Eight Melodies
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Spoiler warning: this article or section may contain major plot or ending details! Proceed with caution. |
The Eight Melodies (Japanese: 8メロディーズ Eight Melodies) appear in two games in the EarthBound series: one set of melodies in EarthBound Beginnings, and a different set in EarthBound. They both play a large role in their respective games' stories.
In EarthBound Beginnings
The Eight Melodies of Mother form a song that Queen Mary of Magicant once knew well, but has now forgotten. She asks Ninten to help her remember the song by discovering the eight pieces of it scattered across America. Finding all the melodies is the primary goal of the game.
Throughout the game, Ninten will have to check or use Telepathy on certain objects or characters to learn each of the Eight Melodies. After getting the Ocarina, he can listen to any known melodies anywhere by using it. He can learn the melodies in any order, although the order listed in the game is below, along with their lyrics.
| Source | Area | Lyrics |
|---|---|---|
| Doll | Ninten's house | Take a melody |
| Canary | Canary Village | Simple as can be |
| Singing monkey | Choucream Zoo | Give it some words and |
| Piano | Rosemary's house | Sweet harmony |
| Desert Cactus | Yucca Desert | Raise your voices |
| Dragon | Magicant Underground | All day long now love grows strong now |
| Eve | Mt. Itoi | Sing a melody of |
| XX Stone (Queen Mary in the Famicom version) | Mt. Itoi (Queen Mary's Castle in the Famicom version) | Love, oh love |
After learning the Eight Melodies, Ninten will be warped from George's tombstone to Magicant, where he must sing it to Queen Mary (except in the Famicom version, where he must return to Magicant after learning the seventh melody, and she will remember the eighth part on her own after the first seven are sung to her) in order for her to remember the full song. She reveals that she was Ninten's great-grandmother Maria who sang it to Giegue as a lullaby when they were together. She will then finally rest in peace, destroying Magicant.
Singing the Eight Melodies is the only way of defeating Giegue in the final battle.
The Eight Melodies of Mother also appear prominently on the Mother and Mother 1+2 soundtracks. They also occur as part of the medley used as the primary musical track for the Onett stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Key
The piece is played in several different keys. The original Eight Melodies in Mother plays in D major, as is the Bein' Friends remix from Super Smash Bros. Brawl; the Magicant remix from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is in F major, as is the vocal version heard on the Mother album; the 16 Melodies version is in C major.
Bard's song
A bard in Magicant sings about the Eight Melodies, and their various locations.
- "Why do you cry, oh Cupid-Doll?
- Canary sings so sadly.
- Monkey sings, Piano plays, maybe there is a ghost?
- Desert Cactus so alone, every night his sad, sad tone.
- The Dragon sleeps, the note remains.
- Eve's last song has no refrain.
- On the Mount named Itoi, you must climb high young boy.
- See the XX Stone, for the last tone, then do not leave Queen Mary alone!"
In EarthBound
In EarthBound, the Eight Melodies are learned from each of the Your Sanctuaries. At the beginning of the game, Buzz Buzz gives Ness the Sound Stone to record the melodies at each Your Sanctuary location, telling him that they are necessary for him to triumph against Giygas.
Similarly to the Eight Melodies in EarthBound Beginnings, some of the melodies can be recorded in a different order. Below is a list of the sanctuary locations, in the order that the Sound Stone lists them in.
After learning all eight, Ness's mind will be one with Earth, and create his Magicant, where he will defeat the evil of his mind and reach his full potential.
A full rendition of the Eight Melodies plays during a flashback cutscene of Ness as a baby shown just before Ness enters Magicant and again during the battle with Giygas when Ness's family prays for his safety. During the end credits when the Photo-man's pictures are shown, an extended version of the song titled "Smiles and Tears" plays.
In Mother 3
Unlike the previous two games, no Eight Melodies mechanic is present in Mother 3. They are replaced by the Mother 3's chapter-based structure and the Seven Needles.
During the staff credits, a medley consisting of the Eight Melodies of Mother, the Eight Melodies of EarthBound, and the Mother 3 Love Theme plays. In the Sound Player, it is called 16 Melodies (Beginning), obviously referencing the two sets of Eight Melodies.
The Mother 3 Love Theme is also comparable to the sets of Eight Melodies in that it serves as an emotional theme for the protagonist, intentionally designed to be so simple it can be played on a piano with one finger by anyone.[1]
References
- ↑ Nindori.com interview with Shigesato Itoi, translated
