On a Day Like Today (song)

Song infobox
Name = On a Day Like Today


Type = Song
Artist = Keane
alt Artist =
Album = Hopes and Fears
Published =
Released = flagicon|UK May 10, 2004
flagicon|MEX December 14, 2007
track_no = 10
Recorded = Helioscentric Studios
Genre = Rock
Length = 5:27
Writer =
Composer = Tim Rice-Oxley
Tom Chaplin
Richard Hughes
Label = Island Records
Producer = Andy Green
Background =
Tracks =
prev = "This Is the Last Time"
prev_no = 9
next = "Untitled 1"
next_no = 11"On a Day Like Today" is a power ballad performed and composed by English piano rock and alternative rock band Keane, released as the tenth track on their debut album, "Hopes and Fears". It was rarely played during live performances outside the UK during 2004 and 2005 and it has not been played since. A fan-favorite from all the songs released by the band and considered as "one of the best songs ever written" by many, it was omitted from the international releases of the album (excepting the Mexican one, released in late 2007), so that Universal Records could market the UK edition as a "Special Edition". Despite this, the band have made clear the fact that they consider "On a Day Like Today" to be a crucial part of "Hopes and Fears", and at one point in 2004 were actively encouraging American fans to illegally download the song during gigs.
A photo gallery contained on "Strangers" feature the song as the backing track. The gallery contains photos of Keane since 2003. Sheet music for this song is available in the Hal Leonard score book, as well as in the Music Sales Group one.

Musical structure

The song maintains a four chord progression all over it; however, a crescendo on piano and strings is found through. This is the only song by the band that uses a honky-tonk (on the second verse). The four chords (F major, C major, D minor and Bb major seventh) repeat until the fade. Strings and synthesizer are added through the song as the piano keeps on playing. Intro only includes drumming, a synthesizer and vocals. Lyrics can be fit in a poem-form as follows:

Technical information on song