Genre Folk Label XL | Length 3:47 Producer(s) Greg Kurstin | |
Recorded Metropolis Studios, London Writer(s) Adele Adkins
Greg Kurstin | ||
"Million Years Ago" is a song recorded by English singer and songwriter Adele for her third studio album 25 (2015). The song was written by Adele Adkins and Greg Kurstin, with production of the song provided by the latter. Lyrically, the track is about how fame has personally affected her and everyone around her. Musically, the song is an acoustic tune accompanied only by guitar. "Million Years Ago" received positive reviews from critics, with many comparing it to the music of Madonna.
Contents
The song peaked at number 8 on the Finland Chart and number 24 on the Scotland Chart. It also charted in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. Adele performed the song during Adele at the BBC and on Today.
Composition
"Million Years Ago" is an acoustic tune accompanied only by guitar, finds Adele pining "for the normality of her not-so-distant childhood. Entwined with Middle Eastern twists of background hums that suggest Madonna's 'Frozen'". The song's lyrics touch upon themes of fame, and how it "frightens", the song's lyrics talk about how fame has personally affected her and everyone around her, singing about how she misses the air, her mother, and her friends, but her "life is flashing by and all I can do is watch and cry." Jon Pareles of The New York Times described the song as a "delicate guitar ballad with a hint of Edith Piaf [that] mourns lost youth". Rolling Stone's Brian Hiatt compared the song to "a Nineties Madonna ballad mixed with 'The Girl From Ipanema'".
Adele was accused of plagiarizing the melody of "Million Years Ago" from Turkish singer Ahmet Kaya's 1985 song "Acilara Tutunmak".
Live performances
She performed the song on Adele at the BBC, which was recorded at The London Studios on 2 November 2015 and broadcast on BBC One on 20 November 2015. She also performed the song on Today on 25 November 2015. Adele also performed the song on Adele Live in New York City, which was recorded at a one-night-only show at Radio City Music Hall on 17 November 2015 and broadcast on NBC on 14 December 2015.
Adele received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program nomination for performing "Million Years Ago" live on Today.