So Beautiful (Pete Murray song)

"So Beautiful" is a song recorded by Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray. It was released late in January 2004 as the third single from Murray's second studio album, Feeler. "So Beautiful" became Murray's first charting single, peaking at No. 9 on the ARIA Singles Chart and earning a platinum sales certification. It also charted in New Zealand, peaking at No. 13, and in the Netherlands, reaching No. 61. "So Beautiful" was nominated for several awards in 2004 and 2005.

"So Beautiful"
Single by Pete Murray
from the album Feeler
Released	12 January 2004
Genre	Soft rock
Length	4:40
Label	Columbia Sony Australia
Songwriter(s)	Pete Murray
Producer(s)	Pete Murray Paul McKercher
Pete Murray singles chronology
"Lines" (2003) "So Beautiful" (2004) "Bail Me Out" (2004)
Music video
"So Beautiful" on YouTube

Background

Murray was inspired to write the song after seeing a group of "pretentious" people in a Brisbane bar. In a 2013 interview, he said: I can't stand pretentious people like that. I remember the way they strutted around and they were really loud and obnoxious and I just had to get out of there. I don't have time for that. As soon as I got home, I started writing the song. I was trying to get the point across that these guys needed to take a good look at themselves and see how they were acting."[1] "So Beautiful" has been widely used as a break-up song, though this was not Murray's intention.[1]

Awards and nominations

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2004, the song was nominated for five awards; Best Male Artist, Best Pop Release, Single of the Year and Best Video, while Murray and McKercher were nominated for Producer of the Year for "So Beautiful".[2] At the APRA Music Awards of 2005, the song won the award for Song of the Year.[3]

Track listing

Australian maxi-CD[4]

1. "So Beautiful" – 4:40
2. "Decade" – 4:25
3. "Bitter" – 4:36
4. "To a Friend" – 4:23

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2004) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 9 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5] 62 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] 13

Year-end charts Chart (2004) Position Australia (ARIA)[7] 21 Australian Artists (ARIA)[8] 5

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[9]	Platinum	70,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Label	Catalogue
Australia	12 January 2004[4]	Maxi-CD	Columbia / Sony Australia	674567-2

References

1. Vreeland, Dellaram (7 March 2013). "Pete Murray: 'So Beautiful' was not intended to be a break-up song". The Courier. Ballarat. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
2. "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2004: 18th Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 18 February 2020.
3. "APRA History 2005". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) & (AMCOS). 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
4. "Australian-charts.com – Pete Murray – So Beautiful". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
5. "Dutchcharts.nl – Pete Murray – So Beautiful" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
6. "Charts.nz – Pete Murray – So Beautiful". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
7. "2004 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA Charts. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
8. "2004 Australian Artists ARIA Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
9. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.