A Psychotic Little Christmas, Day 1: Over Shiver Mountain

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
nobody could sleep, not even a mouse
for into the hall, and out the window
I blasted this song from Paper Mario.
So to kick off this holiday countdown of sorts
I bring you the first in a dozen of shorts,
twelve musical pieces rejoicing the season
hand-selected by me, for whatever reason.

Anyways, this track takes place in the latter half of the game, more precisely Chapter 7. Amongst the snowy sights and frozen heights this track is a perfect fit, capturing the mystique of winter with its subtle background synth. The main melody is impatient, rising and falling constantly, yet made catchy via the hard bass and winter bells that accompany it. It's a great piece of music to fit an even better time of year, as Mario and the gang traverse the frosty plains ridden with tough enemies and tougher puzzles.

The piece in general is very cheerful and laid back, as most actual holiday songs characteristically are, yet this one has a more playful nature to it; it's a winter wonderland out there, so go out and enjoy it while it lasts, ya know? It's the impermanence of things that make them beautiful, and this is especially true of winter, coming and going in the blink of an eye. I think this track and the game itself do a great job expressing that, particularly in the sharp contrast of the Freeze Palace encountered later in the chapter.

And that's that! The countdown will continue up until Christmas Eve, with me bringing you one new holiday track every day, so check back now and then if you need a wintery fix of VGM!