This Cover of “Ballad of the Wind Fish” Is Pure Melancholy, Give It a Listen!
Posted on December 30 2022 by David Nystrom
So many great songs have come out of the Legend of Zelda series; it’s hard to say definitively what is the greatest. While arguments may exist for some tracks over others, there is generally an agreed-upon group of songs that are truly “the greatest hits,” so to speak. Link’s Awakening’s “Ballad of the Wind Fish” is one of those songs that is absolutely in that category.
For some, the beeps and boops of classic gaming music is just that: beeps and boops. However, some hear the full melody of these pieces and are moved by them. Oftentimes they’re the ones who then go on to recreate these iconic soundtracks and innovate them into next-level interpretations, like this cover of the “Ballad of the Wind Fish” with simply a piano and synthesizer.
As seen on the YouTube channel Prime Waves, this cover of the all-important song from Link’s Awakening is one that hits on more aspects of the song than one might expect in a sub-three-minute arrangement. It begins simple enough with the piano chords setting the mood, but then a real feeling of melancholy comes in with the synthesizer. A sense of everything being out of place, wrong or forgotten even, really comes through as images of the adventure on Koholint Island play out opposite of our performer and arranger.
In the video’s description, Prime Waves talks about this song being nostalgic for him, and I couldn’t agree more. The tune itself conjures some of my earliest memories from the Zelda series personally, but on a grander scale, it’s hard to not feel misty-eyed when you think about the impact the song has on the game’s story. I personally think this version of the song is beyond top notch because of how well the synthesizer evokes that melancholy.
What did you think of the song? Does it make you feel the same way? Does it stir up any other emotions or ideas in you? Let us know in the comments below or chat about it over in our Discord!
Source: Prime Waves
David is an editor at Zelda Dungeon. He’s the author of the ongoing series, The Era Without A Hero, and his favorite Zelda games are Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, and Skyward Sword. He’s also generally a fan of JRPGs and other major Nintendo titles, such as Smash Bros. and Mario.
