Album: The Reason EP (2014)
Charted: 18 87
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This soulful electro-rocker is a collaboration between the British blues, rock and folk musician Jamie N Commons and the Brooklyn-based four-piece X Ambassadors, who appeared on Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP 2 bonus track "Wicked Ways."

    Both acts are signed to Alex Da Kid's KIDinaKORNER label, a subsidiary of Interscope and it was Alex Da Kid himself who produced the track.
  • The song soundtracks "The Game Before the Game," a promotional commercial for Beats by Dre's Solo2 headphones and the World Cup, which shows the pre-game rituals for various athletes and celebrities. According to Omar Johnson, Beats' chief marketing officer, they originally had other plans. "We had a really huge track with from a really huge artist," he explained to Billboard magazine. "The moment we heard this song, we literally said 'nope, that's the right song.'"
  • The song was previously used in the trailer for the movie Welcome to Yesterday and in a clip for Season 2 of the TV series Orange is the New Black.
  • Alex Da Kid explained to Billboard magazine that his intention for the track was to inspire the less-prosperous and the disadvantaged: "It was my goal to write and produce an anthemic song that would resonate with anyone that has grown up in or been around underprivileged surroundings," he said.
  • Co-directed by Emile Rafael (Katy B's "Got Paid") and Alex Da Kid, the song's music video highlights some of the various Los Angeles subcultures.
  • Jay-Z jumped on a rock-heavy remix, which debuted during game 5 of the NBA Finals on June 15, 2014. It was made available afterwards exclusively for Beats subscribers.
  • The lyrics were inspired by the change of pace that Sam Harris and his blind keyboardist brother Casey experienced when they moved to New York. Harris recalled during a track by track commentary that he would sometimes accompany his brother to work "and just see the way people had complete disregard for people around them" in the way they stepped over his cane.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Charlie Benante of Anthrax

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.

Adam Young of Owl City

Adam Young of Owl CitySongwriter Interviews

Is Owl City on a quest for another hit like "Fireflies?" Adam answers that question and explains the influences behind many others.