What song do Joel and Ellie sing in The Last of Us Part 2?

One of the most emotional moments in The Last of Us Part 2 is when Joel sings to Ellie. She starts to sing the same song before being interrupted by Dina, when she sings a-ha’s “Take on Me” instead. It’s easier to recognize “Take on Me,” but the song Joel sings might be a bit harder for younger generations.

It’s an iconic scene in The Last of Us Part 2. After an awkward interaction between the two, Joel gets a guitar and sings to Ellie before gifting the instrument to her. It’s a sweet moment that brings out a dad-and-daughter-like moment, with Joel finishing the night with a total dad joke.

What is the song Joel and Ellie sing in The Last of Us Part 2?

The song Joel sings to Ellie in The Last of Us 2 is “Future Days” by Pearl Jam. Although the game is set in 2003, “Future Days” was released in 2013. It might be a strange choice, since the song wouldn’t exist in The Last of Us 2, but the lyrics are perfect to express how Joel felt.

It was written by Pearl Jam’s vocalist Eddie Vedder about his wife, whom he had been with for seven years. In the game, the song deeply relates to Joel’s parental connection with Ellie and the uncertainty that they’ll remain together in such a dangerous world.

This song expresses how important they are to each other, especially with the lyrics “If I ever were to lose you, I’d surely lose myself,” while the lyrics “And I believe ’cause I can see, Our future days, Days of you and me” reflect Joel’s hope that they’ll remain together. Joel only sings until the first chorus, but if you listen to the rest of the song, the lyrics make a lot of sense given their situation.

Joel won’t sing the whole song to Ellie, but those who manage to complete the game in the Grounded difficulty mode will hear the whole performance while the credits roll. With TLoU Part 2 Remastered on the way, we will be able to relive the moment Joel sings to Ellie.

If you enjoy hearing the two characters singing, you can also hear Ellie and Joel’s voice actors—Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker—singing “Wayfaring Stranger” by Johnny Cash live at PSX 2017 with PlayStation Presents. Troy Baker even played the guitar and sang like Joel.