Not so long ago, I posted about how game music was mostly wasted on me. A lot of people love game soundtracks, but I usually turn them down or off and put on some Sondheim instead.
But now there is this African tune stuck in my head to the extent that I even bop my head as I think about it. The song is the opening tune in Civ IV and further evidence that Firaxis is full of terrible little trolls who think little of my valuable time.
First, I can’t stop playing their game. Second, I can’t stop thinking about playing their game. Third, I am humming a tune from their game.
Damn you, Soren Johnson.
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It’s a nice song, although I have to say I’m in the camp of the people who thinks “Lion King” is pretty misplaced as a theme for a Civilization game. :-)
Yep – I couldn’t resist any longer; had a little bit of free time on my hands so decided to get it – a decision I am sure to regret.
It’s the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili, performed by Talisman A Capella, a student a capella group out of Stanford University. I think it’s quite appropriate given the new addition of religion to the series.
Goes a little something like this:
Baba yetu, yetu uliye
mbinguni lako litukuzwe..
With varying arrangement. ‘Baba Yetu’ means ‘our father’ and ‘mbinguni lako litukuzwe’ means ‘who lives (resides) in heaven’ The chick shouting occasionally in the back ground is saying ‘na milele’, which basically means ‘Glory Be’ There’s a short bridge in the middle that goes like:
Ufalme wako ufike
Utakalo lifanyike duniani mbinguni.
Utupe leo mkate wetu wa kila siku.
Utusamehe makosa yetu
Pretty conventional meaning in the lyrics, but the arrangement by Christoper Tin is magical, the guy is obviously very talented at pop songcraft. He did a similar arrangement for the straight to video sequel of Lilo and Stitch, the name of which I can’t remember at the moment.
sorry, it’s ‘wa milele’ and it means ‘everlasting life’.
Ah, Baba Yetu. I had that song stuck in my head for months. ;)
The funny thing about it is if you listen to the music from the Lion King soundtrack, it’s really not all that similar. Both have an African feel though, so most people just make the assumption that they’re similar.