Final Fantasy VI - Dancing Mad (The Black Mages) | Reacting To Video Game Music! 

"Life.....Dreams.....Solos....where do they come from? And where do they go...? Such radical things.... I'll rock them all!"

That guitar solo is the reason why this is my favorite version.

That guitar solo is everything, man.

A guitar solo of divine quality. How fitting.

So I grew up playing FF6, and I had always thought that Dancing Mad would sound unbelievable with a real-life pipe organ. Look up Grissini Project - Dancing Mad. They did it. It's a cathedral-sized Pipe Organ masterfully played by a clear fan, as he isn't even reading music notes. It's an experience.

The guitar solo is almost like kefka regretting everything as he is defeated and realizing he is mortal. I love it

i cannot believe I used to listen to this on repeat as I went to bed when I was a teenager but also not surprised at all

The act 4 guitar 'solo' arrival - when you know it's coming it's 300% better. You get goosebumps. It's INSANE.

This song is so faithful, so pure, so much just an interpretation of the original with modern instrumentation. And then the guitar solo. 'Nuff said.

In the dictonary: The description of an 11/10 just shows a picture of the Black Mages. They made an already 10/10 song an 11. Who else can you say did that? They're so amazing..

Man I always feel like I need a cigarette after that final phase, what a masterpiece

This is like the Advent: One-Winged Angel version. Just as good as the original, but with guitar solos and riffs! The solo on this one reminds me of Pink Floyd

Another Black Mages song down...one step closer to the inevitable reaction to their take on JENOVA. 😉 You can just picture how much fun Nobuo has when he gets to perform live and it's wholesome as heck! Nobuo actually made a surprise appearance on The Primals' livestream concert earlier this year and jammed away with Soken and the other members of the band, sad that it was a paid to watch one and wasn't archived. 😔

I would pay so much money to have Dream Theatre cover this song. Dancing Mad always felt King Crimson inspired to me, and it with live instrumentation just to me convinces me more.

Final Fantasy 6 will always be my favorite one, Dancing Mad and Kefka being one of the main reasons, and this version is just a love letter to the piece.

The Black Mages is definitely my favorite version of this song. The guitar solo and all the small changes are beautiful, honestly.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who hears a bit of Santana in that guitar solo. It's *crying*

8:50 always, to me, felt like "the sad end of Kefka". Almost fitting for a funeral procession for this sad, nihilistic human monster, fallen from godhood to death.

6:10 Those bass notes you hear are quoting Kefka's theme, which you would've heard earlier in the game. Kefka's theme appears in other places in Dancing Mad as well. You should check it out! It would give you more context for this piece and probably make you love it even more!

A Black Mages must hear song! That guitar in the outro though.... 👍 Amazing synth in the beginning too.

Happy 50k! So glad you got to experience this treat of a production after you've listened to the others. Found this myself while in a Nobuo rabbit hole after beating the FF7 Remake, needing more of whatever One Winged Angel was. This version cements this song as legendary for me. The guitar solo is such a delicacy. Distant Worlds' is fun too. Shout out the guy now requesting Baten Kaitos.

This version is missing one big thing--the laugh! GaMetal managed it with a guitar and creative use of what I think is called a "wa-wa pedal" if that's the right term. Though I notice in the live chat someone interpreted this as Kefka winning, and honestly that makes an odd amount of sense, the way the tolling bell is all that remains and then fades away. And speaking of the live chat, the following comment was made: "Matt Munsinger ​Any version I hear, it takes me back to a long ago winter night. We had delivery pizza, that night. My mom had a bunch of students over for something. And I finally beat Kefka." Gosh that gives me vibes! I'm imagining the students peeking in now and then "is Matt gonna do it?" and then "Holy crap Matt is gonna do it! He's gonna do it! HE DID IT!"

Holy moly I was not expecting that guitar either. Blown away!

That guitar solo wasnt kefka regretting anything, it was kefka realizing that he is losing, his godhood crumbling before his eyes, and in the same reflection, the adventurers overcoming such an impossible task of having to bring down an ascended kefka while living with the pain he has caused the entire world by merely existing as he is, for the rest of their lives as they put this clown to an end.

I hadn't heard this version yet. What a treat! This might sound nitpicky but I'm so glad the bit of Kefka's theme in phase 4 was done in that twangy plucking (?) sort of way that really stood out. In the pixel remaster version it was done with an electric guitar that, for me, made it blend too much; it was too cohesive. I want that moment to be the wtf moment Kefka deserves haha. Anyway, the end bit with the bell tolls was also very cool along with bringing back the organ chunk. Very dramatic... and bookends not just the fight but the game itself as that organ chunk plays in the intro leading to the title screen.

That guitar solo is Just Crying Godly bro.. like oh my god!-

This brought a tear to my eye when I first heard it a decade ago.

Whenever I hear the guitar solo, an image appears in my mind of the Warring Triad statue in a quiet rainstorm with a lone figure atop it. Like Jesse said, it feels like the guitar is crying and that is what also comes to my mind.

Also, putting the guitar solo at the very end of the track. Maybe I'm just not well-versed in certain genres, but that seems pretty rare to me. Anyways, yeah, The Black Mages killed it, and that's all that needs to be said. Grats to 50K!

Man, that solo reminds me hard of Systematic Chaos-era Dream Theater. Straight out of In The Presence of Enemies.

Now the Distant Worlds version is the only one left for you to listen to

This gets even more exciting when you realize there's a very good possibility that Uematsu himself plays the organ sections.

🤟🤟 love this version so much so glad everyone requested it ❤️

Nobuo was often on the keyboards in live performances but sometimes left another take his place for more complex segments iirc Also the left side during phase 3 on the bass is the main villain theme weaved in casually

Have you listened to the ending theme to FF6 yet? It is a beautiful reprisal of all the character themes put into one giant medley

Bro I love your reactions, you give such a unique perspective on all the music I know and love. Something i'd love to hear and react to would be the Ultrakill Ost, I think it might be just up your alley : )

The version from the Distant Worlds II concert is even better as they bring in real choirs and manage to blend Orchestra with the Electric Guitars - you really need to give that version a listen, even if it's not for a reaction!

I don't know exactly where Uematsu is drawing his inspiration from but I always thought the solo organ section in the middle was reminiscent of Bach's preludes and fugues on the organ. And the organ in the following section (where the rest of the band joins in) reminds me of Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.

There is a pretty crazy version of Darkness and Maria (the opera from FF6) from The Black Mages as well.

The guitar solo just does things to my body 👌

That rotary organ put me in mind of King Crimson, specifically In the Court of the Crimson King. But yeah, the guitar solo was killer.

Uematsu's magnus opus.

I've never heard of the extended guitar solo ! This is fire ! ❤‍🔥❤‍🔥

i've seen distant worlds 3 times now....and i heard dancing mad once...but i would love to have the black mages there

5:47 Totally agree with your ranking. I really like the third one too but the second and fourth are better imo ( the second is pretty catchy ). I think the best moment in this whole music is during the 4th movement when there are the organ, the guitare and the drum playing together... I've gossebumps every time i'm listening this music. Extended this moment with a guitar solo is a F-word good choice.

"Pretty faithful"... well... as you know, Black Mages is band formed by Nobuo himself and he plays keyboards in the recordings as well (mainly Hammond)... and Dancing mad was perfect composition just as it was. there's no fixing or changing something that doesn't need it :) He's just doing a re-over with real instruments instead of sound chip :)

Dang I missed the live stream...but glad u did this...one of my favorite black mages tracks

I'm very glad that RU-vid auto played your ffxiv reaction to this song, ended up finding this version of the song and a very chill dude

It's been years since I heard this version again. At this point in my life, my soul crying out for connections to nostalgia, what imagery screams out at me is The Crow on the rooftop, but it's Locke shredding the guitar instead. That's The Black Mages. Old souls awakened by 80s rock & roll.

I...... hadnt ever realized I only heard the bass on my left hand side until you said something and then it was like 💡

If you want another excuse to listen to Dancing Mad there's also the Pixel Remaster version

I come back to this vid from time to time BECAUSE of the reaction to the guitar solo. Never seems to get old for me. 🤘 Black Mages version of Dancing Mad is an 15/10 for me. Would've been a 20/10 with the Kefka laugh. 👍

thank you for this reaction, definitely my top favorite game soundtrack cover

This is the best thing that ever came out of Final Fantasy. It's THAT good.

Want to hear a gnarly remix version of Dancing Mad with it's rival for boss music, One Winged Angel? Check out: "DANCING MAD (Prancing Dad)" by Prince of Darkness Also there is Dancing Mad: Vito Ad Mortem, by JacobPierce Music for a very opera feel.

After watching ALL of your FFVII remake and original videos, music and walkthrough, I'm here to try to recommend playing Final Fantasy IX, if you wish! I think you'll simply love it. I see that you're playing FFVIII right now and it's not that VIII is not a good game, every FF is good in their own way and I recommend it, but it's that IX is a total gem, a mastepiece. And I'm not even joking. And it's not only me that thinks like this. I'm really looking forward for the day that you'd like to give it a chance

The Black Mages' first album (which, out of the tracks you've reacted to so far, also includes Clash on the Big Bridge) is all the more impressive given how it's just 2 people: Tsuyoshi Sekito on guitar and Kenichiro Fukui on keyboards. That's before they were a bona fide "band", they didn't even have a drummer, it's all synthesized. Again, very impressive what they were able to achieve.

This is one of the best FF ost ever, right up there with One Winged Angel and Otherworld.

I was really hoping you'd get to this one at some point! I think the basic soundtrack versions of Dancing Mad suffer more than most video game songs for having each individual movement looped, it really takes away from the impact of the climax. Almost 20 years later and that guitar solo still gives me goosebumps when it kicks in.

Uematsu was asked which of his songs were his favourite, and he said he always felt proud with Dancing Mad and considers it his magnum opus. Seems fitting he'd go all out with the Black Mages in remaking it.

I know this is completely different, but you should give mario kart 8’s sound track a listen. In my opinion it is one of the greats video game ost of all time with its jazz, rock, and even sometimes orchestra!

So Jesse asked if someone would do a Kazoo cover of Dancing Mad. Turns out, people have!

Yes~

There is on RU-vid live performanvce of this song by The Black Mages, it's only fan recording, but still it's great to watch, and you can see there how Nobuo Uematsu playing. I would love to see your reaction to that performance. :) And, if I'm correct, whole soundtracks to few first FF games were played by Nobuo on synths, I'm not sure to which one, maybe all these played on synths, I don't know.

I'm so jealous of your hair lmao. It's so pretty.

Gotta watch Nobuo play with his band Earthbound Papas at Magfest, the god went hard on that keyboard!

I missed the premier dammit...no matter, rock on!

Basically that last bit just went full Pink Floyd Comfortably Numb

On your own time of course....look up a live version of this song. Nobuo is having the time of his life playing this and its so infectious. And someone can correct me if I am wrong but I think this song isn't even the last song on the album....think its like 3rd to last

Definitely one of the best versions of this song. Still, there's a version I feel really stands above the rest. If you feel like hearing another rendition of this song, check out the symphonic Arrange version performed by 상록수 (Sorry, don't know how that's even pronounced). It's incredible.

Magnyus in the chat put it well: _Dancing Sad._ Seriously. That entire part starting at 8:50, the way they extended it - it put even more emphasis on the sheer sadness of Kefka's existence, on that absolute tragedy, on the demise of this monster that never got a chance to be anything but. So insanely well done...

another version of this to check out should be OC ReMix #1542: Super Mario World 'Koopa vs. Kefka' [Sub Castle BGM, Dancing Mad (FF6)] by Dhsu

Oh my god the moment you said "It sounds like an Electric Light Orchestra" I immediately aggreed! Oh I can't wait for final form boss music... Here we go

my favourite version!

You still need to listen to the absolutely best version of this song - the Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster version.

The Distant Worlds - Returning Home version has some lovely circus swing to the fourth movement

Each version of this particular track stands on its own, there is no true comparison to be made between each. But my personal, subjective favourite version is the (Symphonic Arrange) version made by RU-vidr Sangnoksu. At 18 minutes, each phase is repeated with something new, and what they did with phase 4 will never leave my mind. I hope one day, on your next milestone even, you react to this version.

If they EVER remake FF6 like FF7R I swear they better just throw Kefka a guitar and let him play this solo when this part of the song comes up WHILE you fight him. The party just sits there finally realizing that indeed Kefka IS a literal GOD and maybe they should just let him rule the world. At least while he plays this.

Hail kefka!!!

Yeah this is godlike 🤩🤩

You should check the Distant Worlds rendition of this, is crazy

Phase 1 is a bit of a thinker in this version. The order is different, but it's pretty close to Those Chords at the start of Lavos' Theme in Chrono Trigger, which Uematsu was probably assisting on at about the same time.

I got two words for that Solo. Gary Moore

The Black Mages: Assault of the Silver Dragons PLEASE

you should react to a live performance of the black mages, there's a couple around on youtube, i'd be fun to watch!

These one off remixes of FF music are so good. Hopefully you get to review some of the Distant Worlds versions one day, their covers of 10, 12 and 14 songs are arguably even better than the originals.

I got SHIVERS during the end solo

Song suggestion Final fantasy xiv pandemonium song scream

you should listen to "Prancing dad" then its one winged angel and dancing mad i thinknit was originally an ocremix song

solo best part

I insist that the "Distant Worlds" version is far superior. Please consider it 🙏

Hey Jessie, i was wondering if you could take a look at 1000 Words from Final Fantasy X-2? its a extremely good song and emotional aswell

There actually is a kazoo rendition of this here on RU-vid...

You mentioned it sounded like an ELO song, I always thought Fire on High sounded like a final boss theme lmao

Alright this is a bit niche and probably not quite like what you usually cover on this channel but had anyone ever suggested Ar Tonelico? I wonder about it because the concert albums (from 2 on and especially in 3 and Ar Nosurge) lean heavily on the series conlang. That said Despedia from 2 is probably a good jumping-in point. It's nice and short and is very metal.

if you wanna check out some of Mages' songs I GOTTA recommend "Matoya's Cave" its wicked!!

was hoping it would be distant world version, oh well, still cool

Hey, could you check out some of the music from the PS1 game Evil Zone at some point? Maybe either Decision or Near By The Death? Edit: forgot to mention my take on this one. I actually heard this version before the original. Honestly, I think the only way this one could be improved is if they had a real choir, instead if the synth. I think the Distant Worlds version has that, but it's missing this versions percussion. (I think that was my impression when I first heard it, unless I'm mixing it up with something.)

If it's organ or keyboard, it's not necessarily Nobuo-sama, god-tier honorifics intended. BM also stuck a ridiculously talented guy in the "keyboard cubicle" for the trickier parts. That doesn't mean Uematsu sits and does nothing, watch the concert footage to see him in action!

Clearly we need a stream recording of you actually playing the game