BioShock Infinite Licensed Soundtrack

BioShock Infinite features an eclectic licensed soundtrack. It can be divided into three sections:
*Songs from around the time period of the game's setting in 1912, including music from the bluegrass and gospel genres. Some of which are slightly anachronistic, being recorded in the 1920s, and 1930s."Q&A: Ken Levine's Brave New World of BioShock Infinite" article at Wired.com
*Modern recordings of period songs.
*Music that has been arranged to fit in with the era while anachronistic to the time period.
==Background==
Like the licensed soundtrack for both BioShock and BioShock 2, many songs in the game's soundtrack are typical of its time period or earlier. However, some are technically anachronistic due to the game's setting being in 1912. In an interview, Ken Levine stated that it was difficult to "find music from that era that sounds great to a modern ear" as modern chord progressions had not yet developed. Thus some of the songs listed here should be taken as representative rather than strictly adhering to the setting ranging from early Edison cylinders from 1909 to folk recordings from 1967.
Other songs are modern recordings of actual period songs. Duncan Watt (Fastestmanintheworld Media) played the piano"BioShock Infinite" Fastestmanintheworld Media article for Scott Joplin's piano compositions.
Jessy Carolina was invited to perform "After You've Gone", "Fortunate Son", and Mozart's "Lacrimosa". "Wild Prairie Rose" is an original song written by Jessy Carolina and performed by her band Ommie Wise."Jessy Carolina and Bioshock Infinite" article at Gamer Horizon, published May 14, 2013
Creative director Ken Levine and music director Jim Bonney debated over the concept of "modern songs, but in a period style". The largest problem posed was finding people who could arrange in a period style and honor the intent of the songs. Rock songs were slightly easier as they could be traced back to their roots in blues such as Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son".The music behind Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea - An interview with Ken Levine at Gamestop
Looking for a song for the Barbershop Quartet proved tricky as many choices required "a modern percussion sound" that did not transfer well to vocal harmonies. The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" was one that thrived in the transition and was inspired from the ending scene in the 1997 film Boogie Nights.We are Ken Levine (@iglevine) and Andres Gonzalez from Irrational Games. Ask Us Anything. at reddit.com Arrangement was done by Clay Hine, baritone, and sung by a Mighty Wind.http://www.barbershop.org/a-mighty-wind-bioshock-infinite/http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/view/gametrailers-com/115849-BackTrack-Composing-BioShock-Infinite-Act-1
Scott Bradlee, creator of the Post Modern Jukebox series on YouTube, was invited to contribute arrangements for the anachronistic songs. He commented that "[u]nlike some of my YouTube videos, this had to be done in an extremely subtle way".My Music in Bioshock Infinite at Post Modern Jukebox He played piano on all his rearrangements: "Tainted Love", "Shiny Happy People", and "After You've Gone". Bradlee also recorded "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" while singing with his "best 1912 voice".
In order to lend authentic credence to these modern recordings, Audio Director Patrick Balthrop used a "1912 Edison gramophone" to add Foley, background pops, and crackles."The sound of BioShock Infinite" BioShock Infinite Audio Development (stored at archive.is)
Religious controversy erupted after the premiere of the BioShock Infinite trailer at the 2011 Video Game Awards regarding the cover of the hymn "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and its apparent removal of "Lord" from the chorus."Oh, Lord: Ken Levine didn't remove religious lyrics from BioShock Infinite trailer" article on ArsTechnica.com The confusion arose from the popular Carter family version of the song released in 1935 which featured rewritten lyrics.Orphan Songs, Part 4: Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" at The Celestial Monochord However, the original 1908 lyrics does not feature the word "Lord".
Two Nico Vega songs were used in various BioShock Infinite trailers. The "Beast of America" trailer featured a new remix of the acoustic and studio versions of Nico Vega's "Beast".Nico Vega's 'Beast' at Entertainment Weekly Magazine The "Lamb of Columbia" and "False Shepherd" trailers feature various pieces of production music licensed from Extreme Music.
==Licensed Songs==
Note: As stated above, some of the songs listed here should be taken as representative rather than strictly adhering to the setting of 1912.
Title 	Artist 	Year 	Location
"(Give Me That) Old-Time Religion" 	Polk Miller and his Old South Quartette 	1909http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/polk_miller_and_his_old_south_quartette 	
*On a radio inside the Lighthouse
"(What Do We Do on a) Dew-Dew-Dewey Day" 	Charles Kaley & His Orchestra 	1927http://www.78discography.com/COL1000D.htm 	
*On radio in Hudson's Fine Clothing at New Eden Square.
*Who Needs the Power Company? Kinetoscope.
"Indian Love Call" 	Sigmund Krumgold (organ) 	1927http://www.78discography.com/OK40500.html 	
*Background music of various Kinetoscopes and Vigor demonstration films
"Little Pal" 	Lew White (organ) 	1929http://www.78discography.com/BRN4000.htm 	
*Background music of various Kinetoscopes
"Ain't She Sweet" 	Ben Bernie and the Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra with Scrappy Lambert and Billy Hillpot 	1927http://www.78discography.com/BRN3000.htm 	
*On radio at the Grocery store past New Eden Square in the Town Center
*On radio in the main menu and at the Columbian Archeological Society
"Ain't We Got Fun?" 	Van & Schenck 	1921http://www.78discography.com/COLA3000.htm 	
*The Blue Ribbon Restaurant
*On radio in the main menu and at the Columbian Archeological Society
"Watermelon Party" 	Polk Miller and his Old South Quartette 	1909http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/polk_miller_and_his_old_south_quartette 	
*On a phonograph at the bar in the Fraternal Order of the Raven, on Comstock Center Rooftops
"Makin' Whoopee" 	Rudy Vallée 	1929http://www.78discography.com/Har500.htm 	
*On radio in the office room past the chapel of the Fraternal Order of the Raven
*At the Salty Oyster bar in Emporia's Grand Central Depot
*On radio in the main menu and at the Columbian Archeological Society
"St. James Infirmary Blues" 	Irving Mills with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (recorded under the pseudonym "Ten Blackberries")	1930http://www.depanorama.net/30.htm 	
*In the storage room near the employee entrance to the Arcade
*On radio in the main menu and at the Columbian Archeological Society
"Me and My Shadow" 	The Sam Lanin Orchestra (recorded under the pseudonym "The Rangers") 	1927http://www.78discography.com/Linc2500.htm 	
*The Envy of All His Peers kinetoscope.
*On radio in Esther's room next to the gondola station's ticketing booth
*On radio in the main menu and at the Columbian Archeological Society
"Black Gal" 	Ed Lewis with unidentified prisoners, recorded by Alan Lomax‡ 	1959http://research.culturalequity.org/rc-b2/get-audio-detailed-recording.do?recordingId=4207# 	
*Sung by prisoners in a chain-gang while being questioned by Daisy Fitzroy aboard the First Lady, prior to entering Finkton
"I'm Wild About That Thing" 	Bessie Smith 	1929http://www.78discography.com/COL14000D.htm 	
*Good Time Club
*At the Columbian Archeological Society
"Button Up Your Overcoat" 	Helen Kane 	1929http://www.78discography.com/vic21500.html 	
*In an abandoned bar at Emporia Towers in Downtown Emporia
*On the main menu,
*On the radio at the Columbian Archeological Society
"Shake Sugaree" 	Elizabeth Cotten (guitar)Brenda Evans (vocals) 	1967http://www.discogs.com/Elizabeth-Cotten-Vol-2-Shake-Sugaree/release/1762342 	
*Sung and played by children in Shantytown on the way to the Bull House Impound
"It All Depends on You" 	Irving Kaufman with Fred Rich and His Hotel Astor Orchestra 	1927http://www.78discography.com/COL500D.htm 	
*On the radio at the Montgomery Residence in the Comstock Center Rooftops
*On the radio at the Soldier's Field Plaza in Main Street
*At the Columbian Archeological Society
"The Bonnie Blue Flag" 	Polk Miller and his Old South Quartette 	1909http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/polk_miller_and_his_old_south_quartette 	
*Outside the entrance to the Hall of Heroes
"Shine On, Harvest Moon" 	Ada Jones and Billy Murray 	1909http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr+1=1020&num=1&start=1&query=cylinder3588	
*In The Fellow Traveller Bar, at the Columbian Archeological Society
"La Mer" 	Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli 	1949 	
*In the Bathysphere Station after Elizabeth opens a Tear to Rapture
"The Grand Old Rag" (from George M. Cohan's "George Washington, Jr.")	Billy Murray 	1906http://www.discogs.com/Billy-Murray-The-Grand-Old-Rag/release/3957827 	
*BioShock Infinite 2010 Debut Trailer
‡The official credits page incorrectly cites the 1948 Dan Barnes recording. The 1959 Ed Lewis recording of the song is the one actually used in the game.
==Contemporary Covers==
===Modern Covers of Period Songs===
Title 	Original Composer 	Year Composed 	Performer 	Location
"After You've Gone" * 	Henry Creamer (lyrics)Turner Layton (composer) 	1918 	Jessy Carolina (vocals)Scott Bradlee (piano)Sean Condron (guitar)"Music and Score" section of the BioShock Infinite end creditsMusic page of the official BioShock Infinite website (archived at the Internet Wayback Machine)	
*On radio in the main menu and in the souvenirs shop at the Columbian Archeological Society
*On radio in the darkroom at Monument Island
*On a phonograph before the Operating Theater at Comstock House
"Solace" 	Scott Joplin 	1909 	Duncan Watt (piano) 	
*During loading screens
"The Easy Winners" 	Scott Joplin 	1901 	Duncan Watt (piano) 	
*At the Cast Out the Devil carnival game on the Fairgrounds, Welcome Center
*Plays during the removed kinetoscope "Magical Melodies Sweep Columbia"
"The Strenuous Life" 	Scott Joplin
(Composer) 	1902 	Duncan Watt (piano) 	
*At the Bring Down the Sky-Line Vox carnival game on the Fairgrounds
"Sunflower Slow Drag" 	Scott Joplin
Scott Hayden
(Composers) 	1901 	Duncan Watt (piano) 	
*Calliope version: at the Hunt Down the Vox carnival game on the Fairgrounds
*Piano version: at the Dimwit & Duke Ice Cream Shoppe in Soldier's Field
"Bridal Chorus" 	Richard Wagner 	1850 	Unknown 	
*Performed at the Raffle when getting the first prize
"Air on the G String" 	August Wilhelmj 	Unknown (late 1800s) 	Unknown 	
*On a phonograph at the aviary atop the Fraternal Order of the Raven
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (Choir) 	Ada R. Habershon (lyrics)Charles H. Gabriel (composer) 	1907 	Marc Lacuesta (arrangement)Maureen Murphy (soloist) 	
*Inside the Church of Comstock at the Welcome Center
*Parts of at the Sea of Doors
"Agnus Dei"† 	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 	1791 	Unknown 	
*First Lady's Memorial exhibit in the Hall of Heroes
"Confutatis"† 	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 	1791 	Unknown 	
*First Lady's Memorial exhibit in the Hall of Heroes
"Lacrimosa"†
*Alt. wobbly version
*Lady Comstock singing version	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 	1791 	Unknown (orchestral and wobbly versions),Jessy Carolina (Lady Comstock singing version)"Jessy Carolina and Bioshock Infinite" article at Gamer Horizon, published May 14, 2013 	
*First Lady's Memorial exhibit in the Hall of Heroes
*Lady Comstock's Grave/Battle (Siren's ambient song)
"Rex Tremendae"† 	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 	1791 	Unknown 	
*First Lady's Memorial exhibit in the Hall of Heroes
"Goodnight, Irene" 	Hudder "Lead Belly" Ledbetter (composer/lyricist) 	1932 	Jim Bonney (performance/arrangement), Bill Lobley (main speaker) 	
*Sung by Jeremiah Fink and the crowd at Raffle Square, Welcome Center (can be heard from the Path of the Scroll)
"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" 	Unknown, The Selah Jubilee Singers (first known recording) 	Unknown, first recorded version in 1941	Courtnee Draper (vocals), James Edwards (piano) 	
*Played on a piano in the building adjacent to the Graveyard Shift bar in Shantytown. Elizabeth will hum in accompaniment.
"Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2" 	Frederic Chopin 	1832 	Duncan Watt (piano) 	
*At Beggar's Wharf in Finkton Docks, in the gallery at the Columbian Archeological Society.
"Canon in D Major" 	Johann Pachelbel 	1694 	Jim Bonney (piano) 	
*At the projector room on the second floor of Comstock House
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (Elizabeth and Booker)	Ada R. Habershon (lyrics), Charles H. Gabriel (composer)"Oh, Lord: Ken Levine didn't remove religious lyrics from BioShock Infinite trailer" article on ArsTechnica.com	1907 	Courtnee Draper (vocals), Troy Baker (guitar) 	
*Hummed by Elizabeth in Booker's office before waking up in Battleship Bay
*When picking up the guitar in the Graveyard Shift's basement at Shantytown
*In the BioShock Infinite 2011 VGA Trailer
"Valse Sentimentale No. 1" 	Franz Schubert 	1823 	Duncan Watt (piano) 	
*Entrance to Emporia at Port Prosperity, played by the player piano at which Rosalind Lutece is seated
* Marion Harris is credited for first performing the song in 1918. However the game references the arrangement performed by Bessie Smith in 1927.
†Part of Mozart's Requièm Mass in D minor
===Anachronistic Covers of Modern Songs===
Several songs heard in Columbia are period-sounding "covers" of modern hits.
Some of the original versions of these songs can also be heard through Tears which allowedChanging My Tune composer Albert Fink to plagiarize and create his immensely popular (but unoriginal) melodies.
Title 	Original Artist 	Year Originally Recorded 	Performer 	Location
"God Only Knows" 	The Beach Boys 	1966 	A Mighty Wind barbershop quartetA Mighty Wind barbershop quartet homepage 	
*Passing through New Eden Square while sung by the Barbershop Quartet
*End Credits
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" 	Robert Hazard (composer)Cyndi Lauper (vocals) 	1979 	Jim Bonney (calliope) 	
*Battleship Bay (calliope)
*Magical Melodies in a Tear (original)
"Tainted Love"†
(Clash in the Clouds Full Version)	Ed Cobb (composer)Gloria Jones (1964)Soft Cell (1981)	1964 	Scott Bradlee (piano)Miche Braden (vocals) 	
*Graveyard Shift Bar in Shantytown
"Fortunate Son"† 	Creedence Clearwater Revival 	1969 	Jessy Carolina (vocals) 	
*Sung by woman near the stocks in Shantytown during successful uprising
*Plaza of Zeal in a Tear (original)
"Shiny Happy People"† 	R.E.M. 	1991 	Tony Babino (vocals, Al Jolson-esque)Tom Abbott (clarinet)Scott Bradlee (piano)Sean Condron (banjo)Adam Kubota (bass)Allan Mednard (drums)	
*Exiting gondola to Grand Central Depot
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"†	Tears for Fears 	1985 	Scott Bradlee (vocals, piano) 	
*BioShock Infinite E3 2011 Gameplay Demo
*Hummed through the Siphon in Monument Tower.
*Phonograph at Albert Fink's House
*Monument Tower in a Tear (original)
*End Credits
"Wild Prairie Rose" 	Ommie Wise 	2013"Jessy Carolina and Bioshock Infinite" article at Gamer Horizon, published May 14, 2013	Ommie Wise
Gary Schyman 	
*Performed on stage at the Fairgrounds
†Also available to unlock in The Columbian Archeological Society (Clash in the Clouds)
==Additional Music==
Title 	Artist 	Location
"Beast" 	Nico Vega 	"Beast of America" trailer
"Fury Oh Fury" 	Nico Vega 	"BioShock Infinite Launch Trailer"
"Save My Soul"† 	Blues Saraceno 	"Lamb of Columbia" trailer
"Diggin' My Own Grave"†	Nikolas Joseph Ammar	"False Shepherd" trailer
"Evil Ways"† 	Blues Saraceno 	"False Shepherd" trailer
†Licensed by the production music company "Extreme Music".
==See Also==
*BioShock Licensed Soundtrack
*BioShock 2 Soundtrack
==References==
Category:BioShock Infinite
Category:Game Extras