The Story of... 'Truly Madly Deeply' by Savage Garden

3 January 2020, 15:47 | Updated: 3 January 2020, 15:56

Savage Garden's 'Truly Madly Deeply' is one of the best love songs of the 1990s, and we still love hearing over 20 years later.

But what inspired the song and who wrote it? Here are all the interesting facts about the gorgeous ballad:

1. Who wrote 'Truly Madly Deeply' and what was its inspiration?

   

   After their breakthrough single 'I Want You', Savage Garden duo Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones were sent to Sydney for eight months to record songs for a debut album.

   For Hayes, this was the first time in his life that he was away from his family and his native Brisbane.

   This longing for his family and his then-wife, inspired him to write a song that would express his feelings.

   The chorus of the song didn't occur until the very last moment before recording. Jones had doubts over the chorus they had written, as he felt it did not fit with the rest of the song or Savage Garden's other tracks.

   The night before, Hayes had dinner at the Bayswater Brasserie on Bayswater Road, Kings Cross. Here, he came up with the new chorus of "I want to stand with you on a mountain, I want to bathe with you in the sea, I want to lay like this forever until the sky falls down on me."

   The next day, they performed the new chorus for producer Charles Fisher, and recorded it as a trial run. Fisher loved it, and it was later released as a single.

   The song actually started life as a song called 'Magical Kisses', that the pair wrote together long before they began recording their debut album.

2. Where was the video filmed?

   Two music videos were made for the song.

   The original Australian video, which sees Hayes with long hair, features the duo in a white room with other people. Hayes appears on a red sofa singing the song while Daniel performs on the piano.

   However, the video used for Europe sees Hayes with short hair, and was filmed in Paris.

   This video was directed by Adolfo Doring, and depicts the story of two lovers, a young man and a woman, who have been separated. The woman arrives in Paris in search of her lover, who is also waiting for her.

   He is seen in various places within the Montmartre area, including the Soleil de la Butte restaurant. Hayes is also seen walking around Paris, in locations such as the Place de la Concorde and the Jardin des Tuileries.

3. How did it perform in the charts?

   It was a huge hit in the US, and reached number one for two weeks in January 1998. It stayed around for a full year and became the only song in the chart's history to spend its first 52 weeks inside the top 30.

   It only reached number four in the UK, but was the 10th biggest-selling song of 1998.

   It also topped the charts in their native Australia among other countries.

4. What movie was it used in?

   The song was used as the main theme of the 1998 romantic comedy Music from Another Room, starring Jude Law and Gretchen Mol.

   German Eurodance group Cascada later recorded their own cover of the song, reaching number four in the UK (equalling the original) in 2006.

5. Truly Madly Deeply lyrics:

   I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy.
   I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.
   I love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do
   I will be strong, I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on a new beginning.
   
   A reason for living. A deeper meaning.
   I want to stand with you on a mountain.
   I want to bathe with you in the sea.
   I want to lay like this forever.
   Until the sky falls down on me
   
   And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky,
   I'll make a wish send it to heaven then make you want to cry
   The tears of joy for all the pleasure and the certainty.
   That we're surrounded by the comfort and protection of
   The highest power, in lonely hours, the tears devour you
   
   I want to stand with you on a mountain,
   I want to bathe with you in the sea.
   I want to lay like this forever,
   Until the sky falls down on me
   
   Oh can you see it baby?
   You don't have to close your eyes
   'Cause it's standing right before you.
   All that you need will surely come
   
   I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy.
   I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.
   I'll love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do
   
   I want to stand with you on a mountain
   I want to bathe with you in the sea.
   I want to lay like this forever.
   Until the sky falls down on me
   
   I want to stand with you on a mountain
   I want to bathe with you in the sea.
   I want to live like this forever.
   Until the sky falls down on me