Videogame Music Secretly Wins First Grammy

[Tom Goldman]

Videogame Music Secretly Wins First Grammy

Videogame music has won its first Grammy, even though it may have been indirectly.


A little over five years after the release of Grammy nomination [http://www.amazon.com/Sid-Meiers-Civilization-IV-Complete-Pc/dp/B0026EGO3A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1297697845&sr=8-2], but the first videogame song win.

"Baba Yetu" was awarded the Grammy for "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)." The song went up against the likes of music from Bobby McFerrin and musical legend Herbie Hancock.

The thing is, it was kind of an accident. "Baba Yetu" won due to its inclusion on Tin's album Calling All Dawns, released in October 2009, and not as the opening song from Civilization IV. However, it was composed specifically for the game. To see the song go so far isn't surprising, because it tends to hook anyone that listens.

"Baba Yetu" is a rendition of Chrisianity's "Lord's Prayer" sung in Swahili, but did you know that it also has officially endorsed English lyrics? It's true [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103772-Civilization-Composer-Officially-Endorses-Amusing-Theme-Lyrics]. I'm going to go ahead and say it was smart of Tin to stick with the Swahili version for his album.

Permalink

 

[Sebenko]

Well yeah, I didn't stop on the menu screen because I was having trouble reading, y'know.

Best. Menu. Music. Ever.

 

[Zanez]

Thank god this won. This is an amazing song through and through. I would definitely put this song up as the best video game music ever.

 

[moretimethansense]

It's about damn time, maybe now there'll be more... I doubt it though

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Awesome! I LOVED Civ 4 because of that song.

Now, Let this one win a Grammy too! Please?

 

[Scrythe]

Does the stealth grammy get it's own statue? And does this statue look like this [http://images.wikia.com/ssb/images/5/51/Solid_Snake_Trophy.jpg]?

 

[Aptspire]

Now, I wish SOTC songs would win Grammies :L

 

[Azuaron]

I was wondering why music from Civ IV won a Grammy since, you know, Grammies typically go to music within the last year, and Civ V came out not too long ago...

Stealthy, stealthy Grammy.

 

[MassiveGeek]

F*cking awesome song, man. :O

So deserved, oh yes.

 

[Mr. Socky]

I already have a friend who obsesses with getting EVERYBODY to listen to this song. Now I'm never going to be able to get him to stop.

 

[Crimson_Dragoon]

Great song, and a darn good music video, too. I'm sad that I had never seen that before today.

 

[drakythe]

Very nicely done. I wish the music industry would recognize music composed for games more often. Some of my favorite music is from videogames (The KH series music remains some of my absolute favorite music).

 

[Caligulove]

Well, looks like I'm installing Civ IV back on my computer.

Also, it's funny when you watch the video of his acceptance, you can kind of tell there were some people in the crowd that were a little shocked. You can imagine there were some monocles popping out of eyes when they realized,
"oh dear, we've allowed childish electronic computer games to get a foot in the door... what have we done?"

 

[tkioz]

He definitely earned it, I love that song, it's perhaps one of the most inspiring bits of music I've ever heard.

 

[dakorok]

I'm sad that I never played the Civ games now...I will have to fix that.

 

[tkioz]

Well, looks like I'm installing Civ IV back on my computer.

Also, it's funny when you watch the video of his acceptance, you can kind of tell there were some people in the crowd that were a little shocked. You can imagine there were some monocles popping out of eyes when they realized,
"oh dear, we've allowed childish electronic computer games to get a foot in the door... what have we done?"

Got a link to that video? I could only find an interview he did before the winners were announced.

 

[Zechnophobe]

Interesting that it couldn't win until they put it on an album? I mean, the song existed before then. It really annoys me that media and art involved in gaming has to go through so much crap to be legitimized.

 

[Hithlain]

Wait... music is included in other things besides movie soundtracks and artist albums??!?! OH GOD.


My entire life is a lie.