Spinach Rag

Alternate Titles & Name Origins

From what I've found through my research for this tribute, there are a ton of different names for the songs on this OST. I don't know why, exactly, but I thought they deservered recognition. The first name given is "my" name for it, or the one I consider to be the true one; naturally, alternates are provided so you can see what others exist. Below the alternate names are the name origins. If I say "no comment," I have no comment (obviously), usually because the title is self-explanatory.

I use several abbreviations to denote where I found the alternate names.
SS/iT: SquareSound/iTunes. These are the real, official, Square-sanctioned titles. Except they're dorks so I don't agree with all of the titles. XD
SQEM: Square Enix Music. It's a fan site, but they have a ton of information. Most importantly, they have an easy-to-read tracklisting.
Jap: I don't have a site for this because it's not really one that needs a source. The Japanese names for the characters aren't all the same as the English ones, so where they're different I've noted them.
Any other sources are noted individually.

If only one of the two sites are listed, then the other lists the song the same way I do. If I say "none" they both have what I have.

Omen
Alternates: SQEM: Opening Theme. Which makes sense, but c'mon, Omen sounds cooler.
Origin: I'm guessing it's because the prologue isn't exactly cheerful, but rather an omen (a bad one, really) of things to come.
The Mines of Narshe
Alternates: SS/iT: The Mines of Neshe. I'm not kidding.
SQEM: Colliery Narsh. A colliery is a coal mine, so it's sensible, though they too misspell "Narshe."
Origin: No comment.
Awakening
Alternates: None.
Origin: It refers to Terra's literal awakening in Arvis's house and her liberation from the Slave Crown.
Locke's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Locke.
Jap: Lock or Lock's Theme. Yes, his name is really "Lock."
Origin: No comment.
Battle
Alternates: SQEM: Battle Theme.
Origin: No comment.
Victory Fanfare
Alternates: SQEM: Fanfare.
Origin: No comment.
Edgar & Sabin's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Edgar and Mash. (Mash is Sabin's Japanese name.)
I have also seen this listed as simply "Figaro"
Origin: No comment.
Kefka
Alternates: Jap: Cefca. Yeah, really.
Origin: No comment.
Mt. Koltz
Alternates: I've seen it listed as "Mt. Kolts" before.
Origin: No comment.
The Returners
Alternates: SQEM: Returners.
Origin: No comment.
Shadow's Theme
Alternates: Shadow.
Origin: No comment.
Troops March On
Alternates: None.
Origin: Plays during scenes with the Imperial Army, so it's contextual.
Cyan's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Cayenne. Yes, that's his Japanese name.
Origin: No comment.
The Unforgiven
Alternates: SS/iT: The Inforgiven. They make me cry.
Origin: Played during the poisoning of Doma, so it refers to the unforgivable nature of the act.
The Phantom Forest
Alternates: SS/iT: Phantom Forest.
SQEM: The Mystic Forest.
Origin: No comment.
The Phantom Train
Alternates: SS/iT: Phantom Train.
SQEM: Mystery Train.
Origin: No comment.
The Veldt
Alternates: SQEM: Wild West. (I have also seen it as "The Wild West" elsewhere.)
Origin: No comment.
Gau's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Gau.
Origin: No comment.
The Serpent Trench
Alternates: SQEM: The Snake Path.
Origin: I don't know if the path is ever named in the game, but this is its name.
Kids Run Through the City Corner
Alternates: SS/iT: Kids Run Through the City. No, I don't know what the difference is.
Origin: It's the default "town theme," and it's first heard in Mobliz (or maybe South Figaro but whatever), which features — you guessed it — kids running around.
Under Martial Law
Alternates: None.
Origin: Plays in occupied cities, so the title is contextual.
Celes's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Celes.
Origin: No comment.
Save Them!
Alternates: SS/iT: Protect the Espers ! The space is intentional, though why they have it in the first place is beyond me.
Origin: As I said on the tracklisting, it's the "hurry up" music, so it's just to get you moving to do your job.
The Decisive Battle
Alternates: None.
Origin: Most Final Fantasy battle themes have a naming theme; FFVII's battle theme is Those Who Fight, for example, while the boss theme is Those Who Fight Further. FFVI has The Decisive Battle and The Fierce Battle, though the normal battle music has nothing special for a name.
Metamorphosis
Alternates: None.
Origin: First plays when Terra transforms into her esper form, so it's referring to how she completely changes from Magitek Warrior to esper.

Disc Two

Terra's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Tina. I don't know about you, but I like the name Terra better.
Origin: No comment.
Coin of Fate
Alternates: SQEM: Coin Song.
Origin: Played during the Figaro twins' coin flip scene that decided their fates.
Techno de Chocobo
Alternates: SS/iT: The Grand Finale album calls it "Milan de Chocobo," while the Piano Collections call it "Waltz de Chocobo." No, I don't know why. o_o;
Origin: Final Fantasy Chocobo music is always titled "[type of dance] de Chocobo" in accordance with its music style. Obviously, this one is techno-based.
Forever Rachel
Alternates: None.
Origin: Refers to Locke's undying love for Rachel. The irony of the title is that she's dead anyway.
Slam Shuffle
Alternates: None.
Origin: I don't have any idea. Do you? Tell me!
Spinach Rag
Alternates: None.
Origin: I don't have any idea. Do you? Tell me!
Overture
Alternates: None.
Origin: The almighty Dictionary.com defines an overture as "an orchestral composition forming the prelude or introduction to an opera, oratorio, etc."
Aria di Mezzo Carattere
Alternates: Jap: Aria is the original name.
Origin: Good old Wikipedia says that it translates to "Air of Half Character" from Italian. I don't know why it's called that, though. Maybe I'll analyze it sometime.
The Wedding Waltz ~ Duel
Alternates: SS/iT: Wedding Waltz - Duel.
Origin: No comment.
Grand Finale?
Alternates: SS/iT: Grand Finale.
Origin: It's called that because it's sort of an ending to the opera, but not really. I'm picky about that question mark because of the ambiguity it implies.
Setzer's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Setzer.
Origin: No comment.
Johnny C. Bad
Alternates: None.
Origin: It's a play on the title of the American song "Johnny B. Goode," but the two songs sound nothing alike. (Info from Wikipedia.)
The Empire
Alternates: SS/iT: The Gestahl Empire
SQEM: The Empire "Gestahl" Origin: Obviously refers to, well, the Empire. I don't include Gestahl's name because I can't spell it. *coughs thickly*
Devil's Lab
Alternates: SS/iT: Mgitek Research Facility. Yes, they did misspell it.
Origin: Both names mean the same essential thing, though "Devil's Lab" makes it much more sinister.
Blackjack
Alternates: SS/iT: The Airship Blackjack.
Origin: No comment.
What? 2
Alternates: SQEM: ??
Origin: I affectionally call this the "WTF?" track, mainly because that's what it's usually used for in the game (the sense, at least). It's such an odd title that I just went with the SS/iT title on it.
Mog's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Mog.
Origin: No comment.
Strago's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Stragus. Yeah, that's his Japanese name...
Origin: No comment.
Relm's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Relm.
Origin: No comment.
Another World of Beasts
Alternates: SS/iT: Esper World
Origin: The SS/iT name basically says it all, but I like the other one because it makes it seem much more mystical.

Disc Three

Floating Continent
Alternates: SQEM: New Continent.
Origin: No comment.
Catastrophe
Alternates: None.
Origin: It's the background music for the catastrophe sequence in which Kefka rends the world asunder.
The Fierce Battle
Alternates: SS/iT: Battle to the Death
Origin: See comment on The Decisive Battle, Disc One, #24.
Rest in Peace
Alternates: SS/iT: Rest In Peace. Who capitalizes "in" in R.I.P.?! o_O;
Origin: Game over music. XD
Dark World
Alternates: None.
Origin: When Celes awakes in the new world, it's a dark, scary place. ... Well, it is. :P
The Day After
Alternates: SS/iT: From That Day On...
Origin: It's the World of Ruin town music, which you hear after Celes leaves the island. I think it makes more sense if you see the suicidal version.
Searching for Friends
Alternates: None.
Origin: The Falcon's theme music, since once you get the airship you start looking for everyone. Except it's optional XD
Gogo's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Gogo
Origin: No comment.
Epitaph
Alternates: None.
Origin: It's the "Daryl music," and she's dead and it plays in her tomb. Self-explanatory.
The Magic House
Alternates: None.
Origin: It's Owzer's house's music. I'd call it "the really creepy house," myself.
Umaro's Theme
Alternates: SQEM: Umaro.
Origin: No comment.
The Fanatics' Tower
Alternates: SS/iT: The Fanatics.
SQEM: Fanatics.
I've also seen it as the "Cultists' Tower." Origin: Refers to, well, the Fanatics' Tower. Why don't the official ones say "tower?" o_O;
Kefka's Tower
Alternates: SQEM: Last Dungeon.
Origin: No comment.
Dancing Mad
Alternates: None.
Origin: Kefka's beyond mad at this point — he's dancing mad. *shot for being lame*
Balance is Restored
Alternates: SS/iT: Balance Is Restored
SQEM: Ending Theme
Origin: It's the transformation of the World of Ruin to the World of Balance. Obviously, it's not an immediate transformation, but it's the beginning of it, at least.
The Prelude
Alternates: No comment.
Origin: This tracks is in (almost?) all Final Fantasy games with this title.

Why, yes, I do think I'm insane for writing all of this nonsense. o_o;

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I do not own anything associated with Final Fantasy VI or its music — that all belongs to Squaresoft/Square-Enix, 1993-2007. Awakening and all of its original content is © (copyright) Larissa, 2007.