ReMix:Final Fantasy IX "The Rose General" 4:35

By katethegreat19

folk singing vocals-female woodwinds lyrics-original

Arranging the music of one song...

"Rose of May"

Primary Game: Final Fantasy IX (Square , 2000, PS1), music by Nobuo Uematsu

Posted 2009-06-19, evaluated by the judges panel

Wow.

Let me take a second to pick my jaw up off the floor - this is an absolutely gorgeous piece of music. This is going to be one of those writeups where I gush enthusiastically and heap tons of praise, so if you've got a weak stomach for acclaim (especially when applied to others), be warned. I've looped this repeatedly the last couple days prior to posting, just to make doubly sure I wasn't being excessive, but no: This ReMix is an instant classic, a breath of fresh air, haunting, beautiful, memorable, and singular. Newcomer katethegreat19, aka Kate Covington, already has quite the following on MySpace and YouTube, and deservedly so - she's put together some very unique vocal fan mixes that apply a folksy renaissance fair/Celtic festival style to great effect. Her voice is not only breathtaking, but her control and her ability to break, harmonize, and convincingly pull off the quick modulations key to the genre are dead-on. This is an arrangement that essentially sinks or swims based on the vocalist, but with Kate it not only swims, but truly takes flight. Yes, that was a cheesy-as-all-hell metaphor, but I'm excited about this piece. It's a new direction, a different approach, something I wasn't expecting, convincing, and above and beyond all of that, a great piece of music. The artist writes:

"This is my vocal adaptation of Rose of May. The arrangement is entirely acoustic and I am performing all the parts on harp, guitar, frame drums and recorder. The lyrics, inspired by the character of General Beatrix are my own. please consider my submission! ^_^"

So, all of what I already said, plus she plays all the parts AND wrote the lyrics; color me impressed. And about those lyrics... absolutely perfect for the style; I love the "in rivers" repetition and "So put on my mask / I'll go where they ask" combination especially. Mattias says:

"This is one of the most personal arrangements I've heard in a while. While it's still rather close to the source you have a unique approach, great counter melodies and one of the most beautiful voices I've heard in a while. I am a sucker for folk-influenced singing I must admit but damn, this is fantastic. Beautiful lyrics, as a big FF-fan I appreciate the way it really portrays a character."

English may be AnSo's second language, but I think he quite often picks the perfect adjectives; in this case, the mix really does feel personal, due in no small part to the emotive vocal. Judges did have some feedback regarding panning and plosives that Kate addressed, making the piece even better. Everything is exposed, pared down to the bare essentials, and mesmerizing. Kate could make a dozen pieces like this one and I'd love each of them to death, but it would also be interesting to see if she could collab on something; right off the bat I can envision a Golden Axe arrangement I've been working on with her vocals in it...

... but I digress. It's sometimes difficult to talk about a mix like this: if I'm too overwhelmingly positive, I fear I'll trigger kneejerk reactions from those who may not dig vocal mixes, or the genre, or who simply don't like it when other people get compliments. Frankly, I usually don't let any of that stop me, and I'm not going to here: I believe this ReMix deserves a lot of attention, that it's both fantastic and original, and that I'll be listening to it regularly for the rest of my life. I sincerely hope Kate continues to create such works and submit them here.

― djpretzel

Discussion

Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.
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GSO
on 2019-09-11 15:59:05
On ‎6‎/‎20‎/‎2009 at 12:01 PM, DrumUltimA said:

wow, this is absolutely beautiful. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I'm extremely impressed. Your voice is beautiful! The emotion in here is definitely real, and I think it's a good reminder for all musicians on this site that if YOU ARE NOT THIS EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN YOUR WORK, YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG. Fantastic work. Great playing too! Fantastic work.

same. I could gush about this forever...

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RiverSound
on 2013-01-25 06:31:44

Oh dear, some people actually make beautiful remixes. Just discovered this, fell in love immediately. Djp gave this one a lot of hype... Turns out everything he said is true, including this song being worth listening to for the rest of my life. I wish kate had done more remixes by now, but then again, this kind of magic can't be just pushed out.

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Anti elytS
on 2012-12-08 12:31:23

I... am ellipsis personified. Seriously, after I typed that first 'I' and then began to think about the mix and what I was going to write of it... - happened. Big time. This is by far one of the most well done pieces of music on the site... From now on, whenever I'm trying to convince someone that video game music is a viable, valuable, and beautiful art, I am putting this song at the top of my 'ammunition' list.

PLEASE submit more. I'm sure we'd all love to hear from you.

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DrumJ8
on 2012-06-26 04:14:57

My goodness... the vocals surprised me at first because I wasn't expecting it.. but I seriously got goosebumps, not exaggerating.. This is beautiful.

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cheema201
on 2012-06-22 01:30:36

Perfect... This piece could be sold as an illegal drug

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DimeTower
on 2012-03-08 01:13:15

DJPretzel actually somehow undersells this mix, which is shocking considering his praise, but there just aren't words enough to describe what an accomplishment this remix is. This is one of the most beautiful renditions of a song that I've ever heard. And it isn't just some great singer (though major credit to the voice quality!) - it's far more than that. The lyrics, good heavens, the lyrics are absolutely A+ and really evoke both emotions and the source material - tough to do both. Add to that the fact that she did all the instruments herself and added absolutely scintillating harmonies and changes that seem like they were part of the source all along......

...This is one of my favorite remixes I've ever heard. Pure beauty. Be proud, katethegreat19 - you have created something truly wonderful.

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Mirby
on 2011-12-24 16:13:45

This song is just so beautiful... the source is rather emotional on its own, but this takes it to a whole new level. The lyrics seem to capture any lament that Beatrix may have, and they go with the song perfectly. Fantastic job! :D

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Cash
on 2011-11-04 17:33:06

I've always felt Final Fantasy 9 is the most emotional game in the series, as well as its soundtrack. So it's fitting that this song leaves such an impact. It's also refreshing to hear real instruments played by real person. Kate's voice is one of the most beautiful I've ever heard. Not flattery, simply a statement of fact. Excellent work.

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Brandon Strader
on 2011-05-01 21:01:34

Listen to Kate's Rose of May in May. End self. :

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ShrackAttack
on 2010-09-06 03:06:33

I already liked the original a lot, but this really pulls at your emotions. Amazing.

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Bahamut
on 2010-07-18 01:02:52

So perhaps my original post didn't really convey my sentiments on this song the best - I really love this song, and glad it submitted here. I relish listening to the song even still, and it has led me to Kate's other stuff via her YouTube page.

In particular, there is a quality in Kate's voice in her technique that really accentuates the style in such a way that it strikes emotional chords with the listener. It really meshes well with the minimalist backing.

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MechaFone
on 2010-06-27 00:19:18

The lyrics are wonderful, and the performance is even better. Breathtaking!

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docnano
on 2010-06-26 08:48:52

Just listened to this one after the recently posted Hymn of Aveh. I've never heard the source material, but this is fabulous!

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Tydin
on 2010-04-30 07:40:27

This has been a fave of mine for a long time now, Kate is truely gifted and I want to thank her for sharing the talent she has with us. Her music is one of those that I feel honoured to listen to. Not only is she very talented but also a very sweet girl, so nice to chat with ^_^

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setzertrancer
on 2010-04-11 13:38:01

This song is incredible, I can't describe with words how much I love this song. So instead I made a music video for it. here's the link

Sources Arranged (1 Song)


Primary Game:
Final Fantasy IX (Square , 2000, PS1)
Music by Nobuo Uematsu
Songs:
"Rose of May"

Tags (5)


Genre:
Folk
Mood:
Instrumentation:
Singing,Vocals: Female,Woodwinds
Additional:
Lyrics > Lyrics: Original

File Information


Name:
Final_Fantasy_9_The_Rose_General_OC_ReMix.mp3
Size:
4,497,687 bytes
MD5:
55e65edd85657d1786be37f374873fc9
Bitrate:
128Kbps
Duration:
4:35

Her heart underneath
cries quietly
This part of me
I choose not to see

What lives must I take
for fealty's sake?
How much blood must stain
this warrior's blade?
 
War leaves its trail
in moonlight so pale
Its shadows, they flow
in rivers, in rivers
So put on my mask
I'll go where they ask
So I might once again see the
Roses of May

Staining my soul and stinging my eyes
The red on my hands
won't wash away, wash away
Nowhere to run from what I have done
I'm no longer, no longer
a Rose of May

Fate holds the blade before you
mirrored in maiden's eyes
Far from myself, I fly
into the perilous skies
And they said
follow the blade before you
Fear fall and courage rise
Leave all your tears behind you
far from where innocence lies

Cage of the kings
No need for wings
So turn them to stone
from roses to bone

When you look at me
what do you see?
This costume I weave
disfiguring me...

[Chorus A]

Storm clouds are creeping closer
Danger is drawing near
Why am I not protecting all that
I once held dear?
And you said
break free from all that holds you
King's hand and maiden's tear
run now into my arms
Together, we'll conquer our fears

Led here by fate
No longer afraid
So, here now I lay
my Roses of May

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