“Zelda’s Lullaby” is a classic theme in the Zelda series that players first heard when Link met Princess Zelda in A Link to the Past. The simple melody has since then continued to be associated with the Hylian princesses, and it fits them fairly well. It’s sweet, soothing, and uplifting with its high notes, and the same adjectives can be used to describe some of the many incarnations of the princess as well. Many of us have fond memories of when the tune started to play and we, perhaps the first time, saw Princess Zelda. It’s not hard to understand why the melody is a favorite among many Zelda fans.
But I have a small confession: “Zelda’s Lullaby” has never really been a favorite of mine.
I want to think of it more than just “all right,” but I suppose I can’t force myself to like something more just because I have a feeling that I should enjoy it more than I do. I don’t have a good reason for not liking “Zelda’s Lullaby”; it is beautiful, and I appreciate its simplicity, but also I can’t help feeling like there’s something missing.
Luckily for me, I live in a time when I can listen to remixes and instrumental covers of my favorite Zelda tracks whenever I want. But as you can guess, “Zelda’s Lullaby” is rarely seen on my playlists.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not because I dislike it. I always love hearing that familiar melody when it starts playing in the video games, but I rarely choose to listen to it when I’m not busy saving Hyrule. However, I think that might have changed now.
I listen to various music genres, but jazz was something I hadn’t familiarized myself with until a couple of years ago. I quickly learned that jazz could be energetic with loud saxophones and cymbals, or it could be very stripped down, like this interpretation of “Zelda’s Lullaby” by Trevor Allan Gomes. And Trevor brought that “something” I felt was missing in this classic melody.
Trevor’s interpretation of “Zelda’s Lullaby” starts off with a nostalgic trip back to 1998 and the title screen of Ocarina of Time before he smoothly slides into Princess Zelda’s nursery song. He plays the piano softly and playfully, and there’s a warmth in the song that makes me feel like I’m standing outside a hotel on a starry night, ready to head home after a wonderful evening. If I wasn’t a fan of The Legend of Zelda, I would still find this melody to be beautiful and add it to my playlist of jazz songs. Trevor’s style makes “Zelda’s Lullaby” sound less predictable, and maybe that’s why I suddenly love it much more than I did before.
The song is just over four minutes long, a perfect length for most songs, but as Trevor carefully presses his fingers over the final piano keys, I feel like it ends too soon. I was to hear more, and I want to hear it again. And so, I press the replay button and listen to that familiar melody over and over and think of princesses, starry nights, and city lights.
