A thought on B/A and B/S in music.

[elisi]

These are some thoughts that've been in my head for a while. I'm not sure they are particularly interesting, I just felt like sharing. It's all about music...

Both B/A and B/S have a theme. The Bangel one is 'Close Your Eyes', the Spuffy one 'The Final Fight'. Now just going by titles, they say so much about the relationships they relate to:

- Buffy says: "Close your eyes" before she kills Angel. He is the victim - his own victim, in that he has to pay for Angelus's crime. It is a heart-wrenching, soul-destroying moment for Buffy, left bereft and alone, deciding that she cannot cope anymore and runs away from home. Buffy tried to pretend that everything was going to be ok when she started seeing Angel - she knew they had no future, but she was drawn in and closed her eyes to the harsh facts.
"When I kiss you, I want to die."

- Now the Final Fight... Buffy and Spike were always about the fight. "Do we really need weapons for this?" "I'd rather be fighting you anyway!" They were dancing for years, before Spike finally 'went down fighting'. His last words: "I wanna see how it ends!" He was not a victim, but a champion, his own actions having brought him there. Buffy was left stronger, ready to start a new life - proud of her lover. Because Buffy and Spike hardly ever pretended. She tried to deny what he felt - what she felt - but she never made it more, never tried to say that it would end well.
"This isn't real, but I just wanna feel."

The other point is the music itself:

- 'Close Your Eyes' is a beautiful, sad piece of music. You can hum the tune after hearing it once. It fits perfectly with the tragic, doomed love of Buffy and Angel... it is Romeo and Juliet set to music.

- 'The Final Fight' on the other hand is complicated. It's big and powerful and sweeping. It is not easy to remember, but much more satisfying to listen to. It could even be argued that it reflects the story of Buffy and Spike. It starts out slow (s2), and then builds and builds (s4-5) until it suddenly comes to a climax (s6) and then quiets down (s7). The last few movements are slow and lush and rich, reflecting the beauty and understatedness of s7 Spuffy. I love this piece of music far, far too much.

Comments

[jenjojen.livejournal.com]

I love LOVE the last few minutes of the Final Fight. The Spuffy theme is just so sweet and heartbreaking for me. I love CLose your eyes, but I can't help but love The Final Fight more. It's probably becuase I'm a spuffy. And then when i realized that it plays underneath every scene that Buffy and Spike have together by themselves in season 7, ya...I love that music.

[elisi]

it plays underneath every scene that Buffy and Spike have together by themselves in season 7

I only found that out fairly recently, and I'm planning on re-watching all of s7 when I can and listening very carefully. Such a beautiful theme. *sigh*

[lillianmorgan.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks for this. S7 Spuffy seems to be getting a bit of a battering at the moment on LJ and in my head so this cheers me up A. LOT.
She tried to deny what he felt - what she felt - but she never made it more, never tried to say that it would end well.
"This isn't real, but I just wanna feel."
Hmmm - very, very nicely put. And, I guess she never denied - but she was always more realistic with Spike than with Angel, I suppose.
OMG! I just noticed you changed the background - when did you do that? ::taps fingers:: I will feel just awful if you've had it for a week and I still haven't said anything.....

[elisi]

Oh, I'm happy to have cheered you up. superplin just wrote about s7 a short while ago, having re-watched it and loving it more. And buttersideup is going to do a long post about (/in defense of) s7 once she gets it finished!

Hmmm - very, very nicely put.

I'm so glad you think so! I was agonising over the words. During the time S and B sleep together she does try to pretend a bit, but never in the same way as with Angel. It's all very complicated and I didn't want to write 3 pages! ;)

I changed my background and layout colours this morning. Recently a lot of other people seem to have chosen that lovely green thing I had, and it didn't feel as 'special' as it used to. And I like it bright. I guess you inspired me. :)

Oh - and thank you for the beta-ing. Will get to work asap!

[lillianmorgan.livejournal.com]

And I like it bright. I guess you inspired me. :)
LOL! I'm glad, at least I didn't inspire you to go gardening with the overwhelming greenness or something.
Oh I'd be interested to read superplin's S7 thoughts - will have a better look for it tomorrow. Couldn't find it on first inspection.

[elisi]

Just had a look and realised that it's friendslocked. But you should definitely friend her - I'm sure she'll friend you back, she likes fellow s7 lovers! :) She also writes some of the cleverest analysis I've ever seen.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

A stupid question: if you have it in mp3 or some similar format, can you send it to me, because I've never heard it outside of the series, and can't pick apart from the whole scene when I do?

[elisi]

I can very easily send it - would you prefer it in an e-mail or using YouSendIt? Say the word and it'll be yours! :)

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

depending on the size - whichever way would work.

avrefint at gmail dot com

Thank you!

[elisi]

It's 3.8 Mb, so I guess YouSendIt is best. Will sort it out now! :)

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

I've got the spuffy theme! YAy! thank you so much.

[elisi]

Oh, I'm so happy! I looked at it after I sent it and realised that it was a m4a file and suddenly worried that wouldn't work!

[calove.livejournal.com]

Very nice analysis, beautifully done. Preggers brain hasn't kicked in yet, then?!

You wouldn't happen to have a link for 'The Final Fight' in whatever form, please? I don't think i've ever heard it in isolation.

[elisi]

Preggers brain hasn't kicked in yet, then?!

Heee! Obviously not! ;) Although this is something that's been on my mind for a while. And since LJ was so veeeeeery quiet today I felt like writing something. I'm glad you liked it. :)

And I'll be happy to send 'The Final Fight' to you as well!

[calove.livejournal.com]

That would be fab, but I have a 3MB limit on my mails - when you sign up for one of these 'unlimited' braodband packages, they don't actually tell you it's limited unlimited. So, unless it zips down to less than 3 MB - it won't get through :(

[elisi]

Well my husband might be able to zip it down (I am useless with computers - he seems to be able to understand them telepathically). Will send you an e-mail if I manage to sort it out! *hopeful smile*

[swsa.livejournal.com]

If you just use your own email address at YSI, then you can just copy the link and post it here, then everyone can grab it themselves instead of you having to send it out multiple times. Also, then no one should get tripped up by email limits either. Plus, I can grab it. *g*

[elisi]

I often wondred how people did that. Will have a go later. And do I only have to upload it once?

[swsa.livejournal.com]

Yup. Just use your own email address, and when it's complete the link will pop up. Post that here, and people can download right from the link.

[elisi]

Will have a go then. Thank you! :)

[skylee.livejournal.com]

Beautifully put! I was rewatching S7 recently, and the Final Fight was the background music in the DVD menu, and I wanted to cry.

I love their theme music. :(

Btw, you probably know this already, but the composer Robert Duncan has put up some more music of BtVS on his website: - http://www.duncanmusic.com/buffy.html

[elisi]

the Final Fight was the background music in the DVD menu

I know!!! I kept it playing once for ages, just to hear it again and again! *sigh* I've listened to it SO often and I'm still not tired of it! :)

Thank you for the link. I had heard, but forgotten where. Will have to check it out.

[crackers4jenn.livejournal.com]

You know, I actually have no idea what either of their theme songs are. Ack. I've probably heard them a dozen times over too, they just never really stuck with me. I know everybody always mentions the fact that you hear Bangel's song and it sticks with you - but I have no clue what it is, heh. [though I think if I heard them, I'd immediately recognize 'em]

I want to hear Spuffy's though. Is it the one they play during those schmoopy scenes in Touched? Because waaaah, that stuff kills me ;____;.

BTW, I love these thoughts of yours very much :)

[elisi]

Well, I just remember that the Bangel song is played in 'Forever' when Angel comes to comfort Buffy. I'm sure you'll hear the first few notes and go "Ahh, that one!" Also probably played numerous times in s2, but it's been a while since I sat down and sought out B/A scenes! ;)

And I'll have to check re. Touched. But it is (obviously) played during the big battle in the Hellmouth (excellent fighting music) and during the hands-scene. *sigh*

And thank you - I like your thoughts too! :)

[cindergal.livejournal.com]

Great analysis of the two, and while I find the B/A theme lovely and sad, you're right - the S/B theme is a much more complicated and powerful piece of music.

[elisi]

Thank you! The music pretty much reflects how I feel about the ships. B/A is sweet, but simple, B/S is so very, very complex and that's the reason I adore it. *sigh*

[pfeifferpack.livejournal.com]

You are spot on with this I think. They ha wonderful music editors and composers at ME too.

Another thing I though when reading this post is the other significance of Close Your Eyes. Neither Buffy nor Angel ever truly saw the other. They both had idealized "views" of what and who their loved one was. Anything that didn't fit the "good hero Angel" mode was either ignored, attributed to Angelus or Angel wanting someone to think he was Angelus. Angel was capable of, and often did, lie, he was also quite ruthless when needed (not to mention manipulative). Now I don't mean to imply he was "bad" because of these characteristics, merely they were there and Buffy never saw them. After all, would Buffy have ever accepted ANGEL as having locked Dru and Darla in with the W&H Lawyers? Notice that Angel never told Buffy how he had fed off of "bad people" for years after the Curse (vs. her comment to Spike that showed she thought such a plan was evil). He always needed her to close her eyes to part of him.

Angel never saw beyond the girl with Buffy. Any of her darker side or more complicated side confused him. He closed his eyes to much about her.

This IMHO is one reason they could never make it the distance. They hid too much and rejected parts of the other.

B/S on the other hand knew each other totally and could fight the fight together, accepting.

Kathleen

[elisi]

They both had idealized "views" of what and who their loved one was.

Exactly. Which is why I can't imagine Buffy and Angel 'living happily ever after'. I forget who wrote this, but I remember someone saying, that the Angel we see on BtVS is very much 'the mysterious stranger' - an intriguing boyfriend for the teenage heroine. But Angel on his own show is not a suitable boyfriend for a young girl - at all. He's often morally ambiguous and can be extremely ruthless. If they ever tried to get back together it would end baaaadly!!!

B/S on the other hand knew each other totally and could fight the fight together, accepting.

*Nods vigorously*

[yourlibrarian]

That's a really interesting comparison. I have to admit I've paid very little attention to the series music (though I love what I have on the OMWF soundtrack), so your thoughts really intrigued me. Thanks for pointing it out (and prompting me to go get the music!)

[elisi]

I'm glad you found it interesting. Having both soundtracks (and the OMWF too of course!) I've begun to appreciate how much thought went into the music. In almost every case the songs chosen for a scene add to it, once you begin to notice them.

F.ex. in 'Sleeper' Aimee Mann is playing 'Pavlov's Bell' during the Bronze scene, the theme running through 'The Zeppo' is called 'Dead Guys With Bombs', the song at the end of 'Entropy' begins with the words "Who would sell their soul for love..." and at the beginning of 'Crush' the band plays a song all about choices... I would recommend getting the soundtracks asap! :)

Oh - and the prime example of this is of course 'Stupid Thing' (by Nickel) the song that plays in the scene where Spike first sees Buffy (in the Bronze) - "I'm one step away from crashing to my knees...".

[yourlibrarian]

When you reference the soundtracks, do you mean things like "Radio Sunnydale"?

I remember reading an analysis of all of "School Hard" on SSS and I think it noted the lyrics' applicability to Spike's eventual actions. Though given the plans for the character that part couldn't have been premeditated. But yes, I have heard discussion about the song choices made. BtVS was a show with a lot of levels of detail. Certainly gave us a lot to talk about!

[elisi]

do you mean things like "Radio Sunnydale"?

Yes, and the first one (that's just called 'The Buffy Soundtrack' or something boring like that). Actually the UK version of 'Radio Sunnydale' had twice as many songs on it as the US one, so try to get hold of that one! ;)

[zimshan.livejournal.com]

Recently I have gotten very into the score music behind the series, and now idealize Chris Beck, who did S2-S4 as well as The Gift and OMWF.

But what was it that jumpstarted my crazy fascination with the score music...finding Rob Duncan's Final Fight sequence on his website. It's absolutely the most amazing score made on the series and I love that fact that it is the last one we hear. In that sense, it is just so fitting. It was the music we heard throughout those last seven minutes that made the scene as epic as it possibily could.

As many times as I have listened to it though, I have never put it in terms of Buffy and Spike's relationship. I chuckled when I found out the BA theme was named 'Close Your Eyes' since it really correlated with their relationship, but I haven't thought in terms of the whole Final Fight being BS's theme.

Still the lines you draw to connect especially well and now I'd love to know what Rob Duncan's thought process was during his writing. Because the complexities of this piece really do echo their relationship in seasons past and especially this season.

And what is this about this music being used throughout S7 spuffy scenes? I just did a run through S7 and I didn't notice them. Could anyone who did maybe point out a few?

[elisi]

It was the music we heard throughout those last seven minutes that made the scene as epic as it possibily could.

I couldn't agree more!!! I also love the music for 'The Gift'. *sniffle*

I know, 'Close Your Eyes' is very fitting. And it's of course also what Darla says to Liam before she kills/turns him. It's a bit of a pattern.

I haven't thought in terms of the whole Final Fight being BS's theme.

Well, that's all just speculation on my part - I'd love for it to be true, but it doesn't really matter.

I actually sat down and watched the Spuffy scene in 'Touched', but the background music is so very quiet that it's hard to discern. Although apparently it's also played during the church scene in 'Beneath You'.

[sylva-rerum.livejournal.com]

Very interesting analysis. I can't think of anything to say at the moment other than 'I agree'. :)

Although, I always thought that the Spuffy love theme was only the last bit at the end of 'The Final Fight', since that's the part that plays in their other scenes, like in 'Touched'. I figured that the rest of 'The Final Fight' was just battle music. Really cool battle music, though. :)

[elisi]

I always thought that the Spuffy love theme was only the last bit at the end of 'The Final Fight'

Oh, yes. I just got this idea when I was listening, that all the battle stuff would do very nicely to sum up their earlier relationship. But then I do tend to think too much! ;)

Really cool battle music, though. :)</i. Right there with you!