When I attended audio engineering school in Canada from 2018 to 2019, I was granted the opportunity to expand upon my knowledge as a musician and voice actor by thoroughly dissecting the process of music production. From song composition and room acoustics to reverberation and mastering, I learned how to record and engineer studio-quality pieces, culminating in a final project where I solo-produced a local musician’s song from start to finish.
Why do I bring this up? Well, I wanted to explain that, while my experience at this school was absolutely invaluable and the instructors did a stellar job at helping us unlock the mysteries of sound, it always bothered me that one crucial part of the song composition process was usually overlooked in class: writing lyrics. I do understand this since lyrics don’t really play a role in sound engineering itself, but as an avid reader passionate about creative writing, I feel that lyricists deserve far more credit for their role in shaping the songs we love. Lyrics are poetry in motion, gliding along the pristine surface of the melody to create unique ripples in its cerulean waters. By disturbing these waters, the ripples scatter the image projected by the melody alone, with the final result being a far richer, more complex composition that broadens our minds and deepens our emotional response to the music.
So in this new four-part series entitled “Lyrical Spotlight,” I would like to turn your attention to four exceptionally talented lyricists who made the bold choice to apply the written word to well-known songs from the Zelda series. In doing so, they not only captured the essence of the original pieces but also managed to put a whole new narrative spin on the games from which they originate. Without further ado, let’s get started with part one!
I don’t think it would be terribly controversial to say that the “Forest Temple” theme is easily one of the greatest musical tracks in Ocarina of Time. Strange, unearthly percussive beats ricocheting off the walls combine with hauntingly beautiful vocals and chanting woodwinds to produce the perfect atmospheric music to accompany us through an equally fascinating dungeon. Contrasting starkly with the bouncy “Saria’s Song,” the song helps to unveil a far eerier side of the Lost Woods, befitting the temple’s status as the first true challenge Link must tackle as an adult. How could one possibly improve upon such a masterful composition?
Well, I’ll tell you how: Bring Jillian Aversa into the picture.
Jillian is truly in a class all her own when it comes to music. She excels at playing several instruments, her vocal abilities send chills down the spine and bring tears to the eyes, and her brilliant writing skills elevate the melodies to extraordinary new heights. While she primarily focuses on composing original music, she does often utilize her talents to create amazing remixes of songs from television and video games, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Game of Thrones, and — you guessed it — The Legend of Zelda.
In her song entitled “Generations,” Jillian uses the “Forest Temple” theme as the fabric to weave together an incredible narrative about the true hidden nature of the Lost Woods. In this dark, densely wooded forest where time undulates like the waves of an ocean, the cute, innocent Kokiri undergo a drastic transformation. Their childlike forms shimmer and evanesce in the moonlight, revealing themselves as ageless, ethereal entities who bear the weight of the entire world’s history on their shoulders. Curious and friendly, they offer travelers brave enough to venture into their hidden sanctuary different tokens of their sagely wisdom: a flower for joy and vitality; a key for growth and metamorphosis; and a tome for worldly knowledge and enlightenment. As the traveler is drawn in by these mysterious creatures, they fall into a dreamy trance where time loses all sense of linearity, where the moon waxes and wanes at will, and the past, present, and future blend into one seamless whole.
And keep in mind, this is just my interpretation; the best thing about these lyrics is that Jillian never outright tells us exactly what her words symbolize, so listeners are completely free to ruminate on the lyrics and come to their own conclusions.
Of course, I can’t just gush about Jillian’s lyrical talents without emphasizing how beautifully the words pair with her team’s epic remix of the “Forest Temple” theme. Driving percussive beats and intense acoustic guitar riffs heighten the tension of the piece like never before, while synthetic bells partner with Jillian’s exquisite vocals to maintain the otherworldly tone of the original. All in all, the song is an absolute treat for the ears as well as the mind, so if you haven’t listened to it by now, please don’t hesitate any longer. You won’t regret it!
Also, if you have some extra time, take a peek at the official music video Jillian’s team made for this song. While the video isn’t explicitly related to Ocarina of Time or any other Zelda game (except for the Triforce earrings she wears), it’s an endearing love letter to the themes and aesthetics of beloved ’80s fantasy movies like Labyrinth and The Neverending Story, so I highly recommend checking it out if you’re an ’80s fanatic like me!
