Alex Chilton (Memphis, Tennessee, December 28, 1950 – New Orleans, Louisian… Read Full Bio ↴Alex Chilton (Memphis, Tennessee, December 28, 1950 – New Orleans, Louisiana, March 17, 2010) was an American songwriter, guitarist, singer, and producer, best known for his work with the pop-music bands The Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton's early commercial sales success in the 1960s as a teen vocalist for The Box Tops was not repeated in later years with Big Star and in his indie music solo career on small labels like Last Call Records, New Rose, Razor and Tie, Bar/None, and others, but he did draw a loyal following in the indie and alternative music fields.

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.

Girl After Girl
Alex Chilton Lyrics

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Poppa do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day ron day ooh.
I got it bad for the New Girl In School,
The guys are flippin' but I'm playing it cool.
Ev'rybody's passin' notes in class,
They really dig her now she's such a gas.
Ooh, ooh, Do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
Ooh, I got it bad, poppa do ron day ron day, ooh,

The chicks are jealous of the New Girl In School,
They put her down and they treat her so cruel;
But the guys are goin' out of their minds,
But she's the finest girl you'll ever find.
Ooh, ooh, Do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
Ooh, I got it bad, poppa do ron day ron day, ooh.

Ooh, ooh, Do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
Ooh, I got it bad, poppa do ron day ron day, ooh,
It won't be long till we're havin' a ball,
We'll walk and talk and hold hands in the hall.
Never thought I'd make it through this year,
Sure was a drag till she transfer'd here.
Ooh, ooh, Do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day,
Ooh, I got it bad, poppa do ron day ron day, ooh,
I got it bad for the New Girl In School.

I got it bad for the New Girl In School.
I got it bad for the New Girl In School.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Alex Chilton’s song "New Girl in School" describe the experience of a boy who has a crush on a new girl at his school. The boys are all "flippin'" for her, while the girls are "jealous" and "put her down." Despite the social dynamics at play, the boy is "playing it cool" and dreaming of holding hands with her in the hall.

The repetition of "do ron day ron day" throughout the song provides a sense of excitement and urgency. It feels like the boy’s heart is beating faster whenever he thinks of the new girl. The chorus emphasizes the intensity of his feelings, as he keeps repeating that he’s got it bad for her.

What's particularly interesting about this song is its catchy pop melody and the way it captures a youthful feeling of excitement and longing. The lyrics convey the mix of emotions that comes with a new crush: a mix of nerves, expectancy, and hope. The song is a classic example of 1960s pop, with its upbeat tempo and catchy vocal harmonies, and it stands the test of time as a nostalgic ode to adolescence.

Line by Line Meaning

Poppa do ron day ron day, do ron day ron day ron day ooh.
Humming a tune to himself.

I got it bad for the New Girl In School,
He is infatuated with the new girl in school.

The guys are flippin' but I'm playing it cool.
Other guys are attracted to her, but he is trying to act calm about it.

Ev'rybody's passin' notes in class,
Everyone is gossiping about her.

They really dig her now she's such a gas.
They like her because she is fun and exciting.

The chicks are jealous of the New Girl In School,
Other girls are envious of her.

They put her down and they treat her so cruel;
They bully her and are mean to her.

But the guys are goin' out of their minds,
The other guys are going crazy over her.

But she's the finest girl you'll ever find.
He believes she is the best girl in the school.

It won't be long till we're havin' a ball,
He is looking forward to spending time with her.

We'll walk and talk and hold hands in the hall.
He imagines romantic and affectionate moments with her.

Never thought I'd make it through this year,
He had a tough time before she arrived.

Sure was a drag till she transfer'd here.
He is glad that she transferred to their school.

I got it bad for the New Girl In School.
He is still really into her and can't stop thinking about her.

I got it bad for the New Girl In School.
He repeats that he is infatuated with her.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB NORMAN, BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, JAN BERRY, ROGER VAL CHRISTIAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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