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
To All the Girls I've Loved Before
Albert Hammond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who travelled in and out my door
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this song
To all the girls I've loved before
To all the girls I once caressed
And may I say I've held the best
I owe a lot I know
To all the girls I've loved before
The winds of change are always blowing
And every time I try to stay
The winds of change continue blowing
And they just carry me away
To all the girls I've loved before
Who travelled in and out my door
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this song
To all the girls I've loved before
The winds of change are always blowing
And every time I try to stay
The winds of change continue blowing
And they just carry me away
To all the girls I've loved before
Who travelled in and out my door
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this song
To all the girls I've loved before
Albert Hammond's song "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" is a heartfelt tribute to all the women who have had a significant impact on his life. The lyrics speak of a man who has had many relationships, all of which have shaped who he is today. He thanks each of these women for their contributions in helping him grow into the person he has become.
The first verse indicates that there have been numerous women in his life, some of whom have come and gone. However, he expresses his gratitude for each of them, saying he is glad they came along. The chorus repeats this sentiment, stating that the song is dedicated to all the girls he has loved before.
The second verse is a bittersweet acknowledgment of the women he has loved and lost. He says that he has held the best, but even they could not keep him from growing and changing. He admits that he owes a lot to these women, recognizing that they have helped him to become the person he is today.
The last lines of both verses express the theme of the song: the winds of change are always blowing, and they carry him away. This speaks to the inevitability of change in life, the difficulty of attempting to hold onto something that is constantly evolving, and the importance of cherishing the moments we have.
Overall, "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" is a beautifully written testament to the women who have impacted Hammond's life, and the importance of gratitude and appreciation for those who have helped shape us into who we are today.
Line by Line Meaning
To all the girls I've loved before
This song is dedicated to all the girls the singer has loved before
Who travelled in and out my door
The girls he loved came and went in his life
I'm glad they came along
The singer is grateful for the experience of loving these girls
I dedicate this song
The entire song is dedicated to these girls
To all the girls I once caressed
The singer had physical relationships with these girls
And may I say I've held the best
The singer believes he had the best physical relationship with one of these girls
For helping me to grow
All of the girls he loved helped him to become a better person
I owe a lot I know
The singer feels indebted to these girls for their impact on his life
The winds of change are always blowing
Change is inevitable
And every time I try to stay
The singer has tried to hold onto things that were changing
The winds of change continue blowing
Change cannot be stopped
And they just carry me away
The singer is swept up in the changes happening
Contributed by Maria D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jl Phoenix
This is the best version... I'd love to make a cover of this song in a heavy metal version.
Pete D
have you done it yet? i'm sure Albert would approve!
Claudia Zehnacker
I buyed this LP when i was 13 ..still beautiful
von ohm
this was the first record I bought on my own. still have it! :-)
Pete D
i always wish Albert would sing this in concert , in this style again , instead of the slowed down version that he copied when he put the Julio/Willie duet together . of course the extra verse/lines should be sung as well though!
Kim Tricia
still a beautiful song that I enjoyed till today. First heard it when ex bf dedicated to me .....
Stephanie Newbern
Just found out this version is the original. Had no idea!
Trond Aglen
Yeah, a local newspaper claimed it was written by Willie Nelson! I knew better.
Stephanie Lok
good one ... original version Albert Hammond ... \
JORGEPSOUSA911
I actually like this version much better!