Wikipedia

Soul Meets Body

"Soul Meets Body"is a song recorded by the AmericanrockbandDeath Cab for Cutiefor their fifth studio albumPlans(2005). It was released as thelead singlefromPlansin 2005, throughAtlantic Records.Death Cab for Cutie emerged from thePacific Northwestin the early aughts and built a following with its confessional lyricism and straightforwardindie rocksound. "Soul Meets Body" was their first single for Atlantic, the major label with which they signed in 2004. The song is thematically existential, examining the intersection of soul and body though a relationship metaphor.

"Soul Meets Body"
SinglebyDeath Cab for Cutie
from the albumPlans
ReleasedAugust 8, 2005[1]
Recorded2005
Genre
Length3:50
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Ben Gibbard
Producer(s)Chris Walla
Death Cab for Cutiesingles chronology
"Title and Registration"
(2004) 		"Soul Meets Body"
(2005) 		"Crooked Teeth"
(2006)

Singer-songwriterBen Gibbardwrote the song, while guitaristChris Wallaproduced the track. The song'smusic videodepicts Gibbard wandering through a mysterious forest where musical notes lift out of plants. "Soul Meets Body" became the band's firsthit single;it hit number one onBillboard'sAdult Alternative Songschart, and the top five of theHot Modern Rock Tracks.It was their first tocross overto the all-genreHot 100,where it peaked at No. 60. The song has been certified platinum by theRecording Industry Association of Americafor shipments of over 1,000,000 copies.[2]

Background

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"Soul Meets Body" was written by frontman Ben Gibbard, and produced by guitarist Chris Walla. The song was recorded atLong View Farm,a farmstead inNorth Brookfield, Massachusetts.[3]The song opens with the sound of an uptempo[4]acoustic guitar,[5]leading to a chorus where Gibbard exclaims, "You're the only song I want to hear / A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere."[6] Gibbard wrote the song for his girlfriend at the time.[7]Throughout the song's lyrics, Gibbard touches on transcendental themes: in the song's hook, he pleads that "if thesilencetakes you then I hope it takes me too. "[8]Walla summarized the song's message: "It's a declaration of desire over circumstance. It means, 'Here's where I am and here's what I want to be and how do I bridge those two things.' I think it's a beautiful articulation of love, friendships and relationships and everything you do over the course of the day."[4]

Gibbard recalled laboring over the song and follow-up single "Crooked Teeth": "We spent all this time trying to get" Soul Meets Body "and" Crooked Teeth "just right to make sure we were putting our best foot forward," he said.[9]

Music video

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The song'smusic videowas directed byJon Watts.In the clip, frontman Gibbard waltzes across a magical woodland as foliage transforms into music notes.[10]Gibbard picked Watts, a relative outsider, to helm the clip as he appreciated that his treatment was not simply a literal reading of the song's prose: "It's hard to pick videos, because when I write lyrics I try to make them as descriptive as possible, and I find it hard to find a treatment that's not just mimicking what's happening in the song [...] Plus this one was a little weird," he said.[10]It was filmed on August 3, 2005[10]at aranch-style houselocated inTopanga Canyonin Los Angeles.[11]Writers forEntertainment Weeklydescribed the clip as "odd and lovely."[12]The band later issued a second video for the song directed by Cat Solen as part of itsDirections: The Plans Video Album(2006).[13]

Release and chart performance

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"Soul Meets Body" was the lead single fromPlans,[6]though the band debated over which single to lead with, between it and second single "Crooked Teeth".In the end, the group chose the former because of its" slower build and [lack of] a traditional radio-friendly chorus, "so as to not overachieve.[14]The song was leaked online prior to its official release, which prompted Walla to respond, "I love it. The moreanarchywe can give to the record industry, the better. "[15]The song debuted on July 16, 2005, available to stream at the band'sMySpacepage until July 22.[16][17]It was a popular song on the site, garnering 400,000 streams within two months.[18]From there, it was available for listening on the band's official site,[19]with the label delivering it to radio on September 13.[5]"Soul Meets Body" became one of the band's biggest singles on radio,[20]with its popularity boosting sales of its parent album significantly.[21]Colin Stutz atthe Hollywood Reportercalled it a "massive radio hit."[22]It became the group's first song to chart on the all-genreHot 100,where it peaked at number 60 and spent eighteen weeks.[23][24]

It became their first number one single on any chart when it ledBillboard'sAdult Alternative Songsfor ten weeks; it rose to the summit after eight weeks on the ranking.[25]It peaked at number five on the publication's Modern Rock ranking,[26]and charted on it for 26 weeks.[27]For the band, the newfound radio success came as a shock: "I had this idea that it would get played on the couple stations that have already played us. I'm really taken aback by how popular it is," Gibbard toldBillboard.[14]In February 2021, for the 25th anniversary of Adult Alternative Songs (which by then had been renamed to Adult Alternative Airplay),Billboardranked "Soul Meets Body" at number 19 on its list of the 100 most successful songs in the chart's history.[28][29]

Critical reception

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"Soul Meets Body" was received to mostly positive reviews from critics. Rob Sheffield atRolling Stoneconsidered a high point onPlans,complimenting its "R.E.M.-style jangle, sped up to electro-disco tempo. "[30]Joe Tangari, in his review for Pitchfork, suggested it was one of the better "experiments" onPlans,calling it a "a sleek pop track."[31]James Rettig ofStereoguminterpreted the song's lyrics as more bleak than romantic, noting that "Gibbard's describing the joining of body and mind, but he’s making it clear that there’s only emptiness in between the two."[32]Nick Sylvester atThe Village Voicecriticized the band's risk-taking, but nonetheless felt the single was "expertly produced and succinctly written."[33]Marc Vera atEntertainment Weeklycalled it an "indie-popgem, "[34]while Rodrigo Perez atMTVinterpreted it as "grappl[ing] with existential questions and reconciling personal needs.[4]

It was described as having a "haunting, slow drawl" by Caitlin Petrakovitz ofThe Daily Aztec,whilst Elisa Bray ofThe Independentsaid that the song is "one of their best melodies" and said the lyrics, "a melody softly soaring through my atmosphere", sums up the effect of the song on its listener.[35][36]Tom Woods ofMusicOMH,said features such as "jangling acoustic guitar strumming throughout, and a wonderfully upbeat rhythm accompanying lyrics of loss and wonderment" gave the song a "distinct" resemblance toREM's song, "Losing My Religion".[37]Virgin Media,however, said the song was "slightly academic indie with a hint ofIdlewildandSnow Patrolabout it ".[38]Drowned in Soundwriter, Mike Diver, stated that "Soul Meets Body" has "tender, lovelorn lyrics that anyone over the age of ten can relate to coupled with the kind of shimmering indie-pop that a thousand imitators have failed to fully master [...] It says both everything to the listener and a whole lot of nothing at all, its perception entirely dependent on the type of ear bending its way." Diver finished the review by describing the song as being "sourced from a central vein yielding little else of value", an element that "leaves a bitter aftertaste that lingers long after the sound of silence settles."[39]

Other versions

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Gibbard later reimagined the song, with the help of Brett Nelson fromBuilt to Spill,in an electronic-infused iteration forThe Electronic Anthology Project(2013).[40]In 2019, the song was covered byNew Zealandactthe Beths.[41]

Track listing

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  1. "Soul Meets Body"
  2. "Jealousy Rides with Me"

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States July 16, 2005 MySpace [16]
United States September 13, 2005 Radio Atlantic Records [5]

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (2005–06) Peak
position
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[42] 22
Scotland(OCC)[43] 82
UK Singles(OCC)[44] 125
UK Rock & Metal(OCC)[45] 5
USBillboardHot 100[46] 60
USAdult Alternative Songs(Billboard)[47] 1
USAdult Pop Airplay(Billboard)[48] 32
USAlternative Airplay(Billboard)[49] 5

Year-end charts

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Chart (2006) Position
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[50] 39

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[51] Gold 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[52] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^"Death Cab For Cutie Unveils Fall Tour Plans".Billboard.August 8, 2005.RetrievedJuly 16,2024.
  2. ^"American certifications – Death Cab for Cutie – Soul Meets Body".Recording Industry Association of America.
  3. ^"Top 20 Major Label Debuts by Indie Bands That Made the Leap".Consequence.June 9, 2015.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  4. ^abcPerez, Rodrigo (June 29, 2005)."Death Cab For Cutie Living Up To The 'Death' Part On Next LP".MTV News.Archived fromthe originalon November 15, 2020.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  5. ^abc"Death Cab's Atlantic Debut Due In Late August".Billboard.July 7, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  6. ^ab"Nothing Is Certain but Death and Taxis".The New York Times.August 28, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  7. ^Mar, Alex (April 8, 2005)."Death Cab for Cutie Make" Plans "".Rolling Stone.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  8. ^"Instant Indie Classic: Death Cab for Cutie - Plans".Consequence.May 10, 2008.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  9. ^Ozzi, Dan (August 9, 2018)."Ben Gibbard Ranks Death Cab for Cutie's Eight Albums".VICE.RetrievedJuly 1,2022.
  10. ^abcMontgomery, James (July 29, 2005)."Death Cab For Cutie Admit Magical Forest Video Is 'A Little Weird'".MTV News.Archived fromthe originalon September 28, 2021.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  11. ^"Inside the 'Plans' of Death Cab For Cutie".EW.August 26, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  12. ^"The Must List: September 16, 2005".EW.September 10, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon August 14, 2022.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  13. ^Montgomery, James (December 14, 2005)."Death Cab For Cutie Taking A Page From 50 Cent's Playbook".MTV News.Archived fromthe originalon June 29, 2022.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  14. ^ab"Death Cab Cracks Billboard Singles Charts".Billboard.August 23, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  15. ^Bendary, Jennifer (October 24, 2005)."Movin' on Up (Without Sellin' on Out): An Interview with Death Cab for Cutie".PopMatters.RetrievedMarch 12,2009.
  16. ^ab"New Music from Death Cab".SPIN.July 18, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  17. ^"New Death Cab For Cutie:" Soul Meets Body "".Stereogum.July 16, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  18. ^Kot, Greg (September 18, 2005)."Revenge of the indie rockers".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedJuly 1,2022.
  19. ^"Death Cab For Cutie Unveils Fall Tour Plans".Billboard.August 8, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  20. ^Leahey, Andrew (May 13, 2008)."Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  21. ^"Kanye Reigns, Death Cab Hits No. 4".SPIN.September 7, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  22. ^Stutz, Colin (November 1, 2012)."Postal Service's 'Give Up' Goes Platinum Just in Time for Album's 10th Anniversary".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  23. ^Leahey, Andrew."Death Cab for Cutie Biography, Songs, & Albums".AllMusic.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  24. ^"Soul Meets Body –BillboardHot 100 chart position ".Billboard.Archived fromthe originalon March 21, 2013.RetrievedMarch 12,2009.
  25. ^Rutherford, Kevin (July 27, 2018)."Death Cab for Cutie Scores Its Fastest-Rising No. 1 on Adult Alternative Songs Chart With 'Gold Rush'".Billboard.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  26. ^"Death Cab Commissions Twelve 'Plans' Videos".Billboard.December 19, 2005.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  27. ^"Soul Meets Body – Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart position".Billboard.RetrievedMarch 12,2009.[dead link‍]
  28. ^Rutherford, Kevin (February 18, 2021)."Dave Matthews Band & The Wallflowers' 'One Headlight' Top Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Charts".Billboard.Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2023.RetrievedNovember 29,2023.
  29. ^"Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs".Billboard.Archivedfrom the original on October 11, 2023.RetrievedNovember 29,2023.
  30. ^Sheffield, Rob (August 22, 2005)."Plans".Rolling Stone.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  31. ^Tangari, Joe (August 29, 2005)."Death Cab for Cutie: Plans".Pitchfork.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  32. ^Rettig, James (August 28, 2015)."Plans Turns 10".Stereogum.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  33. ^Sylvester, Nick (September 6, 2005)."Pussyfooting".The Village Voice.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  34. ^Vera, Marc (July 21, 2005)."Download This: Seth's favorite band returns".EW.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  35. ^Petrakovitz, Caitlin (July 7, 2008)."Live And Dangerous: Why does Cutie need a Death Cab anyway?".The Daily Aztec.RetrievedJuly 29,2008.[permanent dead link‍]
  36. ^Bray, Elisa (July 24, 2008)."Death Cab For Cutie, Koko, London".The Independent.RetrievedJuly 29,2008.
  37. ^Woods, Tom."Death Cab For Cutie – Soul Meets Body (Atlantic)".MusicOMH.Archived fromthe originalon October 15, 2008.RetrievedMarch 12,2009.
  38. ^"Death Cab For Cutie – Soul Meets Body review".Virgin Media.RetrievedMarch 12,2009.
  39. ^Diver, Mike."Death Cab For Cutie: Soul Meets Body".Drowned in Sound.Archived fromthe originalon March 23, 2012.RetrievedMarch 12,2009.
  40. ^"Listen to a New Version of" Soul Meets Body ", Featuring Ben Gibbard, From The Electronic Anthology Project of Death Cab for Cutie".Pitchfork.July 1, 2013.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  41. ^Rettig, James (March 20, 2019)."The Beths -" Soul Meets Body "(Death Cab For Cutie Cover)".Stereogum.RetrievedJune 29,2022.
  42. ^"RR Canada Rock Top 30"(PDF).p. 63.RetrievedOctober 14,2019.
  43. ^"Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  44. ^"Chart Log UK 1994–2010 DJ S – The System Of Life".zobbel.de. Archived fromthe originalon October 19, 2015.RetrievedDecember 11,2021.
  45. ^"Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40".Official Charts Company.Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  46. ^"Death Cab for Cutie Chart History (Hot 100)".Billboard.Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  47. ^"Death Cab for Cutie Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)".Billboard.Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  48. ^"Death Cab for Cutie Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)".Billboard.Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  49. ^"Death Cab for Cutie Chart History (Alternative Airplay)".Billboard.Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  50. ^"Alternative Songs – Year-End 2006".Billboard.RetrievedSeptember 6,2018.
  51. ^"Canadian single certifications – Death Cab For Cutie – Soul Meets Body".Music Canada.RetrievedMarch 17,2019.
  52. ^"American single certifications – Death Cab For Cutie – Soul Meets Body".Recording Industry Association of America.RetrievedJune 2,2022.
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