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."
Hey, how are you now?
Thought I'd call you up to
Say I'm sorry.
'Cause I... I miss you so,
And though it's over you're
Still all I'm thinking of...
So here I'm standing all alone,
I just can't make it on my own.
So please take me home,
I just don't know what to do.
Yeah, please take me home,
'Cause I can't get over you.
So you just don't know
If we ever should get back together,
'Cause I... I can't let go.
And I'll do anything to work
This out somehow.
Well here I'm walkin' in a
Minor mode.
Lonely, down this
Long and winding road.
So if you ever change your mind,
Please just let me know...
Where to go.
Thought I'd call you up to
Say I'm sorry.
'Cause I... I miss you so,
And though it's over you're
Still all I'm thinking of...
So here I'm standing all alone,
I just can't make it on my own.
So please take me home,
I just don't know what to do.
Yeah, please take me home,
'Cause I can't get over you.
So you just don't know
If we ever should get back together,
'Cause I... I can't let go.
And I'll do anything to work
This out somehow.
Well here I'm walkin' in a
Minor mode.
Lonely, down this
Long and winding road.
So if you ever change your mind,
Please just let me know...
Where to go.
Lyrics submitted by Tidalcloud
Take Me Home Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © Sentric Music
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