“By Your Side,” released January 12, 2001, is the lead single from Sade’s fifth album Lovers Rock, and the first new music from the band since 1993’s “Please Send Me Someone To Love” appeared on the soundtrack of the Tom Hanks film Philadelphia.

In the lyrics of the song about loyalty in love (whether romantic or platonic), Sade expresses the strength and significance of a lover/friend, pledging not to let them feel alone or suffer in isolation.

The brightly colored music video was directed by longtime collaborator Sophie Muller who said this of the video clip:

It is like a metaphor of life. Because she has been away, yet has this amazing life and has come back to delivered this album. That was meant to be a metaphor, like the flower like she dropped by the roadside saying, ‘Here is my album.’ Then she made like she has gone through this strange journey, which is her life, but it is totally made into a beautiful, mysterious dream. The song was very uplifting in that way.