Every Song In The Last Of Us Episode 7 (& What They Really Mean)

The Last of Us episode 7’s story features many songs on the episode’s soundtrack which are important for the overall context of the show.

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode 7 and the original game.The Last of Us episode 7 has a very varied soundtrack, with each song being vital to the overall context of the franchise. The Last of Us episode 7 splits the focus between Ellie attempting to save Joel’s life after the climactic cliffhanger of episode 6 and Ellie’s backstory with Riley. Riley has been hinted at throughout the season thus far, with the story – and the songs present throughout – holding a lot of context in regard to Ellie’s overall arc.

The Last of Us on HBO up to this point has relied heavily on music. The Last of Us episodes 3 and 4 were titled after songs from Linda Ronstadt and Hank Williams respectively and the ending radio song of The Last of Us episode 1 set the course of the show, which came back in a big way in The Last of Us episode 6’s ending. The meanings that music has had to the characters and themes of The Last of Us thus far only continue with episode 7, with each choice specifically chosen to echo the core elements of HBO’s show.

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A-ha’s “Take On Me” Foreshadows The Last Of Us Season 2

Perhaps the most recognizable song featured in The Last of Us episode 7 is “Take On Me” by A-ha. This song was featured in the official trailer for The Last of Us due to its significant connections to The Last of Us Part II. This, therefore, means that the song being included in The Last of Us episode 7 foreshadows season 2 in some big ways. Firstly, the song is used in The Last of Us Part II to connect Joel and Ellie, which subconsciously foreshadows the big things to come for both characters to anyone who has played the game.

Secondly, Ellie plays the song to Dina in The Last of Us Part II, her girlfriend. The song playing in The Last of Us episode 7 then, is a subtle way of connecting Ellie with her two major love interests in the franchise. The song playing while Ellie has fun with Riley will subconsciously make audiences associate the song with those two, meaning if Ellie plays the song to Dina in The Last of Us season 2, it will make it hit much harder due to the connection it has with Ellie’s first love.

Etta James’ “I Got You Babe” Is An Important Ellie & Riley Last Of Us Song

Another song included in The Last of Us episode 7 which is important to Ellie, Riley, and the overall show is Etta James’ “I Got You Babe”. The song plays towards the end of Ellie and Riley’s time together, while the two dance together in the Halloween store. The song continues playing while Ellie and Riley share their first kiss in The Last of Us episode 7, and is included due to the same song being used for this moment in the original The Last of Us game which has since become iconic.

Also, the song starts with the words “People say that we don’t know what love is or how to make it grow. Well, I don’t know if all that’s true, ’cause you got me and baby, I got you”. This fits perfectly with Ellie and Riley’s situation, with both of them discovering their love for one another for the first time. With Ellie and Riley being 14 and 16 respectively, the lyrics stating they do not know what love is also makes sense, meaning this song works on multiple levels for The Last of Us episode 7, on top of the connection to Riley and Ellie’s game story.

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The Last Of Us Episode 7’s Carousel Remix’s The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven”

Finally, the hardest song to catch in The Last of Us episode 7 comes in the form of a remix of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven”. This remix is masked as the song that plays when Riley powers up the carousel, with this song also being a very specific choice from The Last of Us episode 7’s writer Neil Druckmann. This song is used for the meaning found in its lyrics which are not heard in the episode, with the opening lyrics echoing Riley and Ellie’s feelings for each other.

Lyrics like “I promise that I’ll run away with you” reference Riley later deciding to stay with Ellie away from Last of Us’ Marlene and the Fireflies while “spinning on that dizzy edge, kissed her face and kissed her head” relates to the spinning of the carousel and the kiss the two share later. The lyrics towards the end of the song read “I opened up my eyes and found myself alone… above a raging sea that stole the only girl I loved”. This references The Last of Us episode 7’s tragic ending with Ellie being alone – her greatest fear – after Riley was stolen from her, the girl she loved.

New episodes of The Last of Us release every Sunday on HBO.

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