Gone, Gone, Gone

Album: The World From The Side Of The Moon (2012)
Charted: 24
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The second single from American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips' debut album The World from the Side of the Moon is a kick-drum-pounding, indie-folk acoustic love song.
  • Phillips co-wrote 10 of the 14 tracks on The World from the Side of the Moon, but this was one that he didn't contribute towards. He told Yahoo! Canada Music: "Todd Clark and Derek Fuhrmann, they wrote [it] and brought it to me and I thought it was a beautiful song. The more I've played it live, the more I've made it more my own and people seem to really connect with it and really enjoy it."
  • Gregg Wattenberg helmed the track. A co-writer on O.A.R.'s "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)," his other production credits include Five for Fighting's "Superman (It's Not Easy)" and Train's "Hey Soul Sister." Phillips recruited him to produce The World from the Side of the Moon after they wrote together "Get Up Get Down" at Wattenberg's New York studio. Phillips told Billboard magazine, "He's a goofy guy and I'm a goofy guy - and when I had to come up with a producer, I mentioned him and we made it happen."
  • Phillips performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! on January 16, 2013 to coincide with the twelfth season premiere of American Idol.
  • The song's music video was directed by Joseph Toman. The clip features footage of Phillips performing mixed with a pastiche of home video shots of important moments in lives. Said Toman, "It's a celebration of life, and hopefully something that everyone can find something in to relate to."
  • This was an obvious choice to be the 2013 American Idol farewell song in the season after Phillips triumphed on the show.
  • This is one of the few instances of a hit single where not only the act's name ("Phillip(s)") repeats, but so does at least one of the words in its title. Other hit tunes that sported both artists and titles with likewise doubled (or tripled) words include:

    1982 "Talk Talk" by Talk Talk
    1985 "A View To A Kill" by Duran Duran
    1989 "A Dream's a Dream" by Soul II Soul
    2005 "Goodnight Goodnight" by Hot Hot Heat
    2012 "Boom Boom" by Rye Rye

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")

Barry Dean ("Pontoon," "Diamond Rings And Old Barstools")Songwriter Interviews

A top country songwriter, Barry talks about writing hits for Little Big Town, Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean.

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.