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.

Single Again
Alex Chilton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Stewart

Today, I heard the awful news
Someone told the gospel truth
Said you've been running 'round
With a stranger who just hit town.

He's got a black mustache and a red Cadillac

Now he's got you and I've got two
Divorce lawyers on my back.

Single again, back on the streets again
The old bars ain't changed much
Just a new face or two when you're out of touch.

Single again, born to lose, dying to win
The only thing I'm running from is the alimony man
Because I'm single again.

Drifting around from bar to bar
Running into our old friends, they won't know where ya are.
Last I heard, a little while back, you were cruising town in his Cadillac
Drinkin' champagne, showing off a diamond ring
I'm getting by in these hard times livin' from drink to drink.

Single again, back on the streets again
The old bars ain't changed much, just a new face or two
When you're out of touch.

Single again, born to lose, dying to win

The only thing I'm a'running from is the alimony man
'Cause I'm single again.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Alex Chilton's song "Single Again" describe the pain of being left alone after a partner cheats on them. The song tells a story of the singer who has just heard the news of his partner's infidelity. The news is devastating, and the singer is torn between anger and sadness, trying to make sense of the situation. The new lover is described as a stranger with a black mustache and a red Cadillac, and he has taken away the singer's partner. The singer is left with two divorce lawyers on his back, trying to sort out the legal mess that comes with ending a marriage.

The song captures the feeling of being alone in a world that seems to have no place for you. The singer roams around from bar to bar, hoping to find solace in alcohol and the company of old friends. However, nothing seems to ease the pain of being single again. The singer is "born to lose, dying to win," indicating that despite the despair, there is still hope for a better future.

Overall, "Single Again" is a poignant and emotional song that deals with the universal theme of heartbreak and loss. It speaks to anyone who has been betrayed by a loved one and left to pick up the pieces of a broken heart.

Line by Line Meaning

Today, I heard the awful news
Today, I learned the terrible truth

Someone told the gospel truth
Someone gave an honest report

Said you've been running 'round
Said you've been seeing other people

With a stranger who just hit town.
With someone new to the area

He's got a black mustache and a red Cadillac
He has distinct physical features and an expensive car

Now he's got you and I've got two
He has you, and I have two divorce lawyers to deal with

Divorce lawyers on my back.
I'm dealing with legal problems

Single again, back on the streets again
I'm single and back to living on my own

The old bars ain't changed much
The familiar bars I used to visit are mostly the same

Just a new face or two when you're out of touch.
Only a few unfamiliar people when you haven't been around

Single again, born to lose, dying to win
I'm single again and struggling to succeed but determined to try