Assigning Songs to One Piece Characters
I was bored and decided to assign some songs I like to different one piece characters!!! Sadly I couldn’t find one to assign Sanji, Chopper, or Jinbe but if I do in the future, I will come back and add them later.
That being said, quite a few of the songs I listed I strived to be related to folk songs or nautical-related in some form or way; sea shanties, sea songs, ballads, folk songs, and things I felt were adjacent and close enough.
HOWEVER, historically sea shanties and sea songs have very complex and complicated histories in many regards, with some of them having roots in colonialism and other awful historical ties.
Thus, I did my best to avoid assigning any songs that have roots in colonialism or other similar topics, and did my best to look into the creation of each song and the histories behind them. A few of the songs refer to historical acts or schemes that happened, or other classic ballads, but as far as I can tell most of the songs lack these backgrounds and are newer. (Correct me if I’m wrong.)
That being said! Here are personal song assignments for one piece characters + explanations of why I assigned them.
There may be general spoilers for the character’s backstories.
Luffy
[Hoist Up The Thing - The Longest Johns]
https://youtu.be/nO5v2YKpJQc
This song features the narrative of a young man, completely inexperienced in terms of the way the sea works, taking on the role of captain and is generally comedic in nature. The lyrics of the chorus portray this: “Hoist up the thing! Batten down the whatsit!/What's that thing spinning? Somebody should stop it!/Turn hard to port! (That's not port) Now I've got it!/Trust me, I'm in control!” While I think Luffy is definitely a competent captain and character, as silly as he may be at times, I assign this song to him because I think it highlights some of the charming aspects of his role as captain of the Strawhats. Especially given how he takes to the sea with little less than the clothes on his back and a dream, the comedic lyrics of the song highlight the way in which Luffy has been taking his journey one step at a time, staying undeterred.
Zoro
[Rule #27-Drunk on Pride - Fish in a Birdcage]
https://youtu.be/ihBEnmpNRHQ
This song is a bit self explanatory. It eludes to the story of a pirate captain and his crew whose ship (and presumably themselves) sunk to the bottom of the ocean due to the captain’s pride. This is primarily set up in the first verse, and I personally took note of the lyrics: “By a barrel of wine/Captain of the ship has/Nothing but time/To watch his dream die/As he gets drunk on pride”. I associate this with Zoro not only because of the obvious connections between the mentions of alcohol and his affinity for drinking, but rather because of the tie I can see to his character in both the Baratie Arc, when I was over-confident and fought Mihawk, alongside to the connections it has to his backstory with Kuina’s death. The lyrics referring to “watch his dreams die” can be connected to the way Kuina died the day after their promise, and how Zoro now holds on to that dream, carrying the proverbial torch for both of them.
Nami
[The Prince of Poyais - Ringlefinch]
https://youtu.be/HZx8rojwk_M
Poyais was a scam ran during in the 1820s by a man named Gregor MacGregor. He essentially managed to make millions by “investing” into a small country called Poyais. He managed to convince others to do the same, swindling both the French and English by convincing them to both take out the resources to move there and to give him money directly. It’s very obvious I’d associate this with Nami, and again the reasoning behind it is very on the nose, given both Nami’s in-universe referral to being a “cat burglar” amongst other things. If I watched to stretch the connection I could also say she would likely be able to pull of a scan due to her knowledge concerning geographical features for other blatant reasons.
Usopp
[Pomme de Lune - Ringlefinch]
https://youtu.be/8-y3Hlw5MHs
This song is actually not an older folk son but a newer one written by Ringlefinch, after hearing of sea shanties that many harbor and sea side towns and cities got, he wondered why there aren’t as many appealing ones for inland places. In the song it eludes to the construction of a ship meant not for the sea, in the lyrics “I built her not for rivers, not for to go to sea”, but rather “I built her for the night……To sail the sky as the stars burn bright, that's the life for me!” I see a reflection in how Usopp, prior to joining the strawhats, spent a long time dreaming of heading out to sea without the actual means to do so. The desire to sail through the sky can be connected to his aspirations only being feasible through dreams for the time being, no solidification of ever having sailed prior or on his own, until he finally goes out and seeks his goal with the Strawhats.
Robin
[Edward Gorey’s Gory Stories - Ringlefinch]
https://youtu.be/HC4to_yZ39g
Edward Gorey is mainly known for his illustrations and books featuring them, which are often described as being both macabre yet hilarious. The song features a back and forth between the singer and a woman who apparently read Gorey’s stories as a child. Featuring lyrics such as: “I read Edward Gorey's gory stories when I was far too young/ If I'm an open book, come choose your own adventure – or has the tiger got your tongue?" And, “There's no York Notes to help you now, and you are going in alone/For there are parts of me have not been read before, and here be monsters…”. Which I think easily reflect both part of Robin’s personality and her backstory. Connecting this song to Robin, one can easily read into the lyrics as referring to her childhood and how reading about history that was forbidden, she was exposed to the horrors of war and life far to early on in her life; or that “ [she] read Edward Gorey's gory stories when [she] was far too young”. Besides that, I generally gather that the tone of Gorey’s books fits Robin’s macabre and inquisitive good nature and humor fairly well.
Franky
[The Sailor Song - Toy-Box]
https://youtu.be/MP8lmtoVf2w
This one has no deeper meaning for the assignment, if you get why it’s here, you get it.
[Twankidillo - The Dreadnoughts]
https://youtu.be/VbMxA_SG_9s
Franky gets two songs because I can’t help myself. “Twankidillo” is essentially celebrating the accomplishments of a blacksmith from what I can gather and overall discusses good natured generosity. There isn’t anything too much deeper as to why I assigned Franky this second song, however I definitely see the metal work he helped do on the sea train in his younger years as another connection, given the metal working of a blacksmith.
Brook
[Bones in the Ocean - The Longest Johns]
https://youtu.be/WVkD4lgXTEU
Most self explanatory, the song is sang from the point of view of a crew member who is the sole survivor of a past voyage, and goes over the loss and lingering survivor’s guilt that has formed as a result. It’s lyrics are somber and sing with fondness of pass comrades and crewmates, with the lyrics expressing sentiments such as these: “As the souls of the dead fill the space of my ears/Their laughter like children, their beckoning cheers/My heart longs to join them, sing songs of the sea/I remember the fallen, do they think of me?” It is genuinely a extremely self-explanatory association and probably the strongest I can assign.
[Barrett’s Privateers - Stan Rogers]
https://youtu.be/mQbh7UNCZdc
Brook also gets a second song because I said so. This song was written by Stan Rogers, a Canadian musician and is a more modern song, though inspired by authentic sea shanties and includes genuine 18th century privateering information. It describes the tale of a young fisherman who joins a privateering company with the promise of no harm in doing so. On their journey they run into an American merchant ship, which is far more heavily armed than their ship and causes the ship the fisherman is on to capsize. The fisherman survives with injured legs but witnesses the brutal death of his captain, and ends up returning to his home bitter from being lied to. It is a song that is very drastic from the other song I assigned Brook, as there is no strong sense of comradery but rather the opposite almost. However the general point of surviving a brutal experience out at sea still stands and thus I associate it with Brook. The song has been covered by various music as and bands since it’s release in the 70s and you can find more upbeat versions that the one I linked to.
Going Merry
[The Milkmaid - The Longest Johns]
https://youtu.be/uyGmTFOkKnk
This song features the narrative of a crew reminiscing on their old ship “The Milkmaid” which sadly had to be put to rest by being sunk. The song features an up-beat tune as they go over how they had to sadly sink her, the reasons they had to do so, and how much they’ll miss her. While the crew in the song is far more upbeat than when the Strawhats had to let go of Merry, I definitely think they would try to celebrate having had her for so long in the first place. The lyrics “Cast her away brave boys, we'll find another when we've been paid/But there'll never be another craft like the crafty old Milkmaid” very obviously fit with the sentiments of how even after getting a fantastic ship like Thousand Sunny, Going Merry will still be in their hearts. Similar is expressed with “Though our next ship may be strong and true….We'll always be the Milkmaid's crew!”.
Buggy the Clown
[The Rodney Rocket - The Dreadnoughts]
https://youtu.be/xyrkXS-vBJM
There isn’t much thought here, it sounds like the people in the song are having a blast, and I think Buggy’s crew would celebrate their succsess with this vigor.
Koby
[The Cruel Wars - The Dreadnoughts]
https://youtu.be/lLV5GVWnVqs
This song is a mix of multiple different folk ballads each with heavy roots in being military recruitment songs, and roots from from the song “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye”, which is against recruitment. It also drew references to the folk bald “High Germany” which is about a woman whose family was torn a part due to the War of Spanish Succession. The song’s overall message is anti-war and anti-recruitment as it discusses the fate of a young man named Johnny who ends up gravely injured from participating as a part of the army. Although Koby has yet to be severely injured (as far as I’m aware) within One Piece to the degree Johnny of the song is, I generally see some alignment in the idealistic attitude Koby holds when joining the marines and his belief that corruption can be rooted out, which somewhat aligns with the anti-war message of the song despite the conflicting core differences. The lyrics “He said my Johnny you’re a fine young man/Would you like to March along a military band/With a scarlet coat and a fine cocked hat/And a musket at your shoulder” very much connect to the over-polished appearance of war the government tries to sell to people and stands along with the idealistic images Koby has in his head at the very start of One Piece, before being exposed to the more gruesome parts of the military and government. Even if his aspirations don’t change I think Koby definitely has seen flaws within the marines and that’s somewhat reflected in the later lyrics of: “Poor Johnny fell but the day was won/And the king is grateful to ya/But your soldering’s done and they’re sending you home/Oh poor Johnny what will happen to ya?” There are likely better songs to assign Koby but for now this is the connection my brain has made.
Crocodile
[The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie - Colter Wall]
https://youtu.be/rqR1cjuPXUg
Another song associated due to vibe and general energy of the song. Crocodile could be considered a devil who wears a suit and tie, what more do I need to say?
Ace
[Rule #29-Throne Room - Fish in a Birdcage]
https://youtu.be/aCE6kkF7h8I
This song is basically discussing a young man and his determination to differentiate himself from his father. The lyrics “He needed to reach much further……Way past the steps of a father/Whose boots never did fit quite right/He sought his own reputation/No longer a doctor's son/He needed cards at their table/To prove he's no longer young” very much align with how Ace has been depicted to think of his father to some degree. I’m not an expert of Ace’s characterization but I definitely think his lack of interest of being known as Roger’s son and opting to take his mother’s name reflects parts of this song such as with “he sought his own reputation”. Generally a self explanatory song.
Additionally, not for a specific character, but for the ASL trio.
Ace & Sabo & Luffy
[Rule #30-Brothers - Fish in a Birdcage]
https://youtu.be/i9Ce3_olXwU
This is not an individual song assignment and I think from the title alone it is obvious as to why. The song reflects the narrative of these brothers who are sailing out on their own, as they want adventure and freedom. This is very apparent given the lyrics “Row with me brothers/Past wind and through hail/Bonding of bloodshed/Will patch up the sail/Our voyage is righteous/Our father decides/Either we live or die” and “Hunger in our eyes/Will bring us there/Thirst for open skies”. It very evidently reflects both the desires to see and explore the world and to make names for themselves. The lyrics “bonding of bloodshed” can be linked to ASL via how none of them are blood related and yet their bond is as strong as any other siblings’, if not stronger at some moments. Again, very obvious reasoning behind it.
Thank you for reading!!! I have never done this before but I accidentally hyperfixated and did this. If anyone has feedback let me know.
