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.
Somewhere Along the Way
Alex Chilton Lyrics
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I used to walk with you along the avenue
Our hearts were carefree and gay
How could I know I'd lose you somewhere along the way ?
The friends we used to know would always smile hello
No love like our love theyd say
I should forget but with the loneliness of night
I start remembering everything
Youre gone and yet there's still a feeling deep inside
That you will always be part of me.
So now I look for you along the avenue
And as I wander I pray
That some day soon I'll find you somewhere along the way.
I should forget but with the loneliness of night
I start remembering everything
Youre gone and yet there's still a feeling deep inside
That you will always be part of me.
So now I look for you along the avenue
And as I wander I pray
That some day soon I'll find you somewhere along the way.
Somewhere along the way.
The song 'Somewhere Along the Way' by Alex Chilton is a melancholic tune about lost love. The song begins with the singer reminiscing about walking with their lover along the avenue, with a heart that was carefree and happy. But then, somewhere along the way, the love was lost, and the singer can’t trace back to when, where or how the love was lost. The singer remembers the friends who once envied their love but now realises that they, too, could not have done anything to hold onto the love. The song is a lament about the pain that comes from being separated from someone who was once an essential part of their life. The singer is at odds with how to cope with the void that their lover's departure has left in their life.
The singer acknowledges that they should forget the lost love, but the loneliness of the night keeps their memories of the lost love fresh in their mind. The song portrays the singer as a wanderer, continually searching for their lover along the avenue, living with the hope that they might find their lover again. Even though the lover is gone, the singer still feels a connection to them and believes that they will always be a part of them. The song ends with the singer’s hopeful search, culminating in one day finding them “somewhere along the way.”
Line by Line Meaning
I used to walk with you along the avenue
In the past, I often strolled alongside you on the avenue.
Our hearts were carefree and gay
At the time, we were both happy and free-spirited.
How could I know I'd lose you somewhere along the way ?
I couldn't have predicted that I would lose you at some point in the future.
The friends we used to know would always smile hello
Our old acquaintances would greet us with a warm smile every time they saw us.
No love like our love theyd say
These individuals admired our love and perceived it as unique and special.
Then love slipped through our fingers somewhere along the way.
Unfortunately, our love dissipated and became something we couldn't hold onto.
I should forget but with the loneliness of night
Although it would be best to move on, during solitary moments, memories resurface.
I start remembering everything
Suddenly, I recall every aspect of our relationship.
Youre gone and yet there's still a feeling deep inside
Despite your absence, emotions continue to linger inside of me.
That you will always be part of me.
You will forever hold a special place within my heart.
So now I look for you along the avenue
Presently, I search for you as I retrace our old steps.
And as I wander I pray
While I wander, I hope with utter sincerity.
That some day soon I'll find you somewhere along the way.
In the future, it is my wish to unexpectedly encounter you once again.
Somewhere along the way.
At some point during this journey.
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.