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."
I read your latest letter
Glad that I'm feeling better
You never come to visit
Friendship or love what is it
I saw your latest special
Yeah you were something special
I tried another channel
I see you on the panel
And I remember what you said
Once forever you would wait
You didn't even say my name
Once while in the spring we got a date
And you all come to meet me
Baby you all come to meet me
Baby you all come to meet me
Maybe you all come to meet me
I read your latest letter
Glad that I'm feeling better
You never come to visit
Friendship or love what is it
Glad that I'm feeling better
You never come to visit
Friendship or love what is it
I saw your latest special
Yeah you were something special
I tried another channel
I see you on the panel
And I remember what you said
Once forever you would wait
You didn't even say my name
Once while in the spring we got a date
And you all come to meet me
Baby you all come to meet me
Baby you all come to meet me
Maybe you all come to meet me
I read your latest letter
Glad that I'm feeling better
You never come to visit
Friendship or love what is it
Lyrics submitted by oofus
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