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You get ''extra'' extra poignancy points for cutting out all sound during the epic event, go into [[Slow Motion]], and having the One Woman Wail play over it.
 
Beware, though, for [[What Do You Mean ItsIt's Not Awesome?|overuse of this trope]] can send you on a [[Narm|Narmtastic]] voyage...
 
'''Clean-up note:''' Wordless singing that isn't the otherworldly, often anguished, and even startling wail is not this trope, it's [[Scatting]]. Feel free to move examples which would be more at home over there.
 
{{examples|Examples}}
 
== Advertising ==
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* The song "Dante" from ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'' features a uniquely low female voice echoing Dante's [[Leitmotif]].
* The opening theme to ''[[Gate Keepers 21 (Anime)|Gate Keepers 21]]''. The second half flips the themes, and this is moved to the ending credits, while the catchy [[J Pop]] song "Ima, Egao ga Areba" in the ending credits plays to a new OP sequence.
* During {{spoiler|Misuzu}}'s final moments in ''[[AIR (Visual Novel)|AIR]]'', the acapella intro of the song "Aozora" starts playing. It evolves into a full-blown song after a while, but it serves its purpose as a [[One -Woman Wail]] at that point very well, immensely heightening the impact of an already [[Tear Jerker|very sad scene]].
* Prominently featured in Anemone's theme from ''[[Eureka Seven]]''.
* "Lilium", ''[[Elfen Lied]]'''s opening theme, is ''both'' this trope and [[Ominous Latin Chanting]] by being a one woman Latin wail. When it's used during scenes, it sounds like it's sung by a bunch of monks instead.
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* ''[[Ghost in The Shell Stand Alone Complex|Ghost in the Shell: SAC]]'', where almost ALL the opening themes are sung by a Russian singer named Origa. The first theme, "[[Inner Universe]]" even takes the next step and features latin vocals from boy soprano Ben Del Maestro.
* Appears frequently in ''[[Blood Plus|Blood+]]'', where the aria "Diva" is sung by Elin Carlson.
* Kira Yamato's personal battle theme in ''[[Gundam Seed Destiny]]'', "Kira Just As He Pleases" features the [[One -Woman Wail]], in direct contrast to Shinn Asuka's theme, which has [[Ominous Latin Chanting]].
* "Ake ni Somaru" from ''[[Hell Girl (Anime)|Hell Girl]]'' features both a woman ''and'' a child, mixed with creepy trance music. It did a damn good job of turning mundane, peaceful scenes (like a cityscape at sunset) into spooky panoramas.
* The ending credits to ''[[Gunslinger Girl]]'' has [[One -Woman Wail|One Woman Wailing]] in Italian, with a second voice occasionally speaking without tone during interludes. The entire sequence shows a handgun lying on a cobblestone street as it rains and the credits scrolling up, heightening the tragic overtones of the series.
* ''[[Flag]]'''s opening puts a [[One -Woman Wail]] over photographs of war and the childhood of the protagonist. It's actually pretty good.
* ''[[Saint Seiya]]'' had ''two'' different [[One -Woman Wail]] songs. One sung by none other than famous theme song singer Horie Mitsuko, who'd later join the cast as Princess Hilda.
* The ''[[Sailor Moon]] S'' anime featured one of these every time {{spoiler|Hotaru manifested her powers as Mistress Nine}}. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4LjdiW9V4M Here it is.]
* The track "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ScJ94qITwA Cage of Fate, Circle of Destiny]" from ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]''. Used in scenes such as the final confrontation with [[Big Bad|Precia]].
* The track that accompanied the opening scenes of the ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]] ~Ala Alba~'' OAD's first episode, where Ku:Nel confirmed that Nagi was alive and could possibly be found in the Magicl World and Negi and crew proclaim their intent to search for him there.
* Spoofed in ''[[Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei]]'': the track that would normally serve as a [[One -Woman Wail]] tends to play during faux-dramatic scenes and sometimes at completely random times, such as during the sponsor message. It's also often cut short when the shot suddenly changes.
* ''[[Dragonball]] Kai'': When Goku {{spoiler|dies in front of his friends}}, the BGM changes to a [[One -Woman Wail]] as the episode draws to a close.
** And also after when {{spoiler|Yamcha is killed by a Saibaiman's sacrifice}}, also before that {{spoiler|Tenshinhan it's going to do the Kikoho and sacrifice their life, in the same moment that Kamisama is predicting their own death}}, when {{spoiler|The Saichoro dies, and by consequence, the namek Dragon Balls are turned in stone before the third wish}}, when {{spoiler|Vegeta is dying by the hands of Freezer}}, and in a filler scene when {{spoiler|Goku is having a nightmare during their combat with Freezer, now using the 50% of their maximum power}}.
* ''[[Prétear]]'' has a creepy [[One -Woman Wail]] (accompanied with either clanging piano or doomy sounding kettle drums, depending on the version) titled "Nikushimi no Hate" that's a [[Leitmotif]] for the [[Dark Magical Girl]]. It's one of the best (and creepiest) songs on the entire soundtrack.
* Used in ''[[Bleach]]'' when Ulquiorra releases his Zanpakuto.
* "Autumn of Life" during the final confrontation with Kagato in ''[[Tenchi Universe]]''.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcufqjuOsYE Innovator] from the second season of Gundam 00.
* The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuofG8a7EEk main theme] of [[Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni]]. It's the main theme because it sort of embodies the tragic insanity everyone, including most of the young girls {{spoiler|and the male lead}}, fall under. It's most often used during scenes regarding the aftermath of the [[Bad Ending|Great Hinamizawa Gas Disaster]].
* A great example is from [[Uchuu Senkan Yamato]]. Almost every movie and TV series opening starts with a voice-over narration accompanied by a magnificent [[One -Woman Wail]] ''The Infinity of Space''. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWT4vOrQJ08 Example from the Space Battleship Concert 1984]
* In ''[[Digimon Savers]]'', the [[Super Mode|Burst Mode]] evolution theme is an orchestral piece accompanied by a [[One -Woman Wail]]. Much, ''[[Crowning Music of Awesome|much]]'' [[Better Than It Sounds]].
* There are a couple of songs in the anime Soul Eater that fall under this category - usually the darker sounding negative ones played during parts dealing with evil magic users in the show. Notable are [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs6TckpsQ9g&feature=related Kindertotenlied] (translating roughly as "Song of the Dead Children") and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Df_V6lLnIc&feature=related Peace be with you].
* ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]'' scores Barnaby's flashbacks of his parents' murder with an ominous operatic wail.
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** A One Woman Wail provides an "eerie vampire sadness" motif in ''[[Dracula 2000]]'' as well.
* ''Drop Zone'' has one right after the hero's kid brother is shot and yanked out of the depressurized airplane cabin.
* ''[[Revenge of the Sith]]'' has an extremely eerie one as Anakin is sitting in his quarters and fighting with himself as to whether he should save Padme by protecting Palpatine. At the same time, Padme senses that something is wrong with him and goes to her window to look outside. Without realizing it, they are looking at each other from miles away as they're sharing the same fears. Cue chilling [[One -Woman Wail]], with no other sound.
* In the film ''King Arthur'' with Clive Owen. While Bor's... wife? Wife-to-be? is singing what appears to be a Sarmatian song, her voice gradually fades out as the scene cuts to the other knights, who are mouthing the words.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvilAUufaVQ&NR=1 Inama Nushif] from ''Children of Dune'', which plays over the [[Birth Death Juxtaposition|Cleansing of the House montage]] towards the end of the first film. For added points, it's in [[Bilingual Bonus|Fremen]]
* Used when {{spoiler|the marines destroy Hometree}} in ''[[Avatar (Film)|Avatar]]''.
** Also used in the beginning of the movie, when Jake remembers {{spoiler|his taking the contract after the death of his brother}}.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJB5Rqc1m0Y The Diva's song] in [[The Fifth Element]] during Leeloo's [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|fight against the mongolore soldiers]] is a partial example of this trope (partial in that it is a moment of high asskickery rather than of grief or dramatic tension). Also an example in which the [[One -Woman Wail]] is a part of the [[Crowning Music of Awesome]].
* Gavin Hood's jaunt through [[Crapsack World|real-life]] [[Cold -Blooded Torture|attrocity]], ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendition_<!-- 28film29 Rendition]]'' features a lot of ''one-woman wailing'' since much of the movie is poignant. -->
* Heard during the execution sequence in ''[[Film/Dead Man Walking|Dead Man Walking]]''.
* Certain versions of "Lux Aeterna" from ''[[Requiem for A Dream]]'' have this.
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* Included in the theme music for ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'' (otherwise an [[Instrumental Theme Tune]]).
* Promos for various cop shows, especially ''[[Law and Order|Law & Order]]'', use a wordless Arabic-style women's vocal when this week's episode is going to feature Muslims in some way.
* In ''[[Over There]]'', the [[One -Woman Wail]] would usually play in the Iraqi side-story.
* Used in the fifth episode of "The Philanthropist" when {{spoiler|a bomb goes off in Kosovo and kills four people.}}
* Used in ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' during the segment [http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/314131/june-30-2010/mysteries-of-the-ancient-unknown---king-tut-s-penis Mysteries of the Ancient Unknown: King Tut's Penis"], with some accompanying eyebrow twitches. Also used the first time he talks about the revolts in Egypt.
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** Another KAITO song, ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeWXZw07oR8 Pane dhiria]'', features this as one of the background vocals.
* [[Amanda Palmer]] likes this on tracks like Slide and Deliah
* Rapsody's ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-blfPCOeLQ0 Prince Igor]'' features frequent switches to an impressive [[One -Woman Wail]] from [[Sissel Kyrkjebo]], wherein she sings an excerpt from the original ''Prince Igor''.
* "Persia" by The Art of Trance.
* Swans' former vocalist Jarboe was prone to this. "Blood On Your Hands" comes to mind, as does the ''Swans Are Dead'' version of "I Crawled", in which {{spoiler|it eventually mutates into a truly [[Badass]] [[Metal Scream]]. [[Hell Is That Noise|Hell?]] ''[[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Yes.]]''}}
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* Much of [[Iced Earth]] 's recent Set Abominae-based material has made use of both this and [[Ominous Latin Chanting]]. Most blatant one is probably "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to8-U75pJBE Awakening]."
* The third movement of [[Leonard Bernstein]]'s "Jeremiah" Symphony has extracts from the Lamentations of Jeremiah sung in Hebrew.
* Another rare male example occurs in [[Rush]]'s 2112, at roughly 1:45 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzpDOB2JYKc here]. Of course, if any man can do a [[One -Woman Wail]], it's Geddy Lee.
* The deeply unsettling [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp_yhrltWow Doom. A Sigh] by Istvan Marta features field recordings of two Romanian women singing laments for the dead; the first seems to be actually weeping as she sings, and the poor quality of the recordings gives it all an otherworldly feel.
* On the [[ABBA]] song [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HnOFwqpLRQ "The Day Before You Came"], Agnetha Falskog sings the verses with lyrics about a romantic affair and then Frida Lyngstad(who is a trained opera singer) sings a long mournful wail.
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* The opening (and later, the ending) of ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' features a One Woman Wail... in Irish, which not even a native speaker can follow. (Ironically, if you look at the official translated lyrics, she's singing about how life is wonderful and how people aren't alone).
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 4'' took it to a more obvious extreme by wrapping the trailers in a Hebrew One Woman Wail which is more emblematic of the trope. It's about how terrible war is. {{spoiler|A vocal only version accompanies Snake's trip through the microwave hallway, as he damn near kills himself, and his allies do the same thing.}}
*** ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 4'' also {{spoiler|features a callback to the first game's [[One -Woman Wail]] when Snake goes back to Shadow Moses Island.}}
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 4'' also has the credits song "Here's To You", which probably counts as a one-woman wail if you don't speak English. The bulk of Japanese gamers probably don't have to sit and wonder who Nicola and Bart are.
* The "Enchanted Banquet" boss music in ''[[Castlevania]]: Symphony of the Night'', appropriately enough used only when fighting female bosses.
** There's also ''Prayer'', the song used on the menu screen.
** ''Castlevania: Lament of Innocence'' gives us [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yko8bREz-tE this].
* In ''[[Dark Cloud (Video Game)|Dark Cloud]] 2'', Emperor Griffon's [[Leitmotif|battle theme]], "Sun", features a dramatic [[One -Woman Wail]] set against a male choir of [[Ominous Latin Chanting]], representing {{spoiler|Sirus' [[Love Makes You Crazy|longing for Alexandra]] as well as [[Omnicidal Maniac|his psychotic hatred towards humanity]].}}
* Appears prominently in the soundtrack for ''[[Baten Kaitos]]'', particularly as things get darker around the second disc. Probably the most memorable use is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX-_-lH6YwA Ruinous Commander], the [[Final Boss]] theme from ''Origins''.
* In ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', an obscure questline ends with you going to Undercity to give Lady Sylvanas a necklace she lost in battle, at which point she conjures a [[Ethereal Choir|choir of banshees]] and sings "[http://www.wowwiki.com/Lament_of_the_Highborne Lament of the Highborne]" as she recalls the fall of Silvermoon and her own death. The song replaces Undercity's normal BGM for its duration, and all players in the city will hear the ghostly dirge, which especially adds to the city's haunted feel for players who don't know about the quest. There ''are'' words, but they're entirely in Thallasian (the High/Blood Elf language).
** The Wrathgrate Cinematic created for ''Wrath of the Lich King'' has one near the end, during {{spoiler|Highlord Bolvar Fordragon's death}}.
** The intro cinematic to Wrath of the Lich King also features this, using the Ascension theme from ''The Frozen Throne'' (see below), except this is a boy soprano, not a woman.
* The ''[[Diablo]] III'' cinematic trailer unveiled in June 2008 features a [[One -Woman Wail]].
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qdtTITD32s Reina Akikawa's theme] in ''[[Wangan Midnight]] R'', which can also be listened to in ''Maximum Tune 3'' by unlocking the [[Cosmetic Award|Wangan Midnight R soundtrack]].
* The game ''Medieval -- Total War'' uses this trope in every way it can.
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* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ML4IFnCHpU The first level of] ''[[Einhander]]''.
** At 1:05, you can hear the same vocal sample that was used in''[[San Francisco Rush]]'''s "Rave Rush" music.
* ''[[Parasite Eve]]'': While it has a few musical themes using this trope throughout the game, the most notable of these is Eve's [[Leitmotif|battle theme]], "Influence Of Deep", which features a [[One -Woman Wail]] being heard amidst techno music. It also has an instrumental segment played using an [[Ominous Pipe Organ|organ]] tossed in for good measure. Yoko Shimomura certainly knows how to do [[Crowning Music of Awesome|good music]].
* "Lost Carol" from the ''[[Silent Hill]] 3'' soundtrack.
** Scarlet's boss theme from ''[[Silent Hill Homecoming]]''.
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* Notably in ''[[Star Ocean]]: Till the End of Time'', the background music on the aptly named planet Styx. [[http://lamda.bluelaguna.net/so3music/33%20-<!-- 20Interval20of%20Freezed%20Time.mp3]] -->
* This is a favorite technique of ''[[Shadow Hearts]]'' series composer Yoshitaka Hirota.
* While the soundtrack of the original ''[[Deus Ex (Video Game)|Deus Ex]]'' is [[Cyberpunk Is Techno|almost entirely techno]] - the second game, ''[[Deus Ex Invisible War (Video Game)|Invisible War]]'' features a [[One -Woman Wail]] remix of the original game's theme. The soundtrack of [[Deus Ex Human Revolution (Video Game)|Human Revolution]], on the other hand, has a wail in almost every track.
* The main theme and related [[Leitmotif|leitmotifs]] for ''[[Ninety Nine Nights]]'' features this technique.
* ''[[Blaz Blue]]'' features this as the [[Leitmotif]] for Nu -13-. ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uUokBy_pTk Awakening The Chaos]''
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* The opening animation sequence of ''[[Suikoden III]]''.
* [[Might and Magic|Might & Magic 7]] features this in heaps. The wailing is present almost everywhere, but the soundtracks for [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2IWkh62NJg Barrow Downs, Eofol,] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVqbnGWqf6c Deyja and the Bracada desert] really lean on it. Perfect wasteland wandering motifs.
* The BGM for ''[[Ace Combat Zero]]'s'' final mission, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a7xV9F1Hco&fmt=18 "Zero,"] includes about 50 seconds of [[One -Woman Wail]]... before heading into a [[Crowning Music of Awesome|remix]] of the BGM from ''[[Ace Combat 5]]'s'' final mission.
** Also from 5, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkO6J8ABXhM "Grabacr,"] starting at about 3:20.
** ''[[Ace Combat Joint Assault]]'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbqSeihre6w pulls one of these as well].
** As does ''[[Ace Combat Assault Horizon]]'' with "Mrs. Krista Yoslav" (which plays during the [[Final Battle]]). A bit confusing, [[Culture Chop Suey|the lyrics are in Russian but the tune is distinctly Middle-Eastern]].
* From ''[[Lost Odyssey]]'', [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFGrxKDrluI "Parting Forever"], which plays when {{spoiler|Lirum dies.}}
* From the ''[[Myst]]'' series, ''Uru: Ages Beyond Myst'' and ''Uru Live'' (AKA ''Myst Online'') has a [[One -Woman Wail]] in Kadish's Gallery. Another such wail plays in Kadish's Vault.
* An in-universe example happens in the first ''[[Mass Effect]]'', wherein defeating the geth in the Armstrong Cluster triggers a recording of a lone quarian woman performing a [[One -Woman Wail]]. This is also one of the first indications of their (for want of a better word) humanity.
** And in the sequel, [[Crowning Music of Awesome|Samara's theme]] combines this with copious amounts of [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U9FW0fY0cI awesome].
* The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trjbCckqV5w Snowy Roads] music in ''[[Twisted Metal]] Black'' uses this. Also used, along with [[For Doom the Bell Tolls]], on the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpKiB37jEhs&playnext=1&list=PLE0FD76BF8BB0D52E Freeway] level.
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== Web Original ==
* ''[[Broken Saints]]'', at the final part of Chapter 24 Act 4, contains a very powerful [[One -Woman Wail]] titled "Truth" (as if the incredibly depressing scene wasn't [[Tear Jerker|heart-wrenching enough]]).
** Apart from that, the tracks "Come Into The Dark", "The Eight Element", "Belief", "Kenoma", and "Qaf", used at various points in the series.
* A rare male example: Red sings one in ''[[There Will Be Brawl]]'' while, across town, Peach is kidnapped. Later, {{spoiler|a recording of him does it again over Yoshi's murder and his own funeral.}}
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* ''[[Courage the Cowardly Dog]]'' uses this trope during a boat chase scene where Doctor Gerbil pursues Courage. '''{{smallcaps|[[Crowning Music of Awesome|EPIC]]}}'''
** Also in the episode "Shadow of Courage", played whenever Muriel rushes over to whack Eustace with a rolling pin (because he's scaring/harming Courage).
* In ''[[Code Lyoko]]'', you hear an [[One -Woman Wail]] whenever Aelita uses her Creativity power. (Some viewers mistake it for Aelita actually doing the singing, but she sometimes speaks at the same time, showing it isn't the case.)
* The ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]'' theme song, which begins with a wail of parts of the original ''[[Space Ghost]]'' theme.
* The Grand Finale of ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender|Avatar: the Last Airbender]]'' features the Wail during the climax of the battle between Aang and Fire Lord Ozai.
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[[Category:Sadness Tropes]]
[[Category:One Woman Wail]]
[[Category:Trope]][[Category:Pages with comment tags]]
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