[edit]Track listing
All songs written by Alvin Lee, unless otherwise noted.
"The Sounds" - 4:13
"Rock Your Mama" - 3:02
"Hold Me Tight" - 2:20
"Standing at the Crossroads" (Elmore James, Robert Johnson)- 4:03
"Portable People" - 2:15
"Boogie On" - 14:31
"Spider in My Web" - 7:19 (not in the original vinyl version)
"Hear Me Calling" - 3:48 (not in the original vinyl version)
"I'm Going Home" - 3:37 (not in the original vinyl version)
[edit]Personnel
Alvin Lee - guitar, vocals
Chick Churchill - organ
Ric Lee - drums
Leo Lyons - bass
Standing at the Crossroads
Alvin Lee & Company Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With my head hung down and cryin'
Well I'm standin' at the crossroads,
With my head hung down and cryin'
Well I was thinkin' about my baby,
And I know she can't be found
I work hard for my baby,
I work hard for my baby,
And she treats me like a slave
Well she was be tired of livin',
I'll put her six feet in the grave
Well I'm standin' at the crossroads,
And my baby's not around
Well I'm standin' at the crossroads,
And my baby's not around
I began to wonder,
If this is Elmore's second down
I' standin' here waitin' baby,
With my heart right in my hand
I' standin' here waitin' baby,
With my heart right in my hand
I'm thinkin' about my baby,
And she's out with another man
In Alvin Lee & Company's song Standing at the Crossroads, the lyrics speak to the pain of heartbreak and betrayal. The singer is standing at a crossroads, feeling lost and helpless because his lover has left him for someone else. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation and resignation, as the singer reflects on his relationship with his lover, who he feels has treated him poorly despite his hard work and devotion. He is struggling to come to terms with his situation, feeling unsure if he can go on without his lover by his side.
The imagery of standing at a crossroads is significant because it signifies a moment of decision-making or change. The singer is at a crossroads in his life, unsure which path to take or how to move forward. He is consumed by thoughts of his lover, who he knows he cannot be with, yet he still longs for her. The lines "I'm thinkin' about my baby/ And she's out with another man" capture the pain of seeing someone you love with someone else.
Overall, the lyrics to "Standing at the Crossroads" convey the feeling of being stuck in a difficult situation, unable to move forward or leave the past behind. The singer is struggling to come to grips with the loss of his lover, and the pain of heartbreak is palpable.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm standin' at the crossroads,
With my head hung down and cryin'
I am in a state of despair and confusion, unsure about the next steps I should take in my life.
Well I was thinkin' about my baby,
And I know she can't be found
I am worried about my partner, who has disappeared, and I am unsure if they will ever come back to me.
I work hard for my baby,
And she treats me like a slave
Despite my efforts to provide for my partner, they do not appreciate my hard work and instead mistreat me.
Well she was be tired of livin',
I'll put her six feet in the grave
If my partner continues to behave badly towards me, I may be tempted to take more drastic actions.
I began to wonder,
If this is Elmore's second down
In my current state of confusion and frustration, I question whether I am facing an irreversible turning point in my life.
I' standin' here waitin' baby,
With my heart right in my hand
I am feeling vulnerable and exposed, waiting for my partner to return and unsure of what the future holds.
I'm thinkin' about my baby,
And she's out with another man
I am consumed with jealousy and sadness, knowing that my partner is spending time with someone else instead of being with me.
Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lpmgato1
As a 70 year old life time blues/blues rock aficionado, I've felt since the 1960s that Alvin Lee and Ten Years After were always underrated. They were a true super band.
Marsha oshea
I absolutely love the great guitar solos in this song awesome sound!!!!
Marsha Oshea Needham
SUCH GREAT GUITAR WORK BY MR. LEE
Lynettjames
This is one of my favourite songs from that era. Fantastic guitar playing from Alvin! Still have the original LP albeit in nt very good condition being played on an old record player that dug out the grooves!!
ŞągittąriuŞ
In memory : Alvin - legendary guitarist of the BEST period Rock`s 70`s
MrSjong
Great swinging stuff !
nash984954
Some songs are really so underrated. Cream and others did a version and frankly Alvin Lee's is better IMHO. Then there's Good morning Little Schoolgirl where long jams and riffs like those no longer can be heard today. And while I'm blabbing here BlackSabbath 1st album had some fancy guitar work as well, also underrated IMHO, though Ozzy really is not my favorite artist, the band was pretty decent.
PocoDead
Clapton is god; but Alvin is Lightnin'!
londonuk70
Exactly, if Clapton is God, Alvin was the one who let him exist
Ricardo Correa
So cruel and so refined at the same time ! All the echoes of howling great real bluesmen songs are here ( or working songs as some would prefer ! ) Pipl loose time competing but what it really worth a living is : lives the best this artist left us n their real mesgs !