Warning: This article contains major spoilers for The Last of Us episode three
The Last of Us continues to utilize real-life music interpolated with the original game’s soundtrack, with the third episode seeing a series of familiar tunes and tracks.
Around the 21st minute mark as we begin to learn about Bill and his history as a survivalist in the post-apocalypse, we see him working in his bunker as a familiar song plays. Much like Depeche Mode’s “Never Let Me Down Again” in episode one, we expect this one may see a resurgence.
What is the song playing on Bill’s radio in the bunker?
The song played as Bill works hard on his apocalyptic shelter, is none other than British band Cream’s “White Room”, from their third studio album Wheels of Fire. The song is one of the band’s most popular songs, and the album it originates from is often believed to be their best ever. Released in 1968, it marks the oldest song still available in the post-apocalypse of The Last of Us, circa the 2007 flashback.
White Room is about the songwriter’s internal battle between deciding to be either a full-blown poet, or continuing on as a songwriter. Where this fits in for Bill’s character is a split within him over whether to open up himself, or continue on as a survivalist conspiracy theorist.
Worth noting, as from the first episode’s radio code (which is likely unrelated), songs from the 60s meant nothing new to report, whereas 70s meant news, and 80s meant trouble. Given it is used in a flashback, we cannot truly suggest there’s any further meaning from there.
The Last of Us is available to stream exclusively on HBO Max.