The Rock Star Who Inspired Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’

Adele‘s “Someone like You” is a beautiful pop ballad that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with classic rock music. However, a 1950s rock star inspired the tune. Interestingly, Adele said the same star paved the way for “Rolling in the Deep.”

Adele’s ‘Someone like You’ was inspired by 1 of Elvis Presley’s contemporaries

Dan Wilson is a professional songwriter who has a background in 1990s alternative rock. He was part of the band Semisonic, which is most known for their one-hit wonder “Closing Time.” He’s also known for co-writing Adele’s “Someone like You,” which is probably her most famous song besides the seminal “Rolling in the Deep.”

During a 2021 interview with American Songwriter, Wilson recalled writing “Someone like You.” “After we listened to a bunch of [1950s rock ‘n’ roll star] Wanda Jackson songs on YouTube, we went to the main room of the studio where the piano is. There Adele showed me the idea for the verse. She was playing it on the guitar, and she taught me the part, but when I switched to piano, she lit up. ‘That’s way more inspiring!’ she said. So I played piano for the rest of the session.”

For context, Jackson was one of the earliest female rock ‘n’ roll singers. She is most known for the tracks “Let’s Have a Party,” “Fujiyama Mama,” “Funnel of Love,” and “Happy, Happy Birthday Baby.” While she’s not a household name like Stevie Nicks or Joan Jett, she is respected among hardcore rock ‘n’ roll fans.

Wanda Jackson inspired another hit song from the same album

During a 2010 interview with Rolling Stone, Adele said Jackson influenced her. The “Rumour Has It” singer said she became addicted to one of Jackson’s greatest hits albums. Adele said Jackson was like a female Elvis Presley, as she was sexual and fearless.

In a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Adele told Jackson her song “Funnel of Love” was the template for “Rolling in the Deep.” Jackson took a lot of pride in this fact. “Funnel of Love” might be obscure today, but it influenced one of the biggest pop songs of all time. It’s incredible that Jackson inspired “Someone like You” and “Rolling in the Deep.”

How Adele reacted to criticism

While Adele had a Jackson-esque vision for “Someone like You,” she had an easy time taking cues from Wilson for the track. In his American Songwriter interview, Wilson said that the “Set Fire to the Rain” star took no issue with his constructive criticisms of her songwriting. “We didn’t have any arguments or tussles,” he said. “Adele knew exactly what she wanted to say, and my role was much more in composing the music and creating chord changes for the various sections.”

“For the pre-chorus, for example, I suggested a series of chords and we played with some melody ideas for it,” he added. “Once we decided on the melody, she very quickly came up with that amazing line, ‘I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited.’ Once you have a line that great, the rest of the section is easy to finish.”

“Someone like You” is a great song and it wouldn’t be the same without Jackson’s talent.