Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec

A phrase from the everything sounds better in Latin school, this is the title of a song (and the only lyric) from the video game RPG Final Fantasy VIII. It is not actually Latin, but is instead an anagram of the phrase 'Succession of Witches' plus the word 'Love'. This is not an inaccurate summary of the storyline.

'Fithos Lusec..' appears in several places in Final Fantasy VIII, once as the only lyric to the song "Succession of Witches" (and I think maybe one or two of the other witchy songs), and another time in "Liberi Fatali", the song in the opening sequence.

It's also in the box art somewhere, I think behind the last disc you see the sorceress with the phrase in front of her.

(Minor correction to skid: "Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec" is not the only lyric in the game. There's the rest of Liberi Fatali, and Faye Wong singing "Eyes on Me".)

This phrase is also the title of the Final Fantasy VIII Orchestral CD. All tunes written by Nobuo Uematsu, arranged by Shirou Hamaguchi.

1. Liberi Fatali
2. Blue Fields
3. Don't be Afraid
4. Balamb Garden ~ Ami
5. Fisherman's Horizon
6. Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec
7. Eyes On Me
8. The Man with the Machine Gun
9. Dance with the Balamb-Fish
10. Love Grows
11. The Oath
12. Ending Theme
13. Fragments of Memories

God, this is a good album. Uematsu's composition is really given the chance to shine with a full orchestra, rather than being held back by the PSX's limited musical capabilities. Tracks 1, 7 and 12 are taken directly from the game, where they were present as (I think) redbook audio, but all other tracks have been specially arranged and orchestrated, and very, very well. This is easily up to the calibre of John Williams' work.

The standout track on the album is undoubtably Balamb Garden ~ Ami, merging two songs together seamlessly to create one of the most serene soundscapes I've ever witnessed. The Man With The Machine Gun fares less well; the original was a fast paced disco-esque track which used the PSX very well - transfered to an orchestra, it initially sounds like the theme tune to a national news show, although it subsequently settles in well, and conveys the right feeling of exciting combat.

Yes, Eyes On Me is just as good/bad as you remembered it. As a track, it feels frankly out of place with the rest of the soundtrack; a sentimental popsong surrounded by epic orchestral movements. However, the reprise in the Ending Theme works perfectly; given a more fitting backing track, Faye Wong's clean, pure vocals become another instrument in the orchestra, and blend in seamlessly.

Shirou Hamaguchi deserves a medal for this arrangement. Uematsu deserves the world for the OST; it's easily his finest work, by a vast distance.