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.

nighttime
Alex Chilton Lyrics

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At nightime I go out and see the people
Air goes cool and hurrying on my way
And dressing so sweet, all the people to see
They're looking at me, all the people to see.
And when I set my eyes on you
You look like a kitty
And when you're in the moon
Oh you look so pretty

Caught a glance in your eyes
And fell through the skies
Glance in your eyes
And fell through the skies
I'm walking down the freezing street
Scarf goes out behind
You said, "Get them away"
Please don't say a word
"Get me out of here
Get me out of here
I hate it here
Get me out of here"
At nightime I go out and see the people
Air goes cool and hurrying on my way

Glanced in your eyes and fell through the skies
Dance in your eyes and fell through the skies

Overall Meaning

The song "Nighttime" by Alex Chilton creates a vivid picture of a person walking down the street, enjoying the cool night air, and seeing all the people around them. The singer is dressed up nicely and enjoys the attention they are receiving from those around them. When they see someone they are interested in, the person is compared to a kitten and described as pretty under the moonlight. The lyrics then take a darker turn when the singer hears someone say "Get me out of here," indicating that perhaps the night isn't as magical for everyone as it is for the singer. The repetition of the lines "Glance in your eyes and fell through the skies, dance in your eyes and fell through the skies" suggest that the singer has been enchanted by this person they have seen and is caught up in the emotions of the moment.

The haunting melody and introspective lyrics of "Nighttime" convey a feeling of loneliness and melancholy. The song explores the contrast between the joy of nighttime wanderings and the isolation that can come with them. The repetition of the phrase "Get me out of here" adds to the sense of being trapped or stuck in a situation that one can't escape from.

Line by Line Meaning

At nightime I go out and see the people
During the night, I go out and observe the people

Air goes cool and hurrying on my way
The atmosphere feels cold and I hurry to my destination

And dressing so sweet, all the people to see
The people are wearing elaborate outfits to showcase themselves

They're looking at me, all the people to see.
The people are staring at me with curiosity

And when I set my eyes on you
When I look at you

You look like a kitty
You resemble a cat

And when you're in the moon
When you are under the moonlight

Oh you look so pretty
You appear very attractive

Caught a glance in your eyes
I briefly gazed into your eyes

And fell through the skies
I felt entranced or infatuated with you

Glance in your eyes
A quick look into your eyes