Snow Patrol on 20 years of Chasing Cars, and their 'non-duet' with Kylie
Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody reflects on the 20th anniversary of their hit song 'Chasing Cars', detailing its origins in a garden shed session. The article explores the song's evolution from a casual writing session to becoming one of the most-played radio songs of the 21st century.
Why it matters
The piece provides cultural insight into the creative process behind a globally recognized song and its lasting impact on the music industry.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Gary Lightbody formed Snow Patrol at the University of Dundee in 1994 - initially calling the band Shrug and Polarbear, before settling on their final form
Music correspondent Published 32 minutes ago Ever wanted to write a song so huge it becomes your pension plan? Here's the secret: pretend you're making it for someone else.
That's what Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody was doing back in 2005, in a garden shed owned by his friend and producer, Jacknife Lee.
"We wrote 10 songs in a couple of hours, over quite a few bottles of wine," he recalls.
"It was essentially a session for other people and sometimes, that takes the pressure off because you're not thinking about how you're going to record it, or what it means to have that song become part of your life."
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