Chilton said in the September 1994 issue of Guitar Player that he considers himself a "musical performer, not a songwriter" and that some of his songs sound only "half-baked" to him. Nonetheless, his compositions have been performed by a number of artists, including Teenage Fanclub, This Mortal Coil, The Bangles, Wilco, Graham Coxon, Garbage, Tom Bradbury, Son Volt, Counting Crows, Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, Superdrag, Evan Dando, Cat Power, Yo La Tengo, Placebo, Xiu Xiu, and His Name Is Alive. The Replacements wrote the song Alex Chilton in his honor on their 1987 Pleased to Meet Me album, produced by Jim Dickinson in Memphis.
On March 17, 2010, Alex Chilton died of an apparent heart attack in a hospital in New Orleans. He was 59.
All Of You
Alex Chilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love the look(s) of you, (and) the lure of you
The sweet of you, and the pure of you The eyes,
The arms, and the (that) mouth of you The east,
West, north, and the (that) south of you
I'd love to gain complete control of you Handle
Small percent of me do 'Cause (Because) I love all
Of you
The lyrics to Alex Chilton's song All of You showcase a timeless and passionate expression of love. The song takes a deep dive into the physical and emotional attributes of the person he loves. The first line of the song, "I love the looks of you," suggests that the physical appearance of the person he loves has a compelling impact on him. The mention of the east, west, north, and south of the person indicates that they encompass everything about them. The "sweet of you" and "pure of you" suggest that the person not only looks physically attractive, but also possesses an inner beauty that appeals to the singer.
The second paragraph of the song expresses the desire to have complete control over the person he loves, even gaining access to the heart and soul of them. This indicates a deep connection that goes beyond surface-level attraction. The line "Love at least a small percent of me do" suggests that the person he loves might not reciprocate his feelings entirely. However, the singer's love for the person is complete, and he is willing to accept even a small part of their affection.
Overall, Alex Chilton's song All of You captures the essence of a deep and passionate love that goes beyond surface-level attraction. The lyrics provide an insightful interpretation of the complexity of love, conveying both physical and emotional aspects of it.
Line by Line Meaning
I love the look(s) of you, (and) the lure of you
I am deeply attracted to your appearance and charisma.
The sweet of you, and the pure of you
Your personality is as sweet and genuine as your physical qualities.
The eyes, The arms, and the (that) mouth of you
Your eyes, arms, and mouth are some of the features that I love about you.
The east, West, north, and the (that) south of you
I am enchanted by every aspect of you, from every direction.
I'd love to gain complete control of you
I desire to have complete power and influence over your life.
Handle Even the heart and soul of you
I want to possess every part of you, including your emotions and deepest thoughts.
Love at least a Small percent of me do
I hope that you reciprocate my affection to some extent.
'Cause (Because) I love all Of you
The reason behind my intense desire for you is I love every part of you.
Contributed by Adalyn N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.