"A Pep Talk For a Hatchling" (Theme to Outer Wilds)

Hey everybody!

Been a busy couple weeks for all of us at the Dr. Samuel Bultch, D.D.S. Memorial Foundation! We in the archives are thrilled to present one of the good doctor's few forays into the world of video games: his (ultimately cut) lyrics for the main theme for Outer Wilds. While he didn't consider himself a gamer (his journals indicate that he tried the original arcade cabinet for Q*bert in the mid-80's but quickly abandoned the project after finding Q*bert "way too sexy") he was very proud of his lyric for this "space floaty-floaty" game and its inevitable removal from the final project made him swear he would never write lyrics for a video game again. Unless, as he specified in his journals, the developers would "send me that arcade cabinet, you know the one, with little sex goblin trapped inside." We at the archive believe this to be a reference to the aforementioned Q*bert, but, if we're being honest with ourselves, "little sex goblin" could refer to 99% of video game protagonists. Some questions, we feel, best remain unanswered. Enjoy!

-CV

"A Pep Talk for a Hatchling"
Music by Andrew Prahlow
Lyrics by Dr. Samuel Bultch, D.D.S.

Shale:
(Spoken)
Well, hello there, little hatchling!
Happy Launch Day to you and-
Oh!
You look nervous!
There’s nothing to be nervous about
You’re simply going to climb into that wooden box
And launch yourself into the depths of space!
Ohhhh no, now they’re crying
Oh, darn it, Shale, you’ve done it again!
What would Feldspar say?
OH!

(Sung)

HEY THERE FRIEND
I SEE YOU LOOKIN’ TOWARDS THE SKY
PACK YOUR BAGS!
JUST GRAB YOUR MALLOWS AND LET’S FLY TO
SOMEWHERE FAR
THE FURTHEST REACHES OF THE STARS
KEEP YOUR WITS
AMONGST THE MADLY SPINNING PLANETS

DON’T LOOK BACK
IT’S THRUSTERS LAUNCHED, FULL-SPEED AHEAD 
YOU’VE A KNACK
AT COMING BACK FROM BEING DEAD SO
SHALL WE GO
TO LEARN THE THINGS THAT WE DON’T KNOW?
FIND WHAT’S TRUE!
THE OUTER WILDS WAIT FOR YOU!

WE WILL BE EXPLORERS 
LIKE OUR FOREBEARERS BEFORE US
ADVENTURE WILL RESTORE US
AND WILL MAKE US GREAT!

AND IF YOUR SHIP IS SPINNING
AS THE ASH TWIN KEEPS ON TWINNING
AT LEAST IT’S A BEGINNING
AND IT’S NOT TOO LATE!

HOP ON IN!
THIS TRUSTY SPACESHIP’S BUILT FOR TWO
LET’S BEGIN!
THE OUTER WILDS BECKON YOU.

(Spoken)

You’ll see, little hatchling
When you’re floating out there in the wilds
Then you’ll see
That there’s nothing to fear.
You’ve got all the time in the world.

(Sung)

THIS TRUSTY SPACESHIP’S BUILT FOR TWO...

(Spoken)

But if you see an Anglerfish.
Just-just run.
Just like fucking RUN.

(Sung)

THE OUTER WILDS BECKON YOU.

(Spoken)

Now.
Get in the spaceship, hatchling.