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 the Time
Alex Chilton Lyrics
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My thinking's in the attic, and it's no use to me
When I'm going to the drug store, just to pick up a script
As soon as I go out, forget what I'm about
(WHY?) Because...
All of the time, you're on my mind
Your eyes are smiling, all the time
I'm going to the studio, to record me a song
I dream of Rudy Valentino and how to lead you along,
And when I'm flying on an aeroplane up in the clouds
And I'm over 30, 000, baby floating around
(WHY?) Because...
All of the time, you're on my mind
You look so fine, all the time
Your eyes are smiling, all the time
Si si, Chiquita Banana, she say "Wait til manana"
Radio station said be patient, but we can't wait that long
Get this, now...
All of the time, you're on my mind
You look too fine, all the time
It's been too long, but I don't mind
(All the time, all the time)
The song "All of the Time" by Alex Chilton is about infatuation and the loss of direction that occurs when someone is constantly on your mind. The singer feels like he is constantly in a state of distraction and is unable to focus on anything else. The first verse speaks to the disorientating effect that love can have on someone. The singer's mind is "like static on a late-night TV" and "in the attic" - a place where things are kept out of sight and out of mind. He compares going to the drug store to "pick up a script" to an attempt to ground himself, but as soon as he leaves, he forgets everything because his mind is elsewhere. The chorus then explains this state of mind - all of the time the object of his affection is on his mind, she looks so fine, and her eyes are always smiling.
In the second verse, the singer seeks refuge in his work. He is going to the studio to record a song, but even there, he is unable to escape thoughts of his crush. He dreams of Rudy Valentino, a famous seducer from the silent film era, and thinks about how to lead his desired partner along. The singer then shifts to a more fantastical scenario - he imagines himself on an airplane, high above the clouds, but still, she is on his mind. The line "over 30,000, baby, floating around" speaks to the singer's own sense of aimlessness.
The final verse takes a surreal turn, with the singer referencing the Chiquita Banana jingle and a radio station telling him to "be patient." The effect is to underline the singer's sense of waiting and longing, and his awareness that he is perhaps being unrealistic in his expectations. Nonetheless, he is unable to shake his feelings for this person, and as the final line suggests, he doesn't mind all the time he spends thinking about her.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I shake like static, on a late-night TV
I am nervous and uneasy most of the time, just like the static displayed on a late-night TV screen.
My thinking's in the attic, and it's no use to me
My thoughts are stuck in my head and seem to be of no help to me.
When I'm going to the drug store, just to pick up a script
Sometimes, I go out to buy medicine, but most of the time, I forget what I came for immediately.
As soon as I go out, forget what I'm about
I tend to forget my purpose for being someplace as soon as I leave.
All of the time, you're on my mind
You are always on my mind, without exception.
You look so fine, all the time
You exude beauty and poise regularly, all of the time.
Your eyes are smiling, all the time
Your eyes have a perpetual and infectious smile.
I'm going to the studio, to record me a song
I am on my way to the music studio to record a song.
I dream of Rudy Valentino and how to lead you along
I envision myself as a romantic leading man like Rudy Valentino and contemplate ways to woo you affectionately.
And when I'm flying on an aeroplane up in the clouds
When I am several thousand feet above the ground up in an airplane, soaring through the clouds.
And I'm over 30, 000, baby floating around
Although I may be over 30,000 feet high, my thoughts are still centered around you.
Si si, Chiquita Banana, she say "Wait til manana"
Chiquita Banana says, "wait until tomorrow."
Radio station said be patient, but we can't wait that long
The radio station told us to wait, but we cannot wait that long.
You look too fine, all the time
You look so good all the time, almost beyond what's necessary.
It's been too long, but I don't mind
It has been a while since we were last together, but I'm not overly bothered by it.
Writer(s): William Alexander Chilton, Lesa Aldridge
Contributed by Caleb O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.