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.

With a Girl Like You
Alex Chilton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sora o mi agete goran
Mou sugu mo owaru
Hoshito tsuki to taiyou mou
Shizukani kiwoshiteru
Saa hajime yo
Kanishimo wo tsutete
Yoro kobi no hana saite iru
Ano basho kara

Nagareru komo no hou we hikari ga
Terashi dasu hoy ni
Nee darling mou nani mo kowakunai
Anata ga iru kara
Namida wo fuite goran
Atarshii asa no uta
Mabushi hodou ni hikaro
Shizuka nai no melody
Tamera wa su ni
Sono te wo no bashite
Eien no signal kibou ga tada you
Ano basho eto
Kawai ta namida no ato hikariga
Terashi dasu mirai

Nee darling mou nani mo kowakunai
Anata to iru kara

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Alex Chilton's song With A Girl Like You capture a moment of pure joy and love. The Japanese words at the beginning of the song can be translated to "Look up at the sky, it will end soon. The stars and the moon are already quietly setting. Let's start now, holding onto each other's pain. Flowers of happiness are blooming from that place. The light shines on the side of the flowing river." The song continues with the chorus singing "Hey darling, I'm not afraid of anything anymore because you're here. Wipe away your tears and listen to the melody of the new morning. The bright path shines on the silent street. Take my hand and I'll give you an eternal signal of hope. The light shines on the future."

The song's lyrics are incredibly optimistic and romantic, highlighting the beauty of love and the hope that it brings even in the face of ending skies and tears. The use of Japanese phrases alongside the English lyrics adds a layer of mystery and exoticism. The song's rock and roll sound combined with the uplifting lyrics make it a perfect dance track that celebrates love and all the happiness that it brings.

Line by Line Meaning

Sora o mi agete goran
Look up at the sky and see

Mou sugu mo owaru
It's almost over soon

Hoshito tsuki to taiyou mou
The stars, moon, and sun already

Shizukani kiwoshiteru
Quietly watch over us

Saa hajime yo
Alright, let's start now

Kanishimo wo tsutete
Hold onto your sadness

Yoro kobi no hana saite iru
The flowers of joy are blooming

Ano basho kara
From that place

Nagareru komo no hou we hikari ga
Light shines on the flowing clouds

Terashi dasu hoy ni
Illuminating everything

Nee darling mou nani mo kowakunai
Hey darling, I'm not afraid of anything anymore