Something So Strong

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"Something So Strong"
Single by Crowded House
from the album Crowded House
B-side"I Walk Away"
Released1 April 1987 (1987-04-01)
Recorded1986
StudioCapitol Recording Studios, Sunset Sound Factory, Los Angeles
GenrePop rock
Length2:51
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Neil Finn, Mitchell Froom
Producer(s)Mitchell Froom
Crowded House singles chronology
"Don't Dream It's Over"
(1986) 		"Something So Strong"
(1987) 		"Better Be Home Soon"
(1988)
Music video
Official music video on YouTube

"Something So Strong" is a rock song written by Neil Finn and Mitchell Froom and performed by Crowded House for their eponymous debut album (June 1986). The track was released as the album's fifth and final single in April 1987.[1] The single peaked at No. 18 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart,[2] No. 3 in New Zealand,[3] No. 7 in the United States Billboard Hot 100,[4] and No. 10 on the Canadian RPM 100.[5]

The track lends its title to the book, Crowded House: Something So Strong (1997), by Australian biographer Chris Bourke, which details the band's career from forming to just after their breakup in 1996.[6] According to Bourke, "Something So Strong", was the first song written by Finn specifically for Crowded House. However while in the studio, producer, Froom, and Finn reworked parts of the song and as such, Froom is credited as a co-writer.[7][8] Demos of this song have been linked to Finn's earlier band Split Enz, from the 1984 See Ya 'Round period, potentially making the timeline earlier on this track.

Music video

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A music video was produced to promote the single, of the band singing the song in a barn. A classic American car is parked outside while they perform.[9]

Later uses

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The track is included in the various artists' 3× CD, Flood Relief: Artists for the Flood Appeal (January 2011), which raised money for victims of the Queensland floods.[10] A sample of "Something So Strong" plays during a TV spot of Flood Relief.

Reception

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Junkee said the song was "rightfully revered as a staple in the band's discography, but admittedly the shine of the original has worn off somewhat with its dated, reverb-heavy production".[11]

Track listings

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"Something So Strong" written by Neil Finn and Mitchell Froom. All other songs written by Finn. All tracks from the album "Crowded House", except the two Live tracks on the UK 12" vinyl single, previously released on the "World Where You Live" US promo CD single.

Standard 7" vinyl single

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Released in Australia, Japan, Netherlands, United States and United Kingdom.

  1. "Something So Strong" – 2:51
  2. "I Walk Away" – 3:05

US promotional single

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Released on 7" and 12" vinyl.

  1. "Something So Strong" – 2:51

US 12" vinyl single

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  1. "Something So Strong" – 2:51
  2. "Can't Carry On" – 3:57
  3. "I Walk Away" – 3:05

UK 12" vinyl single

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  1. "Something So Strong" – 2:51
  2. "Something So Strong" – 4:02 (live at King Biscuit Flower Hour, The Trocadero, Philadelphia, 24 March 1987)
  3. "I Walk Away" – 3:05
  4. "Don't Dream It's Over" – 5:53 (live at The Roxy, Los Angeles, 26 February 1987)

Personnel

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Chart history

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Release history

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Release history for "Something So Strong"
Region Date
United States April 1987
Australia May 1987

Notes

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  1. ^ Bailey, Marck; Comprehensive discography Archived 9 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine of Crowded House including track listings for all albums and singles. Released 28 March 1995. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
  2. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
  3. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Crowded House – 'Something so Strong'". New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung). Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Crowded House – Crowded House | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  5. ^ a b "RPM Top Singles". RPM. 46 (17). Library and Archive Canada. 1 August 1987. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  6. ^ Bourke, Chris (1997), Crowded House : something so strong, Macmillan. National Library of Australia, ISBN 978-0-7329-0886-7
  7. ^ Bourke, Chris (1997). Crowded House: Something So Strong. South Melbourne, Vic: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-7329-0886-7.
  8. ^ "'In the Metro' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 27 July 2014. Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Something So Strong; &/or at 'Performer:' Crowded Housel
  9. ^ Video on YouTube
  10. ^ "Flood Relief: Artists for the Flood Appeal". NineMSN. 21 January 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  11. ^ David James Young (17 June 2021). "The Evolution Of Crowded House In 15 Essential Tracks". Junkee.
  12. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 22 August 1987. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  13. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz.
  14. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  15. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 62.
  16. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 18, 1987". Tropicalglen.com.
  17. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1987/Top 100 Songs of 1987". Musicoutfitters.com.
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