Difference between revisions of "Still Alive"

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A version with Coulton's vocals was included on The Orange Box Original Soundtrack, in addition to the one heard at the end of the game. The song was made available on April 1, 2008 for the game ''Rock Band'' as downloadable content. It is one of the few tracks available for free download in the ''Rock Band'' Store.
 
A version with Coulton's vocals was included on The Orange Box Original Soundtrack, in addition to the one heard at the end of the game. The song was made available on April 1, 2008 for the game ''Rock Band'' as downloadable content. It is one of the few tracks available for free download in the ''Rock Band'' Store.
  
The song makes a return in a later Valve game, ''[[Wikipedia:Left 4 Dead 2|Left 4 Dead 2]]''. A jukebox in "The Parish" campaign can be operated, playing a randomly selected song. Still Alive is one of the songs, although it is very rare. One of the other songs is [[Re: Your Brains]].
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The song makes a return in a later Valve game, ''[[Wikipedia:Left 4 Dead 2|Left 4 Dead 2]]''. A jukebox in "The Parish" campaign can be operated, playing a randomly selected song. Still Alive is one of the songs, although it is very rare. One of the other songs is [[Re: Your Brains]]. "Still Alive" is also reprised in ''Portal 2''.
  
 
A live version is one of the tracks on Jonathan's 2009 live album, ''[[Best. Concert. Ever.]]''
 
A live version is one of the tracks on Jonathan's 2009 live album, ''[[Best. Concert. Ever.]]''

Revision as of 13:12, 17 August 2011


Portal.jpg
Still Alive
ReleaseArtificial Heart
Length2:56
Release dateOct. 9, 2007 (Xbox 360, PC); Dec. 11, 2007 (PlayStation 3); Unknown
Related Pages

Lyrics
Tabs
Videos
Concerts

Other media



"Still Alive" is a song Jonathan Coulton wrote for the Valve game Portal. The song is currently being rerecorded for release on Coulton's new album, with Sara Quin on lead vocal, Chris Anderson on bass guitar, Marty Beller on drums, Joe McGinty playing 'keyboardy things', and Dorit Chrysler on theremin.[1]

Information

Coulton wrote and performed a song titled "Still Alive" for the ending credits of Valve's 2007 video game Portal, with vocals by Ellen McLain. McLain, the voice actress who portrayed the insane computer GLaDOS in the game, is a classically trained singer. After she recorded the song her voice was digitally filtered (as it was for her dialogue in the game).

Portal also features a short instrumental rendition of "Still Alive" performed on trumpets in a Latin style.

A sequel song, also written by Coulton and performed by McLain, entitled "Want You Gone" is featured in Valve's 2011 game release Portal 2

Availability

A version with Coulton's vocals was included on The Orange Box Original Soundtrack, in addition to the one heard at the end of the game. The song was made available on April 1, 2008 for the game Rock Band as downloadable content. It is one of the few tracks available for free download in the Rock Band Store.

The song makes a return in a later Valve game, Left 4 Dead 2. A jukebox in "The Parish" campaign can be operated, playing a randomly selected song. Still Alive is one of the songs, although it is very rare. One of the other songs is Re: Your Brains. "Still Alive" is also reprised in Portal 2.

A live version is one of the tracks on Jonathan's 2009 live album, Best. Concert. Ever.

Unofficially, many versions of the song have been circulated, primarily through YouTube. These range from live footage of Coulton performing the song solo (in 2011 he began performing it in medley with its sequel, "Want You Gone") and with actress Felicia Day, a version performed by a children's choir, a machima version performed by a simulated Japanese computer voice, and a professional studio cover version by the British band Miss Flag.

References & Trivia

  • This song was performed at MIT as a demonstration of a Rubens Tube, which visualizes the musical tones using flaming gas jets.
  • The game's A.I., GlaDOS, appears as a character in this XKCD comic strip, with dialogue quoting the song.
  • The song's second line ("I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS") has become a minor Internet meme (e.g. as referenced in the Rifftrax commentary for the film "Saw").

Themes

Copyright information

Unlike JoCo's other songs, Still Alive is owned by Valve, and is not subject to Creative Commons.

Citations

Best. Concert. Ever.
1. The Future Soon · 2. Ikea · 3. Shop Vac · 4. I'm Your Moon · 5. Baby Got Back · 6. Kenesaw Mountain Landis · 7. Chiron Beta Prime · 8. Tom Cruise Crazy · 9. Code Monkey · 10. Creepy Doll · 11. Still Alive · 12. Mr. Fancy Pants · 13. I Crush Everything · 14. Skullcrusher Mountain · 15. Mandelbrot Set · 16. You Ruined Everything · 17. Re: Your Brains · 18. A Talk with George · 19. I Feel Fantastic · 20. First of May