A Place Above

Album: To Love Is to Live (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a track from Savages frontwoman Jehnny Beth's debut solo album, To Love Is to Live. Beth's longtime partner and collaborator Johnny Hostile produced "A Place Above" along with the rest of the record.
  • Dark Knight and Peaky Blinders actor Cillian Murphy recites this solemn soliloquy. Jehnny Beth wanted a multiplicity of voices on the record (The xx's Romy Croft and Idles singer Joe Talbot also feature) and she'd heard Murphy was a fan of Savages.
  • Murphy delivered his monologue without hearing any music. "He has this intimacy about the way he says things," Beth told Q magazine. "He made it more personal."
  • After Beth met Peaky Blinders director Anthony Byrne backstage at an Idles show, he chose another To Love Is to Live track, "I'm A Man," to soundtrack an episode of the English-gangster period-piece TV series. They also got Cillian Murphy to star in the video for that song.

    Other music videos Murphy has appeared in include Feist's "The Water" and I Break Horses' "Winter Beats."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Mike Love of The Beach Boys

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Tony Banks of Genesis

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

Genesis' key-man re-examines his solo career and the early days of music video.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.