| "Snake Eater" | |
|---|---|
 The ladder sequence ofMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, where the song is played | |
| Song by Cynthia Harrell | |
| from the albumMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Original Soundtrack | |
| Recorded | 2004 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:57 |
| Label | King |
| Songwriter | Norihiko Hibino |
| Producer | Rika Muranaka |
| Licensed audio | |
| "Snake Eater" onYouTube | |
"Snake Eater" is the theme song for the 2004 video gameMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, written byNorihiko Hibino and performed by Cynthia Harrell. The song is used within the game's opening sequence, as well as a sequence in which the player climbs a long ladder near the end of the game. Originally composed before the game's development as a substitute track, the song was praised by directorHideo Kojima and the final version was performed by a live orchestra.
"Snake Eater" featureshorns,brass, andstring instruments, as well asbacking vocals. Several journalists compared the song tothe title themes ofJames Bond films. "Snake Eater" has been met with critical acclaim, with praise for its usage inMetal Gear Solid 3 and Harrell's performance. Other artists have covered the song, including voice actorDonna Burke in 2015. Some publications considered "Snake Eater" among the best video game songs ever made.
"Snake Eater" was written byNorihiko Hibino and performed by Cynthia Harrell for the 2004 video gameMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.[1] After directorHideo Kojima disliked all of the music being created for the game up to that point, Hibino created "Snake Eater" as a substitute beforeMetal Gear Solid 3 entered proper development. Initially, Hibino was not supposed to create the song, as another composer was working on the game and Hibino was only in charge of the soundtrack's direction.[2] Instead,Konami composer and music producerRika Muranaka, the creator of previousMetal Gear Solid themes, pitched a song called "Don't Be Afraid" to be the main theme;[3] Kojima considered it too slow and unsuitable as the theme,[3] preferring "Snake Eater".[2][3]
Prior to performing "Snake Eater", Harrell was known for her performance of "I Am the Wind", the closing theme ofCastlevania: Symphony of the Night. During the composition of "Snake Eater", Harrell was requested by her friend, Muranaka, to perform a demo version. She felt there was "something special" about it.[4] Months later,King Records, the publisher ofMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Original Soundtrack, requested that Harrell perform the final version in Los Angeles with a liveorchestra; she finished it in two takes.[4] Hibino composed two additional versions: with Japanese lyrics performed byAkiko Wada, and a special version created forE3.[2] In 2015, ahip-hop remix performed by actorDonna Burke, with additional reverb and echo effects, was included on the Japan-exclusive albumMetal Gear Solid Vocal Tracks.[5] Burke re-recorded the song in 2023.[6]
InMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the song is first featured in the opening. It later appears in a lengthy ladder-climbing sequence after defeating The End, aboss fight. During the ladder sequence, the song is reduced to only vocals, which echo through the concrete tunnel.[1][4][7] A snippet of the song was included in the 2023 reveal trailer forMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, a remake ofMetal Gear Solid 3;[8] a re-recorded version of the song is featured in the remake's openingcutscene.[9][10] An instrumental version was featured in the 2008 video gameSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.[11] Cover versions have been performed by theVideo Game Orchestra in 2013 and8-Bit Big Band in 2022.[1][12]
"Snake Eater" was composed withchromatic chord progressions and useshorns,brass, andstring instruments.[11][13] Harrell's intense vocal delivery is accompanied bybacking vocals.[13][14] During the tunnel sequence, her voice is prioritized over the wind ambience and sounds made by the player.[15] Several outlets compared the song tothe title themes ofJames Bond films, particularly due to its instrumentation, vocals, and imagery;[1][5][7][15] writing inThe Soundtrack, Jennifer Smith considered it a parody ofJames Bond'stitle character's "misogynistic use of women".[15]
According to Hibino, the lyrics were intended to reflect the perspectives of bothNaked Snake—the game's protagonist—andEva, but left ambiguous enough to be interpreted in different ways.[3]Kotaku's Ash Parrish felt the lyrics implied the song was performed from the perspective ofthe Boss, one of the game's characters.[16] In the context of the game, Smith wrote the song was "used to pace the story and to provide a reflective moment" for the player, and felt itsnon-diegetic usage positioned the female vocalist as the protagonist's narrator.[15]
"Snake Eater" has been met with praise.[1][16]Kotaku's Parrish andDestructoid's Chris Carter lauded Harrell's performance,[16][17] andCNET's Michelle Starr praised Hibino's composition.[18]Video Game Music Online's Oliver Jia considered the song "unforgettable" and deserving of praise but found the lyrics occasionally cheesy.[5]GamesRadar+'s Henry Gilbert andSquare Enix Music Online echoed similar thoughts, with the former writing that some lyrics could be viewed as "too silly" and the latter that it used its cheesiness advantageously.[11][13] Jia found the version featured inMetal Gear Solid Vocal Tracks a "surprisingly good cover", praising Burke's performance.[5]
The song's usage within the game was praised;[11][19]Game Rant's Harry Sprinks felt it "encapsulate[s] the feeling ofMetal Gear Solid 3 perfectly",[19] and Jack Yarwood ofTime Extension said it was nearly impossible to talk about the game without also mentioning "Snake Eater".[3] Gilbert praised its usage in the game's opening[11] andPolygon's Allegra Frank in the ladder sequence, noting it "set the tone" for the game.[7]Game Informer's Mike Futter considered the song and ladder sequence among the most memorable themes and moments, respectively, in video games.[1] Tyler Treese ofGameRevolution called it a "killer" song and its usage a "beautiful moment" allowing the player to reflect on their accomplishments "and what hardship is to come".[20] Some critics felt the song prevented the ladder sequence from becoming boring and unenjoyable.[20][21]
"Snake Eater" was the winner of the Best Original Vocal Song – Pop award at the 3rd AnnualGame Audio Network Guild Awards in 2005.[22] Several outlets considered it among the best video game songs[18][21] and best game vocal tracks.[14][13]Paste's Austin Jones described Harrell as an "indelible and underappreciated legend" invideo game music for her performances of "I Am the Wind" and "Snake Eater".[14]
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