That's Where I Am

Album: Surrender (2022)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "That's Where I Am" recounts the tale of a relationship that started as a friendship before becoming romantic. It finds Maggie Rogers declaring her commitment to the love that had been within her and unfolding for a long time. "It's a true story," she told Apple Music. "It's the story of my life. It's the story of a relationship and the sort of twists and turns it can take and the way it does sort of all work out in the end. The way love can stay with you, even when you're not physically together."
  • Rogers wrote "That's Where I Am" at the time of the 2020 US election when everything felt dark and unsure. Anxious about the prospect of another four years of Donald Trump, Rogers craved something escapist with a happy ending.

    Flying over to England to write with Tom "Kid Harpoon" Hull (Florence + the Machine's "Shake It Out" and "Never Let Me Go," Harry Styles' "Watermelon Sugar" and "As It Was"), Rogers watched 10 Things I Hate About You on the plane. The movie inspired her to pen something hopeful that could run in the end credits of a rom-com.
  • This buoyant pop track was the second song Rogers and Kid Harpoon wrote in late October 2020 at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in Bath. They'd worked together before, including on "Light On," a track from her debut album, Heard It in a Past Life.
  • Just like "Alaska," which came in a 15 minute clear-headed burst, Rogers penned this song very quickly. "He started playing this chord progression on a 12-string guitar and, truly, I sat down and wrote the song front-to-back in 10 minutes," she recalled. "Tom was right there catching me in the sort of movement that can only come from two people that have worked together for a while. It just sort of happened. And the full version of the production, it was done within two hours, maybe."
  • Rogers released "That's Where I Am" as the lead single from her second album, Surrender, on April 8, 2022. Besides recording at Real World Studios, Rogers also laid down tracks at Electric Lady Studios in New York, and in her parents' garage.
  • Maggie Rogers, Warren Fu and Michael Scanlon directed the song's music video. She filmed it in New York because a lot of the events that Surrender chronicles take place in the Big Apple. Three notable New Yorkers make cameo appearances: Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, former Walkmen vocalist Hamilton Leithauser, and photographer Quil Lemons.
  • Maggie Rogers performed "That's Where I Am" live for the first time during her April 17, 2022 Coachella set.
  • The song became Maggie Rogers' third #1 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Airplay chart, following "Light On" and "Love You For A Long Time."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Timothy B. Schmit

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.