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."
Cold December, I wish that I could change this past,
A sad reminder, always knew this would not last
And now you’re leaving, and I just don’t know what to do
Now I’m all alone
Now I’m waiting, if you would only call or write
My life is changing, the world it used to be all mine,
Another Christmas, comes so fast and passes by
And now I’m all alone
And I’m feeling lost here without you,
And I’m looking for the way to go
And I’m breaking down and I am…..
Now I’m all alone
A sad reminder, always knew this would not last
And now you’re leaving, and I just don’t know what to do
Now I’m all alone
Now I’m waiting, if you would only call or write
My life is changing, the world it used to be all mine,
Another Christmas, comes so fast and passes by
And now I’m all alone
And I’m feeling lost here without you,
And I’m looking for the way to go
And I’m breaking down and I am…..
Now I’m all alone
Lyrics submitted by catchxfire
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Somewhere Only We Know
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Just listening for the 784,654th time....and it's just perfect in every way. Just incredible. The only reason it was remade was to scoop up a boatload of money from a more modern and accepting audience. But it is a completely different song than the other one that sounds slapped together in a few takes without a thought for the meaning.
This song captivates me still, after 50+ years. Takes me to the deep South and the poverty of some who lived thru truly hard times. And the powerful spirit of a poor young girl being abandoned to her future with only a red dress and her wits to keep her alive.
She not only stayed alive, she turned her hard beginnings around, became self sufficient, successful and someone with respect for herself. She didn't let the naysayers and judgers stop her. She's the one sitting in the drivers seat at the end.
So, not a song about a poor girl, but a song of hope and how you can rise up no matter how far down you started.
There is a huge difference between a singer who simply belts out a song that is on a page in front of them, and someone who can convey an entire experience with their voice. Telling not just a story with words, but taking you inside it and making you feel like you are there, with their interpretation.

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This standout song of the rapper's latest studio album titled "Don’t Come Outside, Vol. 3" was produced by Great John. The track was released via major streaming platforms on January 1, 2021.