Round 3, Pairing 6: "Dancing Mad (FFVI)" vs. "Place I'll Return to Someday (FFIX)"

[Dave]

I sense that things are going to get a bit more difficult over the next few days for you guys! Vote here (http://www.squareenixmusic.com/uematsu.php).

[insertnamehere]

I didn't even have to hear place ill return to someday dancing mad wins all the way place ill return does have a nice renossance feel to it though

[TheShroud13]

"Dancing Mad". Normally being paired against "Place I'll Return to Someday" would involve a difficult decision, but not with "Dancing Mad". As is, it's my favourite to win the competition.

[migglie]

I'll go with Dancing Mad too. Although The Place is sublime and I dig very much the renaissance-esque counterpoint, DM is the better composition. I actually enjoy The Place more to listen to, but there's so much more in DM and nifty organ stuff too.

[Totz]

The lack of "Place" love both saddens and confuses me.

[Black Mamba]

Although its gonna lose, I'm gonna vote for "Place I'll...". I finally sat down and listened to the full 20 freaking minutes of Dancing Mad and was left with mixed feelings. Parts I loved, but those parts went and progressed into random organ chords. Perhaps against something I really didn't care for, DM would get my vote. However I love the melody in "Place I'll..." and just can't get enough of the atmosphere.

[Totz]

Although its gonna lose, I'm gonna vote for "Place I'll...". I finally sat down and listened to the full 20 freaking minutes of Dancing Mad and was left with mixed feelings. Parts I loved, but those parts went and progressed into random organ chords. Perhaps against something I really didn't care for, DM would get my vote. However I love the melody in "Place I'll..." and just can't get enough of the atmosphere.

SEMO, listen to this wise man's wise words.

[Dark Cloud]

SEMO, listen to this wise man's wise words.

Don't worry Totz. "The Place I'll Return to Someday" wins my vote. "Dancing Mad" although good, is too long and drawn out. Maybe release it in parts?

[Resk]

I have to go with Dancing Mad, as much as I enjoy Place.

[Don]

Dancing Mad all the way. I can say that I"ll be dancing mad if it doesn't win but I'm already starting to since Decisive Battle lost yesterday. Dancing Mad is just one of my favorite final boss themes and it can't put a finger on Place.

[Black Mamba]

Sometimes less is better :(

[Nathan Black]

Decisive Battle LOST?!

Oh, goodness. Anyway, Place I'll Return to Someday. Dancing Mad bores me.

[Brittany]

Sometimes less is better :(

True, but to me, not in this case. I think Dancing Mad is a little too long, but I think Place I'll Return to Someday is too short and repetitive. Sure there have been worse songs in this contest, but I would personally love to see it get squashed by Dancing Mad. :)

[TheShroud13]

So everybody whines that Dancing Mad is too long, but when FFVII main theme does it everybody gets happy happy :p

I do think Square made a mistake by making Dancing Mad all one track though, it should have been treated as four separate movements. Twenty minutes for any individual track in my mind is too much.

[WarpstarRider]

I do think Square made a mistake by making Dancing Mad all one track though, it should have been treated as four separate movements. Twenty minutes for any individual track in my mind is too much.

And it's not even the longest one on the soundtrack! That one should be coming up soon.

[Black Mamba]

So everybody whines that Dancing Mad is too long, but when FFVII main theme does it everybody gets happy happy

I knew this was coming, and I'm ready! lol, imo FFVII's Main Theme progresses keeping one theme in mind, where as Dancing Mad is just all over the place. I think it would have been a much better idea to break down each movement into its own piece.

[TheShroud13]

That's precicely why I don't like main theme. Seven minutes of the same darned thing, with the first three minutes being basically nothing. Though I think "Dancing Mad" would have been better split into multiple movements, I'd at least be able to listen to any of the individual segments without wanting to end myself (or feeling like I had managed to stumble into a U.S. congressional meeting).

[Don]

One question. Why is it this close?

[TheShroud13]

"Place I'll Return to . . ." is a pretty nice tune. One of my top five in the contest I'd wager. I don't think it's "Dancing Mad" caliber, but it's not "FFVII Main Theme" abysmal either ;) So I wager it's a worthy closeness.

[Don]

Yeah, I was never too fond of "Place..." It could be because I just didn't like how the melody was so short and sounded so similar since it looped very quickly. So when I saw the closeness of the two, I was surprised.

[Zhetty]

The organ... it calls to me! I swear, "Dancing Mad" is one of those wickedly hypnotic themes.

Guess what I voted for?

[Dave]

Oh track of 19 votes, you won't be returning!

Dancing Mad (FFVI) 53.66 % (22)
The Place I'll Return to Someday (FFIX) 46.34 % (19)

[Scherzo]

Alright, so this is the first time I've ever heard "Dancing Mad." I never finished FFVI, never bought the soundtrack, and every time it's come up on this contest I've been unable to get to a computer in order to listen and vote. And I've heard so much about it too! So it's nice to finally give the infamous piece a try.

Of course, it's a colossal "meh." True, there are bits which inspire awe, terror and the great insanity of the diabolic villain Kefka. (I'm thinking of the first minute or so and the beginning of the 4th part when the FFVI Opening Theme is reprised.) But the majority of the piece is made of irregular dissonant organ parts chopped up with rather generic sounding organ parts. The entire work could easily be separated into 8 small pieces, with no loss of effect. Another qualm I have is the persistent use of the organ. Yes, it sounds big and scary, and yes, it's supposed to represent Kefka, but God it's annoying! Even if the mp3 wasn't a downsampled copy of 16-bit quality music, the piece would still drone on and on. Sorry, Migglie; sorry, Zhetty. Organ certainly has its place, but 20 minutes of it in this context is too much.

So, "Dancing Mad" is too fragmented, too monophonic, and too long. I apologize for being so harsh, but given how uninspiring the work is compared to its reputation, it deserves a smackdown. However, I'll grant that it certainly is an ambitious effort, one that succeeded at least partly.

Comparatively, "The Place I'll Return to Someday" is a short, picturesque piece, and while it is just as monophonic, if not more so than "Dancing Mad," it doesn't go on for a ridiculously long time. That's enough to get my vote.

EDIT: Well, I voted after posting this, so make that 22-20, Dave.
*sigh* At least I got to vent.

[TheShroud13]

Monophonic? There's not a moment of either piece that's monophonic.

[Totz]

Dancing Mad? More like Yawning Bad, am I right?

... right? :(

Stupid Yawning Bad. I'll get my revenge. SOMEHOW.

[Neo Locke]

Dancing Mad? More like Yawning Bad, am I right?

... right? :(

Stupid Yawning Bad. I'll get my revenge. SOMEHOW.

At the very least, Dancing Mad has a better chance of taking down FFVII Main Theme than A Place I'll Return To... although only slightly better.

[Don]

Anything should have been able to take down Main Theme...well, almost anything.

[Stryfe]

Especially the Decisive Battle XO @#$%^&

...*deep breath*

I like Dancing Mad, and it has awesome moments. However, these awesome moments are spread out over, what, 17 minutes, and in ratio, it's not much.

Place had a lot of good stuff and didn't go crazy with it.

[Nathan Black]

FFVII Main Theme...

We'll slay that foul beast! D:

[migglie]

What a sad little posse going on here. ;) Get over it, Decisive Battle lost.

And the main theme is actually God's gift to this contest...

[TheShroud13]

What a sad little posse going on here. ;) Get over it, Decisive Battle lost.

And the main theme is actually God's gift to this contest...

Hey, at least we don't have to get over our FACES!! OH BURN!!!

"Main Theme" is actually God's gift to Satan. He generally doesn't buy that fellow good gifts.

[Nathan Black]

*Hoots with Shroud*