Geese ni... (...For Geese) is the recurring theme song of Geese Howard, serving as his leitmotif in almost every appearance he has made.
Seemingly combining elements of Geese himself, the theme is driven by a hard rock guitar, accompanied by Japanese woodwinds, conveying Geese's American heritage, and his fascination with Japanese culture (along with the Japanese imagery used in his stages). Further symbolizing the man, the tone of the melody is a malevolent one, making it clear that it is the theme song of a villain. Concerning its title name, its initial title of "A Kiss For Geese" is likely done to evoke Geese's imagery to that of a supervillain, especially to those found in 1970s and 80s action films, and emphasizes his mafia kingpin nature, as the title may refer to the kiss of death; its later titles are plays on the term of "Your goose is cooked", which explains the food theming.
Geese's theme song is arguably one of the most well-known and popular SNK character themes. It has seen countless remixes, including a rendition by the video game cover band Megadrive. Similarly, the popular doujin brawler Guardian Heroines referenced this song in its soundtrack with the boss music "Ambition: Soy Sauce," which is an altered, copyright-dodging version of the theme. There have even been fan-made remix albums dedicated solely to remixing this single song.
Geese ni Kissu (A Kiss for Geese)
The first and original rendition of the seminal theme, "Geese ni Kissu" lays the groundwork for the song, featuring the iconic electric guitar. This rendition would not be reused, however, due to the inferior sound technology it was produced with at the time.
The arranged version of this song, curiously enough, is done in a techno/rave style, adding electronic instruments, a piano, and common vocal clips used in various dance songs (i.e. "this record is being played in a club, disco, lounge, house, basement, or block party").
List of musicians behind the arranged version:
- Toshikazu Tanaka (Guitar)
- JoJouha-Kitapy (Keyboard)
- Tate-Norio (Special effects)
Geese ni Shōyu (Soy Sauce for Geese)
The first version to incorporate Japanese instruments, which, along with the mention of soy sauce, plays up Geese's fascination with Japanese culture. It is without a doubt the most frequently reused and recognizable variation of Geese's theme, being reused 8 times to date; this may be attributed to the quality of the synthesized instruments (comparable to most other non-arranged SNK soundtrack) as well as the popularity of Fatal Fury Special. This track is often recycled in versions of the game where Geese is added to the roster as an extra character in either console versions of the game, or in remakes of games where he did not originally appear.
The arranged version of this song in Real Bout Fatal Fury Special is unique, in that it is strictly psychedelic hard rock/metal, with all the other Japanese instruments replaced with electric guitar, with the overall song being two octaves higher (E minor instead of C), giving the theme a more evil, nightmarish feel.
List of musicians behind the arranged version:
- Toshihiro Tsuchiya (Drums)
- Masafumi Yokoyama (Electric Bass)
- Jun Kajiwara (Electric Guitar)
- Jia Peng Fang (Kyoku)
This song returns in The King of Fighters XIV, but will only play during Terry vs. Geese matches. This version is noticeably faster in tempo than the original, and the Japanese instruments are overshadowed with heavy metal electric guitars. A remix of this song, arranged by Rio Hamamoto, appears in Tekken 7, but will only play when a player is on the match-winning round. This version has more of an industrial sound, combining the Japanese instruments with backing electric guitars, orchestral strings, and dubstep synths.
Geese ni Kissu -Cyber Edit- (A Kiss for Geese -Cyber Edit-)
Beginning with an off-the-wall hip-hop beat intro, and utilizing an unconventional steel drum replacement for the Japanese instruments, this is one of the more unique renditions of the theme, instead utilizing sampling and turn table techniques, along with synthesizer instruments to give a more urban and 1980s "yuppie party" feel. Used in Art of Fighting 2 for the battle against "Young Geese." The absence of the Japanese instruments may be attributed to the lack of Japanese influence on the fight with Geese at the time; he is not in his typical combat attire (uwagi and hakama), and he is fought in his office, as opposed to the Japanese decorum of the Geese Tower rooftop.
List of musicians behind the arranged version:
- Hiroshi Iimuro (Electric Guitar)
- Kozo Suganuma (Drums)
The theme returns in The King of Fighters XIV when Geese fights against Ryo Sakazaki. The theme has noticeably louder and more pronounced electric guitars to give it a heavy metal feel, as well as additional drums.
Geese ni Chūshite (Give Geese a Kiss)
Used for the second round against Geese (as the first round uses the new track, "It's Geese!!"), this song begins with ominous ambiance and minor drum beats. Seconds into it, however, the familiar theme kicks in. This version is notable for eschewing the Japanese instruments from "Geese ni Shōyu" and returning to the pure rock sound of the original "Geese ni Kissu," using the same instruments save the guitar and drums.
Two arranged versions of this song were recorded, each for Fatal Fury 3 and Real Bout Fatal Fury. The version from Fatal Fury 3 is more of a remastered version of the original version, but the Real Bout arrangement is a more "complete" remix of that arrangement. The main riff is performed with a synth guitar; there is a more fluid, less dissonant guitar solo in the middle; and the drumbeat is different.
Geese ni Katakori (Stiff Shoulders for Geese)
Used to usher Geese into the KOF series with his appearance in The King of Fighters '96, this version adds in violins and vocal "aah"s to give the song a more foreboding mood. The arranged version of this theme features an extended guitar solo, as well. The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match translates the title as "Geese in Stiff Neck" in its in-game sound test. The song returns in The King of Fighters XIII as extra music for when players face Billy Kane.
List of musicians behind the arranged version:
- Jun Kajiwara (Guitar)
- Toshihiro Tsuchida (Drums)
- Chiharu Mikuzuki (Bass)
Geese ni Shōyu -End of the First Nightmare- (Soy Sauce for Geese -End of the First Nightmare-)
The theme for the final boss fight against Geese in Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition. One of the most altered versions of the theme, beginning with a gong sound and a slow, ominous drumbeat, this version doesn't even introduce the iconic melody until 1:43 into the song. When the melody hits, it's far slower and more subdued than usual.
Geese ni Kissu o Mō Ichido (Give Geese One More Kiss)
While not originally used explicitly for Geese, this theme is used in the "Infernal Gate" stage of both KOF: Maximum Impact and Maximum Impact 2. The stage is modeled after Geese's stage from the original Fatal Fury, with a phantom image of Geese himself overlooking the battle. When Nightmare Geese was introduced in Maximum Impact 2, this theme was reused and given to him, and his model was removed from the stage to avoid confusion.
Geese ni Shōga (An Ego for Geese)
A special arranged track found only in the first disc of the Garou Densetsu 15th Anniversary Box. The arrangement starts off with a piano solo before introducing the traditional melody, combining the original rock instrumentation with a new twist of jazz and synth elements. The title can be viewed as a pun, as shōga ("ego") is only one syllable removed from shōyu ("soy sauce"), and can be read as "ginger".
Geese ni Mustard (Mustard for Geese)
This version uses all the original Japanese instruments heard in the original versions of "Geese ni Shōyu" with added techno beats behind them. Also noteworthy is that the electric guitar in this version is played in a much higher chord than the others, giving it a slightly less dark feel to it.