Media and Music: Musical Storytelling in “The Last of Us”

The live adaptation and video game versions of “The Last of Us” create a full, dynamic experience by revitalizing sound. Creating sentimentality, fear, and suspense, “The Last of Us” soundtrack perfectly encapsulates the story of Ellie and Joel.

In Media and Music, our writers take a deep dive into how movies use scores and songs to engage viewers, give new meaning and tone to some of our favorite scenes, and establish themes. It almost goes without saying, but there are spoilers abound.

Written by Rachel Joy Thomas

Content Warning: This article features mentions of suicide.

Please note: This article will contain spoilers for the “Last of Us” HBO adaptation.

Photo courtesy of “The Last of Us” on HBO MAX

The 2013 release of “The Last of Us'' narrative Playstation 3 game was monumental. After Sony Entertainment and Naughty Dog released it, “The Last of Us” became the number one video game of the year, becoming the biggest game debut of 2013. The companies have since sold 17 million copies — an astronomical figure, even by modern standards. Sonically, “The Last of Us” differentiates itself with beautiful orchestrations and eerie ambiance. Tight winding strings cement composer Gustavo Santaolalla’s soundtrack as a breadwinner. With a sparsely used contemporary experimental hum indicating when enemies approach, Santoalla’s sparing musical numbers cue an ominous fear of what’s coming next.

“The Last of Us” tells a tried and true story: unlikely circumstances bring two apocalypse survivors together, journeying and bonding alongside one another for months. They eventually come to a cataclysmic dilemma. The story differentiates itself from the stereotypical zombie game format by giving players Ellie — who is immune to the spore virus infecting the world’s population — and Joel — a morally gray, grieving man trying to cope in a world of dangerous mutants — establishing two emotionally poignant characters. Players throughout the world attached themselves to these two amazingly developed characters, making the ending of the first game feel ruinous. Players go through Ellie and Joel’s struggles, which are set to an entrancing soundtrack.

Most songs on the official game soundtrack include strange, desolate ringings that call to listeners. The vibrance in these songs have an attractive tonal quality to a complete gameplay experience. Santolalla’s production is sparse but adequate. Although it rarely does, when the soundtrack picks up, it feels like a punch, sending shockwaves of fear into any player going through the game’s winding storyline. At times, the ominous nature of the tracks is derived from their simplistic sounds rather than their fullness. The tracks remain aptly famous and recognizable, with a desolate quality.

The title track of “The Last of Us” game is an earworm, possibly due to the sonic quality of the roncoco, a south Andean instrument. The roncoco is a larger, more angular instrument than a guitar or its apt counterpart, the charango. Adding a Bolivian feel to the music of “The Last of Us,” it enhances the South American influences and gives the tracks warmth. This track contrasts the album’s overall darker ambiance; some songs are tuned down by a major third on the electric guitar, creating a dark enigmatic aura to help create a “full picture,” which blends beautifully. While not having any lyrical songs, it fills in the games with enriching gameplay and a beautiful usage of sonic space.

Image courtesy of Naughty Dog and Sony Computer Entertainment

The wild popularity of the game inspired a television adaptation of “The Last of Us,” recently concluding in a devastating finale reminiscent of the game. During its TV recreation, “The Last of Us” creators listened to the soundtrack with a crucial ear. They added music from musician David Fleming, which doubled the number of songs available for ambient moments. Incorporating music from artists such as Linda Ronstadt, the show has a warmer energy in comparison to that of the game. Introducing songs with nostalgic beats into Joel and Ellie’s worlds bring life to them as people rather than just characters.

Specifically, the new songs represent the scenes, personality traits, and danger within the show, creating an interesting dynamic in comparison to the original soundtrack. On Depeche Mode’s “Never Let Me Down Again,” the nostalgic lyrics, “I'm taking a ride with my best friend / I hope he never lets me down again / He knows where he's taking me / Taking me where I want to be," hum away in an ’80s sci-fi beat as Joel and Ellie start their treacherous journey. These lyrics are reused in the sixth episode with a haunting chorus by Jessica Mazin. In contrast to the upbeat tone of the Depeche Mode song, Jessica Mazin offers a slower, depressing piano cover, stripped bare of the original bounce of the Depeche Mode song.

By using Depeche Mode’s usually adventurous “Never Let Me Down Again” and establishing a solemn, grave tone, the show further portrays the disturbed mood of Joel and Ellie within the accompanying scenes and cements their warm dynamic. The sixth episode establishes that Joel still grieves the loss of his daughter, who died tragically in the first episode. Towards the episode’s end, Joel is gravely wounded. Ellie desperately tries to carry her newfound father figure forward, knowing he may die from his injuries and leave her alone in a frightening, desolate world. When the cover of “Never Let Me Down Again” then plays, Ellie hopes she isn’t abandoned in a world full of terrors.

The show’s soundtrack further establishes itself as penultimate in episode three. Bill, a character who is a survivalist with a soft spot for Linda Ronstadt’s music, plays the heartfelt “Long Long Time” for his future lover, Frank. In one of the most sincere episodes of television, Bill and Frank develop a love for one another in a post-apocalyptic world. This is set to the sorrowful lyrics, “Cause I've done everything I know / To try and make you mine / And I think I'm gonna love you / For a long, long time.” The men live together for 12 years, experiencing the best days of their lives despite the world's hostile conditions.

In a cinematic tragedy, Frank slowly falls ill to an undiagnosed sickness. As Bill desperately searches for a doctor, Frank slowly accepts his death. Deciding to die by suicide one solemn morning, he asks Bill for one last good day. A montage set to an instrumental version of “On The Nature Of Daylight” by Max Richter plays, which features a melancholy string quartet marching toward imminent doom. As they eat their last dinner together, the episode is eerily quiet. Bill reveals, then, that he intends to die with Frank. The warm, stringed “Vanishing Grace” plays as they go to bed for the last time together. What cements the pain of the episode are Ronsdadt’s lyrics: “Cause I've done everything I know / To try and change your mind / And I think I'm gonna miss you / For a long, long time.” As Ellie and Joel drive away from the lovers’ home, they find a cassette with Ronstadt’s song and pop it into the radio. The song twinkles, playing as an ambient sound first and then becoming cinematic. Knowing that Frank and Bill died is an agonizing splinter, making it a poignant, beautiful moment in television — which is only further illustrated through the powerful Southwestern twang of the singer.

Using nostalgic ’80s songs not included in the game further develops relationships and characterizations. While the game creates connections by allowing characters to interact over several hours of gameplay, the TV show needed more sonic and conversational presence. In that way, the added punch of new music with hidden, underlying meanings combined with the original game soundtrack establish exciting hidden details about characters unseen in the game.