"Somewhere Only We Know" is a song composed and performed by English alternative rock band Keane, officially released as the first single from their debut album, Hopes and Fears (2004).

Rice-Oxley said that the song came from "hammering away on the piano" explaining I was thinking of something like David Bowie's "Heroes", which you drive along to a really rocking beat ...

Keane recorded the final version in 2003 at the Helioscentric Studios, Rye, East Sussex for the album.

Three-inch pocket CDs were released as a limited edition of 1000, containing the B-side "Snowed Under" as well as links to receive a polyphonic ringtone via SMS.

The B-side "Walnut Tree" was recorded during the James Sanger sessions at Les Essarts, Normandy, France.

According to Rice-Oxley, they wrote the song after returning to Battle from London after failing to achieve musical success.

[5] Richard Hughes, Keane's drummer, offered the following explanation of the song on Chris Flynn's fansite: 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...[6]The song talks about a place called "Manser's Shaw" in Battle, East Sussex where the band used to spend their childhood days.

[citation needed] There are three music videos for this song: Keane appear coming out of a studio and taking a taxi.

This international video was directed by Corin Hardy, produced by Kit Hawkins for White House Pictures, and shot between 22 and 23 November 2003.

Hardy was influenced by the movie Princess Mononoke and created the "simple thing" aliens based on the "Kodama" appearing in that film.

The video saga starts with an image of a backstage door shortly before Keane walk through it with Tom holding a snare.

Then they arrive in a wooded area (in East Sussex, owned by Anthony Becvar, an acquaintance of Corin Hardy).

The cover art, designed by Madefire and Alex Lake, represents maple leaves falling, as on the music video.

Although neither of these songs appear on the Hopes and Fears album, they are relatively well known due to live performances and soundtracks.

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the single were donated to Save the Children's Philippine Typhoon Appeal campaign.

[59] The video for the song is a composite made by editor Chris Morris of the John Lewis "The Bear and the Hare" Christmas advert, directed by Elliot Dear and Yves Geleyn, and its making-of video, directed by Jake & Josh (Jacob Hopewell & Josh Hine), allowing the song to run to its full length.

[56] Although the song spent a total of three non-consecutive weeks at the top spot, it did not reach number one on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.

Darren Criss performed a cover of the song as character Blaine Anderson in Season 2 Episode 18 of the TV series Glee.

As of September 2024, the cover is the second most popular streamed song by the Glee cast on Spotify, with over 93 million monthly listeners.