[Style: Lo-fi chiptune RPG score, nostalgic synth palette, transforming leitmotif]
[Tempo: Moderate and buoyant at first, later urgent and driving]
[Instrumentation: Square wave lead, triangle bass, soft synth pad, pixel-style percussion, xylophone, glockenspiel, tinkly felt piano]
[Intro]
[Bright major-key arpeggios in square lead]
[Tinkly piano introduces simple, singable leitmotif]
[Xylophone doubling melody one octave higher]
[Glockenspiel sparkling accents with light reverb]
[Verse 1]
Oh, it’s a golden day along the rolling blue,
Striped umbrellas dancing in a sunny view,
Ladies with their parasols and gents with walking canes,
Laughing as we wander down the promenade again.
Salt upon the breeze and sugar on a stick,
Brass band by the pier is playing something slick,
Shoes all tapping easy to the ragtime serenade,
Life is just a picture postcard heaven-made.
[Pre-Chorus]
[Triangle bass subtly shifts harmony underneath]
[Motif repeats with slight suspended chord tension]
But the tide looks funny, got a darker shade of green,
There’s a hush that wasn’t there a moment in between,
Band keeps playing cheerful though the gulls have flown away,
Something’s stirring farther out beyond the spray...
[Chorus]
[Full layered synth harmonies, leitmotif strong and catchy]
[Glockenspiel doubling vocal hook]
We were strolling, strolling, smiling in the sun,
Dancing to the rhythm of a seaside kind of fun,
Hand in hand and carefree as could ever be—
Down the bright and shining promenade by the sea!
[Instrumental Break]
[Lead synth plays main motif]
[Xylophone counter-melody, playful and quick]
[Glockenspiel echo delay]
[Motif reharmonised subtly, hinting at minor]
[Verse 2]
[Harmony introduces minor passing tones]
[Percussion grows firmer, pulse more insistent]
Now the water’s bubbling like a kettle left to steam,
Shadow rising tall enough to swallow up the dream,
Folks are dropping ice creams, staring open-mouthed,
Band’s still playing bravely though the notes are heading south.
Up it comes in terror with a roar and crashing foam,
Great and grim and dripping from the ocean now to roam,
Boardwalk starts to splinter under monstrous weight,
Sunshine turns to pandemonium and fate!
[Build]
[Tempo increases slightly]
[Main leitmotif returns in minor mode]
[Xylophone sharp repeating ostinato]
[Glockenspiel isolated, colder accents]
[Low synth drone beneath]
Run, oh run now, hear the people cry!
Trumpets blare in minor as the creature rears up high!
Xylophone is rattling like a warning bell,
Paradise is tipping straight to seaside hell!
[Chaos Chorus]
[Driving percussion, layered arpeggios, harmonic tension]
[Leitmotif fully transformed to dark minor]
We were strolling, strolling, moments now undone,
Laughing in the daylight—now we’re turning tail and run!
Claws upon the planks and thunder in the sky,
Bright old promenade is where the merry came to die!
[Final Section]
[Drop to minimal arrangement]
[Tinkly piano plays original motif slowly in minor]
[
fatherjack
