Tim's Strangeland Track-by-track: #5 Sovereign Light Cafe
05 May 2012
5 - SOVEREIGN LIGHT CAFE LEER ESTO EN ESPAÑOL
This was the first song I wrote for the album, and for a long time it was the only song I felt was a definite contender for the next Keane album. I had a sketch of the melody on a cassette and was listening to it on a flight into Mexico in 2009. I couldn't come up with any words, but then I was sitting in a bus on the way from Sao Paulo airport to our hotel and suddenly the name of the old cafe on Bexhill seafront came into my head. I had actually always wanted to write a song with that title - when I was about 16 I remember being on holiday with Richard and having a song that went "Sovereign Light Cafe, down by the sea, go there with me" or something….it was a crap song! Anyway after a gap of many years the phrase popped back into my head and unlocked this idea of looking back to the beginning and trying to work out what had happened to me, and to us, over the last 15 years or so.
I remember doing a demo of the song on the tourbus, and because I wanted to sing the vocal without disturbing anyone I sat in the back of the bus with a duvet over my head to muffle the sound. The glamour!
Tim
5 - SOVEREIGN LIGHT CAFE READ IN ENGLISH
Es la primera canción que compuse para el disco y durante mucho tiempo la única que me parecía una candidata con nivel para entrar a formar parte del nuevo disco de Keane. Tenía un esbozo de la melodía en una casete y lo iba escuchando en un vuelo a México en 2009. No se me ocurría nada para la letra pero, al ir en autobús desde el aeropuerto de Sao Paulo a nuestro hotel, me vino a la cabeza de repente el nombre del viejo café del paseo marítimo de Bexhill. Siempre he querido escribir un tema con ese título – cuando tenía más o menos 16 recuerdo estar de vacaciones con Richard y teníamos una canción que decía: "Sovereign Light Cafe, down by the sea, go there with me (Sovereign Light Café, a la orilla del mar, ven conmigo allí)" o algo así…. ¡Era una canción malísima! En cualquier caso, después de muchos años, la frase me vino a la cabeza y abrió la llave de la idea de meditar sobre lo que me había pasado a mí , a todos nosotros, en los últimos 15 años más o menos.
Recuerdo que hice una maqueta en el bus de la gira y como quería cantar sin molestar a nadie me senté en la parte de atrás con un edredón sobre la cabeza para amortiguar el sonido. ¡Qué glamour!
Tim
Comments (33)
GLAMOUUUURRRRRR
I never thought I'd hear a song with Powdermill Lane, Marley Lane and the North Trades Road in it! It's a great song, from a great album, and wonderful to have a song about our town. If Springsteen can write about New Jersey, Tim can write about Battle! I wonder if we'll get Keane tourists to add to all the others in Battle High Street?!
I enjoy hearing the inspirations behind these songs. SLC will be another classic from Keane.
well its my favorite song! i love it ♥ and yes tim its glamour LOL jajaja a fligth to mexico? come where ever you want♥ lob u guys! my best wishes for you keane!
timmy eres genial.. haces la musica mas linda que mis oidos puedan escuchar... los amo keane vengan a mexico....
SINCE I HEARD SOVEREIGN LIGHT CAFE I LOVED IT, I THINK IS THE BEST SONG OF STRANGELAND.TOM I LOVE YOU
Such a cheerful song. In my mind i follow the words and see the views.
WOOOW BUT I LOVE THIS SONG IS REALLY PERFECT .... QUE GLAMUR CLARO QUE SI!!!!!!!!!!!! JEJE
Tim, I've never imagined that this song came into your head when you're in Sao Paulo, thanks for sharing. It´s interesting, Sao Paulo used to be known as city of Cafe. Beijos, Regina.
Since the first time I listened to SLC it became one of my favorite songs ever!! IT'S PERFECT!! I love it!! Thanks Tim for writing such an amazing song =) HUGE HUGS FROM CHILE =)
great album guys it arrived yesterday i was very excited! especially 'you are young', 'on the road', and 'day will come' really love it, i love the surreal sounds as well. x
Ha ha duvet over your head how showbiz ! my CD arrived yesterday and OMG i think you guys pulled it off yet again love it to bits had to put Disconnected on loop i can't get it out of my head it's amazing thanx so much KEANE X
Hola a todos. Esta cancion me recuerda la época de mi juventud. Una melodia un poco infantil pero de buenos recuerdos. La palabra "cafe" le da un toque spanish. Y es como una vuelta atrás para ir adelante. Rítmicamente tiene unos ciertos picos. Pero en general es suave. Desde Barcelona un fort petó. De una admiradora que ja sabes que sigue tu trabajo. Gracias.
Caro Tim, io adoro questa canzone e mi piace sapere che è legata a dei ricordi della vostra adolescenza, la melodia infatti mi trasmette un senso di spensieratezza e voglia di vacanze e mi fa proprio immaginare voi quando eravate ragazzini e con le vostre biciclette pedalavate entusiasti e a perdifiato per tutto il lungomare, è una scena bellissima secondo me!!! Un abbraccio mister Tim da Sabrina from Sicilia, Italia!!!
SALUT TIM°° jadore !!!quand tu nous ouvre ton coeur ;que tu nous racontes tes moments les plus intimes de ta vie°°°°° qui a t 'il de plus émouvant que te se ressourcer dans ses jeunes années (avec ses espoirs et ses craintes°° ) à lépoque ton chemin etait déjà celui de l"ecriture merci a toi d'avoir gardé ce texte car aujour dhui c'est une trés jolie chanson °°°° BISOUS
''I wanted to sing the vocal without disturbing anyone so I sat in the back of the bus with a duvet over my head to muffle the sound'' awwwww X3
classsssssssssssssic.
Ahaha, Tim you're amazing! Yes, this song defines the main theme of the album, and I absolutely love it! It's quite similar to my life, and your lyrics - "I'm going where the people know my name" - beatiful and easy to understand. Thank you for your story!
ayyy realmente Tim es un angel ,diganme si no es lindo tan acomedido con los demas para no molestarlos se puso un edredon en la cabeza ,es un tierno ,me enamoro dioss!!!
Me encanta, muy linda canción, emotiva y brillante.
PLEASE COME TO PORTLAND AND SEATTLE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!
I'll always have a special feeling about this song, I'm from Sao Paulo/Brasil and travelled to Canada in 2009 with my sisfriend Su to attend some gigs at the final leg of the PS tour, then the first time we heard Sovereign Light Cafe was in Montreal. :-) Thanks for all details, Tim, in cold days I always sleep with the duvet over my head, now I'll always remember you hahaha. All my love, The Frog Prince Squad \o/
♥♥ EN UN VUELO A MEXICO ♥♥♥ ERES GRANDE TIM.... MEXICO LOS AMA VUELVAN PRONTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♫
They say that all truly great artists suffer for their work, and it sounds like you and the duvet had a go-round! ....lol....But look at the brilliant results! Bravo, Tim!....Sherry W., Michigan, USA.
My favorite song :'D Thanks Tim, again!!! ♥ from Perú
The comcept of this song is a typical example of "Tim thought." Beautiful the image of Tim sat in the back of the bus with a duvet over his head to muffle the sound.
Tim with his head under a duvet, singing Sovereign Light Cafe...nope, not a bizarre thought at all!!! This is my favourite Strangeland track, and I'd love if it became a single.
Eso es todo Tim.....¡¡¡¡ Todo inicio en Mexico !!!!!.yehhaaaa!!!!!..brasil solo fue una de las partes para componer esta cancion..jejejeej
In Sao Paulo, Brazil? Wonder! Somehow have a connection in the genesis of this beautiful song. I love the aura, the joy of this music. It takes us back to sweet memories of the best moments of our lives. Thank you!
I really love this song, It brings me back to Hopes And Fears. I was waiting for this post because I was curious about the story of the song, I think it's beautiful, it's perfect, and now that I know the story behind it and what's it really about I love it more! :) I can't wait for the album to come out in argentinaaaaaaa! Love you guys!
Tim, thanks again!! I love to know how this lovely songs are made! you are brilliant!! I love your ¿brain? xP jaja I can't wait to have the album in my hands! I can imagine you trying to do this song with a duvet over your head jaja, strange but lovely image ^.^ kisses from ARG!!
Picturing the scene with the duvet...
¡Que glalmour, Tim! =D
