Wish That You Were Here
| "Wish That You Were Here" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Florence and the Machine | ||||
| Released | 26 August 2016 | |||
| Genre | Art rock | |||
| Length | 6:44 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Emile Haynie | |||
| Florence and the Machine singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Wish That You Were Here" is a song by English
Background
On 2 July 2016, Florence and the Machine performed at the annual British Summer Time in Hyde Park, London, marking an end to the group's successful tour in support of their third studio album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.[1] Nonetheless, the group remained relatively active, contributing three songs, "Too Much Is Never Enough", "I Will Be", and a cover version of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me", to the Final Fantasy XV video game soundtrack. Florence and the Machine's recordings were compiled on the EP Songs from Final Fantasy XV on 12 August for digital download.[2]
Keeping in their trend of soundtrack work, the band and film director Tim Burton collaborated in composing "Wish That You Were Here" for Burton's movie adaptation of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Welch had been a big-time fan of Burton's work and was interested in teaming up with him long before "Wish That You Were Here", calling Burton a "kindred spirit" who shared in her themes of dark romance and fantasy.[3] To prepare to compose a song that complemented the film, Welch read the novel version of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.[4]
The song was partly inspired while Florence and the Machine was in the midst of a busy touring schedule; Welch commented, "it [touring] comes at a cost — a cost of leaving the people you love behind for a year or two. You kind of feel like if you could sing a song into the wind, maybe the wind could take it to them in a way that you can't with a text or a call. You just want to send your love in a different way, in a way to somehow reach the unreachable".[5] Music critic Rebecca Deczynski described "Wish That You Were Here"'s sound as a combination of everything that made the band successful, including "the same cathartic crash of percussion that made 'Shake It Out' an instant hit", and "the ethereal peals of harps found in 'Cosmic Love'".[6]
Release
"Wish That You Were Here" was released on 26 August 2016 for
Charts
| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scotland (OCC)[10] | 34 |
| UK Singles ( Official Charts Company )
|
128 |
References
- ^ Smith, Thomas. "Florence + The Machine Remain Defiant On New Song 'Wish That You Were Here' – Track Review". nme.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ Britton, Luke Morgan. "Listen to two new Florence & The Machine songs plus 'Stand By Me' cover". nme.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ Rettig, James. "Florence + The Machine – "Wish That You Were Here"". stereogum.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ Vain, Madison. "Florence and the Machine Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children". ew.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Florence + the Machine Share New Song". radio.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ Deczynski, Rebecca. "Florence and the Machine Wish That You Were Here". nylon.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Florence and The Machine and Tim Burton collaborate on new song "Wish That You Were Here"". consequence.net. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ Blistein, Jon. "Hear Florence and the Machine's Stunning New Song". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ Costello, Christine. "TODAY'S SONG: FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE'S "WISH THAT YOU WERE HERE"". atwoodmagazine.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
