Synopsis

The commonly circulated video for "If You Were Here" is a montage built from the closing scene of the 1984 film "Sixteen Candles," rather than a conventional Thompson Twins performance clip. Samantha Baker and Jake Ryan finally reunite after the confusion and disappointments of her birthday, meeting outside the church as the celebration winds down. The song plays over their quiet romantic moment, ending with the couple sharing a kiss above a birthday cake while the film's emotional tension gives way to relief.

Factoids & Trivia

• "If You Were Here" appears on the Thompson Twins' 1983 album "Quick Step & Side Kick." The American edition was titled "Side Kick."

• The song was written by all three members of the classic Thompson Twins lineup: Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway.

• Although it became closely associated with "Sixteen Candles," the track was not released as a conventional single in 1983.

• The band did not have a standard promotional music video for the song. Clips labeled as its video generally use footage from "Sixteen Candles," especially the film's closing sequence.

• Its placement in the movie helped turn an album track into one of the Thompson Twins' best-known songs in the United States. Tom Bailey later said that it became famous because of the film and remained the only non-single he regularly performed.

• The romantic use of the song creates an intentional contrast with its lyrics, which describe emotional uncertainty and wanting to leave a relationship rather than simply celebrating new love.

• The track was later used in the 2001 teen-film parody "Not Another Teen Movie," extending its connection with high-school movie culture.