Safe Inside

* Album
* Acoustic

## Single by James Arthur

"**Safe Inside**" is a song by James Arthur, released on February 10, 2017, via Columbia Records. It is the second single from his second studio album, *Back from the Edge* (2016), and serves as the seventh track. An acoustic version was released on 18 May 2020, with production handled by Arthur.

## Background and composition

The song was written for his younger sister. Over a verified Genius annotation, Arthur explained:

> "It's super personal. I have four sisters and a brother, who I haven't really spent a lot of time with. My brother is from my dad's first marriage, and my dad's been married four times. Player. But you know, of course I still love him. But my four sisters, I've been around my whole life, and they are the most important thing. I like to try and be a big brother to them. Two of my sisters have a different father than myself and the other two sisters. But he was around for the first five years of their lives. Actually he was around for the first 10 years of my little sister's life. Not so much for my younger sister. Anyway, basically, he disappeared. Out of nowhere. Into thin air. He seemed like a good guy, but for whatever reason he disappeared and left a huge void in all of our lives.
>
>
> I was the male role model for my sisters. I don't know what it's like to be a parent, but I took one of my sisters in particular under my wing. Me and my mother, we fell out a few times when I was younger. She had a lot of pressure on her plate as a young mother, and I went off the rails and I moved out. Then I saw my sister going the same way that I did. Getting in trouble, drinking, doing drugs, and shit like that. I really wanted to try and guide her, and I could see that she was lacking her father figure, and I guess I played that part. That's how the song was born, and now 10, 15 years on, I'm still looking after her.
>
>
>
> I got her a house and she lives in my house at home, but I can see that she's growing up and she doesn't necessarily need me as much anymore. It's tougher to connect with her. She's like 20, 21, 22. She's on her own path. It got me thinking what it must be like to be a parent and see someone you gave birth to grow up and leave the nest and stuff like that. I guess I just wanted to tap into that. Those feelings. Those emotions. That's basically the essence of the song."
>
>

To *Atwood Magazine*, it was noted that it was written from the perspective of a parent. Arthur responded, "At the time I was doing it, it wasn't long before Christmas. ... [The co-songwriters] talked so fondly about their children, and I kind of get it, because my little sister... her dad abandoned her when she was young, and they were the best of friends—he was the apple of her eye, and it was weird that he just disappeared; we still don't know where he is. I kind of tried to take that role and tried to fill that void as much as I could; she lived with me for a while. So I was like, let's write a song from a parent's point of view. Also, we kept in mind the John Lewis advert—they do this John Lewis Christmas advert every year, which is always amazing, and it always has this song in the background. They're always really moving, and I was like, 'I want to make that song!'"

## Credits and personnel

### Song

Album version
* Alex Beitzke – producer
* Bradley Spence – producer
* Charlie Russell – mixing
* Emma Rohan – writer
* James Arthur – vocals, writer
* Jonathan Quarmby – writer, producer
* Jonny Solway, Mattia Sartori, Tom Upex – engineer
* Robin Schmidt – mastering

Acoustic version
* Emma Rohan – writer
* James Arthur – vocals, producer, recording engineer
* Jesse Brock – assistant engineer
* Jonathan Quarmby – writer
* Randy Neville – mastering
* Sean Moffitt – mixing

### Video

* Frank Hoffmann – director
* Ulrike Strockhausen – producer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Verse 1]

I remember when you were all mine

Watched you changing in front of my eyes

What can I say

Now that I'm not the fire in the cold

Now that I'm not the hand that you hold

As you're walking away

[Chorus]

Will you call me to tell me you're alright

'Cause I'll worry about you the whole night

Don't repeat my mistakes

I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside

If you're home I just hope that you're sober

Is it time to let go now you're older

Don't leave me this way

I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside

[Verse 2]

Everyone has to find their own way

And I'm sure things will work out okay

I wish that was the truth

All we know is the sun will rise

Thank your lucky stars that you're alive

It's a beautiful life

[Chorus]

Will you call me to tell me you're alright

'Cause I'll worry about you the whole night

Don't repeat my mistakes

I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside

If you're home I just hope that you're sober

Is it time to let go now you're older

Don't leave me this way

I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside

[Bridge]

If you make the same mistakes

I will love you in either way

All I know is that I can't live without you

There is nothing I can say

That will change you in any way

Darling, I could never live without you

I can't live, I can't live

[Chorus]

Will you call me to tell me you're alright

'Cause I'll worry about you the whole night

Don't make my mistakes

I won't sleep, I won't sleep

If you're home I just hope that you're sober

Is it time to let go now you're older

Don't leave me this way

I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside

[Outro]

Will you call me to tell me you're alright

'Cause I worry about you

## Media

James Arthur - Safe Inside (Acoustic Lyric Video)James Arthur – Safe Inside (Acoustic) -AtHome -WithMeJames Arthur - Safe Inside (Live @ Hotel Café)James Arthur - Safe Inside (iHeartRadio Live Sessions on the Honda Stage)James Arthur - Safe Inside (Summertime Ball 2017)James Arthur - Safe Inside (Summertime Ball 2018)James Arthur 'Safe Inside' Song ExplanationJames Arthur - Safe Inside (Genius)James Arthur on Who Inspired "Safe Inside"
## References

1. ↑ Mosk, Mitch (May 8, 2017). "Recovery, Redemption, and Finding Purpose: A Conversation with James Arthur". *Atwood Magazine*.