I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river, and it made me complete

[Chorus]
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old, and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin

I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

[Chorus]

And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?

[Chorus]

And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go?
So why don't we go?

This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know
Somewhere only we know?



Lyrics submitted by butterflykiss84

Track duration: 03:56

"Somewhere Only We Know" as written by Timothy James Rice-oxley, Tom Chaplin, Richard David Hughes

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Somewhere Only We Know song meanings
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187 Comments

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  • 0
    Memory:This song actually means something for me. I can't see or hear or feel its meaning because the memory is blocking my way of seeing things.

    This boy I was into and I sat one day, alone, just the two of us, at the bus stop. Ironically, he was going to one way and I was going to the opposite way. We decided to hang out until our buses will arrive. He went over my music and he came across this song and pressed play. We didn't say anything, just smiled at each other and listened. When it was over, he said "this is our song". We weren't, aren't and won't be a couple, but it's still reminding me of his smile every time I hear it.

    And I can't wait to get somewhere only I know.
    Flag soul97on May 11, 2013   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:While listening to the song, I've been having a vivid imagination of my past love, Here's my own interpretation.

    The song talks about a love gone lost. "Somewhere only we know" is a paradise where lovers go when they're in love. When we're in love we build our dreams and forevers, simple things makes us happy and contented which we can call as memories. Fallen tree represents a fallen relationship, while listening to the song I imagined how the tree looks like when they're still in love, it has all sorts of colors, birds nesting, leafy, alive and has carvings of names written on its trunk engraved with FOREVER.

    At the end of the song, I can feel how the man treasured his love for his partner but still considering the fact that it might be the end of the battle. For the last time he's asking to try working things out, to go back and reminisce the love they used to have, to remember how their paradise looks like; however, if they fail that could be the end of everything.
    Flag SexyPoalaon May 07, 2013   Link
  • +3
    General Comment:"I walked across an empty land"
    Is a metaphor for him being unhappy and lonely

    "I knew the pathway like the back of my hand"
    and he's used to being unhappy

    "I felt the earth beneath my feet"
    Unhappiness is the reality for him

    "Sat by the river, and it made me complete"
    he's watching someone he love but believe he will hurt them....so keeping a distance make him feel like he is doing the right thing or complete.

    "Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
    I'm getting old, and I need something to rely on
    So tell me when you're gonna let me in
    I'm getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin"
    He's wondering, why isn't he happy?
    he's old and need some one to trust and care for him
    he's tired of the games... he's asking the person to forgive him because he wants to start over.....

    "I came across a fallen tree"
    the love is dying

    "I felt the branches of it looking at me'
    and he is to blame

    "Is this the place we used to love?"
    he asking this question because he cant believe....how bad things got

    "Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?"
    another question because, this is not how he want this to go....

    "And if you have a minute, why don't we go'
    (the metaphor ends) he's trying to talk to her

    "Talk about it somewhere only we know?"
    he asking her to meet in a place where they use to go, to bring back happy memories to her

    'This could be the end of everything'
    he believe this is the last chance to get her back( maybe she is getting married to someone else)


    This is my point of view and i can see the story in my head.... i write music and songs...... thats the understanding i get from this song
    Flagged missywoodson February 02, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:My ex girlfriend showed me this song over break and told me she finally understood its meaning and wanted me to hear it. I had been dealing with depression and always told her I couldn't love her because I had a barrier, and that made me ultimately never reconnect like how our relationship was over the summer before going off to different colleges. This song is about me loving myself and sharing my love with her in the only period of time I ever was excited about the next day and waking up, which seemed to be the new me out of my semi depressed adolescence. The place only we knew was being by a river and holding hands and feeling never better in my entire life with this girl, and never reaching that same spot again. This song listening to it now makes me realize how twisted I was and am and feel like I can never be back to where I was.
    Flag dz736on January 30, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Just looking at the lyrics when I read through them I pictured an old man/woman walking through a forest where he/she and his/her(ok im just going to use he) wife(dead) used to go together as their favorite place. When he comes to the fallen tree that was their favorite spot in the forest. He is begging for things to be the way they used to be and cant find his way.
    at least thats my interpretation
    Flag jstein0811on November 27, 2012   Link
  • -2
    My Interpretation:I think this song is about growing up or visiting a place from your childhood and it brings back so many memories. I think he is maybe speaking to an old childhood friend, a sibling, or himself. He wants to know if (the person he is speaking to) can spare a minute from his/her busy adult life to go back to the place that they once went as children. Just my interpretation...
    Flagged PinkInkon October 15, 2012   Link
  • -2
    My Interpretation:I think this song is about growing up or visiting a place from your childhood and it brings back so many memories. I think he is maybe speaking to an old childhood friend, a sibling, or himself. He wants to know if (the person he is speaking to) can spare a minute from his/her busy adult life to go back to the place that they once went as children. Just my interpretation...
    Flagged PinkInkon October 15, 2012   Link
  • -2
    My Interpretation:I think this song is about growing up or visiting a place from your childhood and it brings back so many memories. I think he is maybe speaking to an old childhood friend, a sibling, or himself. He wants to know if (the person he is speaking to) can spare a minute from his/her busy adult life to go back to the place that they once went as children. Just my interpretation...
    Flag PinkInkon October 15, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i always listen to this song when i am sad of myself... where i... just can't take my life the way it should... i want the simple things. i dont want to do all those routine that we have to do to be successful.... im really sad right now
    Flag khairulson October 07, 2012   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning:Per the FAQ on Keane's website, Keane's drummer Richard Hughes, stated the following:

    "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..."

    With the nostalgic sentiment and the overall tone of the song, I think Keane is attempting to express a Portuguese term known as 'saudade', which does not have a direct English translation but roughly means "that which we remember because it is gone."
    Flagged xaratheruson October 01, 2012   Link

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