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Civ IV's Baba Yetu Wins First Grammy For Video Game
quantumstream writes "Christopher Tin made video game history yesterday by winning a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for his song, Baba Yetu, featured prominently as the main theme song of Civilization IV. The composer, who wrote the song for his former Stanford University roommate Soren Johnson, has also seen the work featured at the largest choreographed water fountain in the world at the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai."
I know it can be hard to read the article where it says it won as part of a compilation album that was released not long ago... But could you actually just skip the critical first posting instead if you can't be arsed with reading the article?
- These characters were randomly selected.
Yes but we all miss the Lion King.
These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
Of all the video game music that could possibly qualify, this one is definitely deserving.
It's just the Lord's Prayer in Swahili, but exceptionally well done.
The song was first published on an album in the past year, making it eligible for this category.
They nominated the wrong version of the song. If you read the article, its not the game version, but one that came out after by a different group.
Next year on the Grammy's award Star Trek Next Generation a grammy for this.
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
I think we'll start to see video games regarded less as "kids' entertainment" and more for the artistic value and performances. I was actually surprised by the fact that Ed Harris and Gary Oldman had leading roles in COD: Black Ops, but not as surprised as my wife who loves to tell me what a big kid I really am. Not that I can really disagree but at least now I can argue that it's for the actual story and immersive effect the *real* actors add to the project.
Now, how much longer before video games have their own category at the Oscars and the like?
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The Grammy was actually won for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s), but hey, when has accuracy in reporting been /.'s game?
I toggled a toggle and buttoned a button, but when I got done, I was done doin' nothin'.
who art in heaven hallowed by thy name... It really isn't a perfect translation but the song is basically "The lord's prayer" in Swahili.
There is or can be built a machine that can simulate any physical object. -Church-Turing principle
I always loved the music in Civ IV, especially this song, and Leonard Nimoy did a wonderful job on the quotations, here's a taste:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Z6e7igvMA.
The song is the "Our father" prayer in Swahili, if people didn't know.
The two choices are mutually exclusive. You can't get first post AND read the article.
Yeah, the Grammys have a soundtrack category but it looks like it's for film and television only. So having the song (re)-released on an album is what made it eligible for consideration.
[Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
Yea, as much as I liked Civ V, Civ IV definitely had more epic music and voice-overs. That intro music paired with narration and voice-over work by Leonard Nemoy makes Civ V's music and voice-overs seem lack-luster in comparison, and they are pretty good too! If they could combine the music and voice-over work from IV with the advancements in gameplay in V, you'd have an amazing Civ game.
"I hope you know how very lucky you are to know me, because I am so incredibly incredible."
If you haven't seen the Dubai fountain show choreographed to Baba Yetu, you owe it to yourself to check out the amazing video on YouTube (uploaded by the composer): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMf85JxUod4
GP must be new here.
Civilization with lyrics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL6wlTDPiPU
Donate free food here
well, that's gonna make the whole thing much more complex I think first this song..then what about all that amazing music videogames have? I can think of a bunch of songs that could very well qualify for an award. maybe it's something the tards at the grammy awards are gonna consider. I don't think there's anything out there that specifically awards video game music composers..is there? although I believe the guy who composed the music for ELDER SCROLLS OBLIVION did get some sort of award. and I think the guy who composed the music for ECCO the dolphin also got something.
So far we've had 5 games and all have been worth playing. None of them have been a "Oh my god, this is crap, why'd they release it?" sort of thing, but as you'd expect some are better than others. Those are the even numbered ones so far.
Civ 1 was a good game, but a little simplistic and suffered from some bad design decisions, such as a civ being able to steal Automobile and instantly build tanks, regardless of other tech levels.
Civ 2 was just an amazingly solid game. Detailed, yet pretty easy to play over all, no real design flaws, just a real top notch title, to the point is still one that people pine over (see things like Freeciv).
Civ 3 was kinda meh. Not a bad game, but it seemed like a step back from Civ 2 in many ways. The graphics were better but the game play got way too much on the micromanagement, and the AIs didn't seem to be as good. All in all it was ok, but many people stuck with Civ 2.
Civ 4 was just legendary. Best Civ ever. Beautiful graphics, solid game play, extremely flexible expansion system, etc, etc. Just a home run all around. Extremely popular, many expansions, many more mods, just Civ as it should be done.
Civ 5 seems to again be a step back. Beautiful graphics and a solid engine behind everything, but a rather crappy AI and some questionable design decisions (like non-stacking units which lead to massive sprawl late game). Not a horrible game, but in more than a few ways one that doesn't measure up to Civ 4.
That just seems to be the pattern. Hopefully this means that Civ 6 will once again be an amazing game.
I should note that I don't hate Civ 5 (or Civ 3), just that I do feel it doesn't measure up to Civ 4. I also feel it was an overrated game. Most review sites gave it a 9-10 score. I think had it been from another studio, just a 4x game and not "Civ" it would have been 7-8 more realistically. Not poorly done, but some real room for improvement in a number of areas, particularly when evaluated against its predecessor.
Damn it, thanks a lot - now the song's stuck in my head.
I'm pretty sure I'd find it catchy even if I hadn't exposed myself to endless hours of it during CIV play over the years.
Aw, it's a grammy...
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=123680 :)
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
You can get the whole album from Tin's web site. I recommend it.
I think this is a fantastic move towards the progression of video games as artistic pieces. This piece was really well done and quite deserving IMHO. My favorite video game composers however would have to be Nobuo Uematsu (The Final Fantasy LEGEND) or Yasunori Mitsuda (Composer for Chrono Trigger.) Call me old-school, but that music is so incredibly simple yet stylish, that I rank them a cut above the rest. Another honorable mention, would be the composed works for Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Just my thoughts.
Trolling is a art and for that i give me 3,00 internets.
You can buy the track preformed from Video Games Live off iTunes. It's a great song.
"The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money" - Thatcher.
All you have to do is write some world-music-ish crap with drums and African chanting and you get one. It's like they just can't control themselves.
Not dissing the song, I love it, but somebody gotta call out their bullshit.
Send your spendthrift head of state this
It was radical/rad. when I went a few years ago since I love computer and video games. See http://aqfl.net/node/5439 for my comments and photographs/photos. that my friend and I took. :)
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
I noticed in VGL, they used to have solo version with choir. I watched PBS' VGL, and they added another singer for a duet which I did not like. :(
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
It seems to me that the music was written before it was licensed or contracted to be made. Games have used award-winning music before, so there's nothing special about this instance. It doesn't even appear to have been brought to the grammy judges attention until now, when it's become famous enough to be used at tourist sites - and this is probably how it got the attention of voters, from their vacations.
Also, I don't think this really gives more respect to games. Just because it comes with classy garnishing doesn't mean it's generally regarding as a worthwhile use of one's time. I mean, people aren't relating the beauty of the music to the beauty of Civ's play. I doubt any of the judges are even familiar with the game.