Melodies of Life (song)

"Melodies of Life" is the theme song of Final Fantasy IX. The song was composed by Nobuo Uematsu and sung in both Japanese and English by Emiko Shiratori.

"Over the Hills" is Final Fantasy IX's main theme, and is an arrangement of the central melody of "Melodies of Life." The melody is featured in many instances throughout the game, mostly in scenes involving Zidane and Garnet, or in Madain Sari. In the game, Melodies of Life was also dubbed "Our song" by Zidane after he catches Garnet singing in Madain Sari. In the game's ending sequence the song is again mentioned, when Zidane explains to Garnet how he survived.

''I didn't have a choice. I had to live. I wanted to come home to you. So... I sang your song.''

Lyrics (Japanese Version)
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Japanese lyrics
宛てもなく彷徨っていた

手がかりもなく探しつづけた

あなたがくれた想い出を

心を癒す詩にして

約束もすることもなく

交わす言葉も決めたりもせず

抱きしめそして確かめた

日々は二度と帰らぬ

記憶の中の

手を振るあなたは

わたしの

名を呼ぶことが出来るの

あふれるその涙を

輝く勇気にかえて

いのちはつづく

夜を越え

疑うことのない

明日へとつづく

飛ぶ鳥の向こうの空へ

いくつの記憶預けただろう

儚い希望も夢も

届かぬ場所に忘れて

めぐり逢うのは

偶然と言えるの

別れる

時が必ず来るのに

消えゆく運命でも

君が生きている限り

いのちはつづく

永遠に

その力の限り

どこまでも

わたしが死のうとも

君が生きている限り

いのちはつづく

永遠に

その力の限り

こまでもつづく


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Japanese Romaji
Ate mo naku samayotteita

Tegakari mo naku sagashi tsuzuketa

Anata ga kureta omoide o

Kokoro o iyasu uta ni shite

Yakusoku mo suru koto mo naku

Kawasu kotoba mo kimetari mo sezu

Dakishime soshite tashikameta

Hibi wa nido to kaeranu

Kioku no naka no

Te o furu anata wa

Watashi no

Na o yobu koto ga dekiru no

Afureru sono namida o

Kagayaku yuuki ni kaete

Inochi wa tsuzuku

Yoru o koe

Utagau koto no nai

Ashita e to tsuzuku

Tobu tori no mukou no sora e

Ikutsu no kioku azuketa darou

Hakanai kibou mo yume mo

Todokanu basho ni wasurete

Meguriau no wa

Guuzen to ieru no

Wakareru

Toki ga kanarazu kuru no ni

Kieyuku unmei demo

Kimi ga ikiteiru kagiri

Inochi wa tsuzuku

Eien ni

Sono chikara no kagiri

Doko made mo

Watashi ga shinou tomo

Kimi ga ikiteiru kagiri

Inochi wa tsuzuku

Eien ni

Sono chikara no kagiri

Doko made mo tsuzuku


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English Translation
I was wandering without a destination

I continued to search without any clues

Making the memories you gave to me

into a song to heal my heart

The days when, without making any promises,

without exchanging words or consciously deciding,

you embraced me and sought me out;

those days will never return

The you who touches my hand

within my memories

can still call

out my name

Change those flowing tears

into shining courage

Life goes on,

continuing beyond the night

into a tomorrow

which has never been doubted.

I wonder how many memories have been left

to the sky beyond the flying birds

while forgetting even fleeting hopes and dreams

in an unreachable place

How can you say that happening upon each other

was a coincidence,

even when the time for us to part

will surely come?

Even though I am fated to fade away,

as long as you are alive

life will go on

for eternity;

all the way to the limits

of that strength.

Even if I were to die,

as long as you are alive,

life will go on

for eternity;

all the way to the limits

of that strength
 * }

Lyrics (English Version)
Alone for a while I've been searching through the dark,

For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart,

To weave by picking up the pieces that remain,

Melodies of life - love's lost refrain

Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why

We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye

And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?

Let them ring out loud till they unfold

In my dearest memories,

I see you reaching out to me

Though you're gone,

I still believe that you can call out my name

A voice from the past, joining yours and mine

Adding up the layers of harmony

And so it goes, on and on

Melodies of life,

To the sky beyond the flying birds - forever and beyond

So far and away, see the birds as it flies by

Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky

I've laid my memories and dreams upon those wings

Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings

In your dearest memories,

Do you remember loving me?

Was it fate that

brought us close and now leaves me behind?

A voice from the past, joining yours and mine

Adding up the layers of harmony

And so it goes, on and on

Melodies of life,

To the sky beyond the flying bird - forever and on

If I should leave this lonely world behind,

Your voice will still remember our melody

Now I know we'll carry on

Melodies of life,

Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts,

As long as we remember

Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon ~Labyrinth of Forgotten Time~ Original Soundtrack
"Melodies of Life" is used as a theme, renamed "Fragment of Memory." Rearranged for the game by Juzo Takahashi, it was released in the game's soundtrack in 2008.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
An arrangement of "Over the Hills" appears in Dissidia as the background music for the Destiny Odyssey IX stage boards.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
This arrangement is reused in Dissidia 012 as the world map theme during Chapter 8 of Light to All.

Guitar Solo Final Fantasy Official Best Collection
A classical guitar arrangement of "Melodies of Life" is featured in this album.

Piano Collections: Final Fantasy IX
A piano arrangement of "Melodies of Life" is featured in this album.

Distant Worlds II: more music from Final Fantasy
"Melodies of Life" is featured in this orchestral concert recording - named "A Place to Call Home - Melodies of Life" - and is sung by American singer Susan Calloway.