Hold On Forever: A Kalin & Radley Fanmix

I made a fanmix for Kalin Kessler and Radley Ramon, but the descriptions aren't fully loading on mobile devices. So I'm also putting them here so they can be read. The versions here are more detailed since I'm almost out of space on YouTube's descriptions.

Playlist Link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMqVKPkJHK6L3WE1v5Fswwzjc7l7OpDkv

It's a fanmix exploring the deepening friendship between Kalin Kessler and Radley Ramon from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds. Each song was deliberately picked as part of a continuing story showing how they grow close through their trials after the Crash Town arc. Thanks to Azalea542 and Autumn Hazel Scarlet13 for helping choose songs, and to Crystal Rose of Pollux, who reminded me of another!

Instead of a bonus track, I've decided this song should be the first one, as the introduction:

The Rose by Bette Midler

Inspiration for The Night Has Been So Lonely, a retelling of The Night After based on my AMV and inspired by the Project Sakura fanzine concept of comparing YGO characters' traits to flowers. In the context of the story, this song tells of friendship love as a flower that Radley tries to offer. The second verse talks of "the one who won't be taken, who cannot learn to give," which refers to Kalin's inability to accept Radley's sincerity while wrapped up in self-hatred, and "the one afraid of dying, who cannot learn to live," which refers to Billy abandoning Radley out of fear for his life and not being able to get over it. As the introduction to the fanmix, it tells the situation as we open, Radley offering friendship that Kalin rejects, but it suggests things may change for the better with love and time.

I Don't Even Care About You by Missio

Kalin is annoyed by Radley and doesn't find him sincere. He just wishes Radley would leave him alone. I had the most horrible time finding a song about disliking someone who wasn't a jerk ex and whom the narrator didn't want to kill. Then at last I somehow stumbled on this one and it was perfect. It almost seems like it was written for this very situation. The narrator doesn't believe the person is sincere and doesn't want to talk to him. Wanting to sit alone with the "kerosene" makes me think of Kalin wanting to drown in his self-destructive thoughts.

I Am Human by Escape the Fate

Radley is frustrated that Kalin thinks so poorly of him. He insists that he's not a bad person and that Kalin doesn't have the right to judge him, because "you're just like me." I heard this song and it immediately sounded like a theme song for Radley. I couldn't use it for the mix until I found a song for Kalin that would make Radley retort with this, but I finally did.

Gomenasai by Tatu

Kalin has repeatedly pushed Radley away, believing him insincere and of little value, but now that it seems to be too late, he regrets it with all his heart. The quintessential song of realizing someone has been gravely misjudged. I'm not sure there's another like it. I've used it for these two for a while and even made an AMV with it. Of course, it was pitoval to have it on the mix for when Kalin gets his mind clear and starts to realize what he's done.

Sweet Forgiveness by Susan Tedeschi

Radley forgives Kalin for all the hurt and pain, and Kalin marvels. I needed a song about forgiveness and I found this one. It sounded so very sweet and described Radley's kindness and understanding in my verse when he finally realizes what was wrong with Kalin.

Walk With Me by Carole King

As they finally start to grow close, Kalin admits he wants Radley with him, but is willing to release him if he wants to go. Azalea542 had this song on a private friendship mix of hers and I realized it would be perfect for when Kalin first starts to care about Radley. He isn't sure how much he'll have to say, but he's opening up enough to admit he wants someone with him, which is a huge thing.

I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz

Radley's response. He has no desire to leave and wants to keep forging ahead. (Naturally this song is originally intended as romantic, but the only relationship it directly mentions is friendship, which makes me want to adapt it. A true friendship requires work just like a romance. And some lines just sound a lot like these guys in my verse, even down to Radley musing that Kalin is an old soul.)

All I Need by Within Temptation

Kalin still struggles with his inner demons and pleads with Radley to help him through the darkness.

Hold On Forever by Rob Thomas

Radley's response. He's going to stand by Kalin through everything.

The All I Need/Hold On Forever couplet is based on a beautiful doujinshi I love by Ekawa Kanako, where Kalin is haunted by flashbacks and Radley hugs him and tries to comfort him. I've loved the Within Temptation song for years and am thrilled to have some characters to relate it to. It definitely sounded like it could fit Kalin struggling. I'd never heard of Hold On Forever before, but when I found it I knew it was something special and downright perfect to describe Radley's sweetness and support. Radley is upbeat and convinced that Kalin can be helped.

Forever by Ben Harper

Kalin opens up more and comes to care so much that now he wants them to stay together always, instead of feeling like he would be okay with a parting. When I read the lyrics for this song, I found them very powerful and I had to add it.

Bridge Over Troubled Water by Roberta Flack

Kalin tells Radley he'll always be there for him. This is my favorite friendship song in its original arrangement and I felt I just had to have it on the mix, but I had to find a version that said "boy" instead of "girl." That narrowed the choices a great deal. I chose Roberta's version because even though she slows it down a lot, she keeps all of the verses.

Gurenge by AmaLee

Kalin expresses how much their friendship has come to mean to him. Autumn suggested this song and I decided to add it as a song from Kalin to Radley because I felt I needed some more representation of Kalin's deepening feelings towards Radley.

Friendship (is So Hard to Find) by Wild Oats

Radley tells Kalin how much their friendship means to him. Azalea542 suggested this one and I was all over that idea. It eerily sounds like my backstory for Radley when he tells of the restrictive people he associated with and wanted to get away from. The irony is that Radley wishes he could repay what Kalin has done for him, but Kalin certainly feels Radley has given him far more than Kalin has given him.

Remember Me by Journey

Radley's thoughts when Lawton forces him to sacrifice himself to save Kalin and the others in the Duel Monsters' world. He doesn't want to die, and he is very afraid, but he will do what he must. I've loved this song for years and occasionally have scenarios to apply it to. This one is absolutely perfect for Radley's thoughts in this devastating story. He knows he has to do this, but he mistakenly believes Kalin can get by without him.

My Heart is Broken by Evanescence

Believing Radley dead from being forced to sacrifice himself, Kalin is devastated. By this point they are so close that Kalin can't let Radley go. I rediscovered this song and decided it was perfect for Kalin's heartbroken reaction to Radley's death. My favorite line is "Sweet sleep, my dark angel." Radley is not, of course, a dark anything, and yet somehow the line seemed to fit, perhaps because of his dark hair and clothes and how he is a bit of a rebel.

Blowing by AmaLee

Radley will come back to Kalin no matter what, even from death. Autumn suggested this one, and it does have lines that make me think of a spirit "flying across the world" to get back to a loved one. The only thing that doesn't quite fit is the mention of spells fading, as no spells were involved in bringing Radley back to life. But it was so perfect otherwise that I used it.

Here I Am by Bryan Adams

Radley has been revived and he and Kalin have another chance. This sounded like a sweet song of rejoicing over a second chance and having come back to a loved one, so it fit very well.

We're a Miracle by Christina Aguilera

Kalin and Radley rejoice over having a second chance and think about how far they've come from where they started. Crystal Rose of Pollux reminded me about this amazing Pokemon song, which is literally is about a friend having been revived from the dead and celebrating his closest friendship. The mention of angels and Heaven is so perfect too, because Radley was revived by an angel.

Never Knew I Needed by Desiree Flores

This beautiful song from The Princess and the Frog has been a favorite for some time. I used some lines for the Big Five, but overall it just didn't quite fit them. But suddenly I realized it was absolutely perfect for how I depict Kalin and Radley in my verse. Kalin celebrates how he has come to love Radley so deeply when at first he had dismissed him. Radley, too, is surprised by how deeply he loves Kalin after their rocky start and how much Radley had been hurt by Kalin's rejections. The only problem was that the original version says "Girl" at one point. But I found this lovely cover where "Boy" is said instead.

You and I by The Monkees

After some time together, Kalin and Radley celebrate that their friendship still burns strong. Azalea542 reminded me about this song. This is such a sweet and cute song written about the friendship between Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones. I can picture Radley convincing Kalin to sing it with him some night at the diner.