Video Game Cover Shout-Out
If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing.
J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan)
Last week, I shared a few video game music tracks that I recommended you listen to to help you relax a bit whenever you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
This week, we’re going to be a bit more laid-back and give a shout-out to the music artists who have created their own version of well-known video game songs/music. I like giving new artists a chance when I come across them, and see their takes on old favorites that I’ve grown fond of. So many different instruments and vocals are used to add their own stamp to each one.
Give their channels a visit if you enjoy what you hear, and who knows? You may find a whole treasure cove of music that you never knew you wanted before. Perhaps it will even lead you to a game that you may want to try for yourself.
1. Still Alive (The 8-Bit Big Band) – Portal (2007)
Tap your toes while you sing along here to one of the catchiest songs in video game history. This cover is as smooth as jazz can be, which just helps the music just melt inside your eardrums all the more.
The people behind The 8-Bit Big Band are incredibly talented and professional in their work; you can tell they work very hard with each song they perform, but they enjoy performing them too, because they love these games. It’s especially evident when watching the videos and see the graphics interplay with the music at the same time, giving the viewer a bit of icing on the cake…
(The cake is a lie)
…I love how creative people are with this song – it’s a fun song with amusing lyrics, rippled with dark humor (which is what Portal is best known for). I’ll be sure to share more covers like this in the future, but this certainly wins a prize for being the most different (yet fitting) cover of this song yet.
2. Fiddle de Chocobo (moonbowmusicmovie) – Final Fantasy VII (1997)
moonbowmusicmovie is a group from Japan that covers video game and film scores on a much smaller scale than a full orchestra, but with all of the skill necessary to make them stand on their own. They have a sense of humor when it comes to their videos at times (evident here by the costumes), and it becomes clear that they love these games just as much as we do.
I really enjoyed this cover of Fiddle de Chocobo from Final Fantasy VII, which always played during the Chocobo races you can partake in in the story. It’s fun and pumped full of energy, and you can’t help but smile while listening to it at the same time.
3. Dr. Wily’s Castle (Taylor Davis) – Mega Man II (1988)
I’ve enjoyed watching Taylor Davis’ growth on YouTube, as she is not only a very talented and accomplished violinist, but also an avid gamer as well. This cover of Dr. Wily’s Castle comes just as much from passion as it does from talent, and that is true of all of her covers.
Dr. Wily’s Castle is a fast-paced, intense theme that just makes you want to race and succeed with all of your might and strength. I enjoy hearing different covers of this piece; Taylor’s cover is one of my absolute favorite takes on it.
That’s all for this week’s Music Monday post. What about you? Do you have a favorite cover artist who performs music from video games, films, or television? What do you enjoy the most about their music? Please share – I would love to know!
