Somewhere (song)
Encyclopedia
"Somewhere" is a song from the 1957 Broadway
musical
West Side Story which was made into a film in 1961
. The music is composed by Leonard Bernstein
with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
, and takes a phrase from the slow movement of Beethoven's 'Emperor' Piano Concerto
, which forms the start of the melody, and also a longer phrase from Pyotr Tchaikovsky's final scene from the ballet Swan Lake.
The song has been recorded by many artists, and released as a single by several, including Caterina Valente
, Len Barry
, Barbra Streisand
, The Supremes
, Phil Collins
, Johnny Mathis
, Matt Monro
, Julian Lloyd Webber
, Aretha Franklin
, Bobby Darin
, Devo
, Tom Waits
, P. J. Proby
, Oscar Peterson
, Il Divo
, Dutch rock band Zinatra, Donald Braswell II
, Pet Shop Boys
, Ian McCulloch
, Kylie Minogue
, Jane McDonald
, Charlotte Church
, Josh Groban
, Jennifer Hudson
, La Toya London, Leona Lewis
, Celine Dion
, Celtic Woman
, Jackie Evancho
& Katharine McPhee
. Most recently, singing accountant Christopher Stone sang a rendition of the song in the 2010 final of Britain's Got Talent
. It had previously featured in the 2009 final of the same show played by Julian Smith
on his soprano saxophone.
who played the role of Consuelo.
At the end of the show, when Tony is shot, Maria sings the first few lines of the song as he dies in her arms.
In 1957, a recording was released as West Side Story (Original Broadway Cast)
.
, the song occurs at a pivotal point, after the rumble in which former Jets leader Tony (Richard Beymer) has stabbed his girlfriend's brother, Bernardo (George Chakiris). Having nowhere else to go, Tony runs to his girlfriend, Maria (Natalie Wood
). Maria has just been told of her brother's death, and who killed him. When Tony comes to her room through the balcony window, Maria, in shock, pounds against his chest.
Realizing in spite of her anger that she still loves Tony, Maria begs him to hold her. After Maria cries out, "It's not us...it's everything around us, Tony says "Then I'll take you away, where nothing can get to us." and begins singing 'Somewhere' to her. His comforting voice draws her in, and it becomes a duet of hope that their love will survive "somehow, someday, somewhere."
As in the stage show, Maria sings the first few lines of the song as Tony dies in her arms.
"Somewhere" is the only track that is out of sequence on the original soundtrack album
as it is the last track on Side 2. This is rectified on the CD as "Somewhere" is correctly placed in sequence to the film, between "The Rumble" and "Cool".
released his version of "Somewhere" which reached #6 on the British singles chart and #7 on the Australian singles chart. The song also charted well in various European countries.
recorded the song for their album, "There's a Place for Us
", though it went unreleased until 2004. They also used it for their debut appearance at the Copacabana
nightclub in New York City
and it eventually became a fixture of their nightclub acts. They also sang the song on The Ed Sullivan Show
and The Hollywood Palace
. In contrast to the original melody, a special dramatic monologue was incoroprated, which was frequently changed in conjunction with changes in the group as well as the country's turmoil in the late 1960s.
In the aftermath of the shooting of Martin Luther King, Jr.
, the monologue was changed to reflect King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. When the Supremes appeared on the The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
the day after King had been murdered, lead singer Diana Ross
was so overcome with emotion that she practically stumbled through the speech, but got an extraordinary ovation from the studio audience. It would once again be nationally televised several months later that year when the group paired up with the Temptations
for an NBC television special, TCB
. The monolgue for that special went as follows:
"Yes, there's a place for each of us,
Where love is like a passion, burning like a fire,
Let our efforts be as determined as that of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Who had a dream that all God's children,
Black men, white men, Jews, Gentiles, Protestants, and Catholics,
Could join hands and sing that spiritual of all:
"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last!"
released a version of "Somewhere" as a single off the Grammy Award
-winning The Broadway Album
, charting at #43 in the US (on the Billboard Hot 100) and #88 in the UK. In 2011, a duet was produced using scenes from Streisand's version while new singing sensation 11 year old Jackie Evancho performed live with David Foster at the Ringling Museum of Art. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/16/3706929/update-an-angel-and-a-devil-battle.html .
later covered the song in 1996 for the West Side Story
cover album The Songs of West Side Story.
in 1997 to promote their "Somewhere" residency at the Savoy Theatre
in London, which was named after the song, and to promote a repackage of Bilingual
.
The single was another top 10 hit for the group, peaking at #9. The single also peaked at #25 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
, equaling #125 on the main US Billboard Hot 100
chart and peaked at #19 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart. In the US, the song was released as a double A-side with "A Red Letter Day
".
The Pet Shop Boys' version also uses elements of another West Side Story song, "I Feel Pretty", and the album version uses elements of "One Hand, One Heart" spoken by Chris Lowe
.
UK CD single 2 (Parlophone)
UK cassette single
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
West Side Story which was made into a film in 1961
West Side Story (film)
West Side Story is a 1961 musical film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was adapted from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno,...
. The music is composed by Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
, and takes a phrase from the slow movement of Beethoven's 'Emperor' Piano Concerto
Piano Concerto No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, by Ludwig van Beethoven, popularly known as the Emperor Concerto, was his last piano concerto. It was written between 1809 and 1811 in Vienna, and was dedicated to Archduke Rudolf, Beethoven's patron and pupil...
, which forms the start of the melody, and also a longer phrase from Pyotr Tchaikovsky's final scene from the ballet Swan Lake.
The song has been recorded by many artists, and released as a single by several, including Caterina Valente
Caterina Valente
Caterina Valente is a singer, dancer, and actress. She was born into an Italian artist family; her father Giuseppe was a well-known accordion player, her mother, Maria Valente, a musical clown...
, Len Barry
Len Barry
Len Barry is a retired American vocalist, songwriter and record producer.-Career:...
, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
, Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
, Matt Monro
Matt Monro
Matt Monro was an English singer who became one of the most popular entertainers on the international music scene during the 1960s...
, Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber
Julian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
, Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
, Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
, P. J. Proby
P. J. Proby
P.J. Proby is an American singer, songwriter, and actor, who has portrayed Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison in musical theater productions as well as enjoying a successful recording career in his own right....
, Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
, Il Divo
Il Divo
Il Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
, Dutch rock band Zinatra, Donald Braswell II
Donald Braswell II
Donald Braswell II is an American actor, classical crossover tenor and composer. Braswell was on a fast track to become an internationally acclaimed opera singer when he suffered a car accident in 1995 that made him unable to speak for almost two years...
, Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
, Ian McCulloch
Ian McCulloch (singer)
Ian Stephen McCulloch is an English singer, born in Liverpool, and is best known as the frontman for the rock group Echo & the Bunnymen.-Career:...
, Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
, Jane McDonald
Jane McDonald
Jane McDonald is a British singer, actress and media personality and broadcaster, who first became famous following her appearance on the BBC docusoap The Cruise...
, Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church
Charlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States...
, Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
, Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
, La Toya London, Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
, Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman is an all-female musical ensemble conceived and assembled by Sharon Browne and David Downes, a former musical director of the Irish stage show Riverdance...
, Jackie Evancho
Jackie Evancho
Jacqueline Marie "Jackie" Evancho is an American child singer described as a classical crossover artist. After entering some talent competitions, issuing an independent album, Prelude to a Dream, and attracting interest on YouTube, she gained wider popularity in 2010 with her performances in the...
& Katharine McPhee
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...
. Most recently, singing accountant Christopher Stone sang a rendition of the song in the 2010 final of Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
. It had previously featured in the 2009 final of the same show played by Julian Smith
Julian Smith (saxophonist)
Julian Smith is a British saxophonist and music teacher from Halesowen. He is also known by his stage name Joolz Gianni...
on his soprano saxophone.
The song in the stage musical
In the stage musical, the song appears in the second act of the show during the Somewhere Ballet. It is performed by an off-stage soprano and is later reprised by the entire company. In the original Broadway production, "Somewhere" was sung by Reri GristReri Grist
Reri Grist is an American coloratura soprano, one of the pioneer African-American singers to enjoy a major international career in opera.-Biography:...
who played the role of Consuelo.
At the end of the show, when Tony is shot, Maria sings the first few lines of the song as he dies in her arms.
In 1957, a recording was released as West Side Story (Original Broadway Cast)
West Side Story (Original Broadway Cast)
West Side Story is the 1957 recording of a Broadway production of the musical West Side Story. Recorded 3 days after the show opened at the Winter Garden Theatre, the recording was released in October 1957 in both mono and stereo formats. In 1962, the album reached #5 on Billboard's "Pop Album"...
.
The song in the 1961 film
In the 1961 filmWest Side Story (film)
West Side Story is a 1961 musical film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was adapted from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno,...
, the song occurs at a pivotal point, after the rumble in which former Jets leader Tony (Richard Beymer) has stabbed his girlfriend's brother, Bernardo (George Chakiris). Having nowhere else to go, Tony runs to his girlfriend, Maria (Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
). Maria has just been told of her brother's death, and who killed him. When Tony comes to her room through the balcony window, Maria, in shock, pounds against his chest.
Realizing in spite of her anger that she still loves Tony, Maria begs him to hold her. After Maria cries out, "It's not us...it's everything around us, Tony says "Then I'll take you away, where nothing can get to us." and begins singing 'Somewhere' to her. His comforting voice draws her in, and it becomes a duet of hope that their love will survive "somehow, someday, somewhere."
As in the stage show, Maria sings the first few lines of the song as Tony dies in her arms.
"Somewhere" is the only track that is out of sequence on the original soundtrack album
West Side Story (soundtrack)
West Side Story is the soundtrack to the 1961 film West Side Story. Released in 1961, the soundtrack spent 54 weeks at #1 on Billboard's album charts, giving it the longest run at #1 of any album in history, although some lists instead credit Michael Jackson's Thriller, on the grounds that West...
as it is the last track on Side 2. This is rectified on the CD as "Somewhere" is correctly placed in sequence to the film, between "The Rumble" and "Cool".
P. J. Proby version
In 1964, P. J. ProbyP. J. Proby
P.J. Proby is an American singer, songwriter, and actor, who has portrayed Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison in musical theater productions as well as enjoying a successful recording career in his own right....
released his version of "Somewhere" which reached #6 on the British singles chart and #7 on the Australian singles chart. The song also charted well in various European countries.
| Chart positions | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
6 |
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
7 |
The Supremes' version
In 1965, the SupremesThe Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
recorded the song for their album, "There's a Place for Us
There's a Place for Us
There's a Place for Us is an album recorded by Motown girl group The Supremes in 1965, for many years the most famous of the trio's unreleased albums...
", though it went unreleased until 2004. They also used it for their debut appearance at the Copacabana
Copacabana (nightclub)
The Copacabana is a famous New York City nightclub. Many entertainers, among them Danny Thomas, Pat Cooper and the comedy team of Martin and Lewis, made their debuts at the Copacabana. The 1978 Barry Manilow song "Copacabana" is named after, and is about the nightclub. Part of the 2003 Yerba...
nightclub in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and it eventually became a fixture of their nightclub acts. They also sang the song on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
and The Hollywood Palace
The Hollywood Palace
The Hollywood Palace is an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly on ABC from January 4, 1964 to February 7, 1970. It began as a mid-season replacement for the short-lived Jerry Lewis Show, another variety show which had lasted only three months...
. In contrast to the original melody, a special dramatic monologue was incoroprated, which was frequently changed in conjunction with changes in the group as well as the country's turmoil in the late 1960s.
In the aftermath of the shooting of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
, the monologue was changed to reflect King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. When the Supremes appeared on the The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
the day after King had been murdered, lead singer Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
was so overcome with emotion that she practically stumbled through the speech, but got an extraordinary ovation from the studio audience. It would once again be nationally televised several months later that year when the group paired up with the Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
for an NBC television special, TCB
TCB (television special)
TCB was a 1968 television special produced by Motown Productions and George Schlatter–Ed Friendly Productions . The special was a musical revue starring Motown's two most popular groups at the time, Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations...
. The monolgue for that special went as follows:
"Yes, there's a place for each of us,
Where love is like a passion, burning like a fire,
Let our efforts be as determined as that of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Who had a dream that all God's children,
Black men, white men, Jews, Gentiles, Protestants, and Catholics,
Could join hands and sing that spiritual of all:
"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last!"
Barbra Streisand version
In 1985, Barbra StreisandBarbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
released a version of "Somewhere" as a single off the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning The Broadway Album
The Broadway Album
The Broadway Album is the twenty-fourth studio album by director, composer, actress and singer Barbra Streisand, released by Columbia Records on November 4, 1985. Consisting mainly of classic show tunes, the album marked a major shift in Barbra Streisand's career. Streisand had spent ten years...
, charting at #43 in the US (on the Billboard Hot 100) and #88 in the UK. In 2011, a duet was produced using scenes from Streisand's version while new singing sensation 11 year old Jackie Evancho performed live with David Foster at the Ringling Museum of Art. http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/16/3706929/update-an-angel-and-a-devil-battle.html .
Phil Collins version
British singer Phil CollinsPhil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
later covered the song in 1996 for the West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
cover album The Songs of West Side Story.
Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 7 |
Pet Shop Boys version
"Somewhere" was released as a single by the British music group Pet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
in 1997 to promote their "Somewhere" residency at the Savoy Theatre
Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre opened on 10 October 1881 and was built by Richard D'Oyly Carte on the site of the old Savoy Palace as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan,...
in London, which was named after the song, and to promote a repackage of Bilingual
Bilingual (album)
Bilingual is the tenth album by the English dance music group Pet Shop Boys. It has sold about 1,000,000 albums world-wide.-Overview:...
.
The single was another top 10 hit for the group, peaking at #9. The single also peaked at #25 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
, equaling #125 on the main US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and peaked at #19 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart. In the US, the song was released as a double A-side with "A Red Letter Day
A Red Letter Day
"A Red Letter Day" is a single by British electronic music group Pet Shop Boys. It was released the fourth single from their 1996 album Bilingual on March 17, 1997. The single peaked at high #9 on the UK Singles Chart, making it another top 10 single for the group. However it then fell straight out...
".
The Pet Shop Boys' version also uses elements of another West Side Story song, "I Feel Pretty", and the album version uses elements of "One Hand, One Heart" spoken by Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
.
Track listings
UK CD single 1 (Parlophone)- "Somewhere"
- "The view from your balcony"
- "To step aside" (Ralphi's Old School Dub)
- "Somewhere" (Forthright Vocal Mix)
UK CD single 2 (Parlophone)
- "Somewhere" (Orchestral version)
- "Disco potential"
- "Somewhere" (Trouser Enthusiasts Mix)
- "Somewhere" (Forthright Dub)
UK cassette single
- "Somewhere"
- "Somewhere" (Orchestral version)
- "The view from your balcony"
Chart positions
| Chart positions | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
9 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
21 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
70 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 19 |
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... |
25 |
Other cover versions
- The song appeared as an A-side on Frankie LymonFrankie LymonFranklin Joseph "Frankie" Lymon was an American rock and roll/rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of a New York City-based early rock and roll group, The Teenagers. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid teens...
's ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
single in 1964 - Frida BoccaraFrida BoccaraFrida Boccara was a French singer.Frida Boccara was born in Casablanca, Morocco. She submitted the song "Autrefois" to the French Eurovision Song Contest selection panel in 1964 but she was unsuccessful...
recorded "Un Pays Pour Nous" (French version of the song) on her albums: Un Jour, Un Enfant (1969), Place des Arts '71 (1971, live in Montréal, double LP Philips and CD 2006), An Evening with Frida Boccara (1978, Live at Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne - 2 LP Philips and Les grandes Années 1972 – 1988, 3 CD Marianne Mélodie). - The song appeared on Michael CrawfordMichael CrawfordMichael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
's album Songs from the Stage and Screen. - British singer Sarah BrightmanSarah BrightmanSarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
sang this song in her Royal Albert Hall concert in 1997. - British cellist Julian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd WebberJulian Lloyd Webber is a British solo cellist who has been described as the "doyen of British cellists".-Early life:Julian Lloyd Webber is the second son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and his wife Jean Johnstone . He is the younger brother of the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber...
recorded the song on the 1986 album Travels with My CelloTravels with my CelloCello Song is an album recorded by the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber in 1993 for Philips.An autobiography of the same name, Travels with my cello was published in 1984.-Track listing:# The Flight of the Bumble-bee by Rimsky-Korsakov...
, Volume 2. - Tom WaitsTom WaitsThomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
recorded the song on his album Blue Valentine. - British singer Rowetta SatchellRowettaRowetta Idah , also known as Rowetta or Rowetta Satchell, is an English singer. She was originally a backing vocalist for the Happy Mondays, recording and touring with the band from 1991-2000...
performed the song on the first series of The X Factor. - British singer Rhydian RobertsRhydian RobertsRhydian James Roberts , popularly known as Rhydian, is a classically trained Welsh baritone and crossover artist. He rose to fame on The X Factor in 2007...
performed the song on the fourth seriesThe X Factor (UK series 4)The fourth UK series of The X Factor was broadcast on ITV in autumn 2007. The first show aired on 18 August 2007 and the series was won by Leon Jackson on 15 December 2007, with Rhydian Roberts the runner-up and Dannii Minogue emerging as the winning mentor...
of The X Factor. - British singer Stacey SolomonStacey SolomonStacey Solomon is a British singer, television presenter, model and reality TV star. She rose to fame during her time on the sixth series of The X Factor, coming third overall on the show...
performed the song on the sixth seriesThe X Factor (UK series 6)The sixth series of British television music competition The X Factor started on ITV on 22 August 2009 and was won by Joe McElderry on 13 December 2009. Cheryl Cole emerged as the winning mentor for the second consecutive year, the first time in the show's history that a mentor has won back-to-back...
of The X Factor. - Pop singer Rick AstleyRick AstleyRichard Paul "Rick" Astley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality. He is known for his 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries...
recorded the song on his 2005 album PortraitPortrait (Rick Astley album)Portrait is Rick Astley's sixth album, released in 2005. This album is a collection of covers of pop standards. It is his first UK studio album since 1993's Body and Soul.-Track listing:# "Vincent" – 3:24# "And I Love You So" – 2:55...
. - American Jazz Pianist Dave BrubeckDave BrubeckDavid Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
recorded the song on his 1962 album Music From West Side Story. - Christopher Stone performed the song on the Britain's Got Talent series 4 Final.
- Pop group DevoDevoDevo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
recorded the song live on the 1988 album Now It Can Be Told: DEVO at the PalaceNow It Can Be Told: DEVO at the PalaceNow It Can Be Told: DEVO at the Palace is a live album released by American New Wave band Devo, recorded during their "comeback tour" in promotion of the Total Devo album. It did contain several cuts from the album, but largely focused on earlier material...
as a part of a musical suite, which is the finale of the album - Singer/composer Donald Braswell IIDonald Braswell IIDonald Braswell II is an American actor, classical crossover tenor and composer. Braswell was on a fast track to become an internationally acclaimed opera singer when he suffered a car accident in 1995 that made him unable to speak for almost two years...
recorded this song on his 2007 album New ChapterNew ChapterNew Chapter is the first studio album from American actor, composer and tenor Donald Braswell II, who has entertained audiences both internationally as well as shore to shore in the United States in concerts, television appearances, inspirational speaking and radio. He was also a finalist in the...
. - Saxophonist Dave KozDave KozDave Koz is an American smooth jazz saxophonist.- Life and career :Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California....
covered his version on his standards album At The Movies. The song features R&B vocalist Anita BakerAnita BakerAnita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
. - Marianne Faithful and Jarvis CockerJarvis CockerJarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. Following Pulp's hiatus Cocker has led a successful solo career...
performed a duet of the song on her album Easy Come, Easy GoEasy Come, Easy Go (Marianne Faithfull album)Easy Come, Easy Go is a studio album of cover versions by English singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull, which was released in the EU on 10 November 2008. The album is produced by Hal Willner and features guest appearances from a variety of musicians...
retitled as "Somewhere (A Place for Us)". - Lea MicheleLea MicheleLea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
and Idina MenzelIdina MenzelIdina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
perform the song as a duet in the Season 3 episode I Am Unicorn of the musical tv series GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. - The tune is recorded on the Down BeatDown BeatDown Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
award winning CD GamesGames (UNI Jazz CD)Games is an award winning compact disc by the University of Northern Iowa Jazz Band One recorded in the studio with one cut recorded live at the 1998 Montreux Jazz Festival. This was their 7th CD release in as many years...
by the University of Northern IowaUniversity of Northern IowaThe University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
Jazz Band One.