Safe and Sound (Capital Cities song)

"Safe and Sound"
Single by Capital Cities
from the album In a Tidal Wave of Mystery
ReleasedJanuary 6, 2011 (2011-01-06)
Genre
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Ryan Merchant
  • Sebu Simonian
Capital Cities singles chronology
"Beginnings"
(2010) 		"Safe and Sound"
(2011) 		"Kangaroo Court"
(2012)
Music video
"Safe and Sound" on YouTube

"Safe and Sound" is a song by American indie pop duo Capital Cities, written and produced by band members Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian. The song was released as a single on January 6, 2011, and first appeared on their debut EP Capital Cities (2011), later serving as the lead single from their debut studio album, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery (2013). "Safe and Sound" became the duo's breakout hit, peaking at number eight on the United States Billboard Hot 100 and achieving commercial success in several other territories. Three music videos were produced for the single, with the third video, directed by Grady Hall and set in the Los Angeles Theatre, later being nominated for Best Music Video at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards

Background and composition

"Safe and Sound" is a synth-pop,[1] new wave,[2] dance-pop,[3] and alternative rock song,[4] and was written and produced by Capital Cities members Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian. It features a prominent trumpet line, which was only incorporated into its production after eight previous takes of the song.[5]

Sheet music for the song is entirely in the key of C major with a metronome of 116-120 beats per minute in common time.[6] The trumpet line is based on the melody for the Yiddish folk song "Dona, Dona."

Music videos

The first music video for "Safe and Sound" was self-produced and edited by the band and uploaded to their official YouTube account on February 24, 2011. It features alternating historical film clips of dancing and war from the last century generally arranged in chronological order.[7] Another video, directed by Jimmy Ahlander, was released on October 21, depicting the duo being led through a junkyard by a monk.[8]

The third and most well-known video for the song was directed by Grady Hall[9] and released on April 25, 2013.[10] The video is set in the Los Angeles Theatre and depicts Capital Cities performing on stage as dancers of all types (1940s swing dancers, 1970s roller-disco skaters, 1990s hip-hop dancers, etc.) emerge from pictures on the wall and film clips from different time periods in the theater's history come to life and compete in dance-offs.[9] It received a nomination in the Best Music Video category at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.[11]

Cover versions and in other media

On November 7, 2013, the song was performed by Team Adam (consisted of Tessanne Chin, James Wolpert, Will Champlin, Grey and Preston Pohl) from the fifth season of the series, The Voice.[12]

Zendaya, Kina Grannis, Kurt Hugo Schneider and Max Schneider released a cover of the song on March 31, 2014, used for a Coca-Cola commercial. Actual Coca-Cola bottles served as instruments in the version.[13]

Air New Zealand have used the song in their in-flight safety video for 2014, while the Barcelona's Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) has used it in its dance video to raise awareness and support for research into diseases such as cancer and metastasis, Alzheimer's and diabetes.[14]

The song was featured as the background music for the 2014 Mazda3. The music video featured prominent figures Bruce Lee, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Jackie Robinson to promote the all new features, including the "kodo" design Mazda has introduced post-Ford ownership of the company.

The song is briefly played at a party scene in the beginning of the 2015 film Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.

McDonald's has used the song in 2020 in McDonald's Australia promotion for the return of the McRib® & El Maco® as part of the that year’s summer menu.[15]

Beginning in July 2021, the song was used in an advertising campaign for ADT Home Security titled “It’s Safe To Say”, which featured Drew and Jonathan Scott from the HGTV series Property Brothers.[16][17]

Commercial performance

"Safe and Sound" first gained commercial success in Germany following its use in a Vodafone commercial, later topping the German Media Control singles chart.[18] A sleeper hit, it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 2013, over two-and-a-half years after its initial release.[19] It has sold over two million copies in the United States as of January 2014.[20] It also reached number one on Alternative Airplay[21] and number two on both the Adult Top 40 and Mainstream Top 40 charts. In the United Kingdom, the single was added to the BBC Radio 2 playlist on August 31, 2013;[22] following its official single release in the country the following month, it peaked at number 42 on the UK Singles Chart.[23]

In September 2023, for the 35th anniversary of Alternative Airplay,[24] Billboard published a list of the top 100 most successful songs in the chart's history; "Safe and Sound" was ranked at number 53.[25]

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Result
2013 MTV Video Music Awards Best Visual Effects Won
Best Art Direction Nominated
2014 Grammy Awards Best Music Video Nominated
World Music Awards World's Best Song Nominated
World's Best Video Nominated
Billboard Music Awards Top Rock Song Nominated

Track listing

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Safe and Sound"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[96] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[97] Gold 15,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[98] Diamond 250,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[99] 5× Platinum 400,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[100] 5× Gold 750,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[101] 2× Platinum 60,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[102] 2× Platinum 120,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[103] 2× Platinum 120,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[104] 2× Platinum 80,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[105] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[106] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[108] 6× Platinum 6,000,000[107]
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[109] Platinum 1,800,000†
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[110] Platinum 8,000,000†

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates for "Safe and Sound"
Region Date Format Label
United States[26][111][112][113] January 12, 2011 Digital download Lazy Hooks
January 14, 2013 Modern rock radio Capitol
February 4, 2013 Adult album alternative radio
April 2, 2013 Contemporary hit radio
Germany[114] April 5, 2013 Digital download (remix EP)
  • Lazy Hooks
  • Capitol
Canada[115] April 16, 2013
United States[27]
Germany[28] May 17, 2013 Compact disc Capitol
Italy[116] June 14, 2013 Contemporary hit radio EMI
Australia[117] June 21, 2013 Digital download
  • Lazy Hooks
  • Capitol
New Zealand[118]
Australia[119] August 16, 2013 Digital download (remix EP)
New Zealand[120]
United States[121] August 19, 2013 Rhythmic contemporary radio Capitol
United Kingdom[122] September 20, 2013 Digital download (remix EP)
  • Lazy Hooks
  • Capitol

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