The Story Behind the Song: Adele, “Someone Like You”

When and where did you and Adele write “Someone Like You?”

Dan Wilson: Adele and I met for the first time at our session at Harmony Studio in Hollywood, about a year and a half ago. Rick Rubin, among other people, had called us both and suggested we work together. Rick’s opinion carries a lot of weight in my world.

I frequently visit Harmony, a small studio with a beautiful Yamaha grand piano, due to my immense fondness for it. The high-ceilinged space adds to the overall charm of the studio, making it a delightful place to spend my time.

Adele and I worked on “Someone Like You” there over two days. At the end of the second day we finished the recording, which ended up on the album. She couldn’t stay late, as I remember, because she had a meeting in Malibu to play Rick and other people from her label the song. So we finished it in the late afternoon and she took it to them.

What inspired the song?

Adele arrived at the session with lyrics and melody for at least the initial portion of the verse - there was already a genuine atmosphere and concept present.

She told me she wanted to write a song about her heartbreak…that was how she put it. She told me a little bit about the guy who broke up with her, and I think maybe part of my contribution was to help keep the song really simple and direct—very personal.

How long did it take to write, and what was the co-writing process like? Were there any lines or words you can remember that were especially tough to make a decision on…that you went back and forth on? Alternate lines?

Excluding the duration Adele dedicated to composing the initial verse while seated on her bed, we allocated a total of two days.

After we listened to a bunch of Wanda Jackson songs on YouTube, we went to the main room of the studio where the piano is. There Adele showed me the idea for the verse. She was playing it on the guitar, and she taught me the part, but when I switched to piano, she lit up. “That’s way more inspiring!” she said. So I played piano for the rest of the session.

Read more: Songfacts Someone Like You by Adele

We didn’t have any arguments or tussles. There may have been some points where I said, “I think that line can be better,” and I always throw in lines of lyrics in my sessions, but at this one, Adele knew exactly what she wanted to say, and my role was much more in composing the music and creating chord changes for the various sections. For the pre-chorus, for example, I suggested a series of chords and we played with some melody ideas for it. Once we decided on the melody, she very quickly came up with that amazing line, “I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited.” Once you have a line that great, the rest of the section is easy to finish.

The predominant recollection I have is the sensation of effortless flow and utmost sincerity. As soon as the recording commenced, my utmost focus was on ensuring a remarkable vocal performance, as I began to perceive this as an extraordinary recording. Moreover, recording her was an absolute delight! Her voice resonated magnificently through the speakers, and I was resolute in my determination to create a song that sounded exceptional yet retained a sense of authenticity, vulnerability, and devastation.

On the second day, her voice had a rougher, more ragged edge, and I suggested we go back and re-record the last chorus so it would sound more emotional. And it did, it was heartbreaking.

What do you most enjoy about writing with Adele?

She possesses exceptional intelligence, which greatly enhances the overall experience. Additionally, her delightful sense of humor, spontaneity, and captivating storytelling skills contribute to the enjoyment. Our collaborative writing sessions have consistently been fantastic and provided a wonderful and rejuvenating experience on all three occasions.

How would you describe “Someone Like You?”

“Someone Like You” is a love song from the point of view of a woman who shows up unexpectedly at her married ex’s front door, only to be confronted by the fact that he’s moved on and has a life and a wife.

While she has always struggled to move on, the chorus holds a sense of irony: she claims she will seek out another person, yet the peculiar and fixated aspect is that she desires someone similar to him. One can only hope that it won’t entail reliving the entire melancholic and squalid narrative, but there is a lingering suspicion that it will indeed unfold in such a manner.

Any interesting story or tidbit about process of the song winding up on the album?

The album recording was initially intended as a demo, with the expectation that it would be transformed into a grander version featuring strings and angelic choirs, reminiscent of a powerful Chrissie Hynde power-ballad. However, to my surprise, by the end of the first day, the demo already sounded beautiful and deeply moving. Despite being only half-written, lacking lyrics for the second verse and the bridge, it had a profound impact. The following day, Adele visited the studio and shared her experience of playing the demo for her manager and mother. I felt a bit anxious about this, as I prefer to keep works-in-progress private. Curious, I inquired about their thoughts on the song. Adele replied, “My manager loves it and my Mum cried.”

Read more: Adele Biography

Which was kind of exciting.

When we finished the demo, I played it for my wife and then kinda forgot about it. For the next many months, I would hear sporadic reports from people who heard it, and everybody would tell me that it made them cry. It’s kind of funny, it seems like a very common response to the recording. At first, I thought people were crying because they know Adele and they felt the pain of her breakup and were being empathetic. But then after awhile, I kept hearing the same report from people who heard the song but don’t know Adele personally. They were crying too.

Walk us through a typical day in the life of Dan Wilson.

Lately, I’ve been working about half the time on my second solo album. I’m in the “endgame,” where the tense question is, “Who will vanquish who – me or album two?” I think I’m winning. Last week I was in the studio having Aaron Redfield play drums on a song and Jonny Flower play upright bass on two other songs. Those days mostly consist of me sitting on the studio couch while they play, and saying things like, “That was incredible! Do it again!” Or “That was amazing! We’re done!”

Which is a nice way to spend a day.

When I am not occupied with the record, I have been collaborating with artists to write songs for their recordings. This experience is both fascinating and enjoyable, and it lacks the intense competition that my album has been bringing me lately.

If I’m writing with someone, I usually try to get all my phone calls, errands, overdub projects etc, finished in the morning, then meet my co-writer at noon. On the first day, we’ll shoot the breeze, show each other lots of favorite clips on YouTube, and generally talk about what kind of songs we might write. At some point I might go to the piano and improvise some music, or my collaborator might show me a bare-bones beginning of a song, and then we’ll take the rest of the day and maybe the next to work it up into something finished and hopefully great.

Any words of wisdom or advice for aspiring songwriters, regarding both the craft and business?

Write a lot of songs. Many, many songs. Many issues that arise during the creation of a song can be resolved by initiating a fresh and distinct song. Share your concepts with others, do not hesitate and do not believe that there is any benefit in keeping them to yourself. It is extremely uncommon for a song idea to be stolen. The potential reward of showcasing your songs to people far outweighs the risk. Participate in open-mic nights, utilize Soundcloud, and explore any and all avenues to present your songs to an audience. You will be astonished by how much an audience can educate you.

Poster "Someone Like You" by: elephantstock , iCanvas , Pictorem , Fy! , Printler