Tim's Strangeland Track-by-track: #12 Sea Fog
07 Jun 2012
12 - SEA FOG
This is probably my favourite song on the album. Again, written very quickly - I took inspiration from the fogs that come rolling in off the English Channel down the valley where I live. Even on a sunny day you'll look out of the window and suddenly you can't see anything apart from blank mist. It's spooky.
It's a pretty downbeat song, but I like the fact that the album doesn't just end with a nice, neat "everything's going to be ok" message. Life is not that straightforward, it's unpredictable and uncertain and painted in shades of grey rather than being simple black-and-white. We recorded a version of this song that had a whole extra section in the middle, and had drums and bass and horns and strings on it. But in the end we felt there was some magic in the simplicity of the original demo, so we recorded it again in a much simpler arrangement. I find it emotional to play and I would say it's been the highlight of the recent gigs for me. The nagging feeling of "Is there somewhere I'm meant to be?" is a feeling that I think haunts a lot of people as they get a little older, and the feeling of being "rolled" along by life is part of being human I think.
Tim
12 - SEA FOG
Probablemente es mi canción favorita del álbum. También la compuse muy deprisa – tome la inspiración de la niebla que sobreviene del Canal de la Mancha situado en el valle donde vivo. Incluso en los días soleados, miras por la ventana y de repente no puedes ver nada a parte de un muro blanco. Da miedo.
Es un tema bastante lento, pero me gusta el hecho de que el disco no termine con un mensaje nítido y positivo "todo va a salir bien”. La vida no es así de sencilla, es impredecible e incierta, con sombras grises, no es solo en blanco y negro. Grabamos una versión de esta canción que tenía una parte extra en el centro, con batería y bajo y vientos y cuerdas. Pero al final decidimos que la sencillez de la versión original tenía una magia especial, así que la grabamos de nuevo con un arreglo mucho más simple. Me emocionaba mucho tocarla y para mí ha sido el punto álgido de los últimos conciertos. El insistente sentimiento de "¿Hay un sitio al que pertenezco y dónde debo estar?" es una sensación que experimenta mucha gente en cuanto madura, la sensación de que la vida te lleva es común a todos los seres humanos.
Tim
Comments (48)
I have to say that I brushed this song off when listening to the CD. However after seeing this song performed live on Thursday night (in DC), HOLY CRAP!! What a powerful song!
Tim, Sea Fog is so hauntingly beautiful and I'm glad you kept it simple. I remember hearing it for the first time at Bexhill and I was in tears. Thank you for sharing the meaning behind this song. Lots of love, Annette x
I LOVE THE SONG TIM ♥
very nice song. I can imagine fog coming in or seeing it in the morning on the fields.
POURQUOI MOI SEIGNEUR quand le découragement t'envahi tu te demandes si tu es a la bonne place ))et puis tu vois la vie diffèrament tu deviens mois exgigeant tu t'accroches tu vis a fond °°°((((((°peu importe qui nous sommes et quoi quon fasse on cherche tous la même chose le BONHEUR )))))))) BRAVO pour cette magnifique chanson°°°° GROS BISOUS
suite de mon message precedent
Actually have Sea Fog rolling over the cliffs as i write!! Beautiful song xx
SALUT TIM°°°°OUI LA VIE N'EST PAS SIMPLE !!!!! ce nest pas moi qui te dirais le contraire °°°°tout d'abord qu'estce qu'une belle vie je pense que cela dépend des exigeances et priorités de chacun ... on la construit génèralement avec l'éducation et les valeurs qu'on a recue;;;;;; on crois le chemin facile mais parfois la vie nous réserve que des embuches on essaies de se relever toujours avec courage pour poursuivre son chemin)) mais qui peux prévoire de quoi sera demain !!!! c'est humain de vouloir le meilleur pour sa famille mais ne donnons nous pas ( peu etre) trop importance a certains détails *** il ya quelque temps jai faillis tout perdre Dieu seul avait mon destin dans ses mains après une telle épreuve je t'assure que moi aussi jai' posé cette question
Yeah as you get older you realise that you know nothing about nothing. But, Tim you surely know by now that you do know how to write the BEST songs EVER!!! I didn't even like this song until I saw Tom sing this live!! It ws amazing (at Brixton). Love you Tim. And Tom you owned that stage! Elaine I met u in the queue on Friday at Brixton (I ws with my kids and boyfriend) Did you not go on Saturday ?? Becos I ws looking for you - I think Friday ws better becos my boyfriend and I were at the front. Tell me if you made it.
I love this song... Been watching footage of your Manchester concert....your bringing life back to the Keane classics.... the crowd....your energy...the interaction.... awesome!!!
Preciosa canción, para escucharla con los ojos cerrados y desconectar del mundo por un momento. Una maravilla )
I frequently feel 'is there somewhere I'm meant to be?', also that whatever decision I've made in life, I should have done the opposite. Tim said recently that he's now realised that he 'knows nothing about nothing' and I think that this song sums that up very well.
Thanks for the track-by-track explanations. Any chance we could get an explanation/insight into the remaining 4 tracks on the deluxe version of the album? In particular I would like to hear about Strangeland the single (one of my favourites), which is interesting as it seems to completely change in tone halfway through.
Un tema hecho con toda la sabiduría de lo más profundo del corazón!
God bless you for this song
Keane is ART too :) Kisses from Brazil
Very nice baby! It's a pity tha you put just 12 songs, surely you have many other great songs (that we will never know?). Probably it's a kind of rule from record label.
It really is a great song--and sounds even better live imo!
This song is lovely and also Tim's words. Beijos, Regina.
Great song, very haunting although my absolute fave is Starting Line, think it will be a Keane classic, as the album has connections to Bexhill and the area you all grew up you could of called it Homeland!! Saw you in Bexhill, Manchester and Leicester which I know Tom enjoyed as it smelt better than the previous places ha ha, see you in Hastings and thankyou for all the wonderful music. Rita x
Creo que dejo esto, saludos.
Caro Tim , io adoro questa canzone e devo dirti che ascoltandola attentamente mi da proprio la sensazione di essere in uno di quei luoghi britannici , magari come dici tu, affacciata ad una finestra a respirare l'aria del mare lì vicino e all'improvviso trovarsi circondati dalla nebbia, a me trasmette una sensazione di magia e di qualcosa fuori dalla realtà! Un abbraccio da Sabrina from Catania, Sicilia.
That's beautiful, Tim, and my favourite song too.I'd love to hear the version with all the instruments at some future time, if possible. I have great memories of your recent show in Manchester. Your fans just did'nt want to let you go! Diana xx
its really beautiful and haunting - icried when it was sung live in Leicester this week.Perfection.
Merci tim pour ces confessions très intimiste pour chacune des chansons !!!
Hola Tim. Esta canción es mi preferida. Es preciosa. Tiene el mismo nombre que vuestro estudio. Me encantaria ir al estudio. La sencillez, la nostalgia i la melancolia dan la pincelada a esta canción. Estoy enamorada de ella. Para mi, es el punto algido del CD. No sé si estoy enamorada de ti también, porqué no me había pasado de identificarme tanto con una manera de componer. Petons des de Barcelona. Lluïsa.
I wanna hear the percussion version. B-side it please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
21st Century "Amazing Grace"
This song always makes me cry, tim, you wrote a beautiful song, you are a fucking genius!
I find this song very comforting. Thanks for the explanation Tim.
Este tema es genial y una de mis favoritas, simple y muy interesante. Me gusta mucho que sea solamente con el Piano, queda hermosísima. Gracias por contarnos y tenernos en cuenta. Saludos a la Banda y los esperamos prontito. Desde Bs. As. Argentina.
Tim dear, you're gorgeous, talented, beautiful, but please when it comes to Brazil, back in Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, in 2009 realized my dream, I dream again, keane love, kisses
La canción genial para un final de disco.
I really enjoyed reading about the tracks, especially the deep emotion on this one Tim. Thank You.
Vey beautiful song, very interesting and deep meaning (which I love), just a great piece of music! This is also one of my favourite song of the album because of the lyrics! I would love to meet you all, one day!! Your such talented and incredible musicians, guys!! Lots of hugs and kisses from Argentina!
Seriously, Tim, Sea Fog is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I'm really glad you kept it simple, although I'm sure the additional strings/horns part sounds nice too. I can't wait to hear it live!
is my favorite song
"and the feeling of being "rolled" along by life is part of being human I think". I so agree with you, Tim!
Tim you have such a talent for pin pointing and examining a mood, a moment or a thought. As I get older the greater the meaning I draw from the lyrics and this is what I look for in a Keane song as much as the beautiful composition and Tom's unique vocal delivery. Sea Fog struck me from the first time of hearing, painting such vivid pictures in the imagination whilst being hauntingly simple, down beat but uplifting at the same time. One of so many favourites on Strangeland.
Thank you for sharing this Tim, may I once again say what a beautiful song this is, along with a beautiful album x
Thanks for sharing your personal comment of this beautiful song, thanks for doing it in Spanish too. I love KEANE Greetings from Ecuador
Indeed , when I heard the song for the first time, I thot about the fog that came to my window , across the canals of my homeland.It's certanely that we get always thinking about our future and if we did the thing pretty right. Sea fog rolling....like my life in these times (L)
This song is a masterpiece!
you are a poet. ;D
Keane, please let us hear that other version of the song!
The songs that relate to me are The Starting Line, Sea Fog and It's Not True. Im very undecided and im also at a stage within life where ive had to grow up and make my own way with people holding me back. This song just stands out from the rest of the tracks for its simplicity. Well Done TIM on creating a very deep feeling song that i can relate to :)
the best song writer in the world TIM RICE-OXLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and also the best piano player!!
Tim, I love you and your songs so much!!! Kisses
