In 1960, he started in music with Gibraltarian band 'The Diamond Boys', which had no real commercial success, but played a part in Spain's introduction to popular music.In 1966 Hammond co-founded the British vocal group The Family Dogg, scoring a UK Top 10 hit with "A Way of Life" in 1969. He is probably best known for his early 70s hits "It Never Rains In Southern California" and 'Free Electric Band' - but he went on to write countless hits for other artists such as Madonna and Leo Sayer. In 1987, Hammond's composition with Diane Warren "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (recorded by Jefferson Starship) was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy. In 1988, Hammond won an Emmy Award for the song "One Moment in Time", a song he wrote along with John Bettis. In 2008, Hammond was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is immortalised in song by Half Man Half Biscuit in their 1986 track "Albert Hammond Bootleg".
His son, Albert Hammond, Jr., is a guitarist in The Strokes.
More info: www.alberthammond.net
99 Miles From L.A
Albert Hammond Lyrics
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Keeping my hands on the wheel I hold you,
Ninety-nine miles from L.A.
I kiss you, I miss you,
Please be there.
Passing a white sandy beach we're sailing,
Turning the radio on we're dancing,
I want you, I need you,
Please be there.
The windshield is covered with rain, I'm crying,
Pressing my foot on the gas, I'm flying.
Counting the telephone poles, I phone you,
Reading the signs on the road, I write you,
Ninety-nine miles from L.A. we're laughing, we're loving,
Please be there.
We're laughing, we're loving,
Please be there.
Albert Hammond's "99 Miles From L.A." is a love song that beautifully illustrates the power of long-distance relationships. The song begins with Hammond's dedication to his significant other through the lyrics "Keeping my eyes on the road I see you, keeping my hands on the wheel I hold you," which signifies that even when they're apart, he still feels her presence. The song's chorus "Ninety-nine miles from L.A. I kiss you, I miss you, please be there" shows that despite the miles between them, he still desires to be close to her.
The song picks up the pace during the second verse where they're out on a beautiful drive together. Hammond's lyrics, "Passing a white sandy beach we're sailing, turning the radio on we're dancing," portrays the happiness they experience when they're together. The chorus repeats as a plea for his significant other to be there for him despite the distance between them.
In the final verse, Hammond is driving in the rain, and he's crying, "pressing my foot on the gas, I'm flying," which shows us that his thoughts of her give him the strength he needs to push through difficult times. In a desperate attempt to connect, he counts telephone poles and reads the signs on the road, 'I phone you, I write you,' because no matter how far away they are, his love for her remains strong. The final verse ends with them 'laughing and loving,' which is all that matters in the end. The ultimate message of "99 Miles From L.A." is that love knows no bounds and that distance cannot break a true love connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Keeping my eyes on the road I see you,
As I focus on driving, my mind is filled with thoughts of you.
Keeping my hands on the wheel I hold you,
Even though you're not physically with me, I feel like I'm holding onto you through my grip on the steering wheel.
Ninety-nine miles from L.A.
We're not quite in Los Angeles yet, but we're getting closer.
I kiss you, I miss you,
I long to be with you and feel your presence, even though we're physically apart.
Please be there.
I hope that you're waiting for me when I arrive.
Passing a white sandy beach we're sailing,
We're driving by a beautiful beach and I'm imagining us sailing on the water together.
Turning the radio on we're dancing,
The music on the radio inspires me to imagine us dancing together.
I want you, I need you,
My desire and need for you is strong and unwavering.
Please be there.
I'm hoping that you'll be there waiting for me when I arrive.
The windshield is covered with rain, I'm crying,
As rain pours on the windshield, I'm overcome with emotion and tears fall from my eyes.
Pressing my foot on the gas, I'm flying.
I accelerate, feeling a sense of excitement and freedom as I speed towards my destination.
Counting the telephone poles, I phone you,
I distract myself from the distance by counting telephone poles, while also calling you to feel more connected.
Reading the signs on the road, I write you,
I take note of signs on the road, while also writing to you in my mind or on paper, expressing my feelings and thoughts.
Ninety-nine miles from L.A. we're laughing, we're loving,
Even though we're still a ways away from Los Angeles, in my mind we're already sharing moments of joy and love.
Please be there.
I hope that you'll be there waiting for me when I arrive so we can continue to share these happy moments together.
We're laughing, we're loving,
In my mind, we're still enjoying each other's company and sharing moments of joy and love.
Please be there.
I hope that you'll be there waiting for me when I arrive so we can continue to experience happiness together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ALBERT LOUIS HAMMOND, HAL DAVID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind