January 9, 2025
Few artists have shaped the music industry as profoundly as Mariah Carey. With her incredible five-octave vocal range, unparalleled songwriting talent, and an iconic presence that spans over three...
Read moreJanuary 9, 2025
Few bands have managed to achieve the global reach, cultural significance, and musical versatility of Coldplay. Since their debut in the late 1990s, the British quartet—composed of Chris Martin...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
In the ever-expanding world of electronic music, few artists have managed to carve out a space as unique and emotionally resonant as Barry Can’t Swim. The moniker of Scottish producer and DJ Barry...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
Few artists have managed to transcend generations and genres quite like Cher. With a career spanning over six decades, she has solidified her position as one of the most influential figures in...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
Amy Winehouse was a singular talent whose soulful voice, raw lyrics, and bold persona left an indelible mark on music history. Despite her tragically short career, Amy’s influence on contemporary...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
Few artists have shaped modern music and culture like Madonna. With a career spanning over four decades, she has consistently pushed boundaries, redefined pop music, and challenged societal norms...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
Fleetwood Mac, one of the most iconic rock bands of all time, has left an indelible mark on music history. Known for their dynamic harmonies, raw emotional storytelling, and genre-defying sound...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
In the ever-evolving world of R&B, Brent Faiyaz and his collaborative group Sonder stand out as trailblazers, blending smooth melodies, raw emotion, and a modern edge. Known for his introspective...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
Stevie Wonder is a name that transcends music, standing as a symbol of creativity, resilience, and innovation. As one of the most celebrated artists of all time, Wonder’s extraordinary talent...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
In the vibrant world of house music, Dutch duo ANOTR has emerged as one of the most exciting and innovative acts of recent years. Comprised of Jesse van der Heijden and Oguzhan Guney, ANOTR has...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
PARTYNEXTDOOR, the enigmatic Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer, has emerged as a pivotal figure in reshaping the landscape of modern R&B. Born Jahron Anthony Brathwaite in Mississauga...
Read moreJanuary 7, 2025
Few entertainers have embodied charisma, charm, and effortless talent quite like Dean Martin. Known as the King of Cool, Martin was more than just a singer or actor—he was a cultural icon whose...
Read morePhoto Source: Mashable.com
HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”. Without spoiling the show, Linda Ronstadt’s 53 year old heart wrenching song by the same title was used twice in that episode. This caused a sudden spike in the popularity of Ronstadt’s song, which is a common occurrence these days.
Episode three was a moving show, and a departure from the usual pace for the series. The song was first sung near the beginning of the show by two characters sharing a tender moment. Later, the real song was played at the end of the episode as the main protagonists rode off into the distance.
In other episodes of The Last of Us, music from different time periods have a symbolic meaning; it is used to indicate trouble and foreshadow events depending on what song is playing. As a byproduct, countless classic hits, like Depeche Mode’s “Never Let Me Down Again” are played in the show.
Episode three was released on January 29, 2023. Soon after, Spotify News tweeted that there had been a 4900% increase in streams for Ronstadt’s “Long, Long Time”. Similarly (although on a smaller scale), streams for “Never Let Me Down Again” increased threefold one day after episode one’s release earlier in the month.
As a result of popular TV shows using classics in crucial scenes, we have seen time and time again that these older tracks can end up back on the charts.
Last year, Stranger Things propelled Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” to #1 on the global charts for much of the summer. Despite the song being nearly 40 years old, an iconic scene was enough to cause the song to blow up, both on music streaming services and short-form video apps.
In the TikTok era, audios take off all the time, seemingly without much rhyme or reason. Although, when universally revered shows use nostalgic songs in their key scenes, those songs usually become prime candidates for TikTok trends. Whether or not this is the case for “Long, Long Time” remains to be seen.
How the Song Ended Up on The Last of Us
Regarding the use of “Long, Long Time”, Craig Mazin (screenwriter, director, and producer) contacted Seth Rudetsky (a Broadway composer and musician) to suggest a song for a show he was writing. The instructions were that it needed to be along the lines of “I Miss The Music” from the musical Curtains, but older. Mazin wanted a song to be one that “a man would sing about a girl, a song that has a beautiful longing in it for someone who he can’t have or someone who is gone”. The initial suggestions were not in line with what the episode needed, until Rudetsky suggested “Long, Long Time” as his favourite “devastating song”. Mazin felt that it fit the episode's tone, resulting in it being a key component of the storyline in episode three.
“Long, Long Time”
“Long, Long Time” is an emotional song with beautiful chord changes and vulnerable vocals. The song feels like reminiscing, all while simultaneously crying out for the person you love but can’t have. HBO did the public a huge favour by re-introducing this masterpiece to our ears.
If you have seen episode three of The Last of Us, you will know that the song perfectly encapsulates the feeling of the characters in the show and the audience. If you have not yet seen it, leave yourself plenty of time to recover. It is sure to tear at your heartstrings.
Nick Offerman's version of Long Long Time by Linda Ronstadt
(If you would rather it be the real song playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfxEFWVB09Q)
(or, if you believe it would be a spoiler to have scenes from the show in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKAtM9xS-fA&ab_channel=ConCherry)