Editor's note: The following evaluation includes spoilers for BioShock Infinite. Please proceed with caution.
The power of song elevates visual storytelling beyond what simple images and dialogue can achieve. Though "show, don't tell" is a centuries-old nugget of advice to those piecing together a narrative, it can be too easy to overlook the accompanying music or tracks cued to elicit certain emotions or mood. Would Top Gun work as well with any other cheesy '80s tune other than "Danger Zone?" Could we associate the heart-wrenching events of Titanic with any ballad other than Celine Dion's powerful "My Heart Will Go On"? Both examples complement the scenes they accompany because their emotional timbre resonates with the emotions on screen, amplifying the impact the scene has on the viewer.
But what about songs whose tone and content seem to clash with the scenes in which they appear? There can be power in contrast as well, such as when 2001: A Space Odyssey's glacially paced spacewalking scenes are juxtaposed with the waltzing strains of The Blue Danube. But what of songs attached to other emotions or projects, such as gospel music or blues? What happens when you associate a dark, synth-pop tune lamenting love having soured with a completely different set of events? Further still, what happens when you alter the mood of a song and transcend its original meaning?
BioShock Infinite is an intriguing study in the transplanting of several pieces of familiar music. Pop, gospel, blues, and other genres meet in the world of Columbia, each tune taking on a different connotation than originally intended. The musical covers act as Easter eggs for keen players and nods to narrative convention as well.
Here are some of the cover songs from the game accompanied by an analysis of the original artists, the social context of the original release, and the new meanings each one takes on within the world of BioShock Infinite.
Original Theme: Lauper's most recognizable hit is a whimsical, yet realistic look at the goals and aspirations of women. The song itself may state that girls just want to have fun, but the original jaunty tune transcended the traditional meaning of the word. It infused an infectious energy with a positive message in the face of those who may bark orders, force you into societal constraints, and try to tell you what's "acceptable" in life. Lauper's message was one of freeing yourself from emotional and spiritual shackles and living your life. It's about not resigning yourself to the boundaries of social expectations and the conventions of family life. It's a jubilant expression of womanhood and living on your own terms, and it's an important (if cheesy) song celebrating feminism and choice.
Location in BioShock Infinite: Battleship Bay
Traveling with Elizabeth immediately transformed the game into a much more varied affair, just like it altered the meaning of Cyndi Lauper's punchy '80s anthem. The cover is a soothing instrumental rendition that floats along with a carefree lilt across the beaches of Battleship Bay. Elizabeth is a bird who has escaped the confines of the "cage" that was her tower, and she's now wide-eyed and eager to see what the world has to offer. The idyllic beach scene is perhaps one of the most "normal" moments of the entire game. You can almost taste the salty sea air and feel the sun on your face. Like that, a more complex tune is instantly repurposed as the joyous celebratory exclamations of a young woman who's just been given one of the most precious tenets of human existence: freedom.
Original Theme: The Beach Boys' sentimental melody stirs romantic feelings, security, and the enduring but not eternal "love" so many ache to feel. It's a message to a lover: if I were to lose you, how could I ever go on? As beautiful as the harmony is and as gossamer as the words are, however, there's a note of bittersweet longing as well. There's something powerfully final about making the statement that you simply couldn't fathom living without the one you love in your life, though of course life would always press on.
Location in BioShock Infinite: Welcome Center
We hear the classic Beach Boys tune being sung by an old-time barbershop quartet on a gondola. Though at first listen it channels much of the same sentiment the Beach Boys' rendition does, it also carries a rather disconcerting message. It's quite possible this quartet isn't just singing the praises of a lover, but the love shown to them by their Prophet Comstock, and the life they believe he's made for them in their gorgeous world up in the sky. In a way, the quartet sings Comstock's praises as if the people of Columbia simply couldn't go on living without him, just as the breathtaking environments and architecture belie the falsehoods that perpetuate the notion that Columbia is the closest you can actually get to heaven before death. Though it's arranged beautifully and sung by warm, believable voices, the environment changes the tone drastically, especially if you were ever lulled into thinking this world would be free of the sorts of social illnesses that infested Rapture.
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