I’m calling on Jill to get in here because this song has an accordion front and center.
Some interesting time signature play here. The beginning is in 7/8, then a few bars of 4/4 before the verse (instrumentals can have verses and choruses, you know), and continuing into the verse. There’s a weird kind of rhythmic stutter at the end of the phrasing during the verses that might make you think it’s in a non-standard time signature, but alas. It doesn’t help that the accordion is all over the place, either. Then it’s back to 7/8 for the pre-chorus and into chorus with the lovely (hate that word but it fits) sustained soaring melody blasting out of that squeezebox. But then you’re hit with a 6/8 during the quieter bridge part starting at 2:19.
This was written by Yoko Kanno, who I am convinced composes half of all soundtrack music that comes out of Japan. Like with all of these songs I post, I wanted to find out the context of the gameplay where this song plays, but RO2 seems to be so universally despised that there are very few videos out there of any gameplay, much less full playthroughs. The title is a bit of a mystery, like a lot of titles from Japanese offerings: I’ve seen it titled “Kafra Clap and Walk,” and the “Kafra” here refers to a chain of in-game maid cafés where you can buy, among other things, transport goods and services. I’d like to think this song plays when you buy the lowest-level service of an unnecessary walking companion, who you’d only hire as an entertaining distraction while you hoof it to your next destination. I believe the kids these days call this a “headcanon” explanation.
I did find this video of some sort of gameplay with the song, but there’s not telling if the audio is from the original video recording, or if he overlaid the song afterwards. I know it’s a literal “he” and not an inclusive pronoun because no woman would create an MMORPG character with a binky and show it off like that. People online are weird.
Listen below or load the mp3 of “Clap and Walk” in a new tab/window, or listen to “Clap and Walk” on YouTube.
4 Comments
You know, this reminds me of the music that was in River Dance. But I think it’s the theatricality plus accordion. Nice! I like it.
I remember River Dance. It started to get really big I think when I was in college? Mid to late nineties. I didn’t pay attention because I had my metal blinders on. Now I want to listen to that stuff.
My kids did Irish dance for years, and my mom one year bought us all tickets to River Dance when they were in Albuquerque. It was amazing. It traces some theoretical roots of the Irish people, which is why there is a lot of world music and not strictly Irish.
Might be broaching the cask here, but what did you mean by “theoretical” Irish roots? Keep in mind I am very conspiracy theory-friendly, so don’t hold back.