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To Build a Home

"To Build a Home"
The Cinematic Orchestra - To Build a Home cover art.jpg
Single by The Cinematic Orchestra featuring Patrick Watson
from the album Ma Fleur
B-side
  • Grey Reverend Version
  • "Child Song"
Released 29 October 2007
Format
Recorded 2006
Genre
Length 6:11
Label
Writer(s)
  • Phil France
  • Jason Swinscoe
  • Patrick Watson
Producer(s) Jason Swinscoe
The Cinematic Orchestra singles chronology
"Man with the Movie Camera"
(2003)
"To Build a Home"
(2007)
"Breathe"
(2007)

"To Build a Home" is a song by English electronic music group The Cinematic Orchestra, with vocals and piano performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Patrick Watson. It was released as the second single from the group's third studio album, Ma Fleur (2007), on 29 October 2007. In 2015, the song peaked at number 96 on the French Singles Chart.

"To Build a Home" is a piano ballad that serves as the opening track to its companion album, Ma Fleur, though it serves as the closing track on the Domino-released versions of the album. It features vocals from Canadian singer-songwriter Patrick Watson, who also has writing credits on the song alongside Phil France and Jason Swinscoe of the Cinematic Orchestra. Watson also performed piano for the song. The instrumental begins with about three to four piano chords looped, building up to a more loud and grand point, introducing strings. During this portion of the instrumental, Watson sings over both the piano and strings, eventually climaxing with falsetto vocals. Lyrically, the song deals with Watson wanting to create a house for him and his lover. What happens with the house is unknown, resulting it to be merely metaphorical in place of a resting place for the two.

The song was first released on 29 October 2007 as a 7" vinyl single by Ninja Tune in the United Kingdom. It was backed with a cover version of the song performed by Grey Reverend. A 7" single was also released in the U.S. by the Domino Recording Company's USA division, which was backed with "Child Song".

"To Build a Home" had a positive reception from music critics. Critics often saw Watson's vocal performance as a highlight on the song. For The Observer, Stuart Nicholson wrote that "Swinscoe transforms three- and four-chord vamps into something special."Drowned in Sound's Shain Shapiro regarded the vocals as "bellowing [and] haunting", while Tyler Fisher of Sputnikmusic noted that Watson "nearly steals the show".


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