So Beautiful (Pete Murray song)

"So Beautiful" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray. The song was originally included on Murray's debut album, The Game (2001), and was re-recorded for his following album, Feeler (2003). This version was released as the album's second single and first commercial single in January 2004. "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 The Game and Feeler
B-side	"Decade" "Bitter" "To a Friend"
Released	19 January 2004 (2004-01-19)[1]
Length	4:40
Label	Columbia Sony Australia
Songwriter(s)	Pete Murray
Producer(s)	Pete Murray Paul McKercher
Pete Murray singles chronology
"Feeler" (2003) "So Beautiful" (2004) "Bail Me Out" (2004)
Music video
"So Beautiful" on YouTube

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]

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."^[4] "So Beautiful" has been widely used as a break-up song, though this was not Murray's intention.^[4]

Reception

In 2019, Forte Magazine ranked "So Beautiful" as Murray's best song, saying, "'So Beautiful’ was written after a night out where Pete felt overwhelmed by people being pretentious and by guys that needed to stop acting obnoxious. Regardless of what it means or why it was written, the song is still our #1."^[5]

In July 2022, Stephen Green from The Music also ranked 'So Beautiful' as Murray's best song, saying, "Played at countless weddings, soundtracking countless house parties and still fluttering the hearts of many a Pete Murray fan, 'So Beautiful' is just that. Simple lyrics, a memorable tune and a certain something that just hits a nerve."^[6]

Track listing

Australian maxi-CD single^[7]

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)[7] 9 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 62 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 13

Year-end charts Chart (2004) Position Australia (ARIA)[10] 21 Australian Artists (ARIA)[11] 5

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[12]	Platinum	70,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Catalogue	Ref.
Australia	19 January 2004	Maxi-CD	Columbia Sony Music Australia	674567-2	[1]