Warning: the following article contains spoilers for ‘The Last of Us’ episode seven, ‘Left Behind’.
The seventh episode of The Last of Us, titled ‘Left Behind’, contained some of the most heartfelt moments in the series so far, particuarly since the extremely memorable Bill and Frank storyline.
‘Left Behind’ is largely a flashback to Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) life shortly prior to meeting Joel, and her midnight trip to an abandoned mall with the best friend Riley (Storm Reid).
During their escapade, Riley pledges to show Ellie the ‘five wonders of the mall’, one of which is a beautifully lit up and still functional carousel. The pair share a beautifully tender moment of rare bliss on the ride, with an ethereal soundtrack underscoring the moment. In case you were thinking of adding it to a ‘chill’ playlist, we’ve got the song title for you.
What song plays during the carousel scene in ‘The Last of Us?’
The song which accompanies the moment in which Ellie and Riley forget about their troubles while circling astride horses on the carousel is a cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” by Rockabye Baby!, described as “the world’s leading lullaby brand” on its website.
The ethereal rendition of The Cure’s hit is a beautifully fitting supplement to the carousel scene. While the title and subject matter of the original song works in the context of the scene, the lullaby rendition by Rockabye Baby! works a lot better to highlight the purity and serenity of Ellie and Riley’s heartwarming moment.
Rockabye Baby! Specialize in reimagining a lot of the most popular music into a lullaby format, with some of their most listened-to songs on Spotify including “Yellow” (Coldplay), “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Queen), and “Tiny Dancer” (Elton John). Though after this week’s The Last of Us episode, we’re expecting stats to skew in Just Like Heaven’s favor.
