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Steven Universe: Singing and Crying Edition
So, recently real life punched me in the face (in a way that I might get into in a locked post some time). It is going to keep punching me for at least the next two weeks.
Fortunately, this is the perfect time for a Steven Universe marathon, since the show will soon end its fifth season and its time to go back and watch everything and yell 'HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THAT FORESHADOWING???' all the time.
Because if Babylon 5 answered the question 'is it possible to take a five-volume science fiction novel and put it on TV?' in the affirmative, then Steven Universe is working hard on '... but what about a young adult science fantasy about growing up and realising your parents are just human even when they're aliens and also about political rebellion among shapeshifting space rocks? And what if it were delivered in eleven minute animated instalments and was also a musical sometimes because why not?'
Which is to say, if you like young adult science fantasy, big ensemble casts and plots that unfold across years so that you spend a lot of later episodes yelling 'IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!' I would suggest giving it a shot. Early episodes require some tolerance for standard sitcom/cartoon tropes of the 'protagonist screws up and Learns A Lesson' variety, but there's a lot less of that once the plot really kicks in. Besides, the other thing it has in common with B5 is that even the lacklustre episodes are often important later. (Also, it is stuffed to the brim with cool female characters and may be the gayest show on television, if either of those things is a draw for you.)
Anyway, this left me wondering about all sorts of important show questions. We all know that 'when will Jasper return from the war?' and 'what is up with those Diamonds anyway?' will be answered eventually, but there's one question that's much more difficult: what are the best songs in Steven Universe? So here, have my top thirteen.
(I tried to cut it down to ten, but I just couldn't manage it, so thirteen it is.)
13. Haven't You Noticed (I'm A Star)
I love all version of this perky pop pastiche - whether the 'radio' version performed by Olivia Olson or Sadie or Steven in drag or this delightful group karaoke take.
12. Strong in the Real Way
Why do you have to look up to her?
Aside from in a literal sense?
Such a great character song, for both Pearl and Steven. Everything about the Sardonyx arc and Steven becoming the team's inspiring leader is foreshadowed right here.
11. Comet
Some ... say I have no direction, that I'm a light-speed distraction ...
Well, who can blame Rose for falling in love after that?
10. Giant Woman
But if it were me, I'd really wanna be,
A giant woman,
A giant woman!
One of the show's earliest songs and still one of my favourites. This young Steven would be so happy to know that the rest of the series (at least to this point) is basically a steady reveal of EVER GIANTER WOMEN. And that he gets to turn into more than one giant person!
9. Love Like You
When I see the way you act,
Wondering when I'm coming back,
I could do about anything,
I could even learn to love like you.
In true Steven Universe fashion, we still don't really know what this is about. Maybe it will be left open to interpretation forever - and that's OK. Whatever it's about, it sure is pretty.
8. Steven and the Stevens
Steven and the Crystal Gems
We're gonna make you smile
I accidentally created
An alternate timeline ...
I love this because it's a perfect piece of classic rock 'n roll despite being less than a minute long, and also because it's just so damn hilarious. I learned to stay true to myself/By watching myself die!
7. Peace and Love On the Planet Earth
I guess we're already here,
I guess we already know.
We've all got something to fear,
We've all got nowhere to go.
I think you're all INSANE!
But I guess I am too...
Anybody would be
If they were stuck on Earth with you.
Peridot is my favourite Crystal Gem, and I love seeing her discover music andart meep morps.
6. For Just One Day Let's Only Think About (Love)
A damn catchy song and a summary of the plot all the way until the end of Season Five and a reminder that in many ways Steven Universe owes as much to the Western musical tradition and MGM as it does to anime and its Cartoon Network forebears. And probably my favourite performance from Zach Callison so far - he really hits it out of the park here.
5. We Are the Crystal Gems
The odds are against us, this won't be easy,
But we're not going to do it alone!
Of course s show with so much great music has a great theme song, and the extended version in this short is my favourite iteration <3.
4. What's the Use of Feeling (Blue)?
The legendary Patty LuPone brings us Steven Universe by way of Stephen Sondheim. Amazing, and genuinely different from anything else in the show as befits a character as alien as Yellow Diamond.
3. Do It For Her
On the battlefield
When everything is chaos,
And you have nothing but the way you feel,
Your strategy and a sword;
You just think about the life you'll have together after the war!
I had a really difficult time ranking my top three. I still cannot believe that 'Peal encourages Connie to sacrifice her life for Steven because of her feelings about Rose' was a song that made it onto the Cartoon Network, but it's perfect and heartbreaking.
2. It's Over Isn't It
... and speaking of perfect and heartbreaking, that applies even more to my other favourite Pearl song. Because the whole point is that it is not over, and for Pearl it never really will be.
1. Stronger Than You
I can see you hate the way we intermingle
But I think you're just mad 'cause you're single.
... but if I had to pick just one favourite Steven Universe song, it would be this one. A pefect Garnet character song, and in many ways it's a mission statement for the whole show. Plus, it's hella catchy!
Fortunately, this is the perfect time for a Steven Universe marathon, since the show will soon end its fifth season and its time to go back and watch everything and yell 'HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THAT FORESHADOWING???' all the time.
Because if Babylon 5 answered the question 'is it possible to take a five-volume science fiction novel and put it on TV?' in the affirmative, then Steven Universe is working hard on '... but what about a young adult science fantasy about growing up and realising your parents are just human even when they're aliens and also about political rebellion among shapeshifting space rocks? And what if it were delivered in eleven minute animated instalments and was also a musical sometimes because why not?'
Which is to say, if you like young adult science fantasy, big ensemble casts and plots that unfold across years so that you spend a lot of later episodes yelling 'IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!' I would suggest giving it a shot. Early episodes require some tolerance for standard sitcom/cartoon tropes of the 'protagonist screws up and Learns A Lesson' variety, but there's a lot less of that once the plot really kicks in. Besides, the other thing it has in common with B5 is that even the lacklustre episodes are often important later. (Also, it is stuffed to the brim with cool female characters and may be the gayest show on television, if either of those things is a draw for you.)
Anyway, this left me wondering about all sorts of important show questions. We all know that 'when will Jasper return from the war?' and 'what is up with those Diamonds anyway?' will be answered eventually, but there's one question that's much more difficult: what are the best songs in Steven Universe? So here, have my top thirteen.
(I tried to cut it down to ten, but I just couldn't manage it, so thirteen it is.)
13. Haven't You Noticed (I'm A Star)
I love all version of this perky pop pastiche - whether the 'radio' version performed by Olivia Olson or Sadie or Steven in drag or this delightful group karaoke take.
12. Strong in the Real Way
Why do you have to look up to her?
Aside from in a literal sense?
Such a great character song, for both Pearl and Steven. Everything about the Sardonyx arc and Steven becoming the team's inspiring leader is foreshadowed right here.
11. Comet
Some ... say I have no direction, that I'm a light-speed distraction ...
Well, who can blame Rose for falling in love after that?
10. Giant Woman
But if it were me, I'd really wanna be,
A giant woman,
A giant woman!
One of the show's earliest songs and still one of my favourites. This young Steven would be so happy to know that the rest of the series (at least to this point) is basically a steady reveal of EVER GIANTER WOMEN. And that he gets to turn into more than one giant person!
9. Love Like You
When I see the way you act,
Wondering when I'm coming back,
I could do about anything,
I could even learn to love like you.
In true Steven Universe fashion, we still don't really know what this is about. Maybe it will be left open to interpretation forever - and that's OK. Whatever it's about, it sure is pretty.
8. Steven and the Stevens
Steven and the Crystal Gems
We're gonna make you smile
I accidentally created
An alternate timeline ...
I love this because it's a perfect piece of classic rock 'n roll despite being less than a minute long, and also because it's just so damn hilarious. I learned to stay true to myself/By watching myself die!
7. Peace and Love On the Planet Earth
I guess we're already here,
I guess we already know.
We've all got something to fear,
We've all got nowhere to go.
I think you're all INSANE!
But I guess I am too...
Anybody would be
If they were stuck on Earth with you.
Peridot is my favourite Crystal Gem, and I love seeing her discover music and
6. For Just One Day Let's Only Think About (Love)
A damn catchy song and a summary of the plot all the way until the end of Season Five and a reminder that in many ways Steven Universe owes as much to the Western musical tradition and MGM as it does to anime and its Cartoon Network forebears. And probably my favourite performance from Zach Callison so far - he really hits it out of the park here.
5. We Are the Crystal Gems
The odds are against us, this won't be easy,
But we're not going to do it alone!
Of course s show with so much great music has a great theme song, and the extended version in this short is my favourite iteration <3.
4. What's the Use of Feeling (Blue)?
The legendary Patty LuPone brings us Steven Universe by way of Stephen Sondheim. Amazing, and genuinely different from anything else in the show as befits a character as alien as Yellow Diamond.
3. Do It For Her
On the battlefield
When everything is chaos,
And you have nothing but the way you feel,
Your strategy and a sword;
You just think about the life you'll have together after the war!
I had a really difficult time ranking my top three. I still cannot believe that 'Peal encourages Connie to sacrifice her life for Steven because of her feelings about Rose' was a song that made it onto the Cartoon Network, but it's perfect and heartbreaking.
2. It's Over Isn't It
... and speaking of perfect and heartbreaking, that applies even more to my other favourite Pearl song. Because the whole point is that it is not over, and for Pearl it never really will be.
1. Stronger Than You
I can see you hate the way we intermingle
But I think you're just mad 'cause you're single.
... but if I had to pick just one favourite Steven Universe song, it would be this one. A pefect Garnet character song, and in many ways it's a mission statement for the whole show. Plus, it's hella catchy!
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