"Live and Learn" is the main theme song of Sonic Adventure 2 and is performed by Crush 40.
Background[]
The song is generally associated with Super Sonic and Super Shadow, as it plays when they power up and when they fight Finalhazard in Sonic Adventure 2. An instrumental version was used in Shadow the Hedgehog when Shadow transformed into Super Shadow.[note 1]
Legacy[]
"Live and Learn" is featured in "Showdown in Space" of Sonic X (Japanese and French versions only).[1][2] It also plays in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing in Seaside Hill in its intro.
The PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Sonic Generations feature a full version as an unlockable song which can be played in Stages and Challenge Acts instead of the default music and a shortened version which plays in the Shadow the Hedgehog rival battle when Sonic powers up his special attack against Shadow by collecting Energy Cores. The song's opening riff plays when the Super Sonics unleash their final attack against the Time Eater, before transitioning to a remix of the Invincibility theme from Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I.
It is also featured in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as one of the songs in Green Hill and Windy Hill Zone. The song was used in the "Sonic Joins The Brawl" video as to promote Sonic's debut in the Super Smash Bros. series. Additionally, in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the song represents the Sonic series in the Main Themes playlist and plays during the credits when Sonic beats Classic Mode.
After Update 1 of Sonic Frontiers, a Sound Memory unlocking the original version of the song for the Juke Box can be found on Chaos Island.
The song is featured heavily in the score of the film Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The song's opening riff serves as Shadow the Hedgehog's leitmotif, later culminating in a full arrangements in the tracks "Live and Learn (Junkie XL Version)", "E.G.G.M.E.N.", and "Too Easy, Piece of Cake" during the film's climax. Maria is briefly shown playing the song on an acoustic guitar in a flashback.
Lyrics[]
- Can you feel life, movin' through your mind?
- Ooh, looks like it came back for more!
- Yeah!
- Can you feel time slippin' down your spine?
- Oh, you try and try to ignore!
- Yeah!
- But you can hardly swallow
- Your fears and pain!
- And you can't help but follow
- And puts you right back where you came!
- Live and learn!
- Hanging on the edge of tomorrow
- Live and learn!
- From the works of yesterday
- Live and learn!
- If you beg or if you borrow
- Live and learn!
- You may never find your way
- Whoa, oh, yeah!
- Can you feel life tangle you up inside?
- Yeah! Now you're face down on the floor!
- Oh!
- But you can't save your sorrow
- You've paid in trade!
- And you can't help but follow
- And puts you right back where you came!
- Live and learn!
- Hanging on the edge of tomorrow
- Live and learn!
- From the works of yesterday
- Live and learn!
- If you beg or if you borrow
- Live and learn!
- You may never find your way
- Whoa, whoa, whoa
- Oh yeeeaaah!
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
- There's a face searching far, so far and wide
- There's a place where you dream you'd never find
- Hold on to "what if"!
- Hold on to "what if"!
- Live and learn!
- Hanging on the edge of tomorrow
- Live and learn!
- From the works of yesterday
- Live and learn!
- If you beg or if you borrow
- Live and learn!
- You may never find your way
- Live and learn!
- Hanging on the edge of tomorrow!
- Live and learn!
- From the works of yesterday!
- Live and learn!
- If you beg or if you borrow!
- Live and learn!
- You may never find your way!
- Live and learn!
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
- Live and learn!
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
This version of "Live and Learn", scored by Tom Holkenborg, was played during the climax of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where Sonic and Shadow transformed into their Super forms, as they fly towards the Eclipse Cannon.
- Live and learn!
- If you beg or if you borrow
- Live and learn!
- You may never find your way
- Whoa, whoa, whoa
- Oh yeeeaaah!
Connection to boss/characters[]
- Can you feel life, movin' through your mind? - Sonic and Shadow fighting to save all of the lives on Earth.
- Ooh, looks like it came back for more! - The Biolizard coming for a second round after being defeated by Shadow.
- Can you feel time, slippin' down your spine? - Sonic and Shadow have limited time to save the planet. Many other levels involve some kind of deadline, such as Shadow saving Rouge on Prison Island or Sonic racing to escape from G.U.N.
- Oooh, you try and try to ignore! - At first, Shadow doesn't care that Earth will be destroyed. This also calls back to Shadow initially not caring if Rouge dies on Prison Island.
- When you can't help but follow, it puts you right back where you came - Sonic and Shadow taking turns in fighting the Biolizard. Shadow blindly following orders for revenge does not make him any happier.
- Hanging on the edge of tomorrow ~ From the works of yesterday - Sonic and Shadow have to save the world from Professor Gerald's creations.
- If you beg or if you borrow - "Beg" referring to Amy asking Shadow to help. "Borrow" referring to Sonic learning the power of Chaos Control from Shadow.
- Can you feel life tangle you up inside - Shadow is repeatedly conflicted by his actions; saving Rouge, Sonic's heroic nature and rival skills, or Amy's pleas. Possibly a shout-out to the twisted, looping speed levels.
- Now you're face down on the floor! - Shadow or Sonic beating the other.
- But you can't save your sorrow - Sonic and Shadow dealing with Gerald's "sorrow" or Shadow's sorrow over what happened to Maria in the past.
- You've paid in trade! - Sonic learning Chaos Control from his fights with Shadow. To 'pay in trade' also means to owe somebody a favour.
- There's a face searching far, so far and wide! - Shadow remembering Maria's face and her true wishes.
- There's a place where you dream you'd never find! - Maria wanting to go to Earth but being killed before she can do so.
- Live and learn! - Sonic living his life by his own feelings and Shadow learning the purpose of why he was created for mankind.
Trivia[]
- Shadow's Super Transformation music in Shadow the Hedgehog and Shadow's All-Star Move in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed plays a mix of this song with "I Am... All of Me". However, in the latter, the move does not last long enough under normal circumstances to reach the "Live and Learn" segment.
- The former is reused in Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, as Super Shadow's theme when he transforms.
- "Live and Learn" is a consistent leitmotif of Sonic Adventure 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Notably, it can be heard in some parts of "Supporting Me".
- In Sonic Generations, a short edit of this song plays when you collect three energy cores to attack in Rival Battle with Shadow.
- In Sonic Runners, an instrumental version is played during the Sonic Adventure 2 event.
- The song was referenced in the logo reveal of Sonic the Hedgehog 3.[3]
- The song was further used in the movie itself, remixed by Tom Holkenborg with the original vocals. Another remix of the song was also heard during the "E.G.G.M.E.N." and "Too Easy, Piece of Cake" tracks.
- A fan remix of the song by Fuzzeke was utilized in a commercial for Carpe Diem, a French television series.[4]
Videos[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film) trailer remix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Event: Super Shadow, composed as the instrumental mix of "I Am... All of Me" and "Live and Learn". (Shadow the Hedgehog Original Soundtrax)
References[]
- ↑ Sonic X - Live & Learn. YouTube. Jeremy Baker (14 March 2022). Retrieved on 10 February 2023.
- ↑ Sonic X: Shadow se sacrifié pour sauver le monde. YouTube. TheMatrex (26 December 2018). Retrieved on 10 February 2023.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Title Treatment Reveal. YouTube. Paramount Pictures. (2 February 2024).
- ↑ Bande-annonce Carpe Diem TF1. YouTube. TF1 FAN (8 March 2025). Retrieved on 8 March 2025.
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