Hiya!

While there were a lot of huge announcements and reveals during this year’s Game Awards, the one I’m the most excited for is, without a shadow of a doubt, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. The instant Geoff Keighley mentioned they were going to play an original Nobuo Uematsu song, my ears picked up and the trailer which accompanied the new song, No Promises to Keep, was just lovely as it spoiled things without really spoiling what the heck is happening. Genius!

The song did trigger some nostalgic vibes in me as I started to recall all of the iconic music which have been produced for the Final Fantasy series throughout the years. So, I decided to rank the best Final Fantasy songs but with a twist. I decided to make a list of my favorite English songs from this long lived JPRG series. So, unfortunately, this means fan favorites like Final Fantasy VII’s One Winged Angel and Final Fantasy X’s Suteki Da Ne are not eligible. This also means, sadly, Final Fantasy VI’s Ceres’ Opera song can’t be included as, despite there being lyrics, wasn’t sung during the game.

There is another criteria to this list. Besides it being a list of my favorite songs from the games, I also am considering how the song is used to enhance the actual experience of playing it.

#5 “Stand By Me” from Final Fantasy XV

The boys are back in town!

On paper, this really shouldn’t be included in this list as it’s not an original song composed for Final Fantasy XV. I don’t even particularly like Final Fantasy XV’s story and what kept me playing was the combat and the world itself. However, even if I didn’t care for the overall plot and the characters from this game, I’m woman enough to admit that, by the time the credits started to roll and Stand By Me started playing while a collage of all the photos you’ve taken throughout the game were displayed, I bawled like a baby. This is here just because of how well utilized it was.

I love how the song does capture the essence of friendship and camaraderie, which is what Final Fantasy XV is all about. It’s a road trip between a group of friends with a particular goal and Stand By Me is a really good fit for the emotions it wants to convey to the player. The melancholy nature of the song also hits you harder than it should because of the very somber end.

#4 “1000 Words” from Final Fantasy X-2

Well, what are the 1000 words, though?

I don’t really remember much from Final Fantasy X-2. I don’t recall much of the story but what I do remember are the songs from the game. 1000 Words is virtually Final Fantasy X-2’s theme song as it’s sung during one of the big moments of the game. The thing is, while it’s nice, I just don’t like the English performance when compared to the Japanese version.

There’s actually a big difference between the two besides the language change. The composition near the end is totally different as, in the English version, Lenne and Yuna are singing together while in the Japanese version, it’s Lenne and Yuna singing in one voice. I just like the less complex Japanese version as the emotion hits a little harder through the simplicity. Also, I do think the Japanese singer has a more powerful voice which carries the song better.

That’s not to say the English version of 1000 Words is bad. It’s definitely no slouch and it still does manage to deliver on the huge emotional moment at that point of the game. The only reason why it’s not as high as the other songs on this list is because I can’t help but compare it to the more superior Japanese version.

#3 “Real Emotion” from Final Fantasy X-2

Hey, no fair, Final Fantasy X-2! Why do you have 2 songs on this list?

I’ll say this as early as now. Like with 1000 Words, I really like Real Emotion. It may feel weird for a pop song to show up in a Final Fantasy game but, in the context of how Final Fantasy X-2 is supposed to be a goofier and lighthearted adventure than its predecessor, it works. Playing Real Emotion at the very start of the game puts that front and center. It’s also a good enough bop and the “What can I do for you?” line is catchy as heck.

Again, like with 1000 Words, my issue with Real Emotion is it’s just not as good as the Japanese version. You can really hear the difference in singing ability with the Japanese singers more raspy voice for the first couple of lyrics before transitioning to a higher pitch for the start of the chorus. There are also some slight changes with the overall mood as the Japanese version doesn’t have the “I can’t hear you” line after “What can I do for you?” Instead, the singer of the Japanese version harmonizes and it just sounds much better, in my opinion, of course.

Now, why does Real Emotion edge out Final Fantasy X-2’s theme song, 1000 Words? Well, it’s just a much more catchy song! It’s a fun song to dance to and it’s an earworm. Both are good but Real Emotion is just more amusing to my ears.

#2 Melodies of Life from Final Fantasy IX

Why does this sound so… familiar?

Well, that’s because Melodies of Life was composed by Nobuo Uematsu. I can’t really put my finger on it but this well-renowned video game music composer does have a particular style to his songs. Unlike Final Fantasy X-2’s songs, the vocal performance and the overall arrangement of Melodies of Life sound about the same in both the English and Japanese versions so there’s no “weaker” variant here. It’s even sung by the same singer, Emiko Shiratori, which is why both of them sound the same.

Melodies of Life is a really pretty but melancholic song. Even if you don’t listen and understand the lyrics, the overall tone of the song does feel both uplifting yet sad at the same time. It’s a more wistful song that’s pretty nice. However, as good as it is, Melodies of Life does come up short from hitting the top as the lyrics themselves don’t come off as memorable and it’s only really played at the end, making it feel more like the title track rather than an integral part of the game’s story. However, the biggest reason why Melodies of Life is 2nd on this list is…

#1 Eyes on Me from Final Fantasy VIII

…because Eyes on Me is my favorite Final Fantasy VIII with lyrics, period!

Oh, One Winged Angel is awesome. The Final Fantasy theme song is great. However, when I think of what is my favorite song in the series, it’s still Final Fantasy VIII’s Eyes on Me. It’s the song that transports me back to when I was 3 years of age, watching my brother play on an old, gray PlayStation system. It was one of the very first songs I actually memorize that wasn’t some silly pop song I heard on the radio. It’s another signature Nobuo Uematsu ballad but this was his first crack at composing something with lyrics, which may account to the severe amount of Engrish baked into the lyrics. Yes, the lyrics is strongly Engrish but, to me, that’s part of the charm of Eyes on Me.

I also do have to add the song’s significance in Final Fantasy VIII as it’s played a couple of times. The first is in the clip above, when Squall really falls for Rinoa. The second is played during the ending cutscene with Rinoa finding Squall and then the song extends to the other characters like Seifer’s group and, more importantly, Laguna and Ellone visiting Raine’s grave. This is really beautiful use of a really beautiful song not once, but twice!

I understand Eyes on Me might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially with the really awful Engrish. It’s not as memorable as Nobuo Uematsu’s other compositions like like One Winged Angel. However, for me, I will always have a lot of fond memories of Eyes on Me and Final Fantasy VIII. I’m super biased that way.

Byee!

What’s your favorite Final Fantasy song with English lyrics? Let me know in the comments section below!