T5W#338-Top 5 Final Fantasy VII Theme Songs

On January 31, 1997, the world of Video Games was forever changed with the release of a title that is still widely regarded as one of the greatest Video Games ever made (fans of VI will go to war over this for all time but that’s neither here nor there): Final Fantasy VII.  The game broke new grounds for JRPGS and thanks to a highly successful run on the original Playstation, it put Final Fantasy on the map in a big way, making each subsequent entry an event to watch out for.  Why did VII get so much praise?  Where to start?  The timeless story, the unforgettable characters, the gorgeous graphics, that heart shattering death scene…or all the above really.  For me and others, one critical element is the music.  Longtime Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu returned for his 7^th straight score for the series, creating tunes that have remained iconic staples of the entire franchise.  Today on Top 5 Wednesday as my offering to FFVII’s 25^th Anniversary, I’m counting down my picks for the Top 5 Final Fantasy VII Theme Songs, songs any hardcore gamer, JRPG fan or just fan of good music in general should have on a playlist somewhere.

 
#5-Tifa’s Theme

Tifa maybe be a Goddess of combat with a rocking body and a killer punch and kick to back it up.  Her theme, however, highlights how soft and loveable she is on the inside compared to her tougher exterior (that smile though, always melts the heart).  This tune paints Tifa as not only beautiful but also as a good friend, a caring mother to lost souls and yet there’s that hint of her longing for something more…maybe from Cloud eh?  It’s a very heartwarming song to say the least, one that can play with anyones daydream of getting at least take a walk with the Queen of the Final Fantasy Waifus.
 

#4-Turks Theme

That snap instantly brings up memories of West Side Story, with the Jets and Sharks walking down the streets snapping to a constant rhythm.  These were the gangs you wanted to be in, the coolest of the cool.  How can you not feel that way about the Turks when you hear those fingers clip and that guitar jam out those sound of cool?  The Men in Black just before Men in Black came out in 1997.Whenever this song kicked in when Reno, Rude or any of their other compatriots showed up, you knew it was about to go down and it was gonna go down in style. 

 
#3-Aerith’s Theme

This one is so full of hope and tragedy at the same time.  It’s only fitting that the perfect, flower selling girl next door with the kindest of hearts would get such a beautiful theme.  It’s as ethereal and comforting as Aerith herself, I’m sure it soothed Cloud whenever he was around her for sure.  But, let’s face it, given what everyone knows happens to Aerith in Final Fantasy VII, hearing that piano play those familiar first notes can bring anyone to tears.  It compliments and reinforces just how important of a person Aerith is to the Final Fantasy VII story and to the rest of the cast.  Oh great…now I’m tearing up.

 
#2-One Winged Angel (aka Sephiroth’s Theme)

Speaking of S***is about to go down, the second those trumpets blare, you do a quick 180 and just wait to see The Man himself standing there.  Never before had a villain gotten such a bombastic and ominous theme song.  The music immediately invokes memories of that gorgeous cutscene of Sephiroth standing in the flames, looking up with the happiest of smirks before turning to walk away further into the inferno.  The added choir only makes this song more epic.  I wont lie though, I really like the Rock Infused version of One Winged Angel from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.  Idk the added guitar riffs and that all out rock solo when Sephiroth faces Cloud just adds more sweet, sweet bad ass magic to the King of the FF Villains.

#1-Cloud’s Theme (aka Main Theme from Final Fantasy VII)

The Final Fantasy theme that plays at the beginning of almost every game in some big or small way is one of the most iconic themes in Video Game History.  But it’s the theme from Final Fantasy VII, Cloud’s Theme, that might as well be its anthem too.  There’s a reason you hear this theme predominantly on the FFVII World Map.  Cloud’s Theme is the Adventures Theme, the theme that can speak to that sense of scale and wonder when a new journey begins.  Fitting it was made for a Final Fantasy game that celebrated the franchises 10^th Anniversary.  In a series filled with amazing theme music from Terra’s Theme in Final Fantasy VI to the Zanarkand music from Final Fantasy X, Cloud’s Theme is perhaps the most iconic and anyone who hears it doesn’t just think of FFVII but Final Fantasy as a whole.