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."
à ðé äåìê ùåá áùáéìê
ìçáøä ùäééúä ùìê
à úä äìëú áùèçéà ìà ùìê
òì äëðøú áæøéçä
îà åäáéà áù÷ ùéðä
øé÷åã éøç îèåøó
òùúä à åúé ÷öú îçåôó
åà îà ùìê äúøâìä ìáãéãåú
åà áà ùìê ðäéä îùåâò
òì äëðøú áæøéçä
îà åäáéà áù÷ ùéðä
òà áøáåøéà ùì äæéåú
ìåîã ìãà åú ìåîã ìø÷åã
øé÷åã éøç îèåøó
òùúä à åúé ÷öú îçåôó
(òì äëðøú áæøéçä
úâéã ìé îä ÷øä ?
îä ÷øä ?)
ìçáøä ùäééúä ùìê
à úä äìëú áùèçéà ìà ùìê
òì äëðøú áæøéçä
îà åäáéà áù÷ ùéðä
øé÷åã éøç îèåøó
òùúä à åúé ÷öú îçåôó
åà îà ùìê äúøâìä ìáãéãåú
åà áà ùìê ðäéä îùåâò
òì äëðøú áæøéçä
îà åäáéà áù÷ ùéðä
òà áøáåøéà ùì äæéåú
ìåîã ìãà åú ìåîã ìø÷åã
øé÷åã éøç îèåøó
òùúä à åúé ÷öú îçåôó
(òì äëðøú áæøéçä
úâéã ìé îä ÷øä ?
îä ÷øä ?)
Lyrics submitted by Novartza
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings

Somewhere Only We Know
Keane
Keane

Alma Matters
Morrissey
Morrissey
The man has pseudo-friends who constantly criticize his actions. They moralize him, "teach" him and advise him to make a significant change in his life, because the way he is and what he does is not what they say it should be. They may find his life lame or immoral. They hold themselves up as role models. The man replies that he will make his own choices and decisions and he does not agree to unconditionally make himself under the influence of questionable quality advice. He justifies this by saying that there is always someone for whom he will be important, no matter what he does and no matter what he is. Although it is not said directly, I read it as meaning that he will always be important to himself in every way and he will always have his own support.
"Everyone is different and maybe that's a good thing, but you exceeded that mark 1000 times" - I remember very well how sad the words I once heard (from my peers and it was in negative context) at school made me feel.

Muffin
KIITA
KIITA
This standout track comes off the artist's latest studio album titled "empathetic". The track was produced by Danny Score and released via notable digital streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify on January 1, 2021.

High On Life
Viyaa
Viyaa
This track marks the first collaboration between the artists. It was produced in its entirety by Datbeatgod and released for public consumption on January 1, 2021.

Keep My Name Outta Your Mouth
Black Keys, The
Black Keys, The
This standout track comes off the artiste's latest reissue titled "Brothers Deluxe Remastered 10th Anniversary Edition". The track was produced by Mark Neill, Patrick Carney & Dan Auerbach. It was released via major streaming platforms on December 18, 2020.