Wormsongs

Each Worms game has its own music. However, only four of these music tracks (from three games) have lyrics, making them Wormsongs. In addition to the Wormsongs in the games, there is another Wormsong that Team17 released "for a bit of fun and as a thank you to [Worms] fans".

Order

Although the Wormsongs each tell a story, taken as the order that they appear in games, they appear to contradict each other. Thus, assuming that the name Boggy B refers to only one worm, one could place the Wormsongs into a certain chronological order whereby there are no contradictions.

Wormsong 1995 (1)

The first Wormsong was composed by Bjørn Lynne. It was published with the first game of the series back in 1995. Since the song does not play during gameplay, listeners have to play the disc as an audio CD (for instance by playing it in a CD player). It was replaced by a different track without lyrics in Worms Reinforcements and at least some editions of Worms United (TODO: find out if all editions).

For a chronological order of the story, this must logically be the first song.

Length: 5 minutes, 10 seconds.

Lyrics

This is a story of courage, honour, and worms.

War had cast a shadow over their once-peaceful land.

Gunfire filled the air, as worm turned against worm.

Where so many had fallen, others knew they must follow.

For one such worm, this day had already come.

When he was two, his father had left - never to return.

Three years he had waited for his chance to fight.

Three years of training, both day and night,

And though he was scared as he set off for battle,

He knew in his heart it was something he must do.

Three inches tall and armed to the teeth, a fine soldier he made,

And his name was Boggy B.

[Chorus]

We are worms, we're the best, and we've come to win the war.

We'll stand, we'll never run; stay until it's done.

Though our friends may fall and our world be blown apart,

We'll strike with all our might, we'll fight for what is right,

Till the end.

Scrambling up a hill and hiding behind a tree,

He looked at the battle that raged down below.

It was there he saw his friend, Spadge, stood upon a bridge,

But another worm had also seen him, and aimed to have him dead.

Boggy called to Spadge, but Spadge didn't hear,

And he never knew what hit him as he flew into the air.

It was all too much for Boggy as he watched his best friend die.

His heart filled with rage, and he gripped his rifle tight.

Charging down the hill, he had to have revenge.

What had Spadge done to come to such an end?!

Reaching the bottom of the hill, Boggy suddenly heard a click.

He realised to his terror, there was a Mine under his tail.

[Chorus]

Hitting several cliffs and landing in a tree,

Boggy pulled himself together - there was much he had to do.

Spotting the enemy down below, he knew this was his chance.

Boggy grabbed a stick of Dynamite and dropped it on his head.

The enemy, he tried to run -

But all he could really do was squirm.

As the fuse ran out, there was a mighty bang and everywhere were bits of worm.

With their leader blown to kingdom come, the enemy - they turned and ran!

Boggy Bungeed from the tree, and landed safely on the ground.

As he watched the enemy squirm away, the cry went up

"WE'VE WON THE WAR!"

[Chorus] x 5

Wormsong 1999 (4)

The second Wormsong was composed by Bjørn Lynne for Worms Armageddon. The primary version plays automatically if no input is given after opening the game. After a whole match is played, at the statistics screen, an alternative version of this Wormsong is played, with the words spoken in the same accent as the Angry Scots soundbank. In the lyrics below, the additional lyrics in the alternative version can be seen in "[square brackets]", and lyrics that only appear in the primary version appear in "{curly brackets}". These tunes can also be found on the CD, as title.wav and Stats.wav respectively in the \Data\Streams directory. The primary version this Wormsong also plays while watching the credits of Worms: Reloaded.

It is the only Wormsong without a chorus.

For a chronological order of the story, this must logically be the fourth song.

Length: 5 minutes, 39 seconds (primary) / 7 minutes, 57 seconds (alternative).

Lyrics

[Right, now,] Many Moons have passed, since the worms went to war [Okay?].

[So, now,] Onwards and upwards, bigger weapons than before.

Boggy B [he] took cover, [he was absolutely freezing, shivering on patrol.] {he shivered on patrol.}

[Anyway,] The arms race [was going] crazy, [just mental] simply [like] way out of control.

{Then} his friend threw it [friend, indeed, aye], the latest device.

Boggy B [he] went and got it, [ARSE!] against all advice - "What the...?"

[So, right] His tail was split, and [all] his energy [was] lost - [he was knackered]

How many more will this dreaded war cost?

[So,] Then came the nuke [for crying out loud], and the disease [came] tumbling down.

If the bug [didnae] {didn't} get you, you'd probably drown [anyway].

[Now] {But} the worms [being the worms, they just] battled on, through hunger and pain.

Living to fight, just to victor again.

And now it's the curtain call, the final onslaught,

No better bullet could you possibly have bought.

But spare a thought for Boggy and with it his friend.

So fight [for] {with} their honour, and fight until the end.

Wormsong 2003 (3)

The third Wormsong was composed by Bjørn Lynne for Worms 3D. It can be heard on the credits screen. In addition, it may be heard on the title screen when the frontend music tweak is downloaded, but the demo interrupts it before the lyrics commence.

For a chronological order of the story, this must logically be the third song.

Length: 5 minutes, 33 seconds.

Lyrics

This is the continuing saga of courage, honour, and worms.

Many generations have passed since we were last witness to such a raging war.

Long forgotten by creatures who dwell on the world's surface,

The ongoing struggle of the worms had caused much bloodshed,

As cults and clans battled on for dominance of the world.

Over the years, Boggy B had seen many a bloody battle, yet still he fights on!

For glory, for honour, and for his fallen friends, he must settle the score,

So that future generations may live without fear of Air Strikes and Grenades

Or face the hardship every day that the war has brought upon his world

[Chorus]

We are worms, we're the best, and we've come to win the war.

We'll stand, we'll never run, stay until it's done.

Though our friends may fall and our world be blown apart,

We'll strike with all our might, we'll fight for what is right.

Till the end.

If anything, life as a worm had become even more dangerous.

Experiments had brought new and more powerful weapons to the battle.

Stories of exploding Bananas were used to scare the young ones from mischief.

Sometimes even hardened war veterans could not hide their simmering fear.

We join Clagnut, son of Spadge, as he sets out on a scouting mission behind enemy lines.

The memory of his father clear in his mind, Clagnut carefully peeked over a leaf.

It was then, to his horror, he saw his uncle, Boggy B, trapped in a cave,

And the enemy's evil smile, as he reached for the soft fruit of doom!

[Chorus]

This was the moment he had trained for since he was only half an inch long!

Using the Rope he had packed, Clagnut lowered himself down the hill.

Primed for action, silent and deadly as only the slimiest of worms can be,

He crouched down, and quietly squirmed up behind his foe, prepared to make it count.

At such close range, a Grenade or a Banana would surely make things worse.

So he drew his Baseball Bat and struck his foe across the neck with a mighty swing.

The enemy flew high and into the abyss, where Boggy then rained 3 Cows upon his head

And once again, the cry was heard far across the land:

"WE'VE WON THE WAR!!"

[Chorus] x5

Wormsong 2011 (2)

The fourth Wormsong was released by Team17 was said to be a "thank you" to the fans on Team17's YouTube channel, but it also is the main theme of Worms Reloaded. The background music is a remix of the first Wormsong, although Bjørn Lynne had nothing to do with this one. It also has large lyrical changes to the chorus, and includes rhyming verses like Wormsong 1999.

For a chronological order of the story, this must logically be the second song.

Length: 5 minutes, 42 seconds.

Lyrics

This is a story of courage and honour... and those small pink things we call "Worms".

It was war, annihilation was close at hand.

Worm turned against worm, death's shadow cloak the land.

Where so many would fall, others knew they must follow,

Their songs of hope bereft and hollow.

For one worm, the day had come to take up arms and lead the front,

But when he was two, his father left.

A soldier subscripted to the military draft.

Fodder for the battlefields, father never returned,

Now three years have passed - for vengeance, he yearns.

This young worm was gripped with fear -

On the eve of battle, his mission was clear.

[Chorus]

We are worms and we're armed and we've come to win this war.

We'll march and we will fight, until the victory's ours.

Though our comrades may fall and our world be blown apart,

We'll strike with all our might, we'll fight for what is ours.

Till the end.

Three inches tall and armed to the teeth, no finer soldier would the enemy meet.

He'll cut them down, he'll make his mark,

And the name "Boggy B" will strike terror in their hearts.

Scrambling up a grassy knoll, he watched the battle taking its toll.

With a Bazooka in hand, he aimed down at sight,

Then fired and recoiled, as the shell took flight

Chaos and carnage quickly ensued, as worms fell by rank where a mushroom cloud grew.

Smoke cleared from the exploding shell, Boggy B observed - not all enemies were quelled.

[Chorus]

Rising out of the hole came the enemy in droves,

Readying their weapons glaring up at the knoll.

Suddenly there came a deafening great cry, as the worms in the battle looked up to the sky.

Thundering down from the heavens above - a screaming iron eagle, laden with bombs,

Like an avenging angel strafing the field, unleashing bomb after bomb till the enemy was killed.

And who should shocked Boggy just happen to see?

Why, it was dad in the cockpit, saluting with glee.

That solitary worm stood on the knoll was joined by his comrades, and general Hall.

[Chorus]

Astonished by this incredible feat, the general among them proclaimed Boggy B

A hero, a saviour, the worm to end wars.

And he pinned on a medal so large he fell forwards.

As much as young Boggy would like the acclaim, he told him his dad and the war-ending plane.

The general, to Boggy, chomping on his cigar, said 'Why son, we've no planes, don't be modest! You'll go far!'

Could it be true? Was there really no plane? Was it dad, is he dead, will I see him again?

With Boggy still struggling with what he just saw, his buddies around him cheered

'WE'VE WON THE WAR!'

[Chorus] x3

External links

Bjørn Lynne's online store (soundtracks from Worms can be found there)