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.
Don't Know Anymore
Alex Chilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I’m tangled up in this thing
Because your lovin’
Makes me ting-a ling-a ling
But baby I’ve cried ‘til my heart got sore
Cause you lied and lied
‘til I don’t know anymore
What will I do
I’ve searched high and low
Can’t find somebody new
Where will I go
What will I do
I’ve searched high and Low
Can’t find somebody new
What makes it sad
Is I tried so hard
I wanted you so bad
That I wasn’t very smart
I tried to keep you happy
And give you love galore
But now I feel so sappy
‘til I don’t know anymore
In the song "Don't Know Anymore", Alex Chilton sings about the confusion and heartache that comes with a failing relationship. He admits to being tangled up in the relationship and unable to quit his lover, despite the lies that have caused him so much pain. The mention of his lover's "lovin'" making him "ting-a-ling-a ling" adds a playful element to an otherwise melancholy song.
Chilton expresses his uncertainty about the future, wondering where he will go and what he will do without his lover. He has searched high and low for someone new but has been unsuccessful. This highlights the struggle of moving on from a relationship that still holds a strong emotional grip.
The sadness in the lyrics is made even more poignant when Chilton reflects on how hard he tried to make the relationship work. He wanted his lover so badly that he was willing to do anything to keep her happy. However, despite his efforts, things still fell apart, leaving him feeling foolish and helpless.
Overall, the song captures the pain and confusion that come with the end of a relationship. It speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and the struggle to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I never wanted to quit you
I had no intentions of leaving you.
I’m tangled up in this thing
I'm completely caught up in this relationship.
Because your lovin’
Due to the way you love me.
Makes me ting-a ling-a ling
It fills me with joy and happiness.
But baby I’ve cried ‘til my heart got sore
I have shed tears until my heart was in physical pain.
Cause you lied and lied
The reason for my heartbreak is because you continuously lied to me.
‘til I don’t know anymore
It's gotten to the point where I am lost and confused.
Where will I go
I don't know where to turn.
What will I do
I have no idea what to do next.
I’ve searched high and low
I've looked everywhere.
Can’t find somebody new
But I can't seem to find anyone to replace you.
What makes it sad
The most tragic part of this situation is.
Is I tried so hard
I put a lot of effort into making things work.
I wanted you so bad
I had a deep desire for you.
That I wasn’t very smart
Perhaps my desire for you clouded my judgement.
I tried to keep you happy
I did everything in my power to make you happy.
And give you love galore
I showered you with immense amounts of love.
But now I feel so sappy
However, now I'm filled with sadness and despair.
‘til I don’t know anymore
I am simply lost in my emotions.
Contributed by Elijah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.