I love how the music slowly degrades during the outro until it resembles the gritty sound of the first album. These guys are pure talent sprinkled with awesome.
It actually goes further than that, This song ends on D minor; Hope Rides Alone begins on D minor. One of the best things about these guys is the sheer amount of serious artistic thought they clearly put into their music.
Check out 4:20 - the lower notes that come in then are the four chords from Hope Rides Alone. They even go directly into HRA from this song at live shows.
I picture Light at the very end after saying "I still have work to do..." walking away into the darkenss as the tower continues to burn behind him, dropping Emily's letter. It slowly flutters to the ground, he doesn't need it anymore. Her words will resonate with him for the remainder of his days. He has a new focus now, all the while holding her in his heart. When he has finally made right his wrong, he will be reunited with his love were their souls said they would meet...
Seriously, I just recently got into this band, especially this album, and I get goosebumps every time. These people NEED more a fan base and/or a musical either on Broadway or movies. These songs are really damn good and heartbreaking
Light understood immediately. No mistake had been made. This was all occurring as part of Wily's design. A man who'd spent all of his life fearing and planning against his loss of control could not be undone by a lone boy and a bag of explosives. Light's eyes turned to the east. The industrial complex on the edge of the city. From a tower in the center of the complex, a red light pulsated. A second transmitter. They'd stopped nothing. Light fell to his knees and cried out into the night. He'd sent this boy to his death. The enormous loudspeakers, mounted to the steel walls surrounding the complex, began to howl. A voice followed the sirens. Although difficult to make out amidst the commotion that surrounded him, Light heard enough to understand. He could make out the words, "threat to the safety of the city." He heard, "insurgent forces." He heard the loudspeaker commanding the frightened men and women of the city to return to their homes or risk being counted among the criminals. Even from the courtyard, Light could make out the thousands upon thousands of green-helmeted robots marching from the steel gates of the complex. Wily had built a fortress. He had built an army. He had been waiting for this moment to unleash it. Tom: Emily, a crowd has gathered here And once again they fail to see. You can't just set the world at someone else's feet And not get trampled underneath. And I think somehow Joe knew it, He paid the price he thought he had to pay, but Emily, that debt was meant for me... That debt was meant for me. This is not the world my father knew. This is not the world, I know, he would have wanted me to build, But I can't undo it now. It's like a train, and all its cars are filled with steel, that I would stop if I knew how. And it is bearing down on me. So I will stand here with my shoulders square and tall, and when the whistle blows, not falter, but when the crash comes I will fall. With so much steam and steel behind it, I won't slow it down at all. Oh God... Oh God... Here comes the arm. The building above Light shuddered. The weight of the screen and the metal framing that surrounded it overwhelmed the now destroyed upper levels of the building. He heard the sharp crack and whine of bending steel. He felt the quake of thousands of pounds of metal crashing into the earth and the marble surrounding him. The explosion of steel and stone sent the crowd fleeing in all directions. Light barely noticed. The world had been crashing down around him for more than twenty years. He placed his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, its creases cracked and splitting. He carefully unfolded it. Soon, he would be with Emily. Only now could he summon the courage to read what she had written to him all those years ago. Only now could he bear to read her words. "Thomas, Please don't cry for me. I know you never meant for this. I love you completely, just remember that. If I should leave you now, then in my final hour, I pray this letter finds you well before it all goes to hell. He could never cage the world. It's too big for anyone, and soon the dark will pass. I want so much to be with you but in my heart I know, Tom, the city needs you now. This city needs you now. Emily" Amongst the turmoil and destruction, he could just make out the screams for help coming from every direction. Tom scanned the desperate and terrified faces of the people running past. He gazed once more into the flames reflected in the blast shield that covered Joe's face. He unlocked the helmet and removed it from the boy's head. Light looked at the bruised and battered face of a hero. A hero the city had lost. He spoke: Joe, when you see Emily, tell her to wait for me. 'Cause I still have work to do... External linksNominate as Song of the Day
@@Emidretrauqe no, He almost had a fatal encounter with one, that is where he met Thomas Liight, He wore the Sniper's helmet and carried it's blast shield.
Anyone else think he gave Proto Man and Mega Man a minigun/buster arm for poetic justice? I.e Dr. Wily terrified the citizens with threats of the ARM coming for them, so Dr. Light retaliates by making sure Wily fears the arm as well?
I thought I was more of a Megas person, but damn. The Protomen's painting of the Mega Man games are so much more... haunting. Darker than what The Megas usually preform. I still think I like The Megas more, but good lord, The Protomen deserve props as well.
Phosphoraisme well the megas is more about the conan story and characters they make music the could actually be from the games were thr protomen do there own universe kind of funny when you look at there names hehe protoman going off to do his own thing and be his own person anyways the protomen is there canon alternate universe were the megas is the main continuity
I never paid this one much mind because I thought it seemed depressing, but holy shit it gets badass at around 4:19. And then it perfectly transitions to the "act 1" style as time goes on.
The sheer despair in his voice when he says "Oh God" is soul-crushing. Panther absolutely puts incredible passion and emotion into every lyric he sings.
My second favorite song of the opera so far and my favorite from ACT II. This song is just BEGGING to be put into film. It is absolutely gorgeous in every way.
This song is officially one of the most badass songs ever in my opinion. I don't care if act 3 will be bad. As long as I have act one and two I'm all good.
@@chordeaux8203 ha, just looked at this after four years. Shame it still hasn’t come out and I don’t know why I had my doubts back then. I am a much more optimistic man these days
I still love the train full of steel bearing down metaphor, its such good symbolim and lights resignation to take the blow standing proud always gives me chills
I always imagine the final part of this song to be the transition of the city from act 2 to act 1, as Light walks away the buildings become dilapidated, the night's blowing winds turn into a hailing storm, and the crowds of people close in on the camera. As the city transforms, Light's silhouette turns into Protoman walking towards the camera, with a mission and a purpose; to save humanity from Wily's robots.
I have heard this song many times... AND EVERY TIME EMILY'S PART GIVES ME SUCH CHILLS IT MAKES MY SCALP TIGHTEN! Seriously, it's a tragedy that there's no music videos to go with this album. Hopefully I'll make one someday...
so, i think i may have noticed something on the like, dozenth relisten of this song, and what is out there from the Protomen thus far. All of the characters have been approaching the problem from the wrong angle. our protagonists and antagonists belie that the machines are just tools and obstacles to overcome. Protoman charges off to show humanity what it means to be a hero butchering countless in the process becoming martyred and ultimately to have his ideals fall on deaf ears. Megaman just goes on a heroism and revenge filled rampage only to have his idealism shattered by his brother's revelations and ultimate death at his own hands. Willey is just a bastard who sees all other life as beneath him, and Light starts out believing that the machines were all just a horrible mistake. but, Light's mind changes, after making Protoman he sees the machines as what they are, people, in two cases his children. he cares so much about one that he wont let him go out and risk their life for their created purpose because the pain of loosing his first was too great. Thats the point of the chorus here when the machine voices join in with the human voices. The machines are not the enemies to be overcome or butchered en mass, they're just as much victims here as everyone else, built to live and die by a madman's word in a world so oppressive that they don't know that they have a choice. Hell, i think the reason that they turn on humanity so hard at the end of Act 1 is because they idolized Protoman, a machine, a man, who knew he was free, and his death hurt them. i goddamn i wish they would put out Act 3 because of the few tracks we've heard so far im pretty sure im right, and that Megaman isnt going to save humanity, but help the machines achive their own humanity.
That would be pretty the most over done "raycism bawd" ending they could do. So over done that I hope they come up with something much more original, which I think they will. I think Megaman kills whily and gives the world back to the people, but the people are so useless they can't do anything with it.
That _"Oh God... here comes The Arm"_ is just so legitimately ominous that I dunno what to do with myself. I wish this was a movie. Right now. A musical especially.
Reading the story-line esque section of the lyrics along with the song makes this so much better. I was crying my eyes out around the time of Emily's letter.
I love that, right around 4:19 , the piano quotes the motif from near the beginning of Hope Rides Alone (right after "Or so Dr. Wily believed"). It thematically ties together the two albums very well and would be the first thing I would point to if anyone wanted proof that The Protomen know their stuff.
So I will stand here with my shoulders square and tall, and when the whistle blows, not falter, but when the crash comes I will fall. With so much steam and steel behind it, I won't slow it down at all. Oh God... Oh God... Here comes the arm. ~F'in brilliant.~
Yes, because she believes in Light at every step no matter what. She is the driving force in the fight for man's soul. Dr. Light would have given up long ago if not for her.
Not quite. Joe is a human rebel actually, who becomes Sniper Joe after killing The Sniper and taking his helmet as an example of one who can fall. There was a first Sniper, and there was Joe, but Sniper Joe is something else that Light only forged through words, not work.
@raymonmorris7 Wily needed this to happen. He made sure Light would get convicted for murder, but be let off; this made the city angry at the law and completely willing to trust him. Then, Wily let Joe come into the city and destroy his communication tower; this made the already oppressed and fearful city accept the iron grip of his robots and so that he could claim "insurgent forces" were attacking and that the only way to stop them was for him to control everything.
So the chords during “the city needs you now” are the same as two measures in “Hope Rides Alone” And the outro chords are the same as the “Good Doctor”.
@EviIPaladin The only thing I can think of is that it's been /twenty years/ since Light left the city. with a false name, and effectively using confusion of the attack (and of Wily's engineered destruction), he probably would have been able to create a new identity, slipping into the workforce. "...ideas forbidden in Wily's society, the society for which he worked, the society in which he lived, the society that he would set free!" "Twelve years, Light worked...Protoman was born!"
You just have to feel bad for Dr. Light. Not only is he responsible for destroying the city he knew and loved, he also holds himself responsible for a botched attempt to rid the city of it's corruption. Both times it happened. The near begging seen in 'Unrest in the House of Light' seems pretty justified.
[Lyric Note 1] Light understood immediately. No mistake had been made. This was all occurring as part of Wily's design. A man who'd spent all of his life fearing and planning against his loss of control could not be undone by a lone boy and a bag of explosives. Light's eyes turned to the east. The industrial complex on the edge of the city. From a tower in the center of the complex, a red light pulsated. A second transmitter. They'd stopped nothing. Light fell to his knees and cried out into the night. He'd sent this boy to his death. The enormous loudspeakers, mounted to the steel walls surrounding the complex, began to howl. A voice followed the sirens Although difficult to make out amidst the commotion that surrounded him, Light heard enough to understand. He could make out the words, "threat to the safety of the city." He heard, "insurgent forces." He heard the loudspeaker commanding the frightened men and women of the city to return to their homes or risk being counted among the criminals. Even from the courtyard, Light could make out the thousands upon thousands of green-helmeted robots marching from the steel gates of the complex. Wily had built a fortress. He had built an army. He had been waiting for this moment to unleash it [Verse 1: Thomas Light] Emily, a crowd has gathered here And once again they fail to see You can't just set the world at someone else's feet And not get trampled underneath And I think somehow Joe knew it He paid the price he thought he had to pay But Emily, that debt was meant for me That debt was meant for me This is not the world my father knew This is not the world, I know He would have wanted me to build But I can't undo it now It's like a train, and all its cars are filled with steel That I would stop if I knew how It is bearing down on me So I will stand here with my shoulders square and tall And when the whistle blows, not falter But when the crash comes I will fall With so much steam and steel behind it I won't slow it down at all Oh God... Oh God... Here comes the arm [Lyric Note 2] The building above Light shuddered. The weight of the screen and the metal framing that surrounded it overwhelmed the now destroyed upper levels of the building. He heard the sharp crack and whine of bending steel. He felt the quake of thousands of pounds of metal crashing into the earth and the marble surrounding him The explosion of steel and stone sent the crowd fleeing in all directions. Light barely noticed. The world had been crashing down around him for more than twenty years. He placed his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, its creases cracked and splitting. He carefully unfolded it Soon, he would be with Emily. Only now could he summon the courage to read what she had written to him all those years ago. Only now could he bear to read her words [Verse 2: Emily Stanton] Thomas, please don't cry for me I know you never meant for this I love you completely, just remember that If I should leave you now Then in my final hour I pray this letter finds you well Before it all goes to hell He could never cage the world It's too big for anyone, and soon the dark will pass I want so much to be with you But in my heart I know, Tom The city needs you now [Refrain: Emily Stanton, Choir & Machine] This city needs you now (This city) This city (This city) (This city) This city (This city) (This city) This city (This city) (This city) (This city) [Lyric Note 3] Amongst the turmoil and destruction, he could just make out the screams for help coming from every direction. Tom scanned the desperate and terrified faces of the people running past. He gazed once more into the flames reflected in the blast shield that covered Joe's face. He unlocked the helmet and removed it from the boy's head. Light looked at the bruised and battered face of a hero. A hero the city had lost. He spoke: [Outro: Thomas Light] Joe, when you see Emily Tell her to wait for me Cause I still have work to do... Ripped straight from genius genius.com/The-protomen-here-comes-the-arm-lyrics
Man, I'd love to do a full-on, cel animation film of this rock opera. That would be hot! Screw 3D CGI. There's just some cool, moody stuff that can only be pulled off in 2D...and this story is just made for it all of it! XD
I think the end paints a picture that Light walks away from what happened to Joe, and while holding Joe's helmet, during the last clash of the drum/guitar the helmet for a split second shows Protoman's helmet.
I think I might start a series of stories based on the first waves of Wily's "Robot Masters" subjugating nearby towns, and of course the Resistance who fights them.
+pelinhenki hoopo Yes indeed, look up the lyrics and the stage play will be listed with them. But Act 2 focuses on Thomas Light and Albert Wily and their motives for humanity.
Scrounging for scraps and dwelling in abandoned structures during his exile. If you mean after the tower blew up? He's got angels with electric guitars following him around, obviously.
I like to imagine that the robotic voice singing at the same time as Emily is the spirit of Joe, who by fighting became a metaphorical machine. Light's machine, created to fight a unwinable battle
5:18 The tower falls behind Dr.Light as he walks away. In it's last moments the screen flashes scenes from the play. Emily first, then Joe, Protoman, Wily's robots, Wily himself, and finally the freed people of the city, and Megaman victorious.
@andrenaveed Agreed. So awesome. On a side note, it's similar to the ending of Spider-Man: Reign (a spiderman comic book in which New York City has become a dystopian, yet self-proclaimed utopia, like Dr. Wily's - and peter parker is an old man - it's surprisingly good).
@imperfectmaster I've been thinking this a while, also those guys who do the Sonic for Hire (lowbrow I think they're called) their style animation would suit it well.
Something beautiful about this album is that, in terms of plot, it's a prequel, but in terms of the emotional vibe, it's a sequel. In the end of Act 1, Megaman gives up. But in the end of Act 2, at the precipice of giving up, Dr. Light decides to go on. "I still have work to do." My own world, outside of this album, outside of this story... It is filled with monsters. Who would hurt the people I care about, just because of who they are. And I cannot allow that to go on. I cannot allow those monsters to wield such awesome power. This City Needs Me Now, and... I Still Have Work To Do.
I would love to simply have music videos for all the songs. especially if the people who make the videos are good and get kind of interpretive when necessary. and have a workable budget.
I wish someone would work alongside the Protomen to make an animated short movie. the album is what, 45 minutes long, at most? Like Egoraptor, he's a big Megaman fan(not sure if he knows who the Protomen are) and a really good animator, I sometimes try to imagine what would happen if he offered to use his skills to make a movie. but alas, I must live in a world without an animated Protomen film...
@PallatontheBeta Yes, I have. If you notice, that's the order everyone dies...Dr. Light not included and Wily before the citizens. It's only that way because that's how I like it. :D
@TehOutsider He's so badass, angels follow him around with electric guitars. In fact, when I commission the making of this rock opera using my life savings, I'm going to have to have almost-invisible angels do that in this scene.
Emily, a crowd has gathered here: and once again, they fail to see. You can't just set the world at someone else's feet, and not get trampled underneath. I think somehow Joe knew it: paid the price he thought he had to pay. But Emily, that debt was made for me. That debt was made for me.
I never understood Emily's letter. Was she sick or dying? Did she know what Wily was planning before writing it? Like was this establish in an earlier song?
In the notes for "Intermission", it shows a letter written by Light to Emily, stating his worries about the direction Wily wants to bring the robots, and Light's fear of what may come. Emily didn't know she was soon to pass, but wrote as if the worst might happen. Kind of a convenient plot point, but damn good music
"Joe, when you see Emily...tell her to wait for me...because I still have work to do..."
Fucking powerful. Can't wait for act 3 so Rock can kick ass
I love how the music slowly degrades during the outro until it resembles the gritty sound of the first album. These guys are pure talent sprinkled with awesome.
Vincent Brown Well, they do often have chunks of hell yeah hidden inside the pure talent.
If you listen to the last song on the first album it starts to turn into theme of the second album as well.
It actually goes further than that, This song ends on D minor; Hope Rides Alone begins on D minor. One of the best things about these guys is the sheer amount of serious artistic thought they clearly put into their music.
Check out 4:20 - the lower notes that come in then are the four chords from Hope Rides Alone. They even go directly into HRA from this song at live shows.
My favorite is the woman singing.
She just hits it like a beast.
Crowd: This City!!!
Me: Cool.
Robotic Voice/ Emily: THIS CITY!!!!
Me: HOOOOOOLLLYY SHIIIIT!!!!!!!
It's been 8 years since I've heard this for the first time and it ALWAYS gives me chills. Every time
@@wcarterlewis Yeah, after a couple of beers I often listen to the Protomen. Some things still gives me the chills to this day
I picture Light at the very end after saying "I still have work to do..." walking away into the darkenss as the tower continues to burn behind him, dropping Emily's letter. It slowly flutters to the ground, he doesn't need it anymore. Her words will resonate with him for the remainder of his days. He has a new focus now, all the while holding her in his heart. When he has finally made right his wrong, he will be reunited with his love were their souls said they would meet...
I picture the rest of the song after that being him assembling Protoman
100%.
Walking to a new hiding place to build protoman
Responds to an 8yo comment, what’s this from? I just found this one song and it sounds like a love song from two people? It’s a show or movie? Help!
@@93djwilliamson It's a concept album. You have to listen to the whole album start to finish.
This is a TH-cam comment sections bro
Chills, man. Every time.
Haha I get it, 7 years late though
**song ends**
Now that...
is how a prologue should end. Chills and surges of heart.
Seriously, I just recently got into this band, especially this album, and I get goosebumps every time. These people NEED more a fan base and/or a musical either on Broadway or movies. These songs are really damn good and heartbreaking
Welcome aboard, now have a heart attack waiting for Act III like the rest of us
Ryan It's like Half-Life 3 all over again, only with indie music.
You know, I'd be fine if they released that light up the night indie short film, but that's taking them forever as well.
How many of the original members are left? I heard they have quite a few former members
@@Ryan-mr3zf I am from the future. were still waiting
Light understood immediately. No mistake had been made. This was all occurring as part of Wily's design. A man who'd spent all of his life fearing and planning against his loss of control could not be undone by a lone boy and a bag of explosives. Light's eyes turned to the east. The industrial complex on the edge of the city. From a tower in the center of the complex, a red light pulsated. A second transmitter. They'd stopped nothing. Light fell to his knees and cried out into the night. He'd sent this boy to his death. The enormous loudspeakers, mounted to the steel walls surrounding the complex, began to howl. A voice followed the sirens.
Although difficult to make out amidst the commotion that surrounded him, Light heard enough to understand. He could make out the words, "threat to the safety of the city." He heard, "insurgent forces." He heard the loudspeaker commanding the frightened men and women of the city to return to their homes or risk being counted among the criminals. Even from the courtyard, Light could make out the thousands upon thousands of green-helmeted robots marching from the steel gates of the complex. Wily had built a fortress. He had built an army. He had been waiting for this moment to unleash it.
Tom:
Emily, a crowd has gathered here
And once again they fail to see.
You can't just set the world at someone else's feet
And not get trampled underneath.
And I think somehow Joe knew it,
He paid the price he thought he had to pay,
but Emily, that debt was meant for me...
That debt was meant for me.
This is not the world my father knew.
This is not the world, I know,
he would have wanted me to build,
But I can't undo it now.
It's like a train, and all its cars are filled with steel,
that I would stop if I knew how.
And it is bearing down on me.
So I will stand here with my shoulders square and tall,
and when the whistle blows, not falter,
but when the crash comes I will fall.
With so much steam and steel behind it,
I won't slow it down at all.
Oh God...
Oh God...
Here comes the arm.
The building above Light shuddered. The weight of the screen and the metal framing that surrounded it overwhelmed the now destroyed upper levels of the building. He heard the sharp crack and whine of bending steel. He felt the quake of thousands of pounds of metal crashing into the earth and the marble surrounding him.
The explosion of steel and stone sent the crowd fleeing in all directions. Light barely noticed. The world had been crashing down around him for more than twenty years. He placed his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, its creases cracked and splitting. He carefully unfolded it.
Soon, he would be with Emily. Only now could he summon the courage to read what she had written to him all those years ago. Only now could he bear to read her words.
"Thomas,
Please don't cry for me. I know you never meant for this. I love you completely, just remember that. If I should leave you now, then in my final hour, I pray this letter finds you well before it all goes to hell. He could never cage the world. It's too big for anyone, and soon the dark will pass. I want so much to be with you but in my heart I know, Tom, the city needs you now. This city needs you now.
Emily"
Amongst the turmoil and destruction, he could just make out the screams for help coming from every direction. Tom scanned the desperate and terrified faces of the people running past. He gazed once more into the flames reflected in the blast shield that covered Joe's face. He unlocked the helmet and removed it from the boy's head. Light looked at the bruised and battered face of a hero. A hero the city had lost. He spoke:
Joe, when you see Emily,
tell her to wait for me.
'Cause I still have work to do...
External linksNominate as Song of the Day
Honestly reading this gave the whole song a deeper meaning. Thank you
Is Joe supposed to be Sniper Joe?
External linksNominate as Song of the Day
@@Emidretrauqe no, He almost had a fatal encounter with one, that is where he met Thomas Liight, He wore the Sniper's helmet and carried it's blast shield.
Good on ya mate for posting this so everyone could know the whole story😊
Anyone else think he gave Proto Man and Mega Man a minigun/buster arm for poetic justice?
I.e Dr. Wily terrified the citizens with threats of the ARM coming for them, so Dr. Light retaliates by making sure Wily fears the arm as well?
I thought I was more of a Megas person, but damn. The Protomen's painting of the Mega Man games are so much more... haunting. Darker than what The Megas usually preform. I still think I like The Megas more, but good lord, The Protomen deserve props as well.
Phosphoraisme well the megas is more about the conan story and characters they make music the could actually be from the games were thr protomen do there own universe
kind of funny when you look at there names hehe protoman going off to do his own thing and be his own person
anyways the protomen is there canon alternate universe were the megas is the main continuity
Psychosis_ they are
they haven't really changed anything all of it is just going deeper in already Canonly establish themes
Psychosis_ Some of the lyrics of the Megas actually comes from the Archie Comics Megaman series.
Actually, The Archie Comics took those lyrics from the Megas as a tribute.
i feel like you have to enjoy the mega man games themselves to enjoy the megas, but anyone can listen and enjoy the protomen
I never paid this one much mind because I thought it seemed depressing, but holy shit it gets badass at around 4:19. And then it perfectly transitions to the "act 1" style as time goes on.
The Leitmotif from The Stand was neat
Oh god...
Oh god...
Here comes the arm
Facts, brother
"Joe, when you see Emily-" OW MY HEART.
I'm not gonna cry! I'm not... gonna cry! I'm...not...gonna... "sniff" cry.... "huddles in corner" never mind....
The sheer despair in his voice when he says "Oh God" is soul-crushing. Panther absolutely puts incredible passion and emotion into every lyric he sings.
@@dorkandproudofit hell yeah. The line "They'll watch you die to save their lives" from "The Stand" of the "Act I" hits the feels in the same way
Ong
My second favorite song of the opera so far and my favorite from ACT II. This song is just BEGGING to be put into film. It is absolutely gorgeous in every way.
I think you would have to do it a serial tv show.
@@st.michaelsknight6299 yes please.
I think this would work better as a series than a film
This song is officially one of the most badass songs ever in my opinion. I don't care if act 3 will be bad. As long as I have act one and two I'm all good.
From the two already released songs from act 3 it looks to be a perfect fusion of 1 and 2 so no worries!
this man has doubts
@@chordeaux8203 ha, just looked at this after four years. Shame it still hasn’t come out and I don’t know why I had my doubts back then. I am a much more optimistic man these days
@@probablyasloth2404 I still never got a sequel to Dante's Inferno, it's been 10 years
"When the whistle blows not falter, when the crash come I will fall!" Chills
with so much steam and steel behind them, i won't slow it down at all....
Oh god...
Oh god...
Here comes the arm.
I still love the train full of steel bearing down metaphor, its such good symbolim and lights resignation to take the blow standing proud always gives me chills
I always imagine the final part of this song to be the transition of the city from act 2 to act 1, as Light walks away the buildings become dilapidated, the night's blowing winds turn into a hailing storm, and the crowds of people close in on the camera. As the city transforms, Light's silhouette turns into Protoman walking towards the camera, with a mission and a purpose; to save humanity from Wily's robots.
I have heard this song many times...
AND EVERY TIME EMILY'S PART GIVES ME SUCH CHILLS IT MAKES MY SCALP TIGHTEN!
Seriously, it's a tragedy that there's no music videos to go with this album. Hopefully I'll make one someday...
so, i think i may have noticed something on the like, dozenth relisten of this song, and what is out there from the Protomen thus far. All of the characters have been approaching the problem from the wrong angle. our protagonists and antagonists belie that the machines are just tools and obstacles to overcome. Protoman charges off to show humanity what it means to be a hero butchering countless in the process becoming martyred and ultimately to have his ideals fall on deaf ears. Megaman just goes on a heroism and revenge filled rampage only to have his idealism shattered by his brother's revelations and ultimate death at his own hands. Willey is just a bastard who sees all other life as beneath him, and Light starts out believing that the machines were all just a horrible mistake.
but, Light's mind changes, after making Protoman he sees the machines as what they are, people, in two cases his children. he cares so much about one that he wont let him go out and risk their life for their created purpose because the pain of loosing his first was too great. Thats the point of the chorus here when the machine voices join in with the human voices. The machines are not the enemies to be overcome or butchered en mass, they're just as much victims here as everyone else, built to live and die by a madman's word in a world so oppressive that they don't know that they have a choice. Hell, i think the reason that they turn on humanity so hard at the end of Act 1 is because they idolized Protoman, a machine, a man, who knew he was free, and his death hurt them.
i goddamn i wish they would put out Act 3 because of the few tracks we've heard so far im pretty sure im right, and that Megaman isnt going to save humanity, but help the machines achive their own humanity.
That would be pretty the most over done "raycism bawd" ending they could do. So over done that I hope they come up with something much more original, which I think they will. I think Megaman kills whily and gives the world back to the people, but the people are so useless they can't do anything with it.
"Oh God... oh God.." Such raw emotion in that line.
That _"Oh God... here comes The Arm"_ is just so legitimately ominous that I dunno what to do with myself. I wish this was a movie. Right now. A musical especially.
This song is a dark(er) reprise of The State vs. Thomas Light and then a combination with Hope Rides Alone. It's in the notes and tone.
Man, Gambler absolutely KILLED IT playing Emily in this recording. Absolutely stellar work.
Reading the story-line esque section of the lyrics along with the song makes this so much better. I was crying my eyes out around the time of Emily's letter.
I love that, right around 4:19 , the piano quotes the motif from near the beginning of Hope Rides Alone (right after "Or so Dr. Wily believed"). It thematically ties together the two albums very well and would be the first thing I would point to if anyone wanted proof that The Protomen know their stuff.
Came upon these guys by chance yesterday and being a huge Mega Man fan and whatnot this is my best musical find of 2013 so far.
they did light up the night. it just wasn't bright enough.
An unforgettable spectacle.
So I will stand here with my shoulders square and tall,
and when the whistle blows, not falter,
but when the crash comes I will fall.
With so much steam and steel behind it,
I won't slow it down at all.
Oh God...
Oh God...
Here comes the arm.
~F'in brilliant.~
"This city needs you now" sent shivers down my spine so hard.
Anyone else depressed as fuck after listening to Act I and II? ... I have some things to think about.
This city needs you now! THIS CITY!
That part never fails to give me goosebumps.
Still a banger today in 2023. Beyond Ready for act 3
Does Emily just have the most epic song moments?
Yes, because she believes in Light at every step no matter what. She is the driving force in the fight for man's soul. Dr. Light would have given up long ago if not for her.
Just so you guys realize... Joe is the Protomen's version of Sniper Joe. He is the first Sniper Joe.
Maybe Light will make an army of snipers, and name them after Joe?
Bryan Costa He does one better.
He makes a Protoman.
Donald Gori Protoman was his first robot. the Sniper Joe series was based on protoman in design.
Bryan Costa not in this universe
Not quite. Joe is a human rebel actually, who becomes Sniper Joe after killing The Sniper and taking his helmet as an example of one who can fall. There was a first Sniper, and there was Joe, but Sniper Joe is something else that Light only forged through words, not work.
The cruel fate of Doctor Light is that everyone who helps him, everyone who supports him suffers and dies. Emily, Joe, even his sons.
I would pay a crazy amount of money to see a movie based on the protomen's version of megaman.
and not just some cop out, Real Quality put into it, and we can say, that it was worth it.
This is just magical.
Damn, why is everytime when the woman starts singing I get something in my eyes
2:58 The awesomeness gets into gear
4:20 Keeps goin'
4:33 Brainsplosion
@raymonmorris7 Wily needed this to happen. He made sure Light would get convicted for murder, but be let off; this made the city angry at the law and completely willing to trust him. Then, Wily let Joe come into the city and destroy his communication tower; this made the already oppressed and fearful city accept the iron grip of his robots and so that he could claim "insurgent forces" were attacking and that the only way to stop them was for him to control everything.
This song literally brought tears to my eyes o.o
"...'cause I still have work to do..."
Walks off into the destruction with longcoat billowing out behind him in the breeze as debris falls around him.
So the chords during “the city needs you now” are the same as two measures in “Hope Rides Alone”
And the outro chords are the same as the “Good Doctor”.
They are the masters of motif
@EviIPaladin
The only thing I can think of is that it's been /twenty years/ since Light left the city. with a false name, and effectively using confusion of the attack (and of Wily's engineered destruction), he probably would have been able to create a new identity, slipping into the workforce.
"...ideas forbidden in Wily's society, the society for which he worked, the society in which he lived, the society that he would set free!"
"Twelve years, Light worked...Protoman was born!"
You just have to feel bad for Dr. Light. Not only is he responsible for destroying the city he knew and loved, he also holds himself responsible for a botched attempt to rid the city of it's corruption. Both times it happened. The near begging seen in 'Unrest in the House of Light' seems pretty justified.
i feel sorry for Light because not only did he lose Emily and Joe but later he loses Protoman and Mega Man (Mega Man in the sense of him turning bad)
Mega Man didn't turn bad. He just lost hope and became apathetic.
@@mirrorzone5224 Just shows how much we needed Joe, a man who would fight for mankind.
Chills, hopefully they come out with another album to continue
For three days straight have I listened to this shit, and I have yet to get tired of it.
[Lyric Note 1]
Light understood immediately. No mistake had been made. This was all occurring as part of Wily's design. A man who'd spent all of his life fearing and planning against his loss of control could not be undone by a lone boy and a bag of explosives. Light's eyes turned to the east. The industrial complex on the edge of the city. From a tower in the center of the complex, a red light pulsated. A second transmitter. They'd stopped nothing. Light fell to his knees and cried out into the night. He'd sent this boy to his death. The enormous loudspeakers, mounted to the steel walls surrounding the complex, began to howl. A voice followed the sirens
Although difficult to make out amidst the commotion that surrounded him, Light heard enough to understand. He could make out the words, "threat to the safety of the city." He heard, "insurgent forces." He heard the loudspeaker commanding the frightened men and women of the city to return to their homes or risk being counted among the criminals. Even from the courtyard, Light could make out the thousands upon thousands of green-helmeted robots marching from the steel gates of the complex. Wily had built a fortress. He had built an army. He had been waiting for this moment to unleash it
[Verse 1: Thomas Light]
Emily, a crowd has gathered here
And once again they fail to see
You can't just set the world at someone else's feet
And not get trampled underneath
And I think somehow Joe knew it
He paid the price he thought he had to pay
But Emily, that debt was meant for me
That debt was meant for me
This is not the world my father knew
This is not the world, I know
He would have wanted me to build
But I can't undo it now
It's like a train, and all its cars are filled with steel
That I would stop if I knew how
It is bearing down on me
So I will stand here with my shoulders square and tall
And when the whistle blows, not falter
But when the crash comes I will fall
With so much steam and steel behind it
I won't slow it down at all
Oh God...
Oh God...
Here comes the arm
[Lyric Note 2]
The building above Light shuddered. The weight of the screen and the metal framing that surrounded it overwhelmed the now destroyed upper levels of the building. He heard the sharp crack and whine of bending steel. He felt the quake of thousands of pounds of metal crashing into the earth and the marble surrounding him
The explosion of steel and stone sent the crowd fleeing in all directions. Light barely noticed. The world had been crashing down around him for more than twenty years. He placed his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, its creases cracked and splitting. He carefully unfolded it
Soon, he would be with Emily. Only now could he summon the courage to read what she had written to him all those years ago. Only now could he bear to read her words
[Verse 2: Emily Stanton]
Thomas, please don't cry for me
I know you never meant for this
I love you completely, just remember that
If I should leave you now
Then in my final hour
I pray this letter finds you well
Before it all goes to hell
He could never cage the world
It's too big for anyone, and soon the dark will pass
I want so much to be with you
But in my heart I know, Tom
The city needs you now
[Refrain: Emily Stanton, Choir & Machine]
This city needs you now
(This city)
This city (This city)
(This city)
This city (This city)
(This city)
This city (This city)
(This city)
(This city)
[Lyric Note 3]
Amongst the turmoil and destruction, he could just make out the screams for help coming from every direction. Tom scanned the desperate and terrified faces of the people running past. He gazed once more into the flames reflected in the blast shield that covered Joe's face. He unlocked the helmet and removed it from the boy's head. Light looked at the bruised and battered face of a hero. A hero the city had lost. He spoke:
[Outro: Thomas Light]
Joe, when you see Emily
Tell her to wait for me
Cause I still have work to do...
Ripped straight from genius
genius.com/The-protomen-here-comes-the-arm-lyrics
This is my favorite track.
Man, I'd love to do a full-on, cel animation film of this rock opera. That would be hot! Screw 3D CGI. There's just some cool, moody stuff that can only be pulled off in 2D...and this story is just made for it all of it! XD
God dammit. Act 1 and Act 2 are just so fucking good.
I can understand why it takes them ages to release Act III. You want to top the previous works, like they did with this album. Goddamn
I think the end paints a picture that Light walks away from what happened to Joe, and while holding Joe's helmet, during the last clash of the drum/guitar the helmet for a split second shows Protoman's helmet.
this is BRUTAL
That piano playing while emily sings is Hope Rides ALone! O_o It all goes together.
I think I might start a series of stories based on the first waves of Wily's "Robot Masters" subjugating nearby towns, and of course the Resistance who fights them.
there is a story in these songs right???
+pelinhenki hoopo Yes indeed, look up the lyrics and the stage play will be listed with them. But Act 2 focuses on Thomas Light and Albert Wily and their motives for humanity.
+forterocks123 Wait, the Megaman guys?
forterocks123 i noticed this msg way way waaay too late but thanks anyway
Joe is Sniper Joe who is an enemy in the original megaman games. He's not an actual character however.
Joe is not in the game, but he is pretty much the same character that Protoman
Just finished the entire album. Now its time to play Megaman next to religiously.
This one of the few prequel you should listen/read before the original
Scrounging for scraps and dwelling in abandoned structures during his exile.
If you mean after the tower blew up? He's got angels with electric guitars following him around, obviously.
Actually another cover album coming soon, then Act 3 after that. Confirmed this with them at PAX Prime last year.
Masterpiece.
Anyone else here because of the trailer for light up the night?
yes, pls tell me when its gonna be out
I'm here because of Election 2016.
TODAY
@@Titleknown I'm here because of Election 2020. See you in another 4 years cause I'll still be listening
@4:30
jesus christ, i always forget how hard it gets me
I like to imagine that the robotic voice singing at the same time as Emily is the spirit of Joe, who by fighting became a metaphorical machine. Light's machine, created to fight a unwinable battle
5:18
The tower falls behind Dr.Light as he walks away. In it's last moments the screen flashes scenes from the play. Emily first, then Joe, Protoman, Wily's robots, Wily himself, and finally the freed people of the city, and Megaman victorious.
Such an underrated track.
@andrenaveed Agreed. So awesome. On a side note, it's similar to the ending of Spider-Man: Reign (a spiderman comic book in which New York City has become a dystopian, yet self-proclaimed utopia, like Dr. Wily's - and peter parker is an old man - it's surprisingly good).
@Patchworkmann Right when they say "THIS CI-TY!". Every time.
Me: An upcoming Armwrestler
Also Me: Protoman & Fan
*Frantical Mouse Clicks*
Until the day comes that the full album is released, I will not listen to a single song currently available in Act III.
Samee
@imperfectmaster I've been thinking this a while, also those guys who do the Sonic for Hire (lowbrow I think they're called) their style animation would suit it well.
I just found this music and it's SOOO FUCKING COOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Something beautiful about this album is that, in terms of plot, it's a prequel, but in terms of the emotional vibe, it's a sequel. In the end of Act 1, Megaman gives up. But in the end of Act 2, at the precipice of giving up, Dr. Light decides to go on.
"I still have work to do."
My own world, outside of this album, outside of this story...
It is filled with monsters. Who would hurt the people I care about, just because of who they are.
And I cannot allow that to go on. I cannot allow those monsters to wield such awesome power.
This City Needs Me Now,
and...
I Still Have Work To Do.
Let's go!
I would love to simply have music videos for all the songs. especially if the people who make the videos are good and get kind of interpretive when necessary.
and have a workable budget.
This album made me have feeluns.
I wish someone would work alongside the Protomen to make an animated short movie. the album is what, 45 minutes long, at most? Like Egoraptor, he's a big Megaman fan(not sure if he knows who the Protomen are) and a really good animator, I sometimes try to imagine what would happen if he offered to use his skills to make a movie. but alas, I must live in a world without an animated Protomen film...
@PallatontheBeta Yes, I have. If you notice, that's the order everyone dies...Dr. Light not included and Wily before the citizens. It's only that way because that's how I like it. :D
THIS IS MY FAVROUTE BAND!!!!
I swear the last instance of the robotic voice is saying "this city, has gone to hell."
"This city. Has. Gone. To. HELL."
@EviIPaladin
Wait... did you mean like wouldn't Light have been discovered? Yeah, I don't know, that always bugged me too.
@Utopiansybill have you not listened to the first act?
@PallatontheBeta Does megaman turn evil in act 1? I didn't realize that. Can you explain a bit of what happens?
I find myself constantly listening to 3:11 - 4:54
They already did. Before this album came out, actually. This is a prequel to their first album.
@TehOutsider
He's so badass, angels follow him around with electric guitars. In fact, when I commission the making of this rock opera using my life savings, I'm going to have to have almost-invisible angels do that in this scene.
@nvshd I realized that and that's why i have my two other comments or did you not take the time to read those?
Oh yeah, I forgot about him. He was pretty awesome too.
Emily, a crowd has gathered here:
and once again, they fail to see.
You can't just set the world at someone else's feet,
and not get trampled underneath.
I think somehow Joe knew it:
paid the price he thought he had to pay.
But Emily, that debt was made for me.
That debt was made for me.
I'm having trouble remembering this has anything to do with Megaman
Or a rock opera that is filmed? Because some of these things are hard to put into a stage. An actual film could have seperate shots.
@EviIPaladin thats why willy is a magnificent bastard he know light wil return and is completely confident in the fact it wont mean a damn thing.
Joe, you see Emily? Tell her to wait for me. I still have work to do.
I never understood Emily's letter. Was she sick or dying? Did she know what Wily was planning before writing it? Like was this establish in an earlier song?
In the notes for "Intermission", it shows a letter written by Light to Emily, stating his worries about the direction Wily wants to bring the robots, and Light's fear of what may come. Emily didn't know she was soon to pass, but wrote as if the worst might happen. Kind of a convenient plot point, but damn good music
Hope survives. Even if it's just one man. Even if he rides alone. Hope survives.