The 10 SADDEST Legend of Zelda Songs

The 10 Saddest Legend of Zelda Songs

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at somber songs from “The Legend of Zelda” that reach into your soul and make it ache. But beware, a fair few spoilers lie ahead.

Farewell Hyrule King

“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003)

In “A Link to the Past,” when players entered Hyrule Castle, they were met with a triumphant theme befitting the location. However, that music was turned on its head for the death scene of King Hyrule in “The Wind Waker.” Revealed to be the spirit residing in Link’s talking boat earlier in the game, the King helps out in the climax with Ganondorf by stealing the villain’s wish with the Triforce. As his kingdom is flooded around him, that once triumphant music is stripped down to a somber piano that flawlessly sets the tone. Even as Zelda begs him to come with, this downcast theme lets us know he won’t. Nintendo’s composers know how to take classic music ingrained in our memories and manipulate it for different moods, this being a prime example.

Ballad of the Wind Fish

“The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” (1993)

Although Link makes it off of Koholint Island at the end of “Link’s Awakening,” it’s not quite a happy conclusion. Everyone else, brought to life by the Wind Fish’s dream, ceases to exist. The song you play to wake this deity from its slumber, Ballad of the Wind Fish, perfectly sums up those mixed feelings. It’s both melodic and melancholic, and it left a strong impression on every fan who grew up playing this on the Game Boy. The remake’s version from 2019 is also stellar. Just like the rest of the soundtrack, its orchestral reimagining brings new flair, and appropriately encapsulates this bittersweet entry in the series.

Our Children Taken

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

With a more mature approach to its narrative and themes, the score of “Twilight Princess” can also be sorrowful at times. In an early scene, the children of Link’s village are all kidnapped. Though he’s able to rescue them, the danger of the overall world keeps them from returning home. However, if you do, and visit one of the children’s homes, you’ll hear one of the most heartbreaking tracks in the game. ‘Our Children Taken’ completely captures the quiet grief of a parent aching to be reunited with their child. There’s a soft, almost music box-like quality to it that feels warm, yet a longing that leaves you cold.

Giant’s Theme

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

There are a lot of deep, emotional themes running through “Majora’s Mask” that are naturally paired with the perfect music. Sorrow is a big one, and the Giant’s Theme is one of the stronger musical representations of it. The evil of the mask fed off of Skull Kid’s feelings of abandonment brought on by the departure of his friends, the Giants. Building off of ‘Oath to Order,’ the song used to summon the Giants during the climax, the theme of these guardians is fittingly filled with regret and sadness over what’s become of their friend. The pairing of Link’s ocarina with their haunting moans is a simple, but very effective combination.

Grandma’s Theme

“The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker” (2003)

In one of the few instances where Link is given close relatives, the hero must leave his poor grandma behind when he goes on his adventure. The music that plays during their final conversation is slow, soft, and wrapped in warmth, completely fitting with the character it’s linked to. It’s easy to think of one’s own grandmother when hearing it. When Link returns home later, she’s so sick with worry, she doesn’t even notice he’s there until he heals her. Just how ‘Our Children Taken’ captures a parent’s grief, this theme paints the picture of a lonely woman who just wants her grandchildren to be safe. It greets you with pathos on every revisit, reminding you of Link’s more personal connection to the story.

Mipha’s Theme

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (2017)

If there’s one Champion whose loss we feel the most in “Breath of the Wild,” it’s Mipha. With the strongest connection to Link, and with a family and community who still mourn her 100 years later, it’s hard not to feel bad each time she’s mentioned. Worse is when she’s shown, because she’s accompanied by one of the most gut wrenching tracks in the series. Mipha’s Theme mostly consists of a delicate piano, with some light strings and a woodwind for support. It’s peaceful, given Mipha’s healing nature. But it's also drenched in the type of sad longing that can come from lost love, both romantic and familial. Hearing it makes the player miss her deeply, despite little time spent with her.

Midna’s Lament

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

One of the go-to tunes that can pull on any “Zelda” fan’s heartstrings is Midna’s Lament. The character quickly became one of the most popular companions of Link’s many journeys. Her near death at the hands of Zant lit a fire under players to get her to safety, and the scene was made all the more powerful by its music. The quick, downcast piano notes, those strings aching with despair; it matched so well with the atmosphere of a boisterous, stormy night that it became one of “Twilight Princess’” stand out moments. Even if we never thought she’d actually die, we can still listen to this and remember that feeling of anxiety as we raced to save her.

Song of Healing

“The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask” (2000)

Koji Kondo is clearly a musical genius, able to invoke whatever feeling he needs to with just a few notes in a simple composition. The Song of Healing from “Majora’s Mask” is still beloved to this day due to its forlorn, but gorgeous, piano and how effectively it’s used throughout the story. Players use it to bring peace to certain tormented NPCs, either dead, dying, or cursed. There’s acceptance in it, yes, but that in no way makes the song, or any of its accompanying scenes, happy. Listening to it on its own, one can’t help but pick up on feelings of hopelessness and being lost.

Title Theme

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

One might think that the next big “Zelda,” the first in 3D for that matter, would open with a lively, adventurous track. What we got was so much better. The title theme is a stunning piece of music, with deep piano, touching strings, and, fittingly, an ocarina that delivers the main melody. It’s yet another example of the franchise’s music encapsulating a specific entry’s themes perfectly. Since Link gives up his childhood and fast forwards through seven years, the game explores lost innocence and either coming to terms with or trying to fix a world that was far brighter when you were young. It almost seems built with nostalgia in mind, not just for its player base but for its lead character. So, every time we hear this, our hearts ache, too, with memories of simpler times.

Fi’s Gratitude

“The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” (2011)

Fi may have been far from the best companion, but her final moments still bring tears to our eyes. With her purpose complete at the end of the game, the spirit plans to return to the Master Sword, where she will sleep eternally. The scene’s music adapts her theme, once mystical and enchanting, into something built with the single goal of making the player weep. It’s basically a death scene, with Fi thanking Link for showing her kindness and friendship, things she had no concept of at the start of the story. We’d be sad regardless, but Fi’s Gratitude refuses the bare minimum, with piano notes that feel like gut punches and strings that suck the happiness from the room.

What track from “Zelda” brings a lump to your throat? Share your thoughts and memories in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!