"Such Great Heights" is a song by the American indie pop band The Postal Service. It was released as the lead single from their debut album, Give Up, in 2003 through Sub Pop Records356. The track was written by Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello, with backing vocals by Jen Wood356. The song stands out as a rare positive love song in Gibbard's catalog, focusing on the joy and transcendence of being in love, rather than heartbreak35.
Key details:
- Release date: January 21, 2003 (single), with the album Give Up following a month later3456.
- Genre: Indietronica, indie pop, synthpop, electronic rock4.
- Length: 4:2646.
- Label: Sub Pop3456.
- Writers: Ben Gibbard, Jimmy Tamborello4.
- Producer: The Postal Service4.
- B-side: "There's Never Enough Time"456.
Cultural impact and legacy:
- The single included covers by The Shins ("We Will Become Silhouettes") and Iron & Wine ("Such Great Heights")356.
- Iron & Wine’s cover was featured in the film and soundtrack for Garden State, which won the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack in 200446.
- The song has been widely licensed for commercials (Target, M&M’s, UPS, Kaiser Permanente, Ask.com) and featured in TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Veronica Mars, helping it reach mainstream audiences467.
- It peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales chart and was later certified gold by the RIAA35.
- "Such Great Heights" ranked #27 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of the Decade list35.
Background and meaning:
Ben Gibbard described the writing process as unusually quick and inspired, calling it "the first time I've ever written a positive love song" and noting a sense of "spiritual transcendence" in its creation35. The lyrics and sound blend analog warmth with digital fragility, reflecting both the intimacy and distance of modern relationships7.
Track listing for the single:
- Such Great Heights – 4:27
- There's Never Enough Time – 3:33
- We Will Become Silhouettes (The Shins cover) – 3:01
- Such Great Heights (Iron & Wine cover) – 4:104
Music video:
The official video, released by Sub Pop, visually explores themes of technology and connection, echoing the song’s lyrical motifs7.
"Such Great Heights" remains a defining track of early 2000s indie pop, notable for its enduring popularity and cross-media presence67.
