Answers (Final Fantasy XIV)

"Answers" is the main theme of Final Fantasy XIV, composed by Nobuo Uematsu, arranged by Tsutomu Narita, with lyrics written by Yaeko Sato and Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, and performed by American musician, Susan Calloway. In an interview promoting Final Fantasy XIV before its release, Uematsu says Calloway was his first and only choice to sing the song after her performance on Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy. Uematsu also said it was his favorite piece on the soundtrack.
==Lyrics==
Since the song's first appearance, a number of fan transcriptions of the lyrics have appeared, most incorrect in some aspect, especially the complex layered choral parts. The official lyrics were posted on the Final Fantasy XIV forums to coincide with the release of the "End of an Era" trailer in November 2012.
The lyrics were released again on the Before Meteor: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack along with the Japanese translation. With the release of Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, the lyrics and a renewed Japanese translation by Natsuko Ishikawa were revisited on the Developers' Blog.https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/blog/003219.htmlhttps://jp.finalfantasyxiv.com/blog/003220.html
;English
:I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer
:Release your hands, for your will drags us under
:My legs grow tired, tell us where must we wander
:How can we carry on if redemption's beyond us?
:To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant
:To all of my children to whom Death hath passed his judgement
:The soul yearns for honor, and the flesh the hereafter
:Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after
:Shining is the Land's light of justice
:Ever flows the Land's well of purpose
:Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe...
:The Land is alive, so believe...
:Suffer (Feel) Promise (Think) Witness (Teach) Reason
:(Hear) Follow (Feel) Wander (Think) Stumble (Teach) Listen
:(Speak) Honor (Speak) Value (Tell) Whisper (Tell) Mention
:(Hope) Ponder (Hope) Warrant (Wish) Cherish (Wish) Welcome
:(Roam) Witness (Roam) Listen (Roam) Suffer (Roam) Sanction
:(Sleep) Weather (Sleep) Wander (Sleep) Answer
:Sleep on
:Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated
:Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated
:Our souls have been torn, and our bodies forsaken
:Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken
:War born of strife, these trials persuade us not
:(Feel what? Learn what?)
:Words without sound, these lies betray our thoughts
:Mired by a plague of doubt, the Land, she mourns
:(See what? Hear what?)
:Judgement binds all we hold to a memory of scorn
:Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?
:Witness (Feel) Suffer (Think) Borrow (Teach) Reason
:(Hear) Follow (Feel) Stumble (Think) Wander (Teach) Listen
:(Blink) Whisper (Blink) Shoulder (Blink) Ponder (Blink) Weather
:(Hear) Answer (Look) Answer (Think) Answer together
:Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow
:To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow
:In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow
:Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow
:In the same fleeting moment
:Thou must live
:Die
:And know
;Japanese translation
:何故だというのか？
:濁った眼を閉じろ　苦しまなくてはならない
:何時だというのか？
:その手を離してくれ　囚われなくてはならない
:何処だというのか？
:疼く足がもつれる　しかし、歩まねばならない
:どのように償わせよう？
:私達は　奪われ続けているのだ
:生きとし　生ける全てのものよ
:死にたもう　死せる全てのものよ
:心は高潔を目指し　肉は無窮を求め
:先人を尊び　後人を導く
:世界は正義に満ちている
:世界は理想に満ちている
:幸い有れ　幸い有れ　幸い有れ
:世界は創造に満ちている
:見て　聞いて　考えて　教えて
:見て　聞いて　考えて　教えて
:見て　聞いて　考えて　教えて
:語れ　語れ　語れ　語れ
:見て　聞いて　考えて　教えて
:願え　願え　願え　願え
:見て　聞いて　考えて　答えて
:惑い　惑い　惑い　惑い
:見て　聞いて　考えて　答えて
:瞑る　瞑る　瞑る　瞑る
:何処まで続くのだろう？
:見えているのだろう？　過ちが繰り返される
:何時まで続くのだろう？
:聞いているのだろう？　希望に欺かれる
:心は噛みちぎられ　肉は腐り落ちていく
:先人の轍を踏み　後人を考える余裕もない
:戦争も　惨劇も　悲鳴も　何にもならない
:何を見ろというのか？　何を聞けというのか？
:文字も　絵も　音も　何にもならない
:何を考えろというのか？　何を得ろというのか？
:世界は疑問に満ちている　世界は審判に満ちている
:何を為だというのか　誰の為だというのか　一生は
:見て　聞いて　考えて　教えて
:見て　聞いて　考えて　教えて
:見て　聞いて　考えて　答えて
:瞬け　瞬け　瞬け　瞬け
:見て　聞いて　考えて　教えて
:答えよ　答えよ　答えよ　答えよ
:あなたが生きているのは
:見て、聞いて、考えて、答を出すため。
:あなたが生きているのは
:答を伝えるため。
:一瞬ごとに死んでいく世界は
:一瞬ごとに生まれていく世界であり
:一瞬ごとに変わっていく世界
:この一瞬ごと
:生まれ
:死んで
:答を得る
;Japanese translation 6.0ver.
:『見るに堪えない。なぜ苦しまねばならないのか』
:『手を放せ。お前の意地に巻き込まれてしまう』
:『どう行けばいい、足がもたない』
:『救われないのに、生きていくのか』
:命満つる全ての子らよ
:死に裁かれし全ての子らよ
:魂が誉れに、身が不滅に焦がれても
:先ゆく者を見、続く人を導いて
:その星の正義は眩く
:意志は漲り続けている
:歩め、願う場所へ、望むままに、信じて
:世界は更新されていく、だから大丈夫
:感じて、考えて、教えて　『なぜこの苦しみは契られたのか』
:聞いて、感じて、考えて、教えて　『声を追い、彷徨っては躓く』
:話して、伝えて　『名誉や価値、噂を挙げる』
:望み、願って　『本当に大切なのは深くにある想い』
:悩み、彷徨って　『見て聞いた苦しみを受け入れる』
:微睡み、眠れ　『嵐を進み、答えを探す』
:静かに
:さあ目を開けなさい、醒めぬ苦境のうちに
:未だ叫びに耳を貸さず、打ちひしがれて倒れているのか
:魂は分かたれ、体は失われた
:過去の罪を負い続ければ、未来まで奪われる
:不和が生んだ戦争は取るに足らない
:『何を感じ、何を知れと？』
:あやふやな音なき言葉が心を惑わせる
:彼女の嘆く世界は、疑いの病に塗れている
:『何を見て、何を聞けと？』
:災厄があらゆる者を堕ちた記憶に縛りつける
:なぜ命を与えられながら死にゆくのか、無力でも叫び問う
:苦しみを前に理由を求めた　『感じて、考えて、教えて』
:声を追い、彷徨っては躓く　『聞いて、感じて、考えを教えて』
:想いを背負い嵐を進む　『明るく、暗く、瞬きたまえ』
:ともに答えを突きつけるまで　『聞いて、見て、考えて』
:あなたの人生は問い続ける、歓び悲しむために
:解り、悼み、明日に託すために
:世界から瞬く間に命が流れ去り
:澱むことなく、まだ見ぬ方へと進んでいく
:この一瞬ごと
:生まれ
:死んで
:答を得る
==Game appearances==
===Final Fantasy XIV (version 1.0)===
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A portion of an edited version of "Answers" played in the opening cutscene, whether the player began their journey in Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, or Ul'dah. The song was later featured in the FMV which played when the game service shut down.
It is track 104 on the Before Meteor: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
Jainelette, a Wildwood Elezen, was a harp-player aboard The Astalacia in Limsa Lominsa who would play a short phrase of the song when interacted with.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrJ5o_GN-M8 She was removed in A Realm Reborn, but as of Heavensward, she has since moved to Ishgard where she instead serves as a guard for House Dzemael. https://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Jainelette
A distorted version of "Answers" replaced all outdoor field and battle music after the Final Save maintenance on October 31st, 2012. It features all of Susan Calloway's singing filtered at varying degrees throughout the song, but the choir and orchestra were replaced by an ominous, aetherial rumble. This track has been referred to by fans as "Dalamud Answers", and is the longest variation of the song placed in the game. This version of the song is also notable for not having been included in any official soundtrack release to date; the only way to listen to the song at present is to either get a music file extracted from the final version 1.0 client or a recording made during the version 1.0 closing event. An orchestrial roll of the song, officially titled "Answers - Reprise", was made available in the Rising seasonal event in August 2017, albeit shortened and with the background ambience removed.
====Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn====
"Answers" returns to the relaunched version. It is featured in the opening FMV of the game.
During the Rising event, an altered version of "Dalamud Answers" called "Answers - Reprise" is played at the Aftcastle in Limsa Lominsa, Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre in Old Gridania, and the Ruby Road Exchange in Ul'dah. It is notable for not having the rumbling that came with Dalamud's decent, and the pauses between each line are shorter. It was arranged by Masayoshi Soken.
"Answers - Reprise" is track 22 on the Before the Fall: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
 raid series features musical themes based on "Answers"; the main theme of the raid called "Primal Timbre" shifts between a quiet, atmospheric version or a more dramatic version with heavier instrumentation based on whether the party is in combat with monsters called "Spiral", and the raid's boss theme called "Calamity Unbound" also uses strains from the song in certain sections, though it is less obviously based on "Answers".
They were composed by Soken. "Spiral" was arranged by Soken while "Primal Timbre" and "Calamity Unbound" were arranged by Nobuko Toda and Yoshitaka Suzuki (as "Film Score").
"Primal Timbre" is track 117, "Spiral" is track 118, and "Calamity Unbound" is track 119 on the A Realm Reborn: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
In , another arrangement of "Answers" called "Blades" serves as the theme of the raid. It was composed and arranged by Soken.
"Blades" is track 16 on the Before the Fall: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
In , the song serves as the boss theme while the party fights Bahamut Prime. In addition, a redone instrumental version of the song called "From the Ashes" is played during Turn 3 while the party fights Phoenix. It was composed and arranged by Soken.
"From the Ashes" is track 45 on the Before the Fall: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
====Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood====
A remixed, instrumental version of "Answers" called "Beyond Redemption"http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/ff14/stormblood/tracklist/ Track 59 plays when Bahamut "unleashes his inner rage" in the final phase of . It was arranged by Soken, Kenichi Kuroda, and Hiroki Masutani.
"Beyond Redemption" is track 59 on the Stormblood: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
====Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker====
"Answers" returns as the character theme of Venat. "From the Ashes" also returns and both play when she becomes Hydaelyn to sunder Zodiark during the Final Days, aborting any attempts to restore the ancients to their former glory. In this context, the song's title reflects how Hermes wanted to discern to the point of existence itself, the lyrics of "Answers" describing from Hydaelyn's persepective how humanity must suffer and experience mortality in order to be able to defeat Meteion.
"From the Ashes" and "Answers" are tracks 39 and 40 on the Endwalker: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
Two new arrangements of the song appear in the expansion. Arranged by Takafumi Imamura and Daiki Ishikawa, "Your Answer" plays as the boss theme against Hydaelyn in . A piano arrangement by Imamura titled "Answers (Piano Version)" plays in some scenes with Venat and Hydaelyn, as well as the final scene with Zenos viator Galvus. They are tracks 42 and 43 on the soundtrack.
===Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call===
"Answers" appears as an Event Music Sequence (EMS) for Final Fantasy XIV.
====Theatrhythm Final Bar Line====
==Arrangement album appearances==
=== Distant Worlds III: more music from Final Fantasy ===
A recording of "Answers" appears on this album. It was conducted by Arnie Roth and performed by the Distant Worlds Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus with Susan Calloway as the vocal soloist.
===Susan Calloway's single===
On March 4, 2016 Susan Calloway released "The Artist Cut" version of the song on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C3D9DUO?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=dm_ws_ap_tlw_alb2
A pop remix version of "Answers" was also later released.
===Journeys: Final Fantasy XIV ~Arrangement Album~===
An arrangement of "Answers" by Keiko appears as an extra track in this album, with Keiko as the pianist and the vocals provided by Susan Calloway.
===Final Fantasy XIV Orchestral Arrangement Album Vol.3===
An orchestral arrangement of "Your Answer" was released with Sachiko Miyano as the arranger and recording director. It was conducted by Hirofumi Kurita and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Glory Chorus Tokyo, and Keiko as the pianist.
==Live performances==
===Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy Returning Home===
An orchestral arrangement of "Answers" conducted by Arnie Roth and performed by the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra and the Keio University Wagner Society Choir is present on the third Distant Worlds album, also sung by Susan Calloway.
===Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy The Celebration===
The second orchestral arrangement of "Answers" for Distant Worlds was conducted by Arnie Roth and performed by the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra and the Real Singers of Tokyo (RST), with Susan Calloway as the vocal soloist again.
===2014 Shanda Games' Event===
During Shanda Games (now Shengqu Games)' Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Chinese server announcement conference in China on August 20, 2014, Laure Shang (Shang Wenjie) performed a live singing of "Answers" with Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. The lyrics are the same as the original version.
===Eorzean Symphony: Final Fantasy XIV Orchestral Album===
A concert performance of "Answers" for the Eorzean Symphony was recorded and appears on this album. It was conducted by Hirofumi Kurita and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mih Khetto Chorus, with Susan Calloway as the vocalist.
===Eorzean Symphony: Final Fantasy XIV Orchestral Album Vol.3===
"Your Answer" was performed and recorded during the Final Fantasy XIV Orchestra Concert 2022 -Eorzean Symphony-, conducted by Hirofumi Kurita and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Glory Chorus Tokyo.
It is also on the Eorzean Symphony: Final Fantasy XIV Orchestral Album Vol.3 (Concert version).
==Compilation album appearances==
===Final Fantasy Vocal Collection===
"Answers" is track 10 on the album.
===Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Tracks 1987-2017===
"Answers" appears as track 31 of disc 2 on the album celebrating Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary.
===Time and Again: Final Fantasy XIV Raid Dungeon Themes===
"Answers is track 9 of disc 1 on the album.
===Final Fantasy XIV - The Best===
"Answers - Reprise" is track 21 on the album. "Answers" also appears as an bonus movie on the album.
===Final Fantasy XIV Vinyl LP Box Vol. 2===
"Your Answer" is track 5 on side A of the Endwalker Vinyl LP Vol. 2 album.
==Other appearances==
A slightly shortened version of the song was used in the "End of an Era" trailer.
== Gallery ==
FFXIV Jainelette.png|Jainelette playing "Answers" on her harp for an audience.
== Citations ==
== External links ==
* Distant Worlds THE CELEBRATION 「Answers」サンプルムービー ゲーム映像 - YouTube (Game video)
fr:Answers
Category:Event themes from Final Fantasy XIV
Category:Event themes from Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call