McCreary won an Emmy for his main title of Da Vinci's Demons. His most recent Emmy nomination was in 2015 for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for season one of Outlander.
McCreary was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and spent most of his formative years in Bellingham, Washington. He is the son of author Laura Kalpakian and professor Jay McCreary of University of Hawaii. His brother, Brendan McCreary, is also a musician. Bear has directed and produced several music videos for Brendan's band, Young Beautiful in a Hurry. He graduated from Bellingham High School in 1997.
He is a classically trained pianist and self-taught accordionist. He studied under the renowned film score composer Elmer Bernstein during which time he reconstructed and reorchestrated Bernstein's 1963 score for Kings of the Sun. Their collaboration allowed for the complete score to be available as a soundtrack album for the first time in 40 years.
McCreary credits composers Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, Danny Elfman, Ennio Morricone, John Williams, Shirley Walker as being key to his growing up adoring film music. They were his heroes while he was growing up. Contemporary composers continue to inspire his growth and is a self-avowed fan of Hans Zimmer.
Lords of Kobol
Bear McCreary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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AdBear McCreary's song "Lords of Kobol" pays tribute to the mythology surrounding the colonial ancestors of Battlestar Galactica's universe. The song encapsulates the reverence that the characters hold for the mythical beings that created their civilization, known as the Lords of Kobol. The lyrics describe them as "guides of the lost," "singers of forgotten songs," and "keepers of the truth." The song seeks to emphasize the importance of tradition and community, with lines like "hear the voice of a thousand souls, as believers raise their hands" and "gold and silver can't take us home, only love can take us there."
These lyrics offer insight into the characters' mindset and the cultural traditions that they hold dear. The idea of the "Lords of Kobol" parallels real-world mythologies that attempt to explain the origins of civilization and humanity. By embracing these myths, the characters are attempting to find meaning and purpose in their lives in the face of an uncertain future.
Line by Line Meaning
Ancient power, lords of light
The rulers of the universe who possess mighty power and embody the essence of light
From beyond, the essence ignites
Their presence beyond the known universe fuels life and energy throughout the cosmos
All this has happened before
The cyclical nature of life that repeats throughout history
And all of it will happen again
The belief that history repeats itself in an infinite loop
They are the bringers of war
The lords of Kobol are responsible for conflicts and wars throughout the cosmos
They are the bringers of peace
The same lords of Kobol also bring peace and harmony amid the chaos they create
They control the battlefields
The lords of Kobol have control over the vast spaces where battles between factions occur
They control the crops
The same lords also have dominion over the natural resources and vegetation of the universe
They are the givers of life
The lords of Kobol are also responsible for the creation of life
They are the takers of life
But at the same time, they have the power to take life away
The universe has a rhythm
The universe follows a specific pattern of life, death, and rebirth
It's written in blood
This cycle is marked by violence, and the bloodshed is a reminder of the pattern
They are the Lords of Kobol
The cosmic rulers who control the pattern of life and death
Let them hear your voice
An invitation to worshippers to reach out to the lords of Kobol and seek their help or guidance
They are the Lords of Kobol
Repeating the title to emphasize their significance and power
Bow, and rejoice
An urging to devotees to bow down in worship and express their admiration
Contributed by Adam L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BoromiROfGeo
Dei Kobol una apita uthoukarana
Ukthea mavatha gaman kerimuta
Obe satharane mua osavathamanabanta
Api obata yagnya karama
(Help us Lords of Kobol
Let us walk the path of righteousness
And lift our faces unto your goodness
We offer this prayer)
Γιωργος Σταματοπουλος
BSG is the best sci-fi series and Bear Mccreary gave us some magical melodies.BSG is the example of people being in the right place in the right time and gave us a masterpiece.
42099alex
No. BSG is the best damn media created.
James Ponder
***** Period, exclamation mark!!!
Head Minerve
+James Ponder "End of line."
-- The Hybrid
Walking Dreams
@Head Minerve I'm going to watch this again, but was not impressed with the hybrid.
Rooster455
Man, Bear McCreary is a frakking genious composer. This is hauntingly beautiful.
Bragorn Peterson
I have begun to think that another BSG prequel series might be nice, accept I wanna see the story of Kobol, and the 13 tribes.
Harold Callahan
The scene in the Galactica hangar deck when both crews of Pegasus and Galactica celebrate and embrace is one of the best scenes from the series. It's terrible how everything degenerates from everything else after.
BoromiROfGeo
Dei Kobol una apita uthoukarana
Ukthea mavatha gaman kerimuta
Obe satharane mua osavathamanabanta
Api obata yagnya karama
(Help us Lords of Kobol
Let us walk the path of righteousness
And lift our faces unto your goodness
We offer this prayer)
The Rebel Empire02
thank you! i have been wondering what she was saying....