Somewhere Only We Know

Single infobox
Name = Somewhere Only We Know


Artist = Keane
from Album = Hopes and Fears
Released = flagicon|UK February 16, 2004 flagicon|EU March 26-April 26 flagicon|Australia May 17 2004
Format = 7" Vinyl
Enhanced CD Single
3" Pocket
Recorded = Helioscentric Studios, Rye, East Sussex, England
Les Essarts, Normandy, France
Genre = Piano rock
Length = 3:57
Label = Island
Writer = Tim Rice-Oxley
Tom Chaplin
Richard Hughes
Producer = Andy Green
James Sanger
Keane
Chart position =

#2 Argentina

• #3 UK
• #15 Dutch Top 40

Last single = "This Is the Last Time" (2003)
This single = "Somewhere Only We Know" (2004)
Next single = "Everybody’s Changing" (2004)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Hopes and Fears
Type = studio
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "Somewhere Only We Know"
track_no = 1
next_track = "Bend and Break"
next_no = 2Extra album cover
Upper caption = Promo cover
Type = single


Lower caption = Cover for the promo version release. The image appears on the back of the official release's cover. Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file ="Somewhere Only We Know" is a song performed and composed by English piano rock and alternative music band Keane, officially released as their third commercial single, and appearing as the opening track of their debut album, "Hopes and Fears" as the first single. It is considered also Keane's first major commercial release, becoming one of the greatest hits of 2004 worldwide and topping on the UK charts at number three during its first week of sale. Also, it was Keane's best selling single until "Is It Any Wonder?" in 2006.

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"
#"Snowed Under"
#"Walnut Tree"
#"Somewhere Only We Know" (CD-ROM video)

UK 7" Vinyl

Catalogue number: IS849
#"Somewhere Only We Know"
#"Snowed Under"

UK, 3" Pocket CD

Released July 19, 2004. It included links for download polyphonic and real ringtones.
#"Somewhere Only We Know"
#"Snowed Under"

Alternative versions

=German Enhanced CD Single=

Released March 26, 2004.
#"Somewhere Only We Know"
#"Snowed Under"

=Spanish Enhanced CD Single=

Released April 16, 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"

Composition, recording and musical structure

Composition and recording

The first demo was composed by Tim Rice-Oxley circa 2001. Rice-Oxley composed this song "out of hammering with the piano and based on David Bowie's song "Heroes" [http://www.keaneshaped.co.uk/faq/#about] .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 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 shout at the outro is removed.

Musical structure

"Somewhere Only We Know" is a clear example of the Piano rock characteristics. The main piano riff is written in quavers, as well as almost all the song.It features an 87bpm tempo, a 4/4 time signature and an A major Key.The song can be divided in three main parts. The first one is the 24 seconds main piano riff; the second the verses, changing to minor chords later and the third one, the chorus, which features a Bm7 chord. The piano is also the only instrument that never stops playing.The bass is also played by Rice-Oxley, previously recorded, to be played during live performances by his Apple PowerBook G4.The rhythm shows a 16-beat made by Hughes tambourine attached to the drums, as can be seen on the music video.The synthesizer is a fundamental instrument on Keane music. In this song, it makes a harmony with the piano and vocals from the second verse, when Chaplin sings "Oh simple thing, where have you gone?".Finally, the main vocals from Chaplin top in the A6 note when he sings "And if you have a minute why don't we go?" and on the semi-bridge shout at the outro.

Information about song

Pocket 3" CDs were released as a 1000-pieces limited edition, containing the b-side "Snowed Under" as well as links to get polyphonic ringtones 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 5000 copies, only sold in the United Kingdom.The b-side "Walnut Tree" was recorded during the James Sanger sessions at Normandy, France.

The real meaning of the song's video and lyrics remain unknown; however, several an accepted meaning refers to "Manser's Shaw", a place in Battle Keane members used to visit in their childhood days.

Richard Hughes, Keane's drummer, offered the following explanation of the song on Chris Flynn's fansite:

The song has been suggested to be closely related to trees because of different reasons::*The three different music videos feature Keane in a forest:*Live visuals for this song show quick slides of a forest:*The cover of this single, with maple leaves falling:*One early promo single showed a tree in flames:*"Snowed Under" b-side refers to "Manser's Shaw", a forest area in Battle, East Sussex:*"Walnut Tree" b-side obviously mentions the Walnut treeThe song was mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent.

B-sides

nowed 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 [cite web|url=http://www.keaneshaped.co.uk/faq/#about|title=Keaneshaped - FAQ - What are the songs about? - Snowed Under|accessdate=June|accessyear=2006] "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 or something but Rice-Oxley hasn't given a real meaning to this. It appeared on the "" soundtrack.James Sanger is credited on this song for his contributions at his studios in France.This song was mixed by Andy Green.

Technical information on songs

Cover versions and appearances

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"
*HIM has it listed as 'Evil' on their newest album 'Venus Doom'

There was also a version performed by Travis, based on the song but with different lyrics, called "After Mark And Lard Go".

The song has had several appearances on television:
*In the automotive show "Pimp My Ride"
*In a Victoria's Secret commercial
*On "The Ashlee Simpson Show"
*In the second episode of "Grey's Anatomy"
*On the trailer for "The Lake House"
*In an episode of "Scrubs"
*In an episode of "Doctor Who Confidential" in 2005
*In an episode of "Cold Case"
*In advertisements for "Journeyman"
*During a video montage for the 2006 ESPY Awards
*In the Speed Skating Canada promo video for the 2006 Torino Olympics
*In the first week of the semi-finals (February 21, 2007) on the sixth season of "American Idol", performed by Blake Lewis, the runner-up of the show, receiving great reviews from the judges. The song was also featured in various episodes, such as "Idol Gives Back" on May 2 and the video of Lewis' home-visiting in Seattle on May 16. After the finale of "Idol", the song was performed by the singer on "The View" on June 14, 2007. [cite web |title="TV's Top 5! The View - Beat It, BABS" (video) |url=http://us.video.aol.com/player/launcher?ar=us_en_video_748x541_full&mode=0&pmmsid=1926608&referer=http%3A//television.aol.com/franchise/top5.adp |accessdate=2007-07-06 |date=June 14, 2007 |publisher=AOL.com]
*On Match of the Day following the 2007 fa cup final in which Chelsea beat Manchester United
*On Britain's Favourite View on 9 September, 2007

Music videos

There are three music videos for this song:

International version

Keane appear coming out of a studio and taking a taxi. Then they come across a forest where live the "simple thing" aliens (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 November 22 - 23, 2003. Hardy had an influence by Princess Mononoke movie 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 on a British taxi cab. A little spirit (a "simple thing" alien) is sat inside the taxi. Then they arrive in a wooded area (in West Sussex, owned by 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

This video was shot in May 29 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 photography of a forest behind them. Soon, the photography 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 was designed by Madefire and Alex Lake, and 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 the b-sides 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.

Chart performance

The single reached the highest position on the whole "Hopes and Fears" era" for a single. It was only succeeded by "Is It Any Wonder?" in 2006.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.keanemusic.com Official site]
* [http://www.keaneshaped.co.uk/disco/sowk.htm Keaneshaped - Information about record]
* [http://www.keane.fr/groupe.php?choix=disco/sowk Keane.fr - Information about the record in French]