Riverhippo's Top Ten: Music Tracks from Spyro games (Completed)

riverhippo · Nov 02, 2010 12:37 AM

Here is my first Top Ten list.

10. "Spyro the Dragon Theme and Intro" from Spyro the Dragon, by Stewart Copeland
9. "Cynder Boss (Convexity)" from The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning, by Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann
8. "Sheila's Alp" from Spyro: Year of the Dragon, by Stewart Copeland
7. "Dragon Village" from Spyro: A Hero's Tail, by Game Audio Ltd.
6. "Gulp's Overlook" from Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage/Gateway to Glimmer, by Stewart Copeland
5. "Credits (with Choir)" from The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning, by Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann
4. "Crocovile Swamp" from Spyro: A Hero's Tail, by Game Audio Ltd.
3. "Black Powers" from The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night, by Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann
2. "Burned Lands (Part 1)" from The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon by Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann
1. "Dream Weavers Home" from Spyro the Dragon, by Stewart Copeland

I've decided to make it about the music that has inspired all Spyro fans alike, whether it's the Original series or the Legend of Spyro, the love for the soundtracks converges here.

Although this list is in my opinion, I hope that it best represents what everyone loves from the Spyro soundtracks.

Before I start with Number 10, I want to give honorable mentions to tracks that were named finalists but where just shy of being one of the top ten.

Honorable Mentions:

"This Broken Soul"
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann

"Guide You Home (I Would Die For You)"
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann

It should almost go without mentioning that these songs are great additions to the Legend of Spyro soundtracks. But since they stand alone as the only songs the franchise has that has lyrics, I decided to not include them in the top ten. Great songs nonetheless!

"Platform Peril"
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Stewart Copeland

Unfortunately, the only Enter the Dragonfly song that made it to the finals was the Thieve's Den's platform maze level music, and this one stays out of the top ten. Lame, I know. Some may say that there are other levels from Enter the Dragonfly that should have won nominations, but I feel that Stewart Copeland's creativity may have been severed due to the rush to production. Assuming Copeland creates the music after playing the level, he may have been one of the last to finish his end of the project. I bet he didn't like the glitches either...

"Buzz's Dungeon"
Spyro: Year of the Dragon
Stewart Copeland

All of Year of the Dragon's music is acceptable. Because it is, across the board an amazing soundtrack, it's kind of hard to pick out tracks that stand out. Buzz's Dungeon was one of many amazing songs used to portray the dark environment of the bosses.

"Fellmuth Arena"
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann

This one hurts. If a song without words can possibly be catchy, this is definitely one that gets in your head. I was expecting this to be a top 5 song, but it just goes to show how amazing other Spyro musics are.

"Fireworks Factory"
Spyro: Year of the Dragon
Stewart Copeland

What is arguably the best level in what is arguably the best Spyro game, Fireworks Factory stuns platform fans with great combat opportunities, slight action with skill, a cheesy first person shooter, and ninjas. And who doesn't love ninjas? Spyro, that's who. Oh, the music is great too.

And those are the honorable mentions. You can see why a mention of these is almost required when trying to commemorate the best Spyro soundtracks.

Stay tuned for Number 10! I'll post it here.

nintendofreak · Nov 02, 2010 12:39 PM

I really did enjoy the fireworks factory music when I 1st played that level this year. Easily my favroite out of all of the games I've played.

riverhippo · Nov 03, 2010 4:53 AM

NUMBER 10

"Spyro the Dragon Theme and Intro"
Spyro the Dragon
Stewart Copeland

I'm proud to announce that the number 10 spot belongs to the original of the originals, the first Spyro theme written by Stewart Copeland of the Police. Songs are often to tied to memory. Let's go on a journey. Click the link and let your Spyro nostalgia loose. Your mind will swim with the first memories you ever had with the purple beast. You. Spyro. A heavy gray DualShock controller. Destiny. Just like he said himself, "I'd say the sky's the limit."

For me, it brings me to the demos available from the dragon's heavy promotion (thank you, Insomniac). One demo used the main theme for the Artisan Home as it was still a work in progress. And when I finally bought my own copy sometime in 1999, I was a little disappointed to realize that the music was not used for any level. Sometimes, I still play Spyro on the demo discs for that very reason.

You could say that it would be unfair to include any other song from Spyro's debut in the top ten, since Copeland used the melody of this song in about 85% of the other tracks. But the songs are far from repetitive, in this case, almost like the melody was brought to life by Copeland--to be able to sound different each time you play it. <Sigh> Alas, it may just be another song. And Copeland may very well had earned his 4-game contract with this one tune.

So, here's to Spyro. And to this beautiful theme that represents the amazing relationship gamers have with the franchise. In a way, it's kind of a love song between you and Spyro.

malik_the_dragon · Nov 03, 2010 9:04 PM

i love the songs they put in the series in cluding the second cause they used some music that was real and very rare just like that guide you home song which i cant find on itunes and i have an ipod from the fifth generation filled with songs from the purple hero. *listens to the spyro theme and the fireworks merged together in a club mix up* should we maybe mix up songs all into one song?

look up "united states of pop" and let me know. also dj redo those the same thing and i think the song was by dj bubble somethin' i dont know.

riverhippo · Nov 04, 2010 4:31 AM

NUMBER 9

Beware!!! The princess of darkness is upon us...

"Cynder Boss (Convexity)"
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann

Luckily, I found a YouTube video with the track. It's a little hard to find. Apparently, most of the New Beginning tracks are protected well against redistribution.

Are you scared? I almost was. Playing Cynder's second battle for the first time was only a little challenging, but it is clear that the intimidation of this song creates more than half of what makes it difficult. If you muted your TV while playing, you probably thought Cynder was a pretty easy boss. But shame on you... ...muting your TV on one of the best soundtracks in video game-dom.

Cynder's eerie boss battle also climaxes what was a decent addition to the Spyro franchise, a "Legend of" trilogy that gets mixed reception. However, kneubuhlmann.com says on their biography page, "...Reviews of Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning have been singling out the score as the best part of the game. Which sounds backhanded, but really, it's good..."

Yes it is Becky. Yes it is...

Swaffy · Nov 04, 2010 4:54 AM

My #1 song is "Credits (With Choir)" by RK & GM. My second
is This Broken Soul with the Well Of Souls theme right behind it.

I also like the ambient music in the homeworlds in Ripto's Rage.
They're not my top favorites, though.

▼Hidden text

riverhippo · Nov 04, 2010 10:30 AM

NUMBER 8

Not really...

That's better...

"Sheila's Alp"
Spyro: Year of the Dragon
Stewart Copeland

Ain't she a beaut'? Straight from down under er... ...there, in the forgotten worlds, lives a brown kangaroo named Sheila. And better yet, she comes with a very original Stewart Copeland arrangement. He somehow successfully scrambled the thin-ness of the alps, the rustic-ness of the outback, and amazing-ness of Spyro-type adventure... ...-ness.

I admit I fell in love with the roo. And it was almost during the same exact time that I watched season 2 of Survivor where they were located in Northeast Australia and grew an admiration for the amazing marsupials. I can almost hear the aborigines play their didgeridoos in the background while Sheila rescues those selfish goats.

As I near closer to number one, I feel questionable to how I placed some songs. But yet, I'll do it the way I had it. Sheila's Alp may not be a number 8 song on most people's list, but the fact that Sheila is the most used character in Year of the Dragon other than Spyro allows her song to play the once every hour during a nonstop play through of the game. You know what? That's a good idea! I'll see you in about 5 hours...

riverhippo · Nov 05, 2010 6:30 AM

NUMBER 7

Song tied to...

LOVE??

Who are these guys?

They are Paul Lawler and Craig Sharmat. They, and two others are credit for working in a group called Game Audio Ltd. who made my number 7 composition.

"Dragon Village"
Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Game Audio Ltd. (Keith Leary, Paul Lawler, Craig Sharmat, and David Marsden)

So surprise, surprise. A song not composed by Copeland, Kneubuhl, or Mann to represent the top ten Spyro songs. Of course, it's not a hand held song, no! It's a song that comes out of the only Spyro game developed in Europe. Game Audio Ltd. was hired for their music profession during what is sometimes called Spyro's "dark ages."

So who are these four individuals that make up the credits list for Game Audio Ltd.'s Spyro project. Craig Sharmat, also writes and orchestrates music for TV and film, one common denominator most recognizable is the soundtrack for Eragon.

At first, this song sounded way to cheesy for its own good, and started the first impressions of the game as "way too kiddy." But, the song has a growing effect. The more you listen to it, the more you realize how carefully it was composed for the level, the scenery, the useless Ember reference, and goodie-tooshoes feeling of "Everything being fine" in the home realm. The Artisan Home, Summer Forest, Sunrise Spring, and even the Dragon home world in Enter the Dragonfly have this calming affect. So for A Hero's Tail to have that affect too shouldn't be so strange to us. Maybe, if it has a little Copeland influence, it wouldn't sound so foreign.

And I can't help but notice that Spyro's different running animation pattern in the game matches up almost perfectly with the beat of this song. Do you think they did that on purpose?

riverhippo · Nov 09, 2010 7:26 AM

NUMBER 6

"Gulp's Overlook"
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage/Gateway to Glimmer
Stewart Copeland

I'm calling Copeland out on this one. I swear he must have hidden this song in his hand for a long time before he decided to use it. Perhaps his post-Police career didn't go the way he thought it would. Sure he did Highlander 3, but maybe another Spyro game contract was good enough to let him know that big movie soundtracks aren't his thing. He was saving this song for a suspenseful scene in some movie that involves a stunt double, a fast moving car, and several thousand pounds of explosive hollywood style TNT. Spyro 2's second boss will have to fill in the holes.

What's sort of interesting is that this piece sounds like so many other great suspense-type songs and leads some to believe that it was ripped off from something else. But I challenge you to find it, for I trust in Stewart Copeland's ability. ...also I couldn't find anything special by Googling it.

malik_the_dragon · Nov 09, 2010 9:44 PM

dude, you-are-awesome! can i get these on my ipod somewhere cause they make very good music and i want more!!

and you know, i like ember the dragon cause she looked cute and i wonder if there were any hidden messages in these songs. oh and the song i think would fit the top ten is the boss fight with the big elemental or something its called (i have a reall bad sickness right now) and it slipped my mind just a second ago.

riverhippo · Nov 09, 2010 10:38 PM

I was just painting a picture with screen shots of characters and levels that are tied to the song. I never implied that there was a subliminal message that told of Spyro x Ember. Kind of scary really...

As for where you can find these songs, people have been able to do full rips of the games' soundtracks. They share this on sites like rapidshare and on torrent-based sites like the pirate bay. You could also use software that rips content from YouTubes videos. I will not give you any links, though. Sorry.

NUMBER 5

"Credits (with Choir)"
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann

Unfortunately, the number 5 song has probably the lamest name imaginable. Even Becky and Gab's site call the song "Credits." However, this song sets the stage for what has become the largest Spyro overhaul since Spyro's real birth in 1998. If I were to name the song, I would call it something like "Spyro's Beginning" or the "Our Purple Dragon Ballad." And though this song features mainly in A New Beginning, it also appears throughout the entire trilogy. The most notable reappearance of the track is the first venture into Avalar in Dawn of the Dragon.

I stretch to imagine that one day, while we are complaining and debating about Spyro's 24th game in the year 2029, nostalgia will kick when I hear this song, the same way it kicks in when I hear Copeland's original Spyro theme.

riverhippo · Nov 11, 2010 8:22 AM

NUMBER 4

CRIKEY!!!!!!!!!!!

"Crocovile Swamp"
Spyro: A Hero's Tail
Game Audio Ltd. (Keith Leary, Paul Lawler, Craig Sharmat, and David Marsden)

I found it's not called "Crocodile Swamp" like I thought.

Throughout A Hero's Tail, the same melody made up by Game Audio Ltd. for Spyro's 'resurrection' plays back to you in almost every instance of the game just like Spyro 1--except this melody kinda of sucks. Although, on a few occasions, the soundtrack makes up for this horrible redundance by surrounding the melody with an amazing arrangement of notes that are genuinely inspired by the scenery and feel of the level it represents. This song is one of many that I can listen to and feel myself moving through the level without playing it.

And there's something about Spyro and swamps that mixes well.

riverhippo · Nov 12, 2010 7:09 AM

NUMBER 3

AWWWWWWW!!!

Dark Spyro looks so adorable sometimes...

EEeeewwww... not black Spyro from Year of the Dragon. I'm not racist though...

"Black Powers"
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann

I think that "Black Powers" is first heard during the second part of the Gaul battle at the very end of The Eternal Night. It is also played as the background music for the action-packed beginning of Dawn of the Dragon when the game walks you through basic combat controls. It is possible that it is played during other levels, but it is seemingly so often played, it makes it hard to identify which levels are represented by this score at the top of one's head.

"Black Powers" is easily in the top 5 because of it's ability to turn moments into instant classic periods of the Legend of Spyro trilogy. When you hear this song, you can picture Spyro defeating some rather large fiend in epic apportions. Much like Cynder's Convexity battle song, this song brings climactic sounds and choir uprisings that chill bones and make goose pimples fall off the small piece of neck hair it's hanging from.

It is very possible and assumed by me that this song is less about the battle between Spyro and Gaul, and Spyro, Cynder, and the Golem and more about Spyro's Dark element that he obtained when Gaul was defeated and Malefor was 'released.' In fact, I could very well rename this song "Malefor's Theme" or "Dark Master's Release" without losing too much sleep over it.

I only wish that this song or a different version of it would continue to illustrate any future darknesses that Spyro has in games that have yet to be released. This will never happen, but the idea of having the same theme music for the dark side of a hero would catch on after a few episodes, much like Anikan's Darth Vader Theme.

riverhippo · Nov 14, 2010 8:21 AM

NUMBER 2

Unfortunately, the number 2 song contains heavy spoilers from Dawn of the Dragon. If you have yet to experience the storyline and don't want it to be spoiled, please refrain from looking at the description of song number 2.

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riverhippo · Nov 15, 2010 6:40 AM

NUMBER 1

"Dream Weavers Home"
Spyro the Dragon
Stewart Copeland

Well. Here it is. Number 1. In my opinion, that is. Congrats to Stewart Copeland for composing my favorite Spyro song. I like this song's bouncy tune as it strives to mimic the originality of Spyro's first game while at the same time creating its own realm that helps what we know as Dream Weavers. Dream Weavers is a very magical place in the Dragon Kingdom and it is possible that it is the most magical place in all of the Spyro realms in all Spyro games. The feel of the unpredictability in this mysterious and spellbound world is exciting and creates a twisty theme, arguably the best in all of the game. That's why I love Lateef. "...you must expect the unexpected and prepare for what is not there."

I hope you enjoyed my top ten list. I thank you for following along and reading my carefully thought reviews of the best of Spyro's soundtracks.

I would like to thank:

Rebecca Kneubuhl and Gabriel Mann

Stewart Copeland
Police+Elvis+Costello+Concert+MGM+Grand+IkFQ9AWtps0m.jpg

Everyone at Game Audio Ltd.

and last but not least...

Spyro himself!!!!

#1 Nov 02, 2010 12:37 AM

Riverhippo's Top Ten: Music Tracks from Spyro games (Completed)

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