War Master Songs and More (Heavy Spoilers)

1. The War Master's Paradox (A Song for the Master)

Note: The following song is heavy on subjective character analyses, and references and interpretations drawn from both the "War Master" audios (specifically, the disk set "Only the Good") and the main range audio "Master".

(I know the War Master is a pretty heinous individual- but I also have a hard time not interpreting the Master as morally complex in general, especially in the light of Missy's eventual redemption (and the fact that every time the Master gets amnesia, he turns out to be a surprisingly decent person). So call me the Doctor, because I probably view this genocidal maniac in a more sympathetic light than is really justified.)

2. Fading Signal (a Song for Yana and Rafe)

Note: The following song is a sequel to "The Master's Paradox", and spoils the plot of the (absolutely heartbreaking) audio episode "Alone".

Doctor Who (TV 2005)

3. Hidden Heart (a song for Chantho)

Note: This can also be considered a sequel to the War Master songs.

I already made two War Master songs, so I really wanted to do a third one following his story to make it a trilogy. And I always found Yana and Chantho very interesting. But this actually turned out to be the hardest one to get right. Partially because... Chantho has maybe five minutes of screen time, so I had to extrapolate a lot. It made me feel like I was stretching the material a bit thin, but I tried to live up to the character analyses bit.

Thankfully- the delivery here really hit the emotional mark for me.

Side note: The line about "lifeblood spills" drives me absolutely insane ever since I realized it didn't make sense to bleed after getting electrocuted. But every time I try to change it, the song doesn't come out right. It was really hard to get those more haunting "tho" notes in there and it's not worth sacrificing them. But i've been assured "lifeblood" can be a metaphorical phrase as well. (And she's an alien, so who knows...) I would've liked to replace it with "as vision fades" or something.

I also would have used "fall in char and woe" rather than "fall in ash and woe" in retrospect. Sigh. It's too late now, though both technically work.

Also also, if I ever got the chance I would probably remove at least one reference to stars. "His eyes are fixed on stars" was something I intended to be metaphorical at the time, but combined this the "the stars burn cold and thin" it may create of an incorrectly concrete image of stars being present, when it's only supposed to be their memory or hope/dream.

Also also also, i'm not sure if "though none are left to mourn for me" would've been a better ending than "though none will mourn for me". The fact that either line starts with "though" (echoing the "tho" in the chorus and referencing Chantho's verbal tick) makes it a stronger ending than it would be otherwise either way, and syllable wise I think the one I went with was smoother. Though the other option ties more directly in Chantho being the last of her kind.

i'm not going to delete this version or anything, but I may do a second pass some day if I get acess to something that lets me replicate the previous music/singing style very accurate.

Doctor Who books (Some Spoilers)

4. House of Rot and Time (a song for Lungbarrow)

Note: Based on the book "Lungbarrow" by Marc Platt. This song isn't plot heavy- it mostly focusses on the gothic atmospherics of the house- but there is some discussion of the great Other.

5. Relic's Dirge (a song for Alien Bodies)

Note: This song follows the plot of the book "Alien Bodies" by Lawrence Miles. It's a bit ominous, with a dash of existential crisis.

Faction Paradox Songs (Some Spoilers)

6. Shadow's Heir (a song for Cousin Justine)

Note: Not sure about the ending. That said- I really like the celtic feel, and it may be my favorite. Follows events of the Faction Paradox Audios.

Bonus Alt Version:

6.5. Shadow's Heir (Suno 3.5 Anime op Remix)

8th Doctor Big Finish Audio Songs (Some Spoilers)

7. The Girl Who Never Was (a song for Charley Pollard)

Note:

This one is more dealing with Charley's emotions- but it covers Charley's departure, and has some ocean symbolism.

I was going back and forth with chatgpt to smooth out syllables for singability, so you might think it was an AI's idea to rhyme "time" with "time", but...you'de be wrong. That was all me. 

(Technically i'm using a different definition of the word both times, but anyway.)

There are parts I really love though, like the beginning and ending.