Somebody Else (Big Country song)

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Somebody Else is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, released in May 2000 as the third and final single from their eighth album Driving to Damascus (1999). It was written by Stuart Adamson and Ray Davies of the Kinks, and produced by Rafe McKenna and Big Country. The track reached number 126 on the UK Singles Chart and was the band’s last single before lead singer Stuart Adamson’s death in 2001.

The song is one of two on Driving to Damascus written by Adamson with Davies. Davies first teamed up with Big Country when he asked their rhythm section to back him at Glastonbury in 1997. After that performance, a friendship grew and Davies showed interest in more collaborations, even trying to get the band signed to a US label (Velvel Records), which didn’t happen. By late 1997 the band had around 30 new songs. Davies suggested Adamson come to New York to write together, and in December 1998 they produced "Somebody Else" and "Devil in the Eye." Both songs were recorded in 1999 for Driving to Damascus. Adamson later said the collaboration pushed both artists into new territory.

Bassist Tony Butler later called "Somebody Else" superb lyrically. The song is described as about a couple splitting up and dividing possessions.

The UK release on 30 May 2000 (originally planned for 22 May) accompanied the band’s UK tour, "The Final Fling." The CD single included two previously unreleased tracks, "Sleep Until Dawn" and "Another Misty Morning" (the latter written by Butler, who also sang lead on it; it deals with masturbation). To promote the single, Big Country performed on BBC's Weekend Watchdog on 26 May 2000.

AllMusic’s Aaron Badgley praised "Somebody Else" as brilliant, noting that the collaboration doesn’t feel like Davies’ influence and that the song fits Big Country, even if it wouldn’t belong on a Davies or Kinks album.