"Squid Game" is Tops in the Music Department

I have now watched "Squid Game" twice. And I still love it as much as I did the first time. It is truly one of the best shows to come out in quite some time. A few weeks back I wrote about the set design, namely the humongous piggy bank. That is still firmly in my head each and every time I think or talk about the show. Today I want to talk about the music.

Recently I have been listening to the music from the show on Spotify, and today it hit me as hard as the piggy bank did. The music from the show is all instrumental, so much like my review of "The Green Knight", it may not be for everyone. But I love it. I was listening to it when I took my kids to school today, no worries, they do not talk about what happens on the show at all, and even they were into it. We have been listening to it in the house at night time as a wind down. But this morning, after the kids left and I really got to take it in, the music just adds a whole other layer to this great show. The music cues made me think back to some of my favorite, and not so favorite moments from the first season. When they play the song that plays over the opening credits on the first episode, and then that song keeps reappearing throughout the season, I had so many visions of the show pop back into my head. I thought about the young kids playing squid game for fun. Then I thought about the hell they go through when they are in the warehouse. When the song "I Remember My Name" plays I was instantly taken back to the episode "Gnnabu", better known as "Marbles" to most now, and it wrecked me yet again. When they played the song that plays during "Dalgona" I was instantly nervous and anxious and thinking about what I would do during that game. They have a song when the soldiers are introduced and it builds to this amazing crescendo that had me totally remembering their introduction. The song that plays near the end of the season finale, no spoilers coming I promise, I got fired up like I used to when coaches would be riling us up before any football, baseball or basketball games. The music was giving me visceral reactions. I was feeling feelings that I had during the show, but it was also bringing up new feelings. To me that is the sign of great music, well made music. When you get a real reaction, that means it played a part. Another example is the song that plays when they show all the contestants the money in the piggy bank after playing red light green light. When the piggy bank keeps adding more and more money there is this almost video game like music playing. It made me feel like I was playing a game on my Nintendo when I was a kid.

Also the instruments they use are truly awesome. There are typical classical instruments being played, like pretty much any stringed instrument. But they also have guitars and keyboards and drums and synthesizers. It is updated classical music.

I have not listened to an instrumental album, outside of anything Ratatat does, since I listened to the "Jurassic Park" soundtrack as a kid. The "Squid Game" soundtrack has changed that, and it is better than the music from "Jurassic Park". No question about it. "Squid Game" is great for so many reasons, and the music is another in a long line. This show rules.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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