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.
volare
Alex Chilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And in the hustle and bustle, no sunshine appears
But you and I have our love always there to remind us
There is a way we can leave all the shadows behind us
Volare, oh, oh! Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh!
Let's fly way up to the clouds, away from the maddening crowds
We can sing in the glow of a star that I know of
Where lovers enjoy peace of mind
Just like birds of a feather a rainbow together we'll find
Volare, oh, oh! Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh!
No wonder my happy heart sings
Your love has given me wings
Your love has given me wings
The opening lines of Alex Chilton's song Volare sets a gloomy image of the world, filled with heartaches and tears. However, amidst all this chaos, the singer finds solace in the love he shares with his partner. He believes that their love is a beacon of hope, reminding them that they can rise above the shadows and find peace. The chorus of "Volare, oh, oh! Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh!" is a call to soar above the mundane and find joy in the beauty of love. The lyrics paint a picture of two lovers flying away from the hustle and bustle of the world, singing under a glowing star that assures them they have each other, and share peace of mind. The song inspires the lovers to leave behind the confusion and disillusion of life and find their own rainbow together.
Chilton's song Volare captures the essence of a carefree romance, where love becomes a source of joy and strength. The use of "Volare, oh, oh! Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh!" in the chorus is a tribute to the 1958 Italian song by Domenico Modugno. Interestingly, Volare was Chilton's only top 100 hit in the US and the song became an instant hit on the American Top 40 chart. The song has been covered by several artists globally; the most notable being Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. The upbeat Italian lyrics were translated into several languages, making it one of the most widely recognized international songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes the world is a valley of heartaches and tears
Occasionally life is full of sadness and misery
And in the hustle and bustle, no sunshine appears
When life gets busy, it is difficult to find joy
But you and I have our love always there to remind us
Despite hardships, our love helps us to remember what is important
There is a way we can leave all the shadows behind us
We have the ability to escape negativity and move towards positivity
Volare, oh, oh! Cantare, oh, oh, oh, oh!
Let's fly and sing together
Let's fly way up to the clouds, away from the maddening crowds
We should escape from the chaos of the world and find peace
We can sing in the glow of a star that I know of
Together we can enjoy the beauty of the night sky
Where lovers enjoy peace of mind
In this peaceful place, lovers can relax and be happy
Let us leave the confusion and all disillusion behind
We should forget about our worries and focus on love and happiness
Just like birds of a feather a rainbow together we'll find
We will find joy and beauty together, united by our love
No wonder my happy heart sings
It's no surprise that I am happy and content
Your love has given me wings
Your love has given me the ability to soar and be free
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Domenico Modugno, Franco Migliacci
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daisy Glaze
Love hearing Alex sing Italian. Just found the Italian version he and the Box Tops did of 'Cry Like a Baby' (Mi Sento Felice). Never knew that existed til today.
Melodye Sweetin
LOVE THIS ALBUM !!!!!! Sure do miss Alex ;(
Олег Викторов
Esibizione bellissima e toccante della canzone! Mi è davvero piaciuto!
Francis Arbelo
Saw him do this at GW University. He was great!!!
Francis Arbelo
I think it was 1983.....
gazoontight
I haven't heard this in almost 30 years. Thanks for posting.
Sperber William Jerome
Saint Alex hit the road... rip.
Daniel Stoddart
RIP, Alex. :-(
Cindy
Bobby Rydell sang it first!!!🎶🎶
Kris Scanlon
Now there ya go probably his influence makes sense