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Somewhere Only We Know
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Somewhere Only We Know
| cover = Keane-SOWK.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Keane
| album = Hopes and Fears
| released = 16 February 2004
| recorded = 2003
| studio = Heliocentric (Rye, East Sussex, England), Les Essarts (Normandy, France)
| genre =
| length = 3:57
| label = Island, Interscope
| writer = Tim Rice-Oxley, Tom Chaplin, Richard Hughes
| producer = Andy Green, James Sanger, Keane
| prev_title = This Is the Last Time
| prev_year = 2003
| next_title = Everybody's Changing
| next_year = 2004
| misc =
}}
"'Somewhere Only We Know'" is a song composed and performed by English alternative rock band Keane, officially released as the first single from their debut album, 'Hopes and Fears' (2004). The single peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart during its first week of sales.
In 2013, the song was covered by Lily Allen for a John Lewis Christmas advert.
Composition and recording
The first demo was composed by Tim Rice-Oxley in about 2001. Rice-Oxley said that the song came from "hammering away on the piano" explaining "I was thinking of something like David Bowie's "Heroes", which you drive along to a really rocking beat...It was one of the first things we recorded for the album." It was first played on the guitar just before Dominic Scott left the band, and recorded as a demo the same year with a Yamaha CP70 instead of the guitar. Keane recorded the final version in 2003 at the Helioscentric Studios, Rye, East Sussex for the album. Keane also played this song at the historic concert Live 8 in London, along with the single "Bedshaped".
A demo version of "Somewhere Only We Know" was leaked into the Internet in 2004. This version features a different length (4:24) and an extra bridge. Chaplin's shouts near the outro of the final version do not feature in the demo.
"Somewhere Only We Know" is a traditional piano rock song. The piano is the most relevant instrument due to its harmonic and rhythmic role. It is played in quavers throughout the whole song, holding the tempo and the rhythmic pattern. The studio version is recorded in 87bpm, and follows a 4/4 time signature, the most commonly used in traditional rock songs. It is in the key of A major. The song form can analyzed as ABAB CBCB, a variation of the strophic form. The verse (A) chord progression is a plain (I-II-V), one of the most used chord progressions in music; the chorus (B) presents a (VI-III-IV-V) progression; the variation of the verse section (C) presents a (II-III-IV-V) progression.
The bass line was recorded by Rice-Oxley. When played live (up until 2007 with the arrival of bassist Jesse Quin), this song uses a pre-recorded bass, which is played in an Apple PowerBook G4. The 16-beat rhythm was made by Hughes.
History
The song was mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent. 3" pocket CDs were released as a limited edition of 1000, containing the B-side "Snowed Under" as well as links to receive a polyphonic ringtone via SMS. These copies are now valued at 20 due to their rarity. This song was the first Keane item released on vinyl format. The records were numbered and limited to 5,000 copies, only sold in the United Kingdom. The B-side "Walnut Tree" was recorded during the James Sanger sessions at Normandy, France.
The song's lyrics refer to Manser's Shaw, a place in Battle where Keane members used to visit in their childhood days and the site of the Battle of Hastings, fought on 14 October 1066. The pathway referenced is the pathway through the woods from Rice-Oxley's childhood home to the local Battle pub. According to Rice-Oxley, they wrote the song after returning to Battle from London after failing to achieve musical success. The "pathway" referenced in the song refers to the trail between the house of Rice-Oxley's parents and the local pub.
Richard Hughes, Keane's drummer, offered the following explanation of the song on Chris Flynn's fansite:
B-sides
;Snowed Under
The song talks about a place called "Manser's Shaw" in Battle, East Sussex where the band used to spend their childhood days. It was inspired by a poem.
"Snowed Under" was the only B-side played live during 2004, 2005 and early 2006, because of its appearance on the CD+DVD version of 'Hopes and Fears', as well as in the Japanese version of it. Like "Walnut Tree", this song was mixed by Andy Green. "Snowed Under" also titles the band's debut album, with the line "someone who understands your hopes and fears".
;Walnut Tree
The lyrics talk about waiting for someone under a walnut tree but Rice-Oxley hasn't given a real meaning to this. It appeared on the 'Music from the OC: Mix 2' soundtrack. James Sanger is credited on this song for his contributions at his studios in France. This song was mixed by Andy Green.
Music videos
There are three music videos for this song:
;UK version
Keane appear coming out of a studio and taking a taxi. Then they come across a forest where the "simple thing" aliens live (called Roxleys by some fans).[http://217.154.142.24/keane/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3069] [http://217.154.142.24/keane/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27408] Each Roxley represents the spirit of a tree.
This international video was directed by Corin Hardy, produced by Kit Hawkins for White House Pictures and shot between 22 and 23 November 2003. Hardy was influenced by the movie 'Princess Mononoke' and created the "simple thing" aliens, based on the "kodamas" appearing on that film.
The video saga starts with an image of a backstage door shortly before Keane gets through it with Tom holding a snare. They get into a British taxi cab. A little spirit (a "simple thing" alien) is inside the taxi. Then they arrive in a wooded area (in East Sussex, owned by Anthony Becvar, an acquaintance of Corin Hardy). The "simple thing" alien remains in the cab. They began walking through the forest, "an empty land", across a "fallen tree" and finally arrive to a stream. They are now playing the song in the stream. Near the end of the song, the little spirits, Roxleys, appear again and get closer to Keane. Finally lights representing their hearts shine.
;United States version 1
The video is the same without the "simple thing" aliens.
;United States version 2 and other countries
This video was shot on 29 May 2004 in Hollywood, California and directed by The Saline Project. The song kicks off and Keane are playing a gig on the stage with a photograph of a forest behind them. Soon, the photograph becomes real and Keane are actually playing in the forest it represents. After the chorus, the forest becomes a city, and buildings start to grow. On the last chorus, it starts raining before converting into a forest again. The forest disappears, and then Keane are playing again on the stage.
Cover art
The cover art, designed by Madefire and Alex Lake, represents maple leaves falling, as on the music video. It also relates to the themes of the B-sides, "Walnut Tree" and "Snowed Under". Although neither of these songs appear on the 'Hopes and Fears' album, they are relatively well known due to live performances and soundtracks. The letters reading "KEANE" are also in the background, featuring the red leaves.
Track listings
'Enhanced CD single'
Catalogue number: CID849'
The CD included two different wallpapers for the PC and the official UK release music video.
# "Somewhere Only We Know" 3:58
# "Snowed Under" 3:51
# "Walnut Tree" 3:40
# "Somewhere Only We Know" (CD-ROM video) 3:56
'UK 7-inch vinyl'
Catalogue number: IS849
# "Somewhere Only We Know"
# "Snowed Under"
'UK 3-inch pocket CD'
Released 19 July 2004. It included links for download polyphonic and real ringtones.
# "Somewhere Only We Know"
# "Snowed Under"
Alternative versions
'German enhanced CD single'Released 26 March 2004.
# "Somewhere Only We Know"
# "Snowed Under"
'Spanish enhanced CD single'
Released 16 April 2004.
# "Somewhere Only We Know"
# "Walnut Tree"
# "Somewhere Only We Know" (video)
'Promo version'
The font depicted was used only during the Fierce Panda era.
# "Somewhere Only We Know"
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Lily Allen version
In 2013, English singer Lily Allen released a cover version of the song. It was released on 10 November 2013 in the United Kingdom as a digital download through Parlophone and Regal Recordings. The song was selected as the soundtrack to the John Lewis 2013 Christmas advertisement. The song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart, becoming her third number-one single. "Somewhere Only We Know" is included on Allen's third studio album, 'Sheezus'.
A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the single were donated to Save the Children's Philippine Typhoon Appeal campaign.
Allen's version of the song was used for the trailer of 'The Little Prince' (2015), which was shown in French.
Allen's version of the song was also used on an advertisement by Brazilian telecommunications company Vivo in 2015.
The Labour Party used this version in a campaign video for the 2017 general election.
Music video
The video for the song is a composite made by editor Chris Morris of the John Lewis "The Bear and the Hare" Christmas advert, directed by Elliot Dear and Yves Geleyn, and its making-of video, directed by Jake & Josh (Jacob Hopewell & Josh Hine), allowing the song to run to its full length.Commercial performance
On 24 November 2013, "Somewhere Only We Know" reached number one in the UK Singles Chart, thus becoming Allen's third number-one single following "Smile" (2006) and "The Fear" (2009). Although the song spent a total of three non-consecutive weeks at the top spot, it did not reach number one on the UK Singles Downloads Chart. It sold 46,279 copies during its second week at number one, the lowest number for a number-one single since Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart" sold 42,746 copies in its third week at number one in 2009.In total the single sold over 600,000 copies. According to the BPI, the single was awarded a gold disc in January 2014, representing 400,000 sales. The song was included on the album 'Now 86!' which sold more than 1.1 million copies to become the UK's best-selling album of 2013.
Track listing
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from CD single liner notes.*Tom Chaplin songwriter
*Richard Hughes songwriter
*Tim Rice-Oxley songwriter
*Lily Allen lead vocals
*Paul Beard producer, arranger, mixer, piano, percussion, programming
*Paul Sayer acoustic guitar
*James Banbury string arrangement
*Joe Kearns engineer and mixer
*Andy Cook assistant
*Will Hicks assistant
*Matt Dougthy assistant
*Jason Elliot additional programming
*Stuart Hawkes mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Other cover versions
The song is the most covered of Keane's songs, with cover versions by several artists:
* Natasha Bedingfield at Jo Whiley's BBC Radio 1 programme.
* Lifehouse at the 'Pepsi Chart'.
* Laura Michelle Kelly on her album 'The Storm Inside'.
* Almighty Records released a cover version under their Deja Vu feat. Tasmin project, featured on 'Almighty Anthems Vol. 1' and 'Handbag Heaven: The Ultimate Deja Vu Collection'.
* Ex-Toto lead singer Joseph Williams did a voice and piano only version for his cover album 'Smiles'.
* A version performed by Travis, based on the song but with different lyrics, is titled "After Mark and Lard Go".
* A version was performed by Blake Lewis on 'American Idol'
* A version was performed by Stacey Solomon on 'The X Factor'.
* A version was performed by Luke Friend on 'The X Factor'.
* Joy Electric performed a synth-pop version on the band's 2009 album 'Favorites at Play'.
* Darren Criss, along with The Dalton Academy Warblers, covered the song on the TV series 'Glee', in "Born This Way", the 18th episode of the series' second season. It was later included on the compilation 'Glee: The Music Presents the Warblers'.
* Kurt Hugo Schneider, Max Schneider and Elizabeth Gillies for Kurt's YouTube channel.
* David Archuleta on his album 'Begin'.
* A version was performed by Sons of Serendip performed on 'America's Got Talent'.
* Alan Cumming on his album 'Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs: Live at the Cafe Carlyle'.
* Fatman 'The Voice South Africa' finalist on his debut album 'Boom Baby'.
* The Washington University Stereotypes did an a capella cover of this song in 2011 for their album 'Tongue Tied'.
* Air New Zealand used this song for its Antarctica flight safety video in March 2018.
* Kacey Musgraves on The Ken Bruce Show in October 2018.
* A version was performed by Filipina singer Renee Dominique and was featured in a 2018 Samsung commercial for the holidays.
References
Buy Somewhere Only We Know now from Amazon
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