Top 20 Steven Universe Songs (10-1)

Welcome back. I’m going to assume all of you read my original article that counted down numbers 20 through 11 so I’ll skip any kind of lengthy introduction and get right down to it.

10. The Working Dead (Sadie Killer Season 5 Episode 9)

This song probably has no business being as high on the list as it is, but I had to include it because of how relatable it is. More on that in a moment. Something I love about Steven Universe is: even though it is, at its core, a science-fiction adventure show, every now and again it takes time to deal with mundane every day situations. Such is the case here. After Lars turns pink and becomes a space pirate (long story), Sadie is left to run the donut shop all by herself, and the workload is overwhelming her to the point of exhaustion. Meanwhile, Steven and friends are looking to start a band but are struggling to find their sound. One night during a horror movie marathon, the gang thinks they’ve found something, all they need is someone to perform lead vocals. As if through sheer instinct, Sadie belts out this mournful tune, venting all her frustrations with her current life situation. If you have ever felt overworked and trapped in a job you can’t stand then this song is for you. Sadie’s strained voice perfectly captures that burnt out feeling you get when you work yourself to exhaustion. The song is primal, it’s angry, it’s tired, it’s every feeling an overworked person like Sadie has ever felt. It’s that feeling of stress and pain both physical and emotional that comes when you’re so tired and depressed, you may as well be dead inside. I know that I personally relate to this, and I’m sure many others do as well. For that reason, there was no way it wasn’t making the Top 10.

9. Let Me Drive My Van into Your Heart (Laser Light Cannon Season 1 Episode 2)

Have I mentioned I love Greg yet, because seriously Greg is awesome, and this song is pretty much his character in a nutshell. Greg is not a Gem, or a brave warrior, or a super genius or a celebrity. He’s just a man with little more than a van and a good heart, and ultimately, that’s all he really needs to be. Despite all the incredible cosmic wonders he’s witnessed and experienced, he’s perfectly content to keep living in his van and running his carwash. Sure he may have regrets, but I’m willing to bet that if asked, he wouldn’t change a thing about how his life unfolded. Even later in the series when Greg becomes a millionaire, he’s still content to live in his van and run his carwash, because really, Greg already has everything he could possibly want. I also want to give an honorable mention to the cover of this song by Sadie’s band, Sadie Killer and The Suspects. I’d like to think that Greg, the bands manager by this point, gave them this song as his way of passing to a torch to an up and coming musical act looking to follow their dreams as he once did. This is a great song with great lyrics and a great representation of my favorite character. So give it a listen and let Greg drive his van into your heart.

8. Other Friends (Steven Universe the Movie)

Sweet, we get to talk about the movie again as we discuss a song that seemed to be an instant hit as soon as the film premiered. What I love about it is that this is, to the best of my recollection, the first honest-to-goodness villain song we’ve had in the show. Up to this point, the closest we ever had was What’s the Use in Feeling Blue, and while that song was sung by Yellow Diamond, who was certainly an antagonist, there was nothing villainous or malevolent about the song itself. This song on the other hand lacks that ambiguity and, in my opinion, is a villain song that deserves to be celebrated in the same way as songs like Be Prepared or Hellfire. This is our introduction to the main villain of the movie, Spinel, and as far as villain introductions go, this does everything right. In less than two minutes, we know everything we need to about this character and the threat she poses. All of her emotions are right out there in the open in her song. She’s immature, angry, unstable, unpredictable, bitter, jealous, vengeful and erratic, all conveyed through her words and her movements. Speaking of, I absolutely love the fluid yet chaotic way Spinel moves around while fighting the Gems. Huge props to the animation team on that one. The scene also helps build how dangerous Spinel is as she effortlessly wipes the floor with Steven and the others, her unpredictable pattern of movement being difficult for even Garnet to keep up with. The visual of Spinel using her Scythe like weapon to seemingly destroy Pearl and the others to end the song just adds to the horror of this unstable antagonist and the threat she poses. And to top it all off, the song itself is catchy as hell. It’s based on a genre of music from the 30’s called Tin Pan Alley Jazz, the sort of music you might hear in a Mickey Mouse Cartoon from that era. Not surprising given that old animation style was an inspiration for Spinel’s design. Bottom line, this song kicks ass and was the perfect introduction to a great villain.

7. Strong In The Real Way (Coach Steven Season 1 Episode 20)

Originally, I wasn’t going to put this song on the list, but as soon as I listened to it again while re-watching the show and I knew I had to include it because this song just rocks. Upon witnessing Sugilite, the fusion of Garnet and Amethyst, and how strong she is, Steven is inspired to get strong himself, leaving Pearl to lament that Steven looks up to Sugilite. See, even though Sugilite is strong, she’s also a show off and clearly unstable, not exactly what positive role models are made of. Knowing that being truly strong is about more than just physical strength, Pearl sings this song in order to vent her frustrations. Steven overhears this and kind of misses the point, using the song as a means to motivate the members of the gym he started. I really like how the song is slow and soft and yet still manages to pump you up. I actually know of a lot of people for whom this tune has made it into their work out playlist. It sounds very triumphant and I really enjoy the contrast between Pearl and Steven’s verses. Overall, it’s a great song that pumps you up no matter what type of strength you’re aiming for.

6. Happily Ever After (Steven Universe The Movie)

I must have been insane not to include this song when I initially posted the list, as it's easily one of the strongest songs in the entire show. The song that opens up The Movie, Steven sings about how overjoyed he is to finally be done saving the Universe, something that's taken two long years of hard work. The song also serves as a quick introduction for our principal characters, their backstories, and how each has changed over the course of the series. Things like Steven escaping his mother's shadow, Pearl overcoming the pain she felt after all that time mourning Rose, Garnet and how far she's come since Ruby and Sapphire accidentally fused so long ago and Amethyst finally finding a place to belong. Not only that, we get to see how Beach City has changed over the past two years, with developments like Lars running his own pastry shop and a new section of the City for the uncorrupted Gems called Little Homeworld. The song is beautiful, it's triumphant, and it's everything you want to see from Steven Universe after all the time that had passed since Change Your Mind. Something I especially like is how, if you listen closely during the individual verses, you can hear some of the melody from each character's signature song. That's a really nice touch. Personally, I love this song and can't get enough of it. No wonder they chose it as the theme song to Steven Universe future.

5. I'm Looking Forward Now (Little Graduation Steven Universe Future Episode 9)

Speaking of Steven Universe Future, I can't think of a better way to kick off the top five than with this simple yet powerful number. As I'm writing this, Steven Universe Future is still ongoing (which means I may have to redo this list AGAIN when Steven Universe Future concludes) but I knew, as soon as I saw this episode that this song belonged on this list. In the two years between the end of Steven Universe and the beginning of Steven Universe Future, Lars and Sadie have parted ways romantically, much to Steven's surprise and dismay. To make matters worse, Lars reveals that he'll soon be going back into space. Worse yet, Sadie Killer and The Suspects has broken up and Steven's friends will all soon be moving on with their lives. No one is really all that sad about this, in fact, Lars and Sadie still seem to care deeply for one another and are happy that they're in a good place in their lives. Everyone seems to have found their calling in life, everyone that is, except Steven. At the graduation ceremony for the Off Colors that night, Sadie and her new partner Shep perform this song, and the words make Steven question a lot of things. Who is he within this new world he created and without his friends. The final image in which Steven lays on top of his car staring at the night's sky in quiet contemplation is hauntingly beautiful, much like the song's melody. It's a beautiful song that can stir up complex emotions and I'm glad I can put it in my top five.

4. Let’s Only Think about Love (Reunited Season 5 Episode 23)

There’s a lot of backstory to unpack with this one so strap in. Also, if you’re not caught up on the series, I’m about to drop a HUGE spoiler so you may want to back out now. You have been warned. So, this episode comes not too long after the revelation that Rose Quartz, Steven’s mother and the leader of the Crystal Gem Rebellion, and Pink Diamond, the allegedly evil tyrant whom the Crystal Gems rebelled against, were, in fact, one and the same. Needless to say, this revelation shook the team to its very core. Affected most by this news were Ruby and Sapphire, the gems who make up Garnet. See, Rose was the one who always encouraged the two to remain fused as Garnet but learning that Rose was actually member of the oppressive Diamond Authority all along has caused the two to question everything, including their relationship. Lots of soul searching and one cowboy adventure later, Ruby and Sapphire ultimately decided that regardless of what they now know, they still can’t be apart, and have decided to rejoin together as Garnet by their own choice, and to symbolize this, the two have decided to get married. On the morning of the wedding, Steven sings this song about how even though there are still a lot of issues still to be resolved, such as Pearl’s lament over knowing Rose’s secret and not being able to tell anyone, the impending invasion of the Diamonds and the inevitable awakening of a monstrous Gem abomination known as The Cluster, just for today, we must forget all of that horrible stuff and only think about love. Those problems aren’t going away, but they can wait until tomorrow. I loved this song from the second I heard it because of how relatable I found its message to be. It’s true, there are a lot of terrible things in today’s world. Bigotry, corrupt governments, poverty and so much more. One cannot ignore these things. One shouldn’t ignore these things. But what this song is trying to say is that as important as it may be to try to combat the evils of the world, and can be equally important to take time for oneself and one’s loved ones to focus on the wonderful things right in front of you, even if it’s just for one day. It’s a powerful song that culminates in a beautiful wedding and Ruby & Sapphire reuniting as Garnet.

Speaking of Garnet…

3. Stronger Than You (Jail Break Season 1 Episode 52)

If there is any one character who competes with Greg for the position of my favorite character, it’s easily Garnet. She’s stoic, she’s witty and she can kick twelve kinds of ass. This is the episode when we find out that Garnet is actually a fusion, a huge surprise to many including yours truly. Shortly after, she goes toe-to-toe with the villainous Jasper and we finally get to see just how tough Garnet really is. While Jasper, who mocks Garnet, seeing fusion only as a cheap tactic to make weak Gems stronger, certainly gets in a few good hits, Garnet basically wipes the floor with her, all while singing an upbeat and triumphant rap number about how she is “Made of Love.” Seeing Garnet cut loose like this, I can’t help but be reminded of another Superhero based show that aired on Cartoon Network. In the series finale of Justice League Unlimited, Superman battles Darkseid, one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. Superman has a speech about how he normally has to hold back since he’s so powerful that if he goes all out, the people around him could get hurt. But against Darkseid, Superman is allowed to go all out and punches the villain so hard that it breaks the sound barrier and nearly levels an entire city block just from the impact. I feel like something very similar is happening with Garnet. It’s always been hinted that Garnet is the most powerful of the Crystal Gems, and we’d certainly seen hints of that throughout the first season. But here, we’re finally getting to see Garnet go all out against the strongest villain we’ve seen up to this point and she completely kicks her ass, all while talking herself up and hitting Jasper with some sick burns. A lot of Credit has to go to English Rapper Estelle who provides the voice of Garnet and is easily the best singer in an already extremely talented cast.

2. Comet (Story for Steven Season 1 Episode 48)

I dig the hell out of this song. I may have spoke too soon when I said Let Me Drive My Van Into Your Heart perfectly summed up Greg’s character, because this song does a pretty good job of that too. While Let Me Drive My Van Into Your Heart was more about Greg’s humble side, this one is more about his ambitions. Even though it never panned out for him, there was a time in his life that Greg aspired to be a world-famous Rockstar and he certainly gave it his all. This song is easily the best example of that. Greg is putting his entire heart and soul into this one song, even though there’s only one person attending his concert. The song is just epic with really well-written lyrics that call back to something akin to an old 80’s power ballad. Even though the song is ambitious and bombastic, I like that if you listen closely to the lyrics, there’s a degree of self-awareness to them. Even though Greg has big dreams, the idea that fame can have an expiration date is not lost on him. Greg knows that if his time to shine comes at all, it may not last forever, but if it does, he’s going to shine as bright as he can for as long as he can. It’s fitting then that Greg compares himself to a comet. The moment a Comet appears in the sky, much like the moment Greg hits the stage, there’s excitement, cheering, the sense that one has witnessed something majestic, but in the blink of an eye, it’s gone. But Greg doesn’t care, as long as he gets to experience his dreams, it doesn’t matter if he soon has to wake up. This is both an accurate description of Greg’s music career as well as his relationship with Rose, fitting then that the end of this song is where Greg and Rose meet for the first time, arguably the most important event in the show’s history.

Before we hit our number 1, here are a few honorable mentions.

Dear Old Dad (House Guest Season 1 Episode 27)

A song that got cut when I redid the list and a great demonstration of the strong bond shared by Steven and Greg. Steven and Greg's dynamic is one of my favorites in the show and I always get excited for a Greg song

Be Wherever You Are (Island Adventure Season 1 Episode 30)

An absolutely beautiful song and one of the best when it comes to exploring the complex relationship between Lars and Sadie. Unfortunately, the events of the episode undercut the message of the song which kept it off the list.

That Distant Shore (Can't Go Back Season 5 Episode 17)

After Steven find Lapis Lazuli on the moon, she sings this song lamenting two she can never go back to the others out of fear of confronting them. Jennifer Paz's voice is beautiful and this song makes great use of it.

Ruby Rider (The Question Season 5 Episode 22)

To try to discover who she is without Sapphire, Ruby goes on a Cowboy adventure. It's just a fun little Cowboy song about independence.

The True Kind of Love (Steven Universe the Movie)

This was a hard one to keep off the list as Garnet is one of my favorite characters and seeing her regain her powers and memories after spending much of the movie sidelined was a truly triumphant moment. Estelle is a beautiful singer and I will take any excuse to praise her amazing vocal performance as Garnet.

And now, without further delay, I give you...

1. Independent Together (Steven Universe the Movie)

For a while, Comet was going to be number one, but as soon as I saw this song in the movie, I instantly fell in love with it. I have a lot to say about this one, and there’s no guarantee that this entry won’t be longer than the entire rest of the list, but here we go anyway. First, let’s start with what’s actually going on in this scene. Much like how Amethyst was affected by Spinel’s attack, so too has Pearl been stripped of her memories and reduced to what all Pearls on the Gem Homeworld were intended to be, a doting submissive servant with little to no autonomy of her own. Since a song helped restore Amethyst, it stands to reason that the same could help Pearl. To that end, at a Sadie Killer and the Suspects concert that night, Steven and Greg merge into a new fusion, Steg, and sing an uplifting song about independence and following one’s own path. Not only does it snap Pearl out of it, but it also causes her to merge with Amethyst to from Opal and join in on the song, a nice little Easter Egg as Opal’s voice actress, Aimee Mann and Steg’s voice actor, Ted Leo form a musical duo called “The Both.” Next, there’s the message, something I relate to on a very personal level. I have never been the sort of person content to blend into the crowd and conform to trends. My independence and individuality is something I place a great deal of value on. Even without the context of the scene, the song’s message is still powerful. Being independent does not necessarily mean standing alone, it just means being who you truly are, regardless of the expectations of others. If you need to be something you’re not to maintain relationships, be they platonic, romantic or familial, those relationships are not worth keeping. Only those who except you for you are worth keeping around. Next, there’s the significance of fusion in this scene. Remember, We Need to Talk, the one where Greg attempts to fuse with Rose, is my favorite episode. While by this point the show has gone out of its way to make clear that Steven and Rose are not the same entity despite previous belief to the contrary, he is still the next best thing and seeing Greg finally get to experience Fusion after all this time with the person he loves most is just nice to see. Also, don’t forget, Spinel’s attack also severely weakened Steven’s powers, so fusing takes a lot out of him at this point, almost to where it completely drains him, but he doesn’t care, this is for Pearl. One thing that’s been true of Steven throughout the entire show is that he’ll do anything for the people he loves and this is no exception. That brings us to who this song is really about: Pearl. Like I said, Spinel’s attack stripped Pearl of all that she is and rendered he just as she and the other home world Pearls originally were. And let’s not sugar coat this, the Pearls are a slave race, and even that doesn’t sound awful enough for what they are. They are created and conditioned to be submissive to whoever owns them and blissfully ignorant to the nightmare that is their existence. Our Pearl only escaped that fate because Rose was able to show her a better way to live, hence Pearl’s unyielding devotion to her. While the irony of Pearl being subservient towards Greg of all people was played for laughs and even made me chuckle once or twice, seeing this character who we’ve grown to know and love over five seasons, who has come so far and has gone through so much to finally find her happiness reduced to what she once was, that was heart wrenching. This song finally snaps Pearl out of it and in one moment, the Pearl we knew is reborn and the moment is amazing and triumphant. For all these reasons listed above, I had absolutely no choice but to name this song, my favorite song in all of Steven Universe. And that’s the end of the countdown. Thank you all who took the time to read these articles, they were a blast to write and brought up a lot of good memories. I hope you all enjoyed as well.