“Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon
The narrator of “Use Somebody” makes it clear that he is in dire need of someone that will be with him and actually grant the emotional fulfillment he needs.
He explains in the first line of the song that he has spent most of his life searching for the right person, yet feeling that he’s either too good for the people he meets or will not end up happy with them. He reveals attempting to fill his loneliness with other girls whom he describes as “painted faces”. To his dismay however, none of these lovers are able to connect with him emotionally.
The person he’s addressing in this song seems to have all the qualities he desires. Thus, he yearns for her attention. In the second verse, it appears as though this person has not yet considered being with him and is enjoying her own life. He expresses his fear that she might actually meet other men but uses this state of anxiety to pen down songs which would gain her attention. In the end, he persistently convinces this person that he is ready to be committed to a relationship and needs somebody like her.
Facts about “Use Somebody”
The composition of “Use Somebody” is credited to all members of Kings of Leon. The production is also credited to record producers J. King and A. Petraglia.
Singer Caleb has mentioned in a YouTube video that at the time he wrote the lyrics of this song, he had not fully recovered from medication following a surgery.
“Use Somebody” appears on the rock group’s very successful “Only by the Night” album. Actually it was released in 2008 as the album’s second single following their Grammy-winning “Sex on Fire“.
“Use Somebody” was a very significant hit for the band in US of A and globally. It was a radio hit in various countries, including the following countries (where it also attained a top-10 status):
- Australia
- Canada
- Ireland
- Denmark
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Germany
- Sweden
- U.S.A.
- Britain
- Switzerland
In addition to being commercially successful, “Use Somebody” also was also critically successful.
At 2010’s Grammy Awards, this rock hit took home multiple awards, including that of “Record of the Year” as well of “Best Rock Song”. In winning the latter category, “Use Somebody” defeated the following:
- U2’s “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”
- Pearl Jam’s “The Fixer”
- Green Day’s “21 Guns”
- Bruce Springsteen’s “Working on a Dream”
Bruce Springsteen had previously (in 2009) won this award with his “Girls in Their Summer Clothes” song.
