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."
Night grows cold.
I've been lonely so much
Out of reach.
Save it only for me.
Nothing in life is the same.
And the sooner we stop to start.
And there's a heart like mine
Somewhere in this world.
There's a heart like mine,
Beating but left to burn.
Maybe you can hide your face forever.
And God knows it's true
That when you search for someone
There's a heart like mine,
There's a heart like mine
To be heard (to be heard).
Souls on fire.
Feel her voice in your ear.
She goes on,
Living only for me.
Nothing you say could be wrong.
'Cause you give me the lovers sign.
And there's a heart like mine
Somewhere in this world.
There's a heart like mine,
Beating but left to burn.
Maybe we can share it all forever,
But not 'til we do.
I'm gonna search for someone.
There's a heart like mine.
There's a heart like mine
To be heard (to be heard).
And baby are we waking up together.
'Cause God knows it's you.
If there is love for someone.
And there's a heart like mine,
Somewhere in this world
There's a heart like mine,
Beating but left to burn.
Maybe we can share it all forever,
But not 'til we do.
I'm gonna search for someone.
There's a heart like mine.
There's a heart like mine
To be heard (to be heard).
There's a heart like mine.
There's a heart like mine
I've been lonely so much
Out of reach.
Save it only for me.
Nothing in life is the same.
And the sooner we stop to start.
And there's a heart like mine
Somewhere in this world.
There's a heart like mine,
Beating but left to burn.
Maybe you can hide your face forever.
And God knows it's true
That when you search for someone
There's a heart like mine,
There's a heart like mine
To be heard (to be heard).
Souls on fire.
Feel her voice in your ear.
She goes on,
Living only for me.
Nothing you say could be wrong.
'Cause you give me the lovers sign.
And there's a heart like mine
Somewhere in this world.
There's a heart like mine,
Beating but left to burn.
Maybe we can share it all forever,
But not 'til we do.
I'm gonna search for someone.
There's a heart like mine.
There's a heart like mine
To be heard (to be heard).
And baby are we waking up together.
'Cause God knows it's you.
If there is love for someone.
And there's a heart like mine,
Somewhere in this world
There's a heart like mine,
Beating but left to burn.
Maybe we can share it all forever,
But not 'til we do.
I'm gonna search for someone.
There's a heart like mine.
There's a heart like mine
To be heard (to be heard).
There's a heart like mine.
There's a heart like mine
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