“ Still Alive ” (from the English - “Still Alive”) is a song that sounds in the final credits of the computer game Portal , released in 2007. It was written by Jonathan Colton and performed by Ellen MacLane , who voiced GLaDOS in the game. The song received positive reviews from critics and received a number of awards.
| Still alive | |
|---|---|
| Executor | Ellen MacLane |
| Album | The Orange Box Soundtrack |
| Date of issue | December 21, 2007 |
| Date Recorded | 2007 |
| Genre | |
| Song language | English |
| Duration | 2:56 |
| Label | Valve corporation |
| Author | Jonathan Colton |
| Composer | |
| Album track list for The Orange Box Soundtrack | |
Content
History and Record
The song "Still Alive" was written by Jonathan Colton and performed by Ellen MacLane for the computer game Portal . McLain also became the voice of GLaDOS , an artificial intelligence from the fictional Laboratory for the Study of the Nature of Portals and the antagonist of the game [1] . The song sounds in the final credits of the game. Valve employee Kim Swift explained that they decided to end the game with a similar song, so that people would feel the joy of completing the game [2] . The title of the song hints that GLaDOS could remain alive after the events of Portal [3] .
Colton began working with Valve after two developers approached him after a concert in Seattle and invited him to write music for the company. Since the singer was a fan of Half-Life , he immediately agreed. After discussing what he should do, they set to work on Portal . At this point, a few months before the release of The Orange Box , Valve screenwriters had thought through the backstory of GLaDOS and other aspects of the Portal storyline in detail, and Colton could use this to write lyrics [4] . The song was completed in 6 weeks [4] . MacLane herself was pleased with how GLaDOS was reflected in the song [5] .
A version of the song with an exclusive vocal mix not used by Portal was released on December 21, 2007 on The Orange Box Soundtrack [6] . The game also uses an instrumental version of a samba -style song, sounding from receivers that can be found as you progress through the game [7] .
In 2009, the song in Japanese translation was performed at the annual Japanese festival and became the first western song performed at this festival [8] [9] . Colton noted a surge in popularity after the release of Portal [4] .
Awards and criticism
IGN editor Ryan Geddes called Still Alive the best gaming final song of all time [10] . In his book The Art of Videogames, Grant Tavinor described that he was agitated after listening to the song, while at the same time feeling a sense of artistic completion [11] . Alice Liang of 1UP.com called the Portal ending “catchy, bewitching, surprising, and bittersweet.” [12] In anticipation of the release of Portal 2 , Forbes editor David Ewart called the song “amazing, funny, catchy and unforgettable”, calling its first line “this was a triumph” “a modern shibbolet ” [13] . Kyle Hilliard of Game Informer has included the song in the list of best gaming surprise songs [14] .
The song received the Best Original Vocal - Pop Song award at the 2008 Game Audio Network Guild ceremony. [15]
Notes
- ↑ Game Music Showdown: Mirror's Edge Vs. Portal (inaccessible link) . IGN (October 22, 2008). Date of treatment August 25, 2009. Archived December 21, 2009.
- ↑ Best Of GDC: The Secrets Of Portal's Huge Success . Gamasutra (February 27, 2008). Date of treatment August 25, 2009.
- ↑ Still Alive: Kim Swift And Erik Wolpaw Talk Portal Gamasutra (March 25, 2008). Date of treatment August 25, 2009.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Reeves, Ben Portal's Minstrels: An Interview With The Men Behind The Music . Game Informer (March 15, 2010). Date of treatment March 15, 2010.
- ↑ GLaDOS Speaks . IGN (October 31, 2007). Date of treatment August 25, 2009.
- ↑ Friday, December 21, 2007 . Valve Corporation (December 21, 2007). Date of treatment May 6, 2016.
- ↑ Boyer, Brandon Not a lie: Valve updates Portal with secret radio broadcast images . Boing Boing (March 1, 2010). Date of treatment March 6, 2010.
- ↑ Jeriaska. Interview: Jonathan Coulton On 'Still Alive', PAX Style Gamasutra (September 2, 2009). Date of treatment September 2, 2009.
- ↑ Jeriaska. Sound Current: 2009 Press Start Symphony of Games Concert Report . Game Set Watch (August 10, 2009). Date of treatment August 10, 2009.
- ↑ On the DLC: A Man Named Angus (inaccessible link) . IGN (April 4, 2008). Date of treatment August 25, 2009. Archived December 14, 2010.
- ↑ Tavinor, G. The Art of Videogames . - Wiley, 2009 .-- ISBN 9781444310184 .
- ↑ Our Favorite Gaming Moments from 1UP.com (link not available) . Date of treatment May 15, 2017. Archived October 16, 2012.
- ↑ Ewart, David What Is Portal 2, And Why Should You Care? . Forbes (April 19, 2011). Date of treatment April 19, 2011.
- ↑ Hilliard, Kyle The Best Video Game Surprise Songs Game Informer (June 7, 2013). Date of treatment June 7, 2013.
- ↑ Game Audio Network Guild Announces Award Winners for 6th Annual GANG Awards . IGN (February 29, 2008). Date of treatment March 27, 2010.
Links
- Song Information at jonathancoulton.com
- "Still Alive" on MusicBrainz .