The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn | Reacting To Video Game Music!

[@JessesAuditorium]

Song mentioned in this video; Final Fantasy XV - Apocalypsis Noctis kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpzZZHuYfaeXeKs

[@ericakillz2052]

Haha what the heck it does sound like it how have i not noticed xD

[@fondrive]

Glad you noticed it, drove me crazy when I first played ffxv

[@Walter-McIntyre]

Just wanted to say, I had a blast seeing you react to this. Having sung this piece with Penn State's Glee Club back when I was in high school in 2012, it was an amazing experience. This and Sovngarde were both done as apart of a video game music concert they put together and I, along with some other male singers from my high school were invited by the Glee Club's leader who used to be in show choir with us. Truly two songs that put hair on your chest even as a tenor 😂

[@gnuhise]

Apocalypsis Noctis likely took inspiration from the earlier Elder Scrolls games. The part in question is a motif used in several of the games since 2002, composed by Jeremy Soule.

[@tronam]

This is Skyrim’s (Elder Scrolls 5) title theme before the actual game even begins. It's Jeremy Soule’s “Nordic” inspired re-arrangement of his original Elder Scrolls 3:Morrowind theme way back in 2002. He also did another arrangement of it for Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. So, 3 different interpretations of the same theme. All three predate FF15 by 5-13 years though. 😉 They're all worth a listen.

[@copjing]

I'm actually blown away that you've never heard this song, I didn't think there was anyone left after Todd re-released Skyrim for it's 1249867th time lol

[@zachm2331]

Good ol’ Todd. lol.

[@anonoise]

for this people him doing re-relesead

[@bigzed7908]

Gzillion-th time the detail!

[@xsizzlexster6495]

Well your bubble is pretty small then.

[@gabrielgard7194]

They better release 6 before skyrim grandma dies

[@ambrosiogiovanni6952]

So, you know why this song is so damn epic? Because it's the PLAYER CHARACTER Theme. They're singing about the character you play as, the Dragonborn and how fucking badass he is. Why that's so cool? Becase in game it usually starts playing and keeps getting louder when YOU, the player is doing epic shit. Because it's your theme song! When it starts playing, the poor enemy in front of your is hearing boss music. Because in Skyrim there's only one real final boss, and that's the Dragonborn. Edit: Oh, and if you liked that, why not listen what i consider the "World Theme" of Skyrim? "Far Horizons" is a great song.

[@BestKCL]

My would consider Secunda to be that "world theme". Probably the most popular and beloved song in the game after this.

[@jeepersmcgee3466]

​@@BestKCL I associate Secunda more with picking nirnroot outside Riften at dusk, that kind of vibe, whereas Far Horizons is the exploring/adventuring/wandering theme that, to me, the entire game is about. Nothing beats rounding a bend to see a vast clearing before you, hugged on all sides by snowcapped mountains, while Far Horizons makes it all feel so far away yet so reachable.

[@BestKCL]

@@jeepersmcgee3466 Yeah. Virtually every song is for *you* in every moment -- as though you're a movie protagonist in LOTR or something. I guess that's sort of that "epic reality" that Bethesda talks about

[@SpiritoftheWolf28232]

The chorus is literally "Dragonborn! Dragonborn! By his honor is sworn // To keep evil forever at bay // And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout // Dragonborn for your blessings we pray!" Just the whole story of the Dragonborn theme you know is going to be great when you hear "Hearken now sons of snow to an age long ago // And the tale boldly told of the one // Who was kin to both wyrm and the races of man // with a power to RIVAL THE SUN"

[@Stoneeeeemo]

@@BestKCL secunda is the Night Forest theme for me!

[@PlayThemes]

So fun fact when the composer for Dragonborn Jeremy Soule was asked to arrange the Skyrim theme he was asked if the lyrics could be in the dragon language (an actual in game language) and if he could make it rhyme in the dragon language AND still rhyme in English. The absolute madman came back in 1 weekend with the task completed.

[@zybch]

He rates up there with Mick Gordon for me. I can't imagine the series they're both associated with, scored by any other composer (though Brad Dereck does a fine job with ESO).

[@zalizoo0402]

Jeremy Soule is absolutely insane for this (in the best way possible). every track in the game is fantastic and fitting!

[@psyc8407]

Put way more effort into it than Avatar ever did.

[@ShoppingStew]

Just to clarify, while Jeremy Soule is indeed the composer, it was Emil Pagliarulo (one of the writers at Bethesda) who wrote the lyrics both in the dragon language and english. Check out the making of Skyrim documentary for the source.

[@kavid8120]

Touched by God himself

[@Armydillo62o]

Fun fact about this song: while it sounds like a lot of people singing, it’s only about 30 (which is still a lot of people). They’re layered in a way to sound like 90 singers, to evoke the idea of a host of warriors singing from Valhalla (or Sovngarde, in Skyrim’s case).

[@doomakarn]

That or the sheer force is supposed to represent the thu'um.

[@ShadowSoul92]

Fun fact: in my opinion The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ost is one of the best video game ost ever ... Following are the various FFX ost.

[@michaelfields849]

@@ShadowSoul92 Skyrim and Oblivion have amazing OSTs, my next favorite would have to be Guild Wars

[@SergioLeRoux]

I prefer the Morrowind one personally.

[@highelf6086]

@@michaelfields849 both composed by jeremy soule i believe

[@Revanchism]

Skyrim is such a beloved game Bethesda re-released it about 12 times. The atmosphere of the game is almost without equal, and the music is a big part of that.

[@shadowcat1606]

... and they are probably gonna rerelease it another 15 times before we get so much as another tidbit of news for TES6.

[@xScooterAZx]

That song is originally from Morrowind,the full game.(not the eso one)

[@KeytarArgonian]

Jeremy Soule is an absolute genius.

[@BestKCL]

@@KeytarArgonian Agreed. If Bethesda doesn't hire him, the franchise will lose virtually all of its magic. Inon's music is quite frankly boring and smae-y. Jeremy on the other hand has an absolute mastery of music-theory, tone, and atmosphere.

[@windhelmguard5295]

@@shadowcat1606 todd howard allegedly said: "we will keep re-releasing skyrim until people stop buying it."

[@yamatosama6028]

This is one of those songs that have been meme'd to dead yet are still pretty awesome.

[@JessesAuditorium]

I'm kinda glad I got to appreciate it without knowing of the meme lol. Song rules.

[@lucas.2.3.9.4]

the misheard lyrics video is hilarious 😂

[@excursor4296]

@@lucas.2.3.9.4 "MEAAAAAAAAAT PIEEEEEEEEEEE"

[@sansakitty9650]

@@lucas.2.3.9.4After all these years I still only hear "dovahkiin, dovahkiin, not a single sardine" lol

[@n0t_the_plague_doctor343]

​@@lucas.2.3.9.4 "Who assaulted your son? Wasn't me, or my kin, or the guard would cry!"

[@Caramaram]

You mentioned that you don't know what language it is. I'd be surprised if you did, since it's sung in the dragon language from the game. The language of dragons has power and each word IS what is means. So when a dragon says "fire" they breathe fire, "ice" then ice. It's a big part of the game as you play a character who has the ability to also speak this dragon language to do the same. One of the words you may catch in the lyrics is "dovahkiin", which is the dragon word meaning "dragonborn" - the word for someone who can speak the dragon language and exhibit its power. I think that's all right - I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong! Elder Scrolls lore goes DEEP.

[@hypertion]

Dragonborn are those who can innately learn the words and use them, due to possessing dragonblood. Anyone can technically learn the dragon language and the Thu'um. It is not a commonly learned skill tho, and most of those that do know it pratice it as a form of peaceful worship.

[@kura2ninja944]

@@hypertion IIRC, Dovahkin is someone who can learn the meaning of dragon words easily and harness its power with/without training, as opposed to normal people like Greybeards who need to spend a lot of time to learn the meaning of the words.

[@tessajalloh3914]

Mostly correct yeah. The Dragonborn however is part of that deep lore indeed, the dragonborn is someone who has been chosen to inherit the soul of Akatosh, one of the gods of Tamriel, depicted as a great dragon and also master of time and space. Through this divine connection, the dragonborn can instantly understand dragon tongue, and manifest it's power through dragon's souls. But more than this, there is only supposed to be one dragonborn alive at a time, as their souls are all connected divinely to akatosh, making them for the longest time the chosen ruler of Tamriel. By the time of skyrim, there hasn't been a dragonborn for generations, and the last dragonborn that people know about was Martin Septim from Elderscrolls IV: Oblivion. However, with the release of the dragonborn DLC, it was revealed that there is another Dragonborn. Mirak, who has forsaken his divine duty as dragonborn after aligning himself with the Deadric prince Hermeas Mora. This marks the only time in Tamriel's history that two dragonborn have lived in the same Era. And makes the player character special in that they are Dragonborn, but they may not be a part of the bloodline of the Septims, instead being a new chosen one of Akatosh, to replace Mirak.

[@ImmortalXUchiha]

This is literally the stand ability of Koichi from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure lol so Skyrim is a Jojo's reference 😵 omg :D

[@Xeno_Solarus]

@@ImmortalXUchiha Well, kinda

[@Mrinsecure]

Dragonborn is, quite literally, a song to slay dragons to. In game, you can hear a much softer, translated version of the song, where you can hear what it is: a telling of the myth of the Dragonborn, a human(oid) with the soul of a dragon, who shall rise up and slay Alduin, the King of the Dragons and save the world.

[@wobinwobinwobin]

Singing this piece as part of the choir with Video Games Live is some of the most fun I've ever had as a musician. What an incredible piece of music.

[@cowboykiwami]

For some context: This is the main theme of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - hence why it's so powerful, and is used many times throughout the game at key moments (including the main menu). The part that you thought sounded like FF15 was actually the leitmotif of Elder Scrolls that has been there in the main theme since Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. There are a few other shared songs throughout the games, but each soundtrack is pretty stellar in it's own right - the majority of which is composed by Jeremy Soule. However, a lot of it is quite peaceful and almost background music while you explore environments etc. Glad you enjoyed it my man !!

[@skyrider11910]

I think it also sounds similar to “The Animals - house of the rising sun”

[@Joromonni]

Oh that's why the guild wars soundtrack sounds similar, both are by Jeremy Soule!

[@Jadeykins83]

@@Joromonni I was just thinking that myself, I love the Guild Wars soundtrack.

[@BestKCL]

Bro I think he knows it's the Skyrim theme lmao

[@RazX51]

It was funny to hear you comment how well you'd think it would be to hear in a big hall, because, I can confirm, it is amazing. I went to see the show Video Games Live which does a bunch of orchestral arrangements of different video game music, and, for this show, they brought in a choir to help them do this song. It was absolutely the best performance of the evening. When it's live, you can feel the percussion in your whole body. Amazing song and amazing performance.

[@KeytarArgonian]

Was that the one I’ve seen on KZbin where the guy actually screams ‘FUS RO DAH!’ Like in the games trailer when the track plays?

[@sarwelhlaalu3926]

I am turning green with envy here. And that is coming from someone who heard John Williams' music performed life at a Jedi Con with an audience of die-hard Star Wars fans, completely PACKED hall (people were even sitting on the f***ing stairs!) and singing along to those pieces that had lyrics (scared the orchestra into actually missing a beat and the trumpet to hit a wrong note when 1,400 plus people suddenly started singing!)

[@leighton5608]

Almost every song is unique and magical. This game is like reading a good story. You always want to k ow what happens next, and whatever does happen you're pleasantly suprised and there's always more.

[@owlserah]

Dragonborn lyrics (and translation): Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin, naal ok zin los vahriin, Wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan, Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal! (Dragonborn, Dragonborn , by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout, when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! ) Huzrah nu, kul do od, wah aan bok lingrah vod, Ahrk fin tey, boziik fun, do fin gein! Wo lostfron wah ney dov, ahrk fin reyliik do jul, Voth aan suleyk wah ronit faal krein! (Hearken now, sons of snow, to an age, long ago and the tale, boldly told, of the one! Who was kin to both wyrm , and the races of man with a power to rival the sun) Ahrk fin zul, rok drey kod, nau tol morokei frod, Rul lot Taazokaan motaad voth kein! Sahrot Thu'um, med aan tuz, vey zeim hokoron pah, Ol fin Dovakiin komeyt ok rein! (And the voice, he did wield, on that glorious field, When great Tamriel shuddered with war! Mighty Thu'um, like a blade, cut through enemies all, As the Dragonborn issued his roar!) Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin, naal ok zin los vahriin, Wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan, Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal! (Dragonborn, Dragonborn , by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout, when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! ) Ahrk fin Kel lost prodah, do ved viing ko fin krah, Tol fod zeymah win kein meyz fuundein! Alduin, feyn do jun, kruziik vokun, staadnav, Voth aan bahlok wah diivon fin lein! (And the Scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold, That when brothers wage war come unfurled! Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound, With a hunger to swallow the world! ) Nuz aan sul, fent alok, fod fin vul dovah nok, Fen kos nahlot mahfaeraak ahrk ruz! Paaz Keizaal fen kos stin nol bein Alduin jot, Dovahkiin kos fin saviik do muz! (But a day, shall arise, when the dark dragon's lies, Will be silenced forever and then! Fair Skyrim will be free from foul Alduin's maw! Dragonborn be the saviour of men !) Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin, naal ok zin los vahriin, Wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan, Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal! (Dragonborn, Dragonborn , by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout, when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! )

[@MythagoWoods]

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, the lyrics are in the Dragon language so it makes sense that you wouldn't know it and I'm going to post the song lyrics below in the "original" language and the translated into English version. Also this theme in the main theme of Skyrim but it's also very similar to every Elder Scrolls theme. They all have a lot of very similar elements, I guess a "leitmotif" maybe, where the beat/rhythm is actually very similar. Just listen to the main themes of Morrowind and Oblivion and compare them to Skyrim to see what we mean. Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin naal ok zin los vahriin wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal! Huzrah nu, kul do od, wah aan bok lingrah vod Ahrk fin tey, boziik fun, do fin gein! Wo lost fron wah ney dov ahrk fin reyliik do jul voth aan suleyk wah ronit faal krein Ahrk fin kel lost prodah, Do ved viing ko fin krah, Tol fod zeymah win kein meyz fundein! Alduin, feyn do jun, kruziik vokun staadnau, voth aan bahlok wah diivon fin lein! Nuz aan sul, fent alok, fod fin vul dovah nok, fen kos nahlot mahfaeraak ahrk ruz! Paaz Keizaal fen kos stin nol bein Alduin jot! Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin naal ok zin los vahriin wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal! Translated: Dragonborn, Dragonborn by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! Hearken now, sons of snow, to an age, long ago and the tale, boldly told, of the one! Who was kin to both wyrm and the races of man with a power to rival the sun And the Scrolls have foretold of black wings in the cold, that when brothers wage war come unfurled! Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound, with a hunger to swallow the world! But a day, shall arise, when the dark dragon's lies, will be silenced forever and then! Fair Skyrim will be free from foul Alduin's maw! Dragonborn, Dragonborn by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray!

[@temporalwolf7054]

So, as others have mentioned, this is indeed sung in the dragon language made for the game. The power behind the vocals is absolutely intentional as the main gameplay addition the game brings is a new school of magic called the Thu'um, or shouts. Learning the language of dragons and understanding the language on a deep level allows you to manifest various spells. Calming animals, shouting flames, freezing enemies solid or even ripping parts of something's soul, all with your voice.

[@cptdumplin]

The leitmotif you remember hearing before in FF15's Apocalypsis Noctis has been with the Elder Scrolls series since Morrowind. Good stuff, I tell ya. Every time I hear that leitmotif again, it feels like greeting an old friend.

[@siverwrites]

I think maybe more than any other reaction you've done this one is a reminder that no matter how big and well known something is a niche is still a niche and it can be easy to forget that when you're so thoroughly entrenched in it. I haven't played any of the Elder Scrolls but Skyrim has been released I don't even know how many times, has a massive community, countless mods and feels like it's still everywhere to a degree as this song feels like it was everywhere. So, it's really cool to see a totally fresh take!

[@segafan2437]

Skyrim's theme is an orchestral version of the main theme from ElderScrolls3:Morrowind, I believe that one was called "Nerevar rising", and Morrowind came out in may of 2002!

[@MrHimself98]

Same with Oblivion, they just remix the same theme each game

[@umbranex9274]

Jeremy Soule was the composer and he is amazing. Would recommend looking into more of his work.

[@elenhin]

yeah, he's absolutely brilliant.

[@Brandon-ie4bc]

I've heard someone compare Jeremy Soule to John Williams, but for video games. And it's by far, the best comparison.

[@sarwelhlaalu3926]

Totally agree! @@Brandon-ie4bc

[@bakedpotato7201]

Heres a translation to the song Dragonborn, Dragonborn by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! Hearken now, sons of snow, to an age, long ago and the tale, boldly told, of the one! Who was kin to both wyrm and the races of man with a power to rival the sun And the Scrolls have foretold of black wings in the cold, that when brothers wage war come unfurled! Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound, with a hunger to swallow the world! But a day, shall arise, when the dark dragon's lies, will be silenced forever and then! Fair Skyrim will be free from foul Alduin's maw! Dragonborn, Dragonborn by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray!

[@Wynn_Silver]

Holy hell, dude! I'd never heard Apocalypsis Noctis and I went to listen to it and I almost missed it but I was like "hold on". I rewound 15 seconds for another listen and lo and behold I heard a mini Skyrim section in there! That is so cool. I'd I would've heard that in the wild without being told to I would've went nuts noticing it.

[@BlackTempleGaurdian]

I remember reading how the orchestra said performing this made them feel like rockstars, with how the crowd would erupt into cheers.

[@dmitrit.4862]

To be honest, I still get goosebumps from this soundtrack. One of the best soundtracks from the entire TES series for me.

[@aeternusvotum]

I would have never thought to request this song as it is SO well-known, but it's so great to see a fresh take on it! I've listened to so many other version now, though, that I forgot how this original (?) version sounds like :D My personal favorite from the Skyrim Soundtrack would be "The Dragonborn comes" by Sabina Zweiacker with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, if you ever get to react to the original and then see that (non-official) live version on your own!

[@xScooterAZx]

This is not the original version. The original song is the theme to Morrowind (not the eso version)

[@ldcraig2006]

If you liked this, give a listen to the track titled "Sovngarde". It's the same lyrics, but sung more as a hymn than a war cry. Sovngarde, in the game, is basically "heaven", the afterlife, and the climax of the game takes place there. So while the vocalists sing the same song, it's a completely different rendition. I think you'd like it. As for the rest of the soundtrack, it's all beautiful. "Ancient Stones" is a quiet song playing in the background as you wander the streets of the towns. "Watch the Skies" is a battle track that will get your blood going. I encourage you to listen to the entire soundtrack.

[@Alchmeitect]

I always loving hearing this intro as a brass player especially since I’m a trumpet and French horn player, but mostly the French horn part of me feels so much pride and joy hearing those rips in there, it sounds amazing!

[@colinth22]

"Pride" and "Fierce" are apt terms. I adore emotions and storytelling through music. Sound is as much a medium as are words. And having someone "read" those emotions accurately does nothing but make me happy :)

[@gestaltdude]

There is a version of this that contains the English translation of the dragon language in which this song is sung. Personally I found it a lot more emotive knowing what they were signing, while at the same time being utterly delighted that the studio responsible for the game would go to the trouble of developing such a language for their game. It is that sort of attention to detail that differentiates the developer who wants to make a game for a quick buck, and one that wants to create a world that world live on for year, much like Skyrim has done.

[@dohvahkiin1177]

Nearly 12 years after initially hearing this song in the Skyrim teaser trailer this STILL gives me goosebumps when I hear it. Great to hear it’s making this level of impact on a first hearing all these years later… 👌🏼🇦🇺

[@Iluvantir]

(Chorus) Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin, naal ok zin los vahriin, wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan, Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal! Huzrah nu, kul do od, wah aan bok lingrah vod, Aahrk fin tey, boziik fun, do fin gein! Wo lost fron wah ney dov, ahrk fin reyliik do jul, voth aan suleyk wah ronit faal krein! Ahrk fin zul, rok drey kod, nau tol morokei frod, rul lot Taazokaan motaad voth kein! Sahrot Thu'um, med aan tuz, vey zeim hokoron pah, ol fin Dovahkiin komeyt ok rein! (Chorus) Ahrk fin Kel lost prodah, do ved viing ko fin krah, tol fod zeymah win kein meyz fundein! Alduin, feyn do jun, kruziik vokun staadnau, voth aan bahlok wah diivon fin lein! Nuz aan sul, fent alok, fod fin vul dovah nok, fen kos nahlot mahfaeraak ahrk ruz! Paaz Keizaal fen kos stin nol bein Alduin jot, Dovahkiin kos fin saviik do muz! (Chorus) And the translation... (Chorus) Dragonborn, Dragonborn, by his honor is sworn, To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! Hearken now, sons of snow, to an age, long ago, and the tale, boldly told, of the one! Who was kin to both wyrm, and the races of man, with a power to rival the sun! And the Voice, he did wield, on that glorious field, when great Tamriel shuddered with war! Mighty Thu'um, like a blade, cut through enemies all, as the Dragonborn issued his roar! (Chorus) And the Scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold, that when brothers wage war come unfurled! Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound, with a hunger to swallow the world! But a day, shall arise, when the dark dragon's lies, will be silenced forever and then! Fair Skyrim will be free from foul Alduin's maw, Dragonborn be the savior of men! (Chorus)

[@vatonage1599]

I played Skyrim back around launch and the theme got drilled into my head pretty hard, so I had a similar experience when I later played Final Fantasy XV a couple years ago and got to the part of the story where Apocalypsis Noctis plays. That melody is actually used by the whole Elder Scrolls series as its universal theme, with each game featuring a different rendition of it. Very catchy!

[@Casual_Goof]

My favorite bit is the in the middle with just the deepest voices. My headcanon is that the implication is that those voices are the dragons who recognize your character’s victory over essentially their god-king Alduin. So not only is there a Nord choir singing this song in the Dragon language to honor their hero (you), but even the dragons are singing.

[@nathan3252]

I saw the trailer for this in a movie theater and I remember my mom was with me. She was excited to see that movie so I had to tell her it was a video game. She was disappointed while I had a ball playing that game. I ended up playing it for close to 1000 hours before I finally quit. I still occasionally get the itch to play but I have other games to keep me from scratching that itch.

[@AM-dm6pk]

The whole soundtrack is a masterpiece!

[@ChuckS117]

The elder scrolls Oblivion and Skyrim are a gold mine of amazing fantasy songs. Hope to see more of them on the channel!

[@KingZealotTactics]

Where elderscrolls music shines is it's calm open world exploration music, it's some of the best relaxing music i've ever heard.

[@hristoitchov]

Secunda!

[@KingZealotTactics]

@@hristoitchov There's one!

[@martiananomaly]

Far Horizons!

[@Knightfang1]

The song is in the Dragon language. The main character of Skyrim is called The Dragonborn, because he can absorb a dragon's life force and shout words of their language to unleash powerful abilities. this song is the opening title music

[@CyanBlur]

I would say other tracks in Skyrim are meant to capture the atmosphere. This is The Theme. It's the trailer music, it's the title music, it's the music that plays when you fight dragons (it's a song about fighting dragons so that's fitting). You've got your gentler orchestral tracks for your towns and landscapes, then you've got something in-between for fighting a rat or a bandit, but this is the Peak... But fear not, as the other Elder Scrolls games have similar orchestral peaks worth a listen.

[@littlestarshepherd]

I couldn't see anything about it in the comments but to answer your questions, this whole song is in the Dragon Tongue, a language invented just for the game by the same guy who did the language for Avatar or Game of Thrones. This game is about the return of dragons and your character is Dragonborn, which means they can naturally use the Voice, (or Thu'um), a form of magic that most Nords and some others possess which utilizes the Dragon Language to form Dragon Shouts of immense power. This game is an open world RPG set in a medieval-fantasy (kinda, there is some crazy technology here and there) world with a lot of different races you can play, from different types of humans, to elves, orcs, beast-men (lizardmen called Argonians, and cat-men called Khajiit). This is indeed one of the most popular games out there and it also has the biggest and most dedicated modding community out there. I would recommend it or if you're not into gaming at all, to at least listen to Jeremy Soule's soundtracks for the franchise.

[@paine_inflicta]

It's very much a 'hype' song. When I booted up Skyrim for the first time, this song felt like a punch in the chest - my back straightened, my attention focused, and I tightened my grip on the controller. I had NEVER played an Elder Scrolls game before that point.

[@VegetaLF7]

Exactly. What Culture put it in a video a while back about when the game's theme kicks in to pump you up in a battle. With few exceptions, this song only plays either during the title screen or during a dragon attack and it absolutely makes you want to drop whatever you're doing and go kill yourself a dragon.

[@timthomsonart]

The whole soundtrack is epic. There's a few youtube videos showcasing different moods from the game, like 'winter walks', 'ambient sunrise' etc, some great music to have on in the background while doing stuff... The words in the song are in a dragon language created specially for it - worth watching the 'making of' to get some context. Been playing Skyrim for years, the modders keeping it fresh and worth playing after all this time - so much fun - whenever I need to chill I don't watch TV, I become Dragonborn...

[@pugshorty9852]

Skyrim is an epic fantasy game where the player fights dragons, wild animals, bandits, undead, dark magic users, and lots else. It takes place in a Alaskan like enviroment.

[@skimbeeble6143]

Not necessarily Alaskan. It's loosely based off of the Norse/Viking culture. It's more like Norway than anything.

[@allbies]

It's Nordic inspired hence the very old Viking-esque buildings, armors etc.

[@joanz1255]

I don't know if anyone else mentioned this, but the music was composed by Jeremy Soule. He created the music for Morrowind and Oblivion (Elder Scrolls 3 and 4). The slower parts of the Dragonborn theme are riffs on the theme music from the previous two releases, similar but different. I think (maybe) that Morrowind came out before the FF game you mentioned, therefore, (maybe) FF got the idea from Morrowind and not the other way around. You could probably find the themes somewhere on KZbin, if you're interested in checking them out. After 11+ years, this music still gives me the chills when I hear it.

[@Rysskylt]

And that's just the intro. Skyrim had an amazing soundtrack, Jeremy Soule is a fantastic composer. He did the entirety of Guild Wars 1 too.

[@EnDSchultz1]

Jeremy Soule is the composer of the music for this game. He's like the John Williams of symphonic video game OSTs... he's done some great stuff for strategy games too. Total Annihilation from 1997 has slightly dated sound quality, but the track "Ambush in the Passage" is one of my favorites. You mentioned context, and that track is so well done, the title is all the context you need.

[@jbx5164]

I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee.

[@SisterFreaks]

Someone had to say it...

[@brozy5720]

Aw..did someone steal your sweet roll?

[@brozy5720]

@Aniwayas Song Gimme some Moonsugar, baby!

[@lankthedank6931]

Hail summoner! Conjure me up a warm bed, would you?

[@SisterFreaks]

And now they're gathering...

[@Torthrodhel]

This is the main title theme in Skyrim. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, IV: Oblivion, and Online (not a numbered entry), also have main title themes and they're each big orchestral pieces and variations upon one-another. I got Oblivion with my XBox360 so that's the one I remember most fondly - very regal sounding piece. Morrowind is a slower, gentler tempo. Online's soundtrack is a bit like a mashup of them all, being the online version of games that are traditionally single-player only, but its main theme is a sweetly sung stripped-back variation rather than following that pattern. Skyrim's theme is in the game's own invented dragon language, and absolutely the one that makes most use of vocals - suitable for the game in the series that introduced the power to "shout" (vocal powers that are also how dragons talk to each other, distinct from normal magic and not classified as magic but with similar effects - which people can only do if they have dragon blood in their lineage, a super rare quality shared by emperors). I love these soundtracks. I don't tend to listen to them in-game just from an immersion preference of trying to imagine myself in the world (which obviously wouldn't involve an orchestra following me around)... as well as preferring not to be alerted to enemy presence by the music changing. But I love listening to them just to listen, or in the background of Minecraft creative mode as a way of relaxing. They have decent variation and are just very high quality in general with a whole bunch of memorable tracks. Aside from the main themes being connected, and aside from Online's soundtrack which is meant to be heavily based on the others, there isn't much repetition either. You get a few pieces here and there that are quite minimal, such as the background to dungeon or cave areas, but most of it is music in a more traditional sense.

[@strongarm852]

There is an alternate version of this song called Sovengarde. It only plays at the end of the game, but it has the exact same lyrics. The lore behind that is that in universe only the lyrics of the song remain and the version you listed to had it's melody reconstructed by Modern Bards of Skyrim, where as the original version is the version the version that plays in Sovengarde.

[@KeytarArgonian]

I will NEVER forget the first time I saw the Skyrim trailer with this track in it until the day I die. I almost wept. Still to this day the ONLY game I have ever bought at midnight with the £120 Statue edition of Alduin. In the trailer when it’s really winding up the main character, The Dragon Born (Dovakhiin in Dragon Tongue that they’re chanting) screams FUS RO DAH! And it’s just crazy. There’s a huge live orchestra version of this and once guys actually does the ‘FUS RO DAH!!!’ It’s just amazing.

[@Alexandros.Mograine]

I used to live under a rock. i used to just assume skyrim wasnt a game for me. then one time, i looked into it a bit and immediately bought it, rest is history :D

[@mercurioslevin1877]

The best part from a game perspective is this your character's theme song - the Dragonborn is a mortal born with the soul of a dragon and this song can sometimes start playing whenever you battle a dragon.

[@BestKCL]

This song is a standout among standouts when it comes to this game. The composer, Jeremy Soule, used this game as a platform to create his Magnum Opus, of sorts.

[@kaisokusekkendou1498]

I know this is about the Skyrim song, but when I heard that song in your intro I had to go hunt down what it was again.. Final Fantasy 7, Suffering Planet. I've listened to the OC Remix of it by DJ Carbunk1e so many times (made in 2002) that I forgot that's what it originally sounded like, lol.

[@raellawrence7116]

Still gives me goosebumps 10 years later.

[@reflion3688]

Apocalypsis Noctis definitely used Dragornborn as inspiration.

[@UntoldRelic]

The choir is singing in the dragon language made for the game.

[@noxelohim]

It's a great story behind this. There's Dragonborn, and your character is one of them. And part of being dragonborn is you have a shout type ability that can be incredibly destructive. That's why they have all the sudden bursty vocals in parts of that to reference your shout. It's a great rpg, that inspired dozens of later ones. It's quite a few years old now and still holds up as being pretty brutal and having a great feel to it.

[@Wackywoohoopizzaman16]

Literally just started playing this, I’m impressed, a game like no other

[@lauranimbus8092]

Glad you liked the song, Jesse! :) I remember when I heard this song for the first time (while watching the trailer) and felt like I was listening to a ballad sung of a great hero from ancient times. Definitely agree with the sense of mystery, danger, victory, and power this song seems to emit. If you want to check out other songs from this game, a few that I would recommend (and some of my personal favorites) are "Kynes Peace", "Masser" (a slower song, almost like a song of lament or tragedy, but takes some interesting turns, I think, especially around the 3 :14 mark), "The Dragonborn Comes" (by the Swedish Radio Orchestra), "Sovngarde" (a great companion to the main theme; the key changes do some cool things to this song to help tell the story of the hero literally struggling/going to death's door to complete their quest), and "Standing Stones" (my favorite track apart from the very long "Skyrim Atmospheres"). Also highly recommend the Dragon Age Inquisition soundtrack by Trevor Morris ("Dragon Age Inquisition Main Theme" and "Journey to Skyhold").

[@LadyDoomsinger]

Personally I like the Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind theme song more; but I admit to being biased, since that was my first Elder Scrolls game. Dragonborn still gives me the chills, though, even after all these years.

[@grandbean9031]

I am so happy you noticed the part of the song that sounded like ff15 Leviathan theme. Ofc ff15 came out way later than skyrim so it's the opposite way but almost nobody talks about it.

[@Rainbow.Pegacorn.Cosplay]

Skyrim's in-game visuals are stunning, especially when you see the aurora in the night sky. And this is actually my #1 favorite song on the soundtrack. It just sounds so damn epic, powerful and triumphant.

[@kt249]

I never knew there was a single soul who didn't hear this song, you're ful of surprises Jesse! :D

[@aviades2815]

Hey Jesse, great reaction

[@DavidTheConkerer]

RAARRRR!!! :) Just to say, the Elder Scrolls tune has been around since about 2003/4. Strongly recommend checking out the whole soundtrack.

[@juancontreras2711]

Bruh seriously this game is a gem, his OST and lore is just perfection, so much love and time put on a single game, imagine this game without the limitations of the time it was released

[@Cavemanheartrock]

This song has some genius lyrics, it has 2 ways you can hear it. The dragon language which is leaning toward imperial and the stormcloak version. "For the king! For the king! For the sake of Skyrim! For our life, for our home For Hrothgar's blood For the Nords and for the Gods, For the sole single son Dovahkiin, our king, who'll dawn with fire!"

[@Infinicat]

In case you're curious - Jeremy Soule is the composer. He's done a lot of music across multiple games and I think he's even branched into film scores before but I'm not 100% sure. He also did the soundtrack for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Elder Scrolls 3 and 4 as well as 5, and many others that I don't remember. He's a really good composer. I would say the title song here is the most powerful and unique one, but the rest of his music is very well written.

[@vanyadolly]

Very interesting reaction, thanks for this. Most if the soundtrack is sort of ambient background music (exploring, cities, combat etc). This song which plays during the title scene is really the only "big" song with the choir. There's also an alternative arrangement at the climax of the game. It would be fun to hear you opinion on that as well.

[@Quankhi1]

Man, you truly lived under a rock if you havent heard this epic piece, which is one of the greatest orchestral pieces for a video game ever made. It has countless covers on youtube, from metal, acapella, to guitars unplugged. It is also sang as a an orchestral arrangement by some symphonic bands, so some people may have actually heard it live in a great hall 😀 The game was released for the 1st time in 2011 and seen re-releases several times so far because is one of the most successful games ever made, a very immersive story and andventure where you go from a lowsy prisoner to a literal demigod that can speak the language of dragons (language that is used in the song aswell, thats why it seems so foreign and not recognisible). All in all, one of the most epic songs ever made and the composer Jeremy Soule gets all the credit for such a masterpiece.

[@soundofnellody262]

Everytime I hear this theme I want to play Skyrim once more. Pure nostalgica.

[@seekittycat]

I don't care how many years it has been this song is still a whole mood. Though I never realized I know the lyrics off by heart until you mention the language

[@PetraDarklander]

It sounds WAY better live, but I still get chills when the vocals kick in. That same melody can be found in The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind which was released in 2002. Not sure if its in Daggerfall or not but seems to be a theme throughout The Elder Scrolls games.

[@BrutusMaximusAurelius]

I don’t know how often I’ve heard this song over the years, but it never tires me.

[@PAPSN]

The language is an ancient dragon tongue lost to mankind. The lyrics praise the Dragonborn (the player character), who is prophesied to save Tamriel from the dragons using the dragons' own shouts. The song also recounts the return of the great dragon Alduin and the climactic final battle which banishes him forever. Thirty singers composed the choir. The Dragonborn is an ancient song we've only recently been able to translate. Without a tune or a sure pronunciation the song is lost to time. It's included here to show the deep history of song here in Skyrim. It is apparently the oldest song in the "songs of skyrim" book. It's so old that they dont even know the melody just the lyrics. Bards improvise a melody. The book "Songs of Skyrim" or "Songs of Skyrim: Revised" state that the Song of the Dragonborn's (known simply as "an ancient song") tune is unknown, along with pronunciation. Sovngarde is the original and correct and ancient tune sang in the Draconic language. Dragonborn is the rediscovered version. Elder Scrolls has an immensely deep pensive of lore that is very well written and intertwined. Originally what endeared me to the game decades ago.

[@jbx5164]

I'm so glad you've decided to experience Jeremy Soule music. This is a very powerful song that makes you feel like punching and shouting dragons to death while exploring Skyrim. If you ever get the chance to listen to Nerevar Rising, which is Morrowind's main theme, you will notice a pattern with this song. I hope you enjoyed the song.

[@CarlosAlola]

And Oblivion main theme

[@jbx5164]

@@CarlosAlola I know that, I only mentioned 'Nerevar Rising' because it was the first :)

[@xScooterAZx]

@@CarlosAlola And Morrowind's main theme before that.

[@caesaraugustus7990]

I still get shivers, every time. Every. Time.

[@bruhmoment-mg6pb]

The reason it evokes sea shanties and pirates is that the guy who made the Pirates of their Carribean theme ripped it from the elder scrolls 3, Morrowind, which this theme is based off

[@jeremyferrell9753]

Been playing Skyrim for years and still love it u got the main song but they all sound similar

[@spartanFox_LadyFoxGames]

When I heard about the fact that they took a chorus of 30 men and duplicated it to sound like 200, hearing it now from beginning to end, it sounds like a group of soldiers you hear marching through terrain then (the drums off in the distance and getting closer than they pass you and slowly you hear the drums fade away as they go out of ear shot. Pretty wild.

[@WhiteWolf-zh9wf]

I'd highly recommend listening to Secunda from this game. In my opinion Secunda tells you every emotion in this game. Melancholy of civil war, sadness of the return of the dragons, the beauty of Skyrim's landscape and the unknown what might happen to Skyrim in the future. I think the more slow/peaceful tracks are what makes Elder Scrolls so special.

[@305bj]

Skyrim is the fifth Elder Scrolls game. The third one Morrowind has music that is familiar to this, but came before. Very beautiful, transports me away to alien lands every time.

[@Cthulwho69]

I have seen this twice in a live performance and it made me cry both times.

[@brozy5720]

Well, this is the main theme, so it has to be epic and grand. But when you're out exploring,, a lot of the soundscape is toned-down ambient music, just to have something to hear besides your footsteps. In battle scenes of course, the music turns up a notch, and in taverns and inns, the bards will sing you fabulous songs or play instrumentals on lute, flute or drum. It really gives you an viking-esque, medieval feel, which is just fitting with Skyrim being the northernmost area of Cyrodil. Lots of snowy mountains, icy ocean banks and the longing for a nice warm campfire to roast your skeevers at....with mammoth cheese! Yummy!

[@DracoSafarius]

No matter what main theme (they're all basically redoing it in a particular style) of whichever ES game you go for, it's always a good listen.

[@Dimumouto]

Skyrim may get meme'd to hell and back, with its re-re-re-re-re-re-releases, countless (and humorous) bugs, and a community that can and will mod the game so much it's not even Skyrim anymore. But the music of it (and Oblivion and Morrowind) will stand the test of time, I feel, especially Dragonborn. Listening to this again and watching Jesse's reaction brought me back to 2011, getting this on the OG 360 and playing it till 5AM.

[@peteramaranth85]

The theme is a reimagining of the elder scrolls theme from elder scrolls, 3,4 and maybe the older ones, eso has a few variations for each of the dlc expansions, morrowinds and oblivion being my fav

[@RoxyLuffer]

So, this is the TITLE song of "The Elder Scrolls V: SKYRIM". The Story of Skyrim is that the Dragon's have returned after thousands of years of being "Gone". The composers, and music writers, decided that this song would be written in the fictional Dragon's Language that's in the game. They also decided that it should be sung by a large Choir in a Nordic Mead Hall or some such, there's a great video on the making of this particular piece of music. I love this game, and the series that it's attached to.

[@sap509]

I really enjoyed your reaction. Looking forward to seeing more from you.

[@HeavyTopspin]

What you're also not realizing (assuming you've played none of the other Elder Scrolls games) is that this is a variation on a theme that has existed since Jeremy Soule did the theme "Nerevar Rising"for Morrowind (#3 in the series): originally a soothing "fantastical" piece, it was used as a heroic piece in Oblivion (#4) as "Reign of the Septims", then reworked with the more harsh martial sound of "Dragonborn".

[@live-zy1qv]

Now imagine this song playing while you are fighting a dragon bro this was ahead of its time this is the best game I've ever played

[@DthDisguise]

To add a little context to why it's SO epic: Skyrim is the 5th Elderscrolls game, and, it re-contextualizes the previous 4 games as being part of this ancient prophecy that, when all these things from the previous games happened, the long extinct dragons would return to end the world, and only the legendary warrior called the "Dragonborn," a mortal hero born with the soul of a dragon would be able to stop the dragons. Keeping with that theme, this song is the main theme of the Elderscrolls series recontextualized as an in-universe song "The Dragonborn Comes" retelling the prophecy of the Dragonborn leading humanity against the dragons. Apparently when they were composing it, Todd Howard(team lead at Bethesda) told the composer that he "wanted the song sung by a chorus of vikings."

[@rundamoonsong]

Some of the music from this game is so gentle and so sad that I find myself crying, it all mixes well but different

[@TheGrimLlama]

The skyrim theme song is so manly that the water i was drinking turned into whiskey as it was playing. Exactly whst you need when you're stopping dragon gods from devouring all existence.

[@Ilwenray85]

I haven't found a comment with this, so... in case you are curious, this would be the translation of the lyrics in case you are interested: Dragonborn, Dragonborn by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! Hearken now, sons of snow, to an age, long ago and the tale, boldly told, of the one! Who was kin to both wyrm and the races of man with a power to rival the sun And the Scrolls have foretold of black wings in the cold, that when brothers wage war come unfurled! Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound, with a hunger to swallow the world! But a day, shall arise, when the dark dragon's lies, will be silenced forever and then! Fair Skyrim will be free from foul Alduin's maw! Dragonborn, Dragonborn by his honor is sworn To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray! Oh, this is the original in case you want to sing along, this is the kind of song that motivates to loudly shout the lyrics if you know them xD Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin naal ok zin los vahriin wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal! Huzrah nu, kul do od, wah aan bok lingrah vod Ahrk fin tey, boziik fun, do fin gein! Wo lost fron wah ney dov ahrk fin reyliik do jul voth aan suleyk wah ronit faal krein Ahrk fin kel lost prodah, Do ved viing ko fin krah, Tol fod zeymah win kein meyz fundein! Alduin, feyn do jun, kruziik vokun staadnau, voth aan bahlok wah diivon fin lein! Nuz aan sul, fent alok, fod fin vul dovah nok, fen kos nahlot mahfaeraak ahrk ruz! Paaz Keizaal fen kos stin nol bein Alduin jot! Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin naal ok zin los vahriin wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal! Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal!

[@SkyrimExplorer]

Hello! "Elder Scrolls" is the name of game series. "Skyrim" is the title of fifth game from this series. "Dragonborn" is the name of the song but also the name of one of DLCs. This piece amazes me even after all those years. As far as I know they had a choir of 30 persons and recorded singing section 3 times to achieve effect of 90 persons singing.

[@FF-tp7qs]

In Skyrim, you always know when a dragon is about to attack you, even if you haven't seen it yet, because this music starts playing, and they appear very often if you have progressed far enough in the main story quest.

[@Do27gg]

You need to watch the trailer, the visuals go so well with the song

[@l.d-b3465]

I believe I've heard this described with two words: "Viking Choir".