Music is the universal language of mankind.
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Music has a way of touching us deeply…uniting us in ways words cannot. When I first heard the title song We Both Know from Relativity Media’s soon-to-be released Romantic Thriller Safe Haven, I couldn’t help but think back to my own relationships…both past and present. That is the beauty of music…its universal relatability and ability to evoke emotions deep within us.
I recently had an opportunity to sit down with platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw and multi-platinum, two-time Grammy winning singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat to discuss the inspiration for the song, their passion for music, and what the song and the process of writing it means to them. Both artists cited their parents as the biggest personal and professional influences in their lives, which may explain why they were so relatable during the interview. Together, the two are insanely talented with a passion for music that is contagious.
The two spent the summer of 2012 touring together and were approached to write the song during that time. When asked what inspired the lyrics and music, Caillat recalled only being briefed on the basic story-line, which is impressive considering how much the song captures the emotion of the film and the relationship between Katie (Julianne Hough) and Alex (Josh Duhamel). “Gavin had this idea for the chorus, and I thought it was beautiful. So we just continued writing that day and tapping into what we’ve been through in previous relationships and what that meant for the film and for what Alex and Katie [were] going through, scared of love and things that happened in their past.” For Caillat, being given a direction proved to be a challenge, because as a musician, “you kind of just want to write whatever you’re feeling or whatever you’re thinking or going through.” However, for DeGraw, being given a direction eventually helped him navigate the song. “A lot of times, it’s hard to figure out where the treasure chest is. We had the story [and] the concept, and once you write those first lines of the chorus, that really tells you where the gold is buried. Now you have to draw the journey.”
“I’m sure that you’re like me in the way that even when you’re not thinking about music, you’re still thinking about music. It’s just always on your mind (DeGraw).” As DeGraw and Caillat were discussing the writing of the song, I could feel their passion for music. Their impromptu, a cappella rendition of some of the lyrics was just beautiful and further proved how much music is a part of them.
Musically, the song builds, much like the relationship between Alex and Katie. “We began with a big, beautiful anthemic, taking-your-time-with-the-melody sort of approach, letting the song speak without interference of anything else. In the second verse, we felt that we needed to pick it up a little bit just to add a little bit of tempo and a little bit of rhythm in the melody” (DeGraw).
During the songwriting process, Caillat and DeGraw always kept the listener in mind. “We want to do things that are classic and timeless, and at the same time introduce new ideas with a song” (DeGraw). Along with that comes the importance of a song’s relatability. “When you’re given a beautiful love story to write about, and it’s something you relate to, and you’ve had your own moments of satisfaction or loss, as heart wrenching as some of those moments might be, when you hear them from someone else, you feel like you’re not alone going through those things.”
We Both Know is a poignant ballad, celebrating the love between two people who have struggled through loss but are determined and committed to working through whatever struggles life brings them to be together. When Caillat finally saw the film, she thought it was “beautiful and perfect.” “[Safe Haven] is a beautiful film and I was so honored that our song was in it and that they asked us to be a part of such a beautiful project.”
Safe Haven opens in theaters nationwide on Valentine’s Day. Stay tuned for interviews with author Nicholas Sparks, Julianne Hough, and Josh Duhamel. You can find the latest information about the release on their website or via one of the following social media channels:
Like Safe Haven on Facebook
Follow Safe Haven on Twitter using the hashtag #SafeHaven
Find photos and inspiration from Safe Haven on Instagram/Pinterest
Watch the trailer and clips from Safe Haven on YouTube
Image: Rockin’ Mama
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to a press junket for the film which facilitated the writing of this post.
Photos: Relativity Media unless otherwise noted.
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