "They trap him in the Summoning Key, but before they can hand it over to the Keepers, Primis Richtofen arrives and steals the key. Richtofen travels to Dimension 2210 to secure an innocent Richtofen Soul. He delivers the soul to the House. From within the Summoning Key, the Shadowman states, 'I’ll be seeing you…'"

 

Massive brains for that connection alone!
I am under the opinion that Treyarch has referred to other songs as well, so I'm glad to see a post like this.
I'm fine with the analysis, more or less, and as much as you can analyse a song that Treyarch didn't write but arguably referred. Eventually I'd say the main takeaway here is the Shadowman lurking and influencing, as in the all seeing eye. 
allseeingeye.png

 

A few notes:
1. 

Published in 1938, inserted into a Broadway theater show called "Right this way", but only rocketed off in 1944, following many singers making their own version of the song. As said in the post Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday being from the more noticeable ones. 


2. From what I'm seeing, the following section doesn't appear in the original version of the song and not in many of the other versions I have found, including Frank Sinatra's (it does appear in the version of the legendary Vera Lynn, not in the Frank Sinatra version to my concern)

Quote

Cathedral bells were tolling
And our hearts sang on
Was it the spell of Paris
Or the April dawn?
Who knows, if we shall meet again?

But when the morning chimes ring sweet again:

 

3. As said, the song itself breached the void in 1944, and is overall considered as a world war II song, talking about the separation between people and their loved ones during the war, like many other war songs. Here of course, the Shadowman really sees Richtofen and his actions. 

 

As said, massive brains for the idea. I would love to see Richtofen's visit to Dimension 2210, and see more of the interaction between Primis Richtofen and the Shadowman over there. 

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