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.
The EMI Song
Alex Chilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when I'm sad, you've made me so
See my face, I'm crying for you
Won't you smile for me
The sky is bright and filled with blue
See the light that shines for you
Feel my love and let it surround you
You make my life with things you do
All my joys are sent from you
The songs I sing are songs for you
Please make them be glad
When you smile, you make the world glow
And when I'm sad, you've made me so
See my face, I'm crying for you
Won't you smile for me
The lyrics to Alex Chilton's song "The EMI Song" depict the power of a smile to turn sadness into happiness. The first two lines illustrate this power - when someone smiles, they have the ability to make the entire world light up, even when we are feeling down. The following lines speak to a specific person who has this power over the singer - "when I'm sad, you've made me so" implies that this person has the ability to affect the singer's emotional state in a profound way.
The chorus of the song is a plea for this person to smile for the singer - "see my face, I'm crying for you / won't you smile for me". This demonstrates that the power of a smile is reciprocal - if someone is sad, seeing someone they care about smile can bring them joy as well. The second verse reiterates the power of love and the connection between the singer and the person they are addressing - "feel my love and let it surround you / and come and talk to me". The final lines talk about how this person has given the singer so much joy and inspiration that all the songs the singer writes are for them.
Overall, "The EMI Song" is a simple but heartfelt tribute to the power of love and a simple smile to bring joy and happiness to others.
Line by Line Meaning
When you smile, you make the world glow
Your smile has the power to make everyone around you happy and brighten up their day.
And when I'm sad, you've made me so
You have the ability to control my happiness as even a slight change in your demeanor can impact my mood negatively or positively.
See my face, I'm crying for you
I wear my heart on my sleeve and my emotions are greatly connected with yours. Your sadness affects me deeply and makes me equally miserable.
Won't you smile for me
I implore you to cheer up and turn that frown upside down for me. Your smile is all I need to feel happy myself.
The sky is bright and filled with blue
The world is a beautiful place and your presence makes it even more so. You bring color and life to my surroundings.
See the light that shines for you
There is positivity, hope, and love all around you. I want you to notice them, embrace them, and know that they are present in your life.
Feel my love and let it surround you
I have an immense amount of love for you and I want it to encompass and overwhelm you. I want you to feel the full extent of my affection for you.
And come and talk to me
I want you to communicate with me openly and honestly. I am here to listen, to comfort you, and to make you feel better.
You make my life with things you do
You have a significant impact on my life and everything you do brings value and meaning to it.
All my joys are sent from you
You are the source of all my happiness and I cherish every moment spent with you. You bring light and love to my life.
The songs I sing are songs for you
Every melody that comes out of my mouth is dedicated to you. You inspire me every day and I want to express my feelings through song.
Please make them be glad
I hope that my songs can make you feel happy and appreciated. I want you to know that you are loved and that you have a positive impact on my life.
Writer(s): William Alexander Chilton
Contributed by Hannah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@zonkster909
Chilton at what? 19 or 20? The most underrated songwriter in history.
@xtc1957
Gorgeous, as one might expect in one form or another, from the late and very great Alex Chilton. The world is a colder place without him and Chris Bell.
@zuider77
Fascinating!! You can hear an early intimation of Big Star. Genius.
@MrAMO73
How this wasn't first released until 25 odd years after it was recorded defies belief.
@artswatch
VF, EMI had nothing to do with it, rights-wise. LX started writing the song inside Abbey Road Studios' Studio One when visiting there. He brought the partial song back to Memphis where we finished it, and we called it "EMI..."
@normexclamation
+artswatch Can you tell me what is going on with the drums starting at 2:18? Did y'all have access to a harmonizer?
@artswatch
+Norman Albertson At that point a "snare double" starts, white noise "hit" from the Moog IIIC synthesizer which I played manually. Also the tambourine is playing there.
@normexclamation
+artswatch Very cool sound. (But then the album is full of them!) Thanks so much for taking the time to reply.
@ronbo11
Sounds excellent - I'll have to drop in on my favorite music emporium seemingly!
@IuganProduction
... EXCELLENT...