"When She's Near" is the first single from the Jon Foreman/Sean Watkins collaboration Fiction Family's debut eponymous album

Fiction Family (album)

Fiction Family is the debut studio album by the collaboration between Switchfoot frontman and solo artist Jon Foreman and Nickel Creek guitarist and solo artist Sean Watkins...

. The song was first heard in early performances by Fiction Family, who still went by The Real SeanJon at the time. The earliest recorded performance was in December, 2007. The finalized studio version was posted on the duo's myspace on October 7, 2008,
and was later made available for free download on the band's website.

Writing and Recording

Watkins originally wrote the melodies for the intro, verses, and bridge as the beginnings to one song, and Foreman had written the chorus for a song of his own. "It’s actually the melody to a song I wrote a long time ago called ‘Teaberry.’ I wrote it in ’03 or ’04, and I didn’t like the words, but I liked the melody,” Watkins said. “I brought the melody in and Jon did most of the lyrics." The songs eventually meshed together into the one song it is now. "I feel like it's a good blend of both of our voices," says Foreman.

Music video

Fiction Family shot a music video for the song on October 15, 2008. It was directed by Brandon Dickerson

Brandon Dickerson

Brandon Dickerson is an award-winning American music video, documentary film, and television commercial director who has also moved into directing theatrical films. He is currently signed with for commercials and for music videos....

, who had directed many videos for Foreman's band, Switchfoot

Switchfoot

Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...

. Watkins said on their myspace blog,"I won't say too much about it 'cause I don't want to spoil the plot and ruin it for you but I will say it involved me taped to and pushed around in a dolly and Jon being carried around like some Biblical king in transit for hours on end."

The video was first released Monday, December 15, 2008, on Vimeo.

Chart positions

Chart	Position
Triple-A Format Adult album alternative Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....	#39