There was something I didn't tell anyone else that day. That song we heard there, in the temple...I knew it from my childhood. It was proof that Spira and Zanarkand were connected somehow. At least to me it was.
Tidus, narrating
"Hymn of the Fayth" (祈りの歌, Inori no Uta?, lit. Song of Prayer), also known as "Vespersong" in Final Fantasy Record Keeper, is a song composed by Nobuo Uematsu and arranged by Masashi Hamauzu, featuring lyrics by scenario writer Kazushige Nojima, for Final Fantasy X.
Composed in Dorian mode, it consists of a single melodic line reminiscent of Gregorian chant. In the game, the hymn serves as a transitional song and an indicator of religious importance or solemnity, though its lyrics don't appear to have any meaning to the game's characters.
Story[]
Let me tell you about the Hymn of the Fayth. It was once a Zanarkand song, sung in defiance of Bevelle! Of course, the Yevon clergy of Bevelle forbade it. Then, as these things often go, those who disliked Yevon began to sing it. The Al Bhed, for instance. The Hymn of the Fayth became the symbol of defiance against Yevon. Yevon could do nothing but capitulate. They lifted the ban on the song, and spread a new story. They said the hymn was a song sung to soothe the souls of the dead. And so saying, they took the song and made it scripture. That's why today, the hymn is sung all over Spira. You could say that, though Zanarkand is gone from this world, it lives on in the song.
Maechen
The "Hymn of the Fayth" was originally a Zanarkandian song sung in defiance of Bevelle in the Machina War 1000 years ago. The Yevon temple repurposed the song and made it scripture, spreading it and denoting it a holy song of Yevon sung to soothe the souls of the dead.
Both Tidus and Jecht know the tune, a hymn glorifying Yevon and the fayth, while knowledge of these things does not exist in their Zanarkand. As both Tidus and Jecht, as well as their world, are dreams of the fayth, they might have gained knowledge of the tune subconsciously. Another theory is that, considering the song was around before the war, and the original inhabitants of Dream Zanarkand were created from the memories of the fayth, the hymn might have been passed down in Dream Zanarkand.
Jecht likes the hymn, a trait he retains even after becoming Sin, the party once observing the beast docilely floating in Lake Macalania, drawn to the hymn emanating from the nearby Macalania Temple. Jecht's enjoyment of the hymn may represent how he has not completely lost his humanity to Sin, and thus it is something he clings on to. Though the Al Bhed are not Yevonites, they gather to sing the hymn when mourning for the loss of their home.
Tidus's party eventually takes advantage of the hymn's pacifying effect on Sin as part of their plan to invade the beast from within; they instruct Shelinda to tell all of Spira to listen for a singing ship in the sky, the airship Fahrenheit, and sing the hymn along with them, to calm Sin so that the party can attack it head on.
Versions[]
Each Chamber of the Fayth is filled with a version of the hymn, each one being sung by the fayth of the aeon within the chamber. Only the Magus Sisters do not have their own version.
- Standard
This is the version heard most commonly. It features a high chorus of singers. This version is used for the Magus Sisters, since they do not have their own hymn.
Valefor's fayth is a young girl, though the singer of this version is a far older-sounding woman.
Ifrit's fayth is an operatic male with a tenor voice.
Ixion's fayth is a bass male, though his voice is more subdued.
Shiva's fayth is an operatic female with a soprano voice.
This version is sung by Bahamut's fayth. He is a little boy whose voice has not changed.
Yojimbo's fayth is a somber baritone male.
Anima's fayth is an alto female, and her song sounds far more mournful than the other versions. If Tidus returns to Baaj Temple's Chamber of the Fayth, Anima's fayth is no longer singing the hymn.
- The sending
Plays during the event in Kilika Port where Yuna performs the sending.
Tidus hums the hymn to himself in Dream Zanarkand, seen in a flashback from Bahamut's fayth. It can later be purchased in a package at the Sphere Theater in Luca.
A bittersweet version sung by the Al Bhed, including Brother and Cid, before destroying Home.
- Ronso tribe
The Ronso tribe sings a version of the "Hymn of the Fayth" at Mt. Gagazet. Their version is a deep all-male chorus.
This version appears at the Zanarkand Dome just before the party meets Yunalesca. It is not Yunalesca herself singing, as this is another all-male chorus. Unlike the Ronso version, it uses harmonies, of which sound more ancient and powerful than the other fayth.
All of Spira sings the "Hymn of the Fayth" to subdue Sin during the party's attack upon it. This version uses both male and female singers in a chorus, harmonizing in parts. It is the most dramatic version of the hymn sung in the game.
This is heard just prior to the final battle after Yu Yevon's spirit emerges from Braska's Final Aeon. Although slightly distorted (with Flanging audio effector processed), it is otherwise identical to Yunalesca's hymn. This theme is also used in the battle against Penance.
Dummied version[]
The hymn hummed by a female voice exists in the game, but is never used, nor is the player able to play it in the Luca theater, unlike Tidus's hummed version.
Lyrics[]
The lyrics are as follows:
- Japanese
- いえゆい のぼめの
- れんみり よじゅよご
- はさてかなえ くたまえ
- Rōmaji
- Ieyui nobomeno
- Renmiri yojuyogo
- Hasatekanae kutamae
The words are comprised of Japanese syllables, but they are arranged in a way that they do not form Japanese words. However, by reading the words in a different direction, they form Japanese lyrics which match the original melody.
Japanese was historically written vertically, with each sentence read from top to bottom, and the sentences arranged from right to left. Read in this manner, they reveal Japanese lyrics in two verses. Reading instead in the western style, with each sentence read left to right and sentences arranged from top to bottom, gives the lyrics above, which are the lyrics heard in the game.
| い | え | ゆ | い | I | E | YU | I |
| の | ぼ | め | の | NO | BO | ME | NO |
| れ | ん | み | り | RE | N | MI | RI |
| よ | じゅ | よ | ご | YO | JU | YO | GO |
| は | さ | HA | SA |
| て | か | TE | KA |
| な | え | NA | E |
| く | た | KU | TA |
| ま | MA | ||
| え | E |
Read vertically in the Japanese style, the lyrics can be translated in the following manner, which matches the song's melody:
| いのりご | Inorigo | Fayth |
| ゆめみよ | Yume mi yo | Dream! |
| えぼんじゅ | Ebonju | Yu Yevon |
| いのれよ | Inore yo | Pray! |
| さかえたまえ | Sakae tamae | Please grant prosperity |
| はてなく | Hatenaku | Without end |
Writer Kazushige Nojima wanted the Al Bhed language to have a proper linguistic system, and read up on cyphers. In the end, the language became a simplistic substitution cypher so it would fit with the translation mechanics, but the hidden meaning in the lyrics of the "Hymn of the Fayth" song is a leftover from his initial plans.[1]
Arrangement album appearances[]
Piano Collections: Final Fantasy X[]
A piano arrangement of the theme is found on this album arranged by Masashi Hamauzu and performed by Aki Kuroda.
Feel/Go Dream: Yuna & Tidus[]
An arrangement of the "Hymn of the Fayth" by Masashi Hamauzu is included on this album. It was sung by Mayuko Aoki and the lyrics were written by Hiromi Mori.
Japanese lyrics[]
- その手を 私へと
- 預けて 目を閉じて...
- まぶたに くちづけて
- 痛みを 癒しましょう
- 眠りなさい ゆっくりと...
- 失う 怖さは 誰も同じ
- 悲しみ 迷いも つつみこむ
- チカラ強き 感じたい...
- 争う 虚しさ すべてのひと
- 気づけば かがやく 陽は昇る
- そのときまで 祈るから...
Rōmaji[]
- Sonote o watashi e to
- Azukete me o tojite...
- Mabuta ni kuchizukete
- Itami o iyashimashou
- Nemuri nasai yukkuri to...
- Ushinau kowasa wa dare mo onaji
- Kanashimi mayoi mo tsutsumikomu
- Chikara tsuyosa kanjitai...
- Arasou munashisa subete no hito
- Kizukeba kagayaku hi wa noboru
- Sono toki made inoru kara...
Unofficial English translation[]
- Give your hand to me
- And close your eyes...
- With a kiss on the eyelids
- Let us heal our pain
- Sleep now, be at ease...
- Everyone feels the same fear of losing something
- Wrap up the sadness and the feeling of having lost our way
- I want to feel what it is like to have strength...
- If everyone realized
- The pointlessness of dispute, a glittering sun would rise
- Until that time comes, we pray...
Distant Worlds III: more music from Final Fantasy[]
A concert recording titled "Hymn of the Fayth – The Sending" from Final Fantasy X appears on this album.
References in other games[]
Final Fantasy X-2[]
Trema recites lyrics from the "Hymn of the Fayth" before casting Meteor.[2]
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII[]
Song of Prayer is the auto-ability exclusive to the Summoner's Shield. After defending for a certain amount of time against enemy attacks, Lightning is buffed with Protect and Shell.
Final Fantasy Record Keeper[]
A generic Hymn of the Fayth can be acquired for the Music Hall by way of the event Breaking the Chains of Sadness, as a Mastery Reward for the Macalania Temple stage.
Hymn of the Fayth is also a Soul Break for Yuna, which restores HP and bestows heavy Regen to the party.
Mobius Final Fantasy[]
Should the player invoke the Song of Life from a "Yuna: FFX" card, the opening line of the "Hymn of the Fayth" will play as a sequence of bells. The ability itself restores a moderate amount of HP when drawn.
Behind the scenes[]
The Siddham Sanskrit script, which is the basis for the script of Yevon in Final Fantasy X, is used in Japan mostly by the Shingon School of Buddhism that draws on early Hindu traditions. One traditional concept is that deities manifest their thoughts or spiritual energy in the physical world on several different "wavelengths": Sound, Form, and Symbol. The fayth singing the "Hymn of the Fayth" may represent the "Sound" part.
Etymology[]
Vesper means "evening" in Classical Latin.
References[]
- ↑ (2021, July 28). "How kamikaze pilots inspired FFX – Final Fantasy X 20th Anniversary Developer Interview (Part 2/4)". From Frontline Gaming JP. Archived from the original on 1 August, 2021.
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=lA7md1JRqGk#t=126s
External links[]
- A notable fan vocal arrangement of "Hymn of the Fayth" by Kate Covington.
