Tune Den: Baba Yetu
Following the “lair” theme of my Cave Clutter posts, I’d like to introduce a new type of post: the Tune Den. Get it? Tuned In? Anyways…
“What are these posts all about?” Well I’m glad you asked, reader who only exists in my head. They are about video game soundtracks and fan-created music.
I am one of those people who almost never turns off in-game music. To me, it lends greatly to the atmosphere of the game and where you currently are in it. Not only do I listen to the music in-game, but also outside of it. I’ll buy the deluxe edition of a game just to get the soundtrack, or I’ll find and buy the album somewhere online.
And my collection only continues to grow, especially in the past year. I had to buy a phone with more memory just to hold them all, because I like to listen to this kind of music when I’m working in the office. So it was only a matter of time before my enthusiasm for game music carried over to my blog.
One thing that I had trouble deciding was what music to cover first. Did I want to begin with Wurm Online music considering how often I talk about the game? Should I start at the beginning with World of Warcraft, the first game of which I bought the soundtrack? But then I happened to stumble across a better idea.
I’m an fan of Malukah, a gamer who composes and sings some beautiful video game-related music. She’s even contributed to the OST of several games. But that’s a whole other story that will require its own post. Recently she and Peter Hollen collaborated to do a cover of Baba Yetu.
I believe this is the perfect song to start the Tune Den with. As you might know, Baba Yetu is the theme song for Civilization IV, composed by Christopher Tin. The lyrics are a Swahili translation of the Lord’s Prayer and are delivered in a way that’s both powerful and uplifting. I’ve never played Civilization IV but I still think this is one of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard.
What makes Baba Yetu particularly interesting is not only was it the first video game music to be nominated for a Grammy Award, it was also the first to win a Grammy. Video game music being recognized with such a well-known award is a huge step in the right direction if you ask me.
Here’s the original song performed by the Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.