ZD Top 5 – Playable Songs

In addition to the amazing orchestrated soundtracks and enchanting overworld themes from throughout the Zelda series, come the sometimes under-appreciated playable tunes. These catchy and often short musical quips are played on a multitude of instruments and present themselves as important to players for a multitude of reasons. Some songs are elevated by their musicality, some by their functions in-game, and others by pure nostalgia. Whatever the reason, these little ditties have become the cherries atop an already magical set of games.

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Jon Lett – View Profile

5. Ballad of the Wind Fish (Link’s Awakening)
4. Ballad of the Wind Fish – Concert Edition (Majora’s Mask)
3. Final Duet with Zelda (Spirit Tracks)
2. Ballad of the Goddess (Skyward Sword)
1. Earth God’s Lyric (The Wind Waker)

The Ballad of the Goddess was an instant classic for Zelda music, and getting to play it in-game was awesome, but the Earth God’s Lyric will always hold a place in my heart, as it is actually the title screen music for The Wind Waker. As a kid, I played The Wind Waker a billion times over, so I heard that amazing tune so many times, yet I never got tired of it, and seeing how it was actually used in the game’s story was very neat. Plus, the scene of Medli learning the song alongside Laruto was always kind of magical to me.

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Andrew Kiser – View Profile

5. Manbo’s Mambo (Link’s Awakening)
4. Duck Call (A Link to the Past)
3. Dimitri’s Flute (Oracle of Ages/Seasons)
2. Epona’s Song (Ocarina of Time)
1. Hawk Grass (Twilight Princess)

While most of these songs are shorter and performed on systems with less audio capabilities, I still find them catchy and incredibly useful. How can you go wrong with transporting around the map with a duck, riding a talking/enemy-eating Dodongo, calling upon your trusty steed, or summoning a Hawk to do your dirty work?

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Brooke Ferdinansen – View Profile

5. Serenade of Water (Ocarina of Time)
4. Manbo’s Mambo (Link’s Awakening)
3. Farore’s Courage (Skyward Sword)
2. Earth God’s Lyric (The Wind Waker)
1. Wind God’s Aria (The Wind Waker)

While I love the retro themes of the older games, I mostly selected songs from systems of more audio capability; as they tend to have a neat and lengthy accompaniment. I could not go without selecting an ocarina song, and Serenade of Water is my favorite warp tune. Although they aren’t the two classics from the game, I love both Manbo’s Mambo and Farore’s Courage from equally as great games. I had a lot of trouble picking between one and two, as both Medli and Makar’s “signature” songs are beautiful and nostalgic.

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Kassye Butler – View Profile

5. Minuet of Forest (Ocarina of Time)
4. Saria’s Song (Ocarina of Time)
3. Ballad of the Goddess (Skyward Sword)
2. Serenade of Water (Ocarina of Time)
1. Oath to Order (Majora’s Mask)

I love songs that command great power. The more of an effect they have, the more I enjoy playing them. Oath to Order is learned very early on in Majora’s Mask, and is only used once at the ending, but is easily the most powerful song in the game. You feel like the Hero when you play that tune.

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Alexis Anderson – View Profile

5. Song of Healing (Majora’s Mask)
4. Saria’s Song (Ocarina of Time)
3. Ballad of the Windfish (Link’s Awakening)
2. Minuet of Forest (Ocarina of Time)
1. Elegy of Emptiness (Majora’s Mask)

These songs instantly jumped out at me when considering my favorites, and for good reason. The Elegy of Emptiness perfectly reflects the overall tone of hopeless isolation present in Majora’s Mask, making it one of the most powerful songs in the series. The Song of Healing and Ballad of the Windfish have a similar potency due to their implications in-game. And I had to throw Saria’s song on here because it often played at the Great Bay stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee, which was what sparked my interest in the Nintendo 64 Zelda titles.

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What are your favorite playable songs from the Zelda series? Feel free to share your lists in the comments below!