Everywhere (Michelle Branch song)

"Everywhere" was written by Michelle Branch and John Shanks and was produced by Shanks. The song was written in common time with a moderate tempo of 98 beats per minute and was composed in the key of D♭ major.[1] Branch wrote the first draft of "Everywhere" when she was fifteen years old.[2] The song's hook was described by Patrick Crowley of Billboard as a "beast of a glossy pop-rock hook" and is attributed with the song's catchiness.[3]

The lyrical content of the song has been described as "ultra-romantic," but were left intentionally ambiguous by Branch. In 2001, Branch told MTV that "I like to keep my songs open-ended so people can listen to it and say, "Oh, I think it means this. I've been through that." Instead of having it be about" anything specific.[4]

The music video for "Everywhere" was directed by Liz Friedlander. The video shows Branch stalking her crush in the opposite apartment building while she plays her guitar in an empty room. The man also appears to be spying on her, and at the end of the video the two finally meet. Branch was involved in selected the actor portraying her love interest; she told MTV in a 2001 interview that when the producers showed her a photo of Jake Muxworthy, she told them, "This is it. He has to be in it."[4] Playing opposite Muxworthy proved to be difficult for Branch, who reportedly had a "little crush" on him.[4]

An alternate video features Branch singing the song inside a rundown building and shows Branch posing for The Spirit Room photoshoot. This video was exclusively available via enhanced CDs until it was later made available on iTunes in select countries.

"Everywhere" received positive reviews from critics praising its lyrical content and Branch's vocal performance.[6] Allmusic's Liana Jonas described the song "a lively and heartfelt song with electric-guitar power chords, spirited vocal delivery, and catchy chorus.".[6] Sputnikmusic reviewed the song "...starts with a nice acoustic intro which is joined in by drum, then the whole band for the chorus. While the music generally falls under pop, this song has a rockier edge to it."[7] IGN Music calls the song "...definitely catchy".[8] Sean Richardson of the Boston Phoenix made favourable comparisons between "Everywhere" and Vanessa Carlton's debut single "A Thousand Miles", saying, "it's a good-natured reverie, with none of the troubled soul searching that characterizes the work of Tori and Fiona. The song rocks enough to live up to those expectations and pop enough to race up the charts. It starts off pretty glossy, with Michelle singing the word "you’re" down the scale in three syllables over a fancy trip-hop drum loop. Then the slashing electric guitars and gang-harmony vocals come in, and before long she’s belting out an unforgettable dream-pop chorus. It’s a flawless pop production and an auspicious chart debut."[9]

"Everywhere" peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending November 10, 2001. The song stayed on the charts for 20 weeks. The song became Branch's first top-20 hit, as well as her third-highest-peaking single, after "The Game of Love" and "All You Wanted".[10]

"Everywhere" remains Branch's most successful single worldwide. It charted the highest in New Zealand, where it peaked at number two in December 2001, behind Alicia Keys' "Fallin'".[11] "Everywhere" also reached the top 20 in United Kingdom and Australia, where it was her only single to peak within the top 20.[12][13]

"Everywhere" has been covered by numerous artists, including Yellowcard, Sara Lumholdt and Master Blaster. The song's chorus was ranked the 77th greatest of the 21st century by Billboard in 2017.[3]

• "Everywhere" is featured in the 2001 film, American Pie 2.
• "Everywhere" is featured on the video game Karaoke Revolution Party.
• "Everywhere" is featured on a Chase Bank commercial to emphasize the widespread locations of their ATM network.[14]
• "Everywhere" is featured on an episode of Lizzie McGuire, "The First Kiss".
• "Everywhere" was heard on Radio Disney around June 2004 and is available on its compilation Radio Disney Jams, Vol. 7.
• "Everywhere" was used for promos for 2002–03 Serie A season in Italy.
• "Everywhere" has been used for promos for Gilmore Girls on the WB.

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics