For The Win

1. For The Win Soundtrack to the motion picture

2. Thank-Yous/ Dedications Many thanks to the directors, producers, actors, set designers, cameramen, and everyone else involved in making the movie. You all are truly a talented group of people. Also, thanks to the artists who wrote and performed these songs. Because of you all, we can brag about how cool this soundtrack is. And finally, the biggest and most sincere thank you to Cory Doctorow, for writing the novel For The Win. Without you, absolutely none of this would have happened.

3. Track one: “Barnacles” by Ugly Casanova Sample lyrics: “We clung on like barnacles on a boat;even though the ship sinks you know you can't let go” “I don't see how you see out of your windowi don't need to see, i'll paint mine black” When choosing the song that would play for the opening credits, at first we were going to go for something that would fit the theme of gaming, winning, something along those lines. But then again, the movie was bound to be filled with songs of that type. So we went for a song that described each character’s expository situation. These were people who, despite changes here and there, had one routine thing they did every day: Gaming. And despite how bad each labor character’s situation may have been, they were all dependent on online games, weather they earned money from it pr played for enjoyment. “Barnacles” could be interpreted many ways, but some of the lines hint at a sort of dependanceon something. When applied to this situation, of course, it implies a dependance on games, which was what made it so fitting.

4. Track two: “Machine” by Regina Spektor Sample lyrics: My eyes are bifocalMy hands are subjointedI live in the futureIn my pre-war apartmentAnd I count all my blessingI have friends in high placesAnd I'm upgraded dailyAll my wires without traces This song plays in the background as Mala’s rise to the powerful and ambitious General Robotwallah takes place. I felt “Machine” was the perfect song for this part. As she becomes stronger, Mala becomes more robotic and routine. The line, “I have friends in high places” describes her connections with MrBannerjee, who is making her rich. “And I’m upgraded daily” describes the daily praise and pay she gets from Bannerjee.

5. Track three: “The Whale Song” by Modest Mouse Sample lyrics: “I guess I am a scout So I should find a way out So everyone can find a way out” “Instead of seeing a neighbor out, I wish I’d found a way out” This song plays at the scene where Nor, Justbob, and The Mighty Krang are chased out of their hideout during the strike at Boss Wing’s factory and the in-game battles against the Pinkertons and they are beaten. For most of the song, “I guess I am a scout/ So I should find a way out/ So everyone can find a way out” is sung repeatedly. I figured this is how Nor felt at the time, and also all the times she started strikes at factories in the past and didn’t necessarily succeed. But she sees herself as the “scout” and is trying to find a way out for everyone who has to work in unfair conditions or has been wronged by their bosses somehow.

6. Track four: “Dots on Maps” by Say Hi Sample lyrics: “And the ebbs of traffic patterns recedeAnd we played our only record front to backInfinityWhen it's dark like thisAll that I can see is the whites of her green eyesWhen she says,"Oh, tell me, this is all it's gonna be?"And I say, "Oh, I don't know just how it's gonna be" This song plays when Ashok takes Yasmin to Mumbai on his scooter. We chose this song for this scene for a few reasons. First of all, the overall theme is travel, something Yasmin has rarely experienced and is fascinated with. The line “When she says ‘oh, tell me, is this all it’s gonna be?’ and I say ‘Oh, I don’t know just how it’s gonna be’.” describes the little conversation they had on the way over there. Mala was confused and didn’t know why Ashok needed her to work with him, and he didn’t really tell her until later.

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10. Track eight: “Handlebars” by Flobots Sample lyrics: “Me and my friends understand the futureI see the strings that control the systemsI can do anything with no assistanceI can lead a nation with a microphoneWith a microphoneWith a microphone” This song plays when Ashok crashes the game economies and blackmails Connor Prikkel and the other people who are in charge of games. Throughout the song, the lyrics show a rapid rise in power. In the beginning, the singer brags about being able to ride a bike with no handlebars, by the end he talks about ending the planet in a holocaust. Even though that wouldn’t happen with the Webblies, the “rise in power” theme definitely fits, because at first, the Webblies barely had a voice and no one would listen to them, but by the end of the book, they were finally getting what they wanted. Also, the lines “Me and my friends understand the future/I see the strings that control the systems” describe the Webblies’ knowledge and attitude towards their work.

11. Track nine: “My Life Is Like A Chase Dream (And I’m Still Having Chase Dreams)” by Moving Mountains Sample lyrics: “This house is burning down.The waves are flooding out.” “In your breath, I tried to hear, I never thought that anyone would fall.I never thought that you could save them all, so don't look down now.” This is the song from the climax scene of the movie, when the arsonists burn down Nor’s hideout. If you listen to the lyrics, it fits the given situation almost perfectly. The lyrics, “This house is burning down/The waves are flooding out” are pretty spot on as to the physical situation, since in this scene the building is on fire. “The waves are flooding out” also makes sense if you listen to it- the “waves” could be seen as Nor, Justbob, and Krang, and with the fire they, and everything they do, are forced to leave the hideout. “I never thought that anyone would fall” is the attitude the trio seemed to have on the situation. Throughout the book, they always risked it all, and they never seemed to think that anyone would die in their efforts. “I never thought that you could save them all” is how many people felt about Nor throughout her life, since there were so many skeptics, The next to last line in the song is “Just know that I found a better place to rest my head”. In her last moments, Nor seemed to be at peace with the fact that she was dying. Even the title of the song describes Nor’s life- always moving quickly from one place to another, escaping the police.

12. Track ten: “Like Home” by MuseeMecanique Sample lyrics: “Take precious things away,With clouds and tape,Strike up the bell to play,And walk down to the lake” “Hold this ghost, Feels like home” This is the song that plays during the credits. It was chosen because it fits the resolution. The “Like Home” theme of the song relates to how the characters all meet in Mumbai at the end of the movie. . Even though only a few of the characters lived in India to begin with, there is a sense of security similar to the one people usually feel when they’re at home. The line, “Take precious things away” describes how many of the characters had to leave their former homes to come to Mumbai