Someone Great (5:48)

“Someone Great” is the third single from LCD Soundsystem’s critically acclaimed second album Sound of Silver. The single was released on October 22, 2007 in the UK. The music video is directed by Doug Aitken.

The song itself is about loss, although the lyrics (and video) make it unclear as to whether it’s regarding a death or the end of a romantic relationship. One theory is that it is about the birth of a stillborn child:

“You’re smaller than my wife imagined, / Surprised, you were human. / There shouldn’t be this radio silence, / But what, are the options?”

The album itself is dedicated to Dr. George Kamen, a pioneer of group therapy who had opened a practice in New York.

“I wish that we could talk about it, / But there, that’s the problem. / With someone new I couldn’t start it, / Too late, for beginnings.”

The music in the song is taken from a section of LCD Soundsystem’s 45:33, an instrumental song commissioned by Nike.

When asked at the LCD Soundsystem - “Backlash” Press Conference what the song was about, writer James Murphy would not answer the question. He claimed he promised his wife he would not divulge that information, due to the obvious personal nature of the song.

Andy Kellman of Allmusic, among other critics, named “Someone Great” as the best song on the album.