Water Dance
Okay, just one more Donkey Kong track from his first 3D adventure on the Nintendo 64 now that we finally got Donkey Kong Bananza. This time with a little tune that shows up in just one room. We have already covered the goofy and playfully sinister side of Grant Kirkhope a lot, however, this one shows his sublime, nostalgic and more romantic side.
You collect all the bounty you got from your submarine immersion, amidst the debris there is a little music box belonging to an ancient, long gone civilization of merfolk. You open it and this tune begins playing, conveying the sense of awe and comfort of what used to be a proud kingdom. This is what this track brings to mind, a piece that captures the magic and the fairy-like nature of the single mermaid queen we encounter in the game—in fact this is pretty much the spiritual successor to the Banana Fairy character, another humanoid woman, and cue since both use similar arpeggiated accompaniment and magical/angelic textures like the harp and the celesta. Both also have a single pretty melody line on top that is singable and could be featured with lyrics sung by the fairy like huge beings. It is traditional homphony, pure melody and accompaniment—This is the Fairy Fountain theme of the Kitkhope world.
Being its main inspiration and influence, the tender tune is a direct successor to the Ice Dance from Edward Scissorheads written by film composer Danny Elfman. It works with the delicate and melancholic harmony being based around the I to iii chord movement.
Musical Analysis
As always, the Ionian/Major profile is the best for nostalgia, specially when you throw in its minor chords; the bitter over the sweet. The Mermaid Palace has a D to F#m vamp in D major. Another classic romantic, full of melancholy device it uses is going from the IV to its minor mirror iv. The full progression being:
D – F#m – D – F#m
G – Gm – D – A
But the sacred aspect s captured by going to a Dorian vamp on the next section via a B major chord, ending going between Em – A
B Section:
B – Em – A – Em – A
F# – Bm – Em – A
It is a quality apt for such a magical creature underwater.
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