Well, we knew it was coming eventually.
Funny thing is, I actually wanted to do Route 10 (the original) this week, as it is one of my favorite pieces of route music in all of Pokemon and definitely my favorite in the first two generations. But I couldn't seem to find an original recording of it anywhere on YouTube. And that's when I remember this little gem. Welcome to Lavender Town, mortals.
Er, that awkward moment when your computer freezes up as you attempt to type this... <.< >.>
Alright, forgive me if I'm wrong about this, I haven't played FireRed in ages, but you visit Lavender Town between your second gym battle in Cerulean and your third in Vermillion. There the player has to stop the raging ghost of a mother Marowak who died protecting her child from Team Rocket. The ghost is in the Pokemon Tower, a seven floor graveyard for the souls of departed Pokemon. The music that plays in Lavender Town is, well...unsettling.
Alright, prepare your stones: I don't find this incredibly creepy. Yes, it's a bit unsettling, as I said, but I don't find it flat-out scary like people seem to think. Though I do agree that those beginning notes going back and forth over and over again would probably eventually drive anyone insane. I do like the melody a lot, as it does convey a bit of creepiness. Maybe it's because it's 8-bit that I don't find it as creepy? But I can see how the roughness of the 8-bit could potentially up the creepiness factor for some...Ah well. Moving on.
An interesting note. The version you just heard was edited for the North American release of Pokemon Red and Blue. The original Pokemon Green and Red released in Japan featured this theme instead, which has a bit of a more garbled and warped theme. It's subtle, but apparently it caused some physical discomfort in Japan, so it was changed. Here's the original.
In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, they changed things up a bit.
Um. Um. What.
Somehow, Lavender Town has been transformed into hunky dory town. Must be because they turned the graveyard into a radio station. A RADIO STATION?! WHAT?! HOW?! I CALL SACRILEGE. But anyway, yes. I read through some of the comments on this YouTube video, and many people seem to think this version is creepier. Uh, NO. This, my dear friends, is called "what the hell". That's the official adjective for it. It's like peppy Earthbound music threw up on the original Lavender Town theme. This does a good job of getting across what I think the designers wanted to get across; that Lavender Town had lost its creepiness from the first generation and was now a quaint little town full of the Pokemon love and stuff. Okay, but WE WANT THE CREEPY. THANK YOU.
In the remakes of Red and Blue, FireRed and LeafGreen, the theme was remastered once more, this time back to its original creepy.
Ah. Perhaps it's the better sound quality. Perhaps it's because this was the version I heard first. I'm not sure the reason, but this one has for me the creepiness that goes along with the Lavender Town name. (Strange, because everyone in the comments said the 8-bit was creepier.) The background noises to me sound almost like string instruments, which I believe would do amazingly in this theme. I also love the addition of the triangles, jingle bells (yes, that's the official name), and traditional sounding drums. It definitely adds to the atmosphere of the piece, and that's something I always look for in music, especially in music that's meant to scare you: the atmosphere.
And then another remake joins the picture. HeartGold and SoulSilver remixed the theme from Gold, Silver, and Crystal, just like you would expect.
WHY?! WHY?! OH GOD WHY?!
The beginning! The beginning had so much potential! It was creepy and echoey and atmospheric and gave me chills! It was perfect! And then :07 came along and it became a freaking fairy tale! The original GSC version at least kept those creepy, hypnotic background notes there, but this one completely gets rid of them! Whyyyyyyyyyyy..... (having a musical rage moment) To be honest, even without looking at the original theme to compare this with, I still don't like this theme. The beginning sets your expectations way higher than they should be. It's sad. I really would have liked to hear this theme in fully remastered, unlimited high-tech creepy glory.
And thus, we segue to the fan remix.
Listened to this with headphones in. It's a beautiful remix. Though still creepy, it also gives an incredible sadness to the piece. I told you string instruments would sound amazing with it! And oh, so many different string instruments, each one used to produce the exact, perfect sound. It really gives you the feeling of the sadness present in Lavender Town, the sacrifice of the mother Marowak to save her child. It's amazing.
For kicks, I listened to it backwards with headphones in as well! :D
HOLY FUCKING SHIT NEVER AGAIN OH MY HOLY MEW IT'S GOING TO KILL ME IT'S GOING TO KILL ME RUN AWAY RUN AWAY NEVER AGAIN EVER OH MY MEW WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
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We apologize, but umchan has gone into a trauma-induced Lavender Town coma and is unable to finish this music review. We assume that she will be up and about in time for next week's review. Until then, we relay this message to you: Ciao~!
-umchan649's agents
