Friday, September 19, 2014

Pirates vs Ninjas

If I ran a game store I would play the song Pirates vs Ninjas by Raptors Away!.

Pirates vs Ninjas is a guitar-driven, hoarse-throated, crossover thrash tune. Musically it's a little heavy for a game store, but the subject matter makes the song a must-play. The song is about the obvious: a fantasy battle to the death between pirates and ninjas.

It's an established fact that if pirates and ninjas fought that the pirates would win, duh. Yet when Raptors Away! recorded Pirates vs Ninjas they recorded the song with two endings – one describing pirate victory and one describing ninja victory. When the band performed the song live they would poll the audience who would win and play the ending to match. Ideally, both versions of the song will be on my game store's playlist and the playlist will be set to shuffle.

Raptors Away! was a garage band that never really got anywhere. They peaked by getting on the same line-up as The Great Lukeski, Warp 11, and The Phenomenauts at Gen Con So Cal 2004 gaming convention (all these bands will be covered by X Marks the Beat). Dr. Demento was in the audience that night (so was I – the audience voted for pirates) and Raptors Away! was interviewed by Attack of the Show. The band produced a five-song CD for sale at the convention and in 2005 they produced a second CD titled There's One in Every Crowd. They eventually combined both CDs onto a single album titled Rise of the Phoenix. Pirates vs Ninjas was originally titled PvN and was released on There's One in Every Crowd. The name was changed to avoid confusion with PvA (Predators vs Aliens).


Pirates vs Ninjas lyrics

Captain Tiggerwilly's fearless crew had been at sea for nine long weeks
Merchant ships were scarce and few and the pickin's were rather meek
When all of a sudden a crewman shouted, "Look a storm is nigh"
And as they all looked up instead of rain ninjas fell from the sky

Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, only one walks away tonight
Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, only one walks away tonight

The ninjas landed on the ship, they had swords and shuriken too
The pirates looked around and realized that there were quite a few
But the pirates hadn't backed away from a fight in all their lives
So some drew swords and some drew guns and they threw down for the fight

Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, only one walks away tonight
Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, only one walks away tonight

The topsman got his head cut off by a dude with a kusarigama
And this one ninja got shot with a cannon and died from severe blunt trauma
The ninja leader and the pirate captain squared off upon the poop deck
And everyone on the ship stopped to watch knowing one would meet their death

Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, only one walks away tonight
Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, only one walks away tonight

[Choose an ending]


Lyrics for pirate victory ending

Ladies and gentlemen, there is an age old battle that has been fought between pirates and ninjas
Well I'm here one and for all to decide with you the final outcome
Ladies and gentlemen, this is not an easy choice
You're condemning an entire race to extinction through gory, bloody, violent deaths
It's a tough call and it's a call you are going to have to make
I can't do this alone
Let's do it
Will it be the ninjas, able to turn invisible, ancient feudal assassins of old?
(Applause)
Or will it be the pirates, sailing on their ships, wenching, whoring, dressing like homeless people?
(Applause)
The pirates have it

The captain kicked him in the balls and then chopped off his head
And the ninjas let out a mighty gasp as the ninja leader fell dead
The pirates killed all the ninjas, each and every one
Then they got real drunk and got some whores and sailed in to the sun

Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, the pirates rule the night
Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, the pirates won tonight


Lyrics for ninja victory ending

Ladies and gentlemen, there is an age old battle that has been fought between pirates and ninjas
Well I'm here once and for all to help decide with you the final outcome
Ladies and gentlemen, this is not an easy choice
You're condemning an entire race to extinction through gory, bloody, violent deaths
It's a tough call and it's a call you are going to have to make
I can't do this alone
Let's do it
Will it be the pirates, made famous by dressing like homeless people, wearing parrots and hooks, and wenching?
(Applause)
Or will it be the ninjas, secret warriors of the night who can turn invisible and totally just kill anyone?
(Applause)
The ninjas have it

The pirate and the ninja swung their swords but neither blow fell true
"Ya missed, ya landlubber," the captain cried then promptly split in two
The pirates gasped as the ninjas killed them down to the last man
Then they went all invisible and went back to Japan

Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight
Pirates and ninjas, the ninjas rule the night
Pirates and ninjas are having the final fight

Pirates and ninjas, the ninjas rule the night

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