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Somewhere Only We Know

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"Somewhere Only We Know"
Song

Somewhere Only We Know is a song performed and composed by English piano rock and alternative rock band Keane, officially released as their third commercial single. However, it is considered the first of the "Hopes and Fears Era", being the first from their debut album Hopes and Fears.
This single reached number 3 during its first week of sale and was Keane's best selling single until Is It Any Wonder? in 2006.
There were released pocket 3" CDs containing the b-side Snowed Under as well as polyphonic ringtones.
This song was the first Keane item released on vinyl format. These records were numbered and limited to 5000 copies, only sold in the United Kingdom. The b-side Walnut Tree was recorded at James Sanger's studios at Normandy, France.

Hopes and Fears era and cover art

Somewhere Only We Know is the first Keane item released with the Hopes and Fears characteristical features, including typeface and cover art.

Typeface

The typeface selected for this, and for all Keane releases until 2006 was the font "Cochin", designed originally in 1912. The modern italic design of the letters was also followed with similar fonts by some fansites, like Keaneshaped. The first Keane release without using this font was the single The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore, because it was released by the War Child website, not by Island.

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.

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[1]. 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 historical 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

File:SOWKsheet.jpg
Main verse sheet music (voice above, piano below)

Somewhere Only We Know is a clear example of the Piano rock characteristics. The instrumentation for this song is:

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 riythm 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 and b-sides

Somewhere Only We Know

Template:Sample box start variation 2 Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end Richard Hughes, Keane's drummer, offered the following explanation of the song on Chris Flynn's fansite:

We've been asked whether Somewhere Only We Know is about a specific place, and Tim has been saying that, for him, or us as individuals, it might be about a geographical space, or a feeling; it can mean something individual to each person, and they can interpret it to a memory of theirs... It's perhaps more of a theme rather than a specific message... Feelings that may be universal, without necessarily being totally specific to us, or a place, or a time..." [1]

The song has been suggested to be closely related to trees because of different reasons:

  • The three different music videos feature Keane on 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 tree

The song was mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent.
Main features

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 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.

  • Length: 3:42
  • Tempo: 110bpm
  • Key: F#
  • Time signature: 4/4 16bt

Snowed Under

The song talks about a place called "Manser's Shaw" in Battle, East Sussex where the band used to spent their childhood days. It was inspired by a poem[2] Snowed Under was the only b-side played live during 2004, 2005 and early 2006, because of its appereance 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.

  • Length: 3:49
  • Tempo: 130bpm
  • Key: F (Maj)
  • Time signature: 4/4 8bt

Track listings

Tim Rice-Oxley on the music video
File:Tomchaplin.jpg
Tom Chaplin on the music video
File:Richardh.jpg
Richard Hughes on the music video

Enhanced CD Single CID849

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know"
  2. "Walnut Tree"
  3. "Snowed Under"
  4. "Somewhere Only We Know" (CD-ROM Video)

UK 7" Vinyl IS849

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know"
  2. "Snowed Under"

For samples of these songs, see List of songs by Keane.

Alternative versions

Germany CD Single
Released March 26 2004

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know"
  2. "Snowed Under"

Spain CD Single
Released April 16 2004

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know"
  2. "Walnut Tree"
  3. "Somewhere Only We Know" (Video)

UK, 3" Pocket CD Released July 19 2004

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know"
  2. "Snowed Under"
  3. "Somewhere Only We Know" (Polyphonic ringtone)
  4. "Snowed Under" (Polyphonic ringtone)
  5. "Somewhere Only We Know" (Truetone)
  6. "Snowed Under" (Truetone)

Promo version
The cover featured a burning tree.

  1. "Somewhere Only We Know"

Cover versions and appearances

The song has been covered by several artists.

This is Keane's most covered song, though the first hit was Everybody's Changing There is 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 appereances on television:

Music videos

File:SOWK.jpg
Image from Somewhere Only We Know video

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). Each Roxley represents the spirit of a tree.
This international video was directed by Corin Hardy, produced by White House Records and shot between November 22 and 23 2003. Hardy had an influence by Princess Mononoke movie and created the "simple thing" aliens, based on the "kodamas" appearing on that film.
Template:Spoiler 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 to Manser's Shaw forest, a place in Battle, East Sussex. 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 rain before converting in a forest again. The forest disappears and then Keane are playing again on the stage. Template:Spoilerend

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.

UK Singles Chart trajectory
Week 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Chart position
3
8
14 16 20 26 32 44 54 64 67 72

References

  1. ^ "Keaneshaped - FAQ - What are the songs about? - Somewhere Only We Know". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Keaneshaped - FAQ - What are the songs about? - Snowed Under". Retrieved June. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
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