"Calling to the Night" is the vocal theme for Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus. The song was composed by Akihiro Honda, arranged by Norihiko Hibino and Akihiro Honda, performed by Natasha Farrow, and (its lyrics) written by Nobuko Toda.
The song was first featured as an instrumental track in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, during the cutscene in which Emma Emmerich and Raiden take the ladder down to the oil fence between struts of the Big Shell.[1]
The song then plays briefly during the scene where Elisa and Ursula predicts that Big Boss, after destroying Metal Gear, will create another one in its place, that one of his sons will "bring the world to ruin", and that his other son will "save the world" before she died. The song plays again (in its entirety) over the game's end credits.
The song is also featured in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as a starter song for the in-game iPod. Additionally, the song is unlockable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and can be played on either custom stages or Shadow Moses Island.
The song is also available on the Sony Walkman in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and can also be used for ZEKE's VOCALOID, the latter of which comes from a DLC package on either the PlayStation Network or Metal Gear Solid: The Unofficial Site.
A piano version also appears on the 20th Anniversary Music Collection and is played at the end of the credits in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus.
Part of the song's lyrics can be seen in The Boss's signature image, imprinted along with photos of The Boss as she is seen in Rokovoj Bereg in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
Lyrics
Through the night to the day
When everything is gone
Carry this soul away from the dry lands
In the sun we see fighting over lines
All our dreams and wishes we sent home for safe keeping
Fighting for what’s right
Calling to the night
To dream again in the light
Waiting for a storm to rise
Feel the isolation fleeting
Calling to the night
To be or not to be fighting here
Leaving without you, leaving my soul behind
Calling to the night
Colors of kodachrome fade with time
Calling to the night
For us, for every single life
All the ashes of men remain as a perfect memory
Calling to the night
But the heart will remain
As a silhouette of time
Hear the ringing echos in the splitting horizon
Calling to the night
Credits
Lead Vocal: Natasha Farrow
Produced by Norihiko Hibino (GEM Impact Inc.)
Lyrics by Nobuko Toda
Music Composed by Akihiro Honda
Music Arranged by Norihiko Hibino (GEM Impact Inc.) & Akihiro Honda
Background Vocals: harario
Solo Soprano Saxophone: Norihiko Hibino (GEM Impact Inc.)
Violins: Haruko Yano, Yukiko Iwato
Viola: Sachie Onuma
Cello: Akiko Yano
Programming: Akihiro Honda