Chasing Pavements

Lore & Background

The inspiration for Chasing Pavements struck during a heated argument at a club between Adele and her then-boyfriend. At age 19, she slapped him in the heat of the moment and ran away down Tottenham Court Road in London. Looking back, she saw that no one was chasing after her, prompting the thought: "You're chasing pavements." This phrase became the central metaphor for a relationship going nowhere. Adele described the song as being about the feeling of asking herself, "should I give up or should I just keep trying to run after you when there's nothing there." The story reflects a shift from desperation to self-awareness, born directly from that specific night where her physical running mirrored her emotional futility.

In Their Own Story

The music video brings this narrative to life with two distinct perspectives set against a car crash in Hyde Park. In the real-world view, Adele and a man lie motionless on the pavement inside a white Peugeot 505 saloon after an accident. While she sings, she steps out of the vehicle, walking past bystanders running toward the scene, only to stand by a tree as victims are wheeled away on stretchers in opposite directions. Simultaneously, a bird's-eye view shows the couple "coming to life" side-on, reenacting their relationship from a scarf drop and first meeting through a brief period of happiness and conflict over another lover. The man reads a note that angers him but eventually forgives her, reigniting their passion. As the chorus hits for the final time, they dance intimately on the pavement surrounded by dancing onlookers, only to reveal they remain motionless bodies being taken away in different directions.

Reader's Guide

To understand Chasing Pavements, listen closely to how Adele's vocal performance carries the weight of the lyrics. The song was written with Francis "Eg" White at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas, featuring strings arranged by White and recorded by Perry Montague and the London Studio Orchestra. Critics like Chuck Arnold of Billboard ranked it second in her discography, comparing her songwriting to Carole King. For listeners seeking the emotional core, focus on the bridge where the doubt crystallizes into resolve. The track peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks and reached number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its legacy includes winning Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, though it lost Record of the Year to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Did You Know?

• The music video was directed by Mathew Cullen and shot in London.
• Adele performed Chasing Pavements solo at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, where she won Best New Artist; the song was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance but did not w
• The song was written quickly with producer Eg White, though the exact timeline of when it was sent to her record company is not officially confirmed.
• As of October 2011, Billboard reported the song had sold 1.2 million units in the US alone.