This article is about all of Steven Universe's ending credits' audio. You may be looking for the song, "Love Like You", or the ending theme of Steven Universe Future, "Being Human". |
An Ending Theme is a song that plays during the credits of each episode of Steven Universe. Changes to the ending theme are very common throughout the show.
Variations[]
Love Like You Piano Variations (Season 1A)[]
Season 1A's ending themes were all variations of the same melody, with new instruments being added every few episodes.
- Variation #1: Classic (Piano only).
- Variation #2: Classic + Glockenspiel (first played at the end of "Cheeseburger Backpack").
- Variation #3: Classic + Glockenspiel + Upright Bass (first played at the end of "Tiger Millionaire").
- Variation #4: Classic + Glockenspiel + Upright Bass + Drum set (first played at the end of "Onion Trade").
- Variation #5: Classic + Guitar (first played at the end of "Beach Party", and then next played at the end of "Joking Victim").
Season 1B Variations[]
Season 1B had several very different ending themes, changing every now and then. Lots of one-off variations appeared towards the end of the season, foreshadowing the arrival of the Homeworld Gems.
- Variation #6: Piano + Guitar + Upright Bass (first played at the end of "House Guest", and also at the end of "Lion 3: Straight to Video"). This has the same tempo and same chord progression from the original, but now has a new melody.
- Variation #7: Piano + Upright Bass + Drum set (first played at the end of "Watermelon Steven"). This focuses mainly on percussion with a new melody.
- Variation #8: Electric Guitar with a new melody. (First played at the end of "Winter Forecast".)
- Variation #9: Electric Guitar with a new melody. This version has only played once, at the end of "The Message". The ending of this version fades to static at the end, foreshadowing the arrival of the Homeworld Gems in "The Return".
- Variation #10: Static. Continuing the foreshadowing of the Homeworld Gems' arrival, as the last version did; this is not actually music at all, but just static. (First and only played at the end of "Political Power".)
- Variation #11 is continued static with distorted fragments of Rebecca Sugar's vocals[citation needed] from the following twelfth variation (this version is only heard in the standalone, non-two parter version of "The Return"[1]). This variation was never shown on TV, and has been called "The Missing Piece" by Aivi & Surasshu.
Love Like You (Seasons 2 and 3)[]
Throughout Seasons 2 and 3, the song "Love Like You" was slowly built up, a new verse being added every few episodes. Throughout the "Barn Arc", however, Variation 16 was played instead (see Other Variations). With the conclusion of season 3, the song was complete.
- Variation #12 is the original chords and bassline in addition to Rebecca Sugar singing the lyrics as the melody. (played with two verses at the end of "Jail Break" when shown as a two-parter with "The Return"; shorter version with one verse is first played at the end of "Full Disclosure", but technically first appeared in the standalone version of "Jail Break"[2]).
- Variation #14 is a faded "second part" to version 12 coming directly after "you" that is slow-moving and somewhat distorted (first played at the end of "Cry for Help").
- Variation #15 is a lyrical song with a different melody to the original and new lyrics, titled "Nothing Like You" below. This version is faster and jazzier (first played at the end of "Nightmare Hospital").
- Variation #17 is a continuation of "Nothing Like You" (Variation 15) with the same melody but different lyrics, titled "Adore You" (first played at the end of "Steven Floats").[3]
- Variation #18 is the next verse of "Love Like You", titled "Right By You", and first plays at the start of "Alone at Sea".
- Variation #19 is the penultimate verse of "Love Like You", titled "How Long It Took", and plays at the end of "Bismuth". This version begins with a brief musical interlude. As of "Beta", only the second half of this theme played, starting at "I could even learn..." This theme was heard at the end of only 4 episodes.
- Variation #20 is the final verse of "Love Like You", titled "Love me like you" and only plays at the end of the episode "Bubbled".
Love Like You (Reprise) (Seasons 4 and 5)[]
Season 4's ending themes have featured discordant chimes that, similar to the Love Like You ending themes, make a song when placed together. Each additional variation appears to be getting faster and more melodical, introducing a piano and eventually a guitar. The meaning of these themes is currently unknown.
- Variation #21 lacks any music, instead consisting of the sounds of waves crashing and Steven's clothes on the line flapping in the wind (first played at the end of "Kindergarten Kid"). This theme was only played at the end of 3 episodes.
- Variation #22 features eerie discordant chimes that are not very musical. There are no lyrics. This is first played at the end of "Mindful Education".
- Variation #24 features the same eerie discordant chimes from variation 22, but this time, another part is added. This is first played at the end of "Gem Harvest". As of "Three Gems and a Baby", only the new second half is played. This variation also introduces the piano, and also includes a screechy sound at the end.
- Variation #25 is the continuation of variation 24. However, the chimes and piano are now getting faster and more melodical. At the end, there is a whale-like sound. This is first played at the end of "That Will Be All".
- Variation #26 is the continuation of variation 25. This theme is yet more melodical and faster than the previous. The piano is now the dominant instrument. This variation is first played at the end of "Doug Out". The screechy sound from variation 24 returns.
- Variation #27 is the continuation of variation 26. The theme is noticeably more fast-paced and upbeat than the previous ones. Along with the piano, an electric guitar is featured. There are also bird and dolphin noises. The variation is first played at the end of "Stuck Together".
- Variation #28 is the continuation of variation 27. This theme has a similar motif to 27, though features different ambient sounds and slight "funky" digital distortion near the end. This variation is first played at the end of "Dewey Wins".
- Variation #29 is the continuation of variation 28. This theme is similar to 28, but the "funky" distortion plays all throughout. In the final second, the motif of the theme transposes to a higher key. This variation is first played at the end of "Lars of the Stars".
- Variation #30 appears to be the final part of this theme, with the melody slowing to a stop. It first plays at the end of "Can't Go Back".
- Variation #31 reveals that this theme is in fact a reprise of “Love Like You”. It played after "Reunited".
- Variation #32 played after "Legs From Here to Homeworld".
- Variation #33 is similar to variation 17 but with added harmonies on "special". It played after "Familiar".
- Variation #34 is similar to variation 18. It played after "Together Alone".
- Variation #35 is similar to variation 19. It played after "Escapism".
- Variation #36 is similar to variation 20, but with just the "you" repeated three times, to make it say "love you", concluding the song. It played after "Change Your Mind".
Other Ending Themes[]
- Variation #13 (Uncle Like You)[4] has more synth and techno sounds. This is because the piece was styled to sound like the Uncle Grandpa theme song (only played at the end of the Uncle Grandpa and Steven Universe crossover, "Say Uncle").
- Variation #16 is an ominous, creepy acoustic guitar with insect noises and no lyrics. When this variation played, the background was not set at the temple. This first played at the end of "Back to the Barn". Note that each time this version plays, the insect noises are slightly different. It is the longest-standing ending theme, being heard at the end of 12 episodes.
- Variation #23 is another one-off variation, which is not a Steven Universe song at all, but a continuation of "Fifteen Minutes" by Mike Krol that played over the end credits of "Last One Out of Beach City".
Lyrics[]
Original Version (Variation #12)[]
If I could begin to be Half of what you think of me, I could do about anything, I could even learn how to love. When I see the way you act, Wondering when I'm coming back, I could do about anything, I could even learn how to love like you. |
Faded Version (Variation #14)[]
You... [Faded voice] Love, like you... |
Nothing Like You (Variation #15)[]
I always thought I might be bad, Now I'm sure that it's true, 'cause I think you're so good And I'm nothing like you. |
Adore You (Variation #17)[]
Look at you go I just adore you I wish that I knew What makes you think I'm so special |
Right by You (Variation #18)[]
If I could begin to do Something that does right by you I would do about anything I would even learn how to love |
The Way You Look (Variation #19)[]
When I see the way you look Shaken by how long it took I could do about anything I could even learn how to love like you Love like you... |
Love Me Like You (Variation #20)[]
Love me like you |
Trivia[]
- A version of the Ending Theme with a longer piano intro can be heard in another song, "Love Like You (The Ocean Returns)", composed by Aivi & Surasshu.
- A part of the ending theme is used for the Pilot episode.
- A complete version with unaired lyrics was first performed by Aivi & Surasshu, Edwin Rhodes and Thu Tran at Animation on Display 2016.[5] Rebecca Sugar first publicly performed the full version at San Diego Comic-Con 2016.
- An unreleased theme which was supposed to be used for "The Return", titled "The Missing Piece", can be found on one of the composers' blogs.[6][7]
- The time signatures on both Love Like You and the chime themes are different from any other song in the series, both of which were 9/8 and 7/4 (Starting from the variation that plays at the end of the episode "Stuck Together"), respectively.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkOSsGxOoHI
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWhjh9BpIrc
- ↑ http://cant-get-enough-pearl.tumblr.com/post/145217231400
- ↑ https://soundcloud.com/aivisura/steven-universe-uncle-like-you
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8JxrjCHHIE
- ↑ http://waltzforluma.tumblr.com/post/124724925581
- ↑ http://waltzforluma.tumblr.com/post/113413075876