Under You

Album: But Here We Are (2023)
Charted: 98
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Songfacts®:

  • "Under You" is an upbeat pop-rocker with a sad subject matter: the deaths of drummer Taylor Hawkins and frontman Dave Grohl's mother.

    Taylor Hawkins died on March 25, 2022, aged 50. He was found unresponsive in his hotel room in Bogotá, Colombia, where the Foo Fighters were scheduled to perform the next day. The frontman's mom, Virginia Jean (née Hanlon), passed away the same year.
  • "Under You" unveils Dave Grohl's personal journey through grief. It's an emotional exploration of loss, grappling with the complexities of healing while preserving the indelible memories of a cherished connection.
  • The song begins with a heartfelt search, as frontman Dave Grohl finds himself lost without his departed friend and bandmate. Their shared experiences as globe-trotting rock musicians created an unbreakable bond. Now, Grohl has a void left in his life.

    I woke up and walked a million miles today
    I've been looking up and down for you
    All this time it still feels just like yesterday
    That I walked a million miles with you


    From the opening lines, Grohl reflects on the countless miles he has traversed, both physically and emotionally, in his quest to find solace. Yet, despite the passage of time, the pain still lingers, as if the memories were etched just yesterday.
  • The pre-chorus reveals Grohl's struggle to move forward, realizing that true closure may elude him.

    Over it
    Think I'm getting over it
    But there's no getting over it


    Grohl needs someone to lean on during these trying times, as there are moments when he feels utterly alone and uncertain.

    There are times that I need someone
    There are times I feel like no one
    Sometimes I just don't know what to do
    There are days I can't remember
    There are days that last forever
    Someday I'll come out from under you
    Out from under you


    The latter half of the chorus hints at a glimmer of hope. Grohl gazes toward the horizon, envisioning a future where the weight of his losses will gradually diminish. The song carries an undertone of resilience, as he longs for the day when he will emerge from the shadows of grief and reclaim his own identity.
  • Dave Grohl collaborated with his fellow Foo Fighters bandmates to pen the song, with their collective grief pouring into its creation. Producer Greg Kurstin (Kelly Clarkson's "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)," Sia's "Cheap Thrills," Adele's "Hello" and "Easy On Me") brought his expertise to shape the track's sonic landscape.
  • Foo Fighters recorded "Under You" for But Here We Are, the band's third collaboration with Kurstin, following Concrete and Gold (2017) and Medicine at Midnight (2021).

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