The band initially formed as the Classics (1964) in Vancouver, British Columbia, but later changed the name to the Collectors (1966). Their psychedelic debut album yielded the minor but long-remembered hit 'Lydia Purple'. A second album was based on the musical score written by the band for a stage play by Canadian playwright George Ryga, 'Grass and Wild Strawberries'.
After lead singer Howie Vickers left the group in 1970, the band changed its name to Chilliwack, a Salish term meaning "going back up". With lead guitarist Bill Henderson now providing most of the vocals and doing most of the composing, the band released several records that were moderately successful in Canada. Major hit singles in Canada included "Lonesome Mary", "Crazy Talk" and "Fly at Night". The album track "Rain-o", an elegant, soaring, blues-based composition that appeared in different versions on the Chilliwack debut album and the later "Dreams, Dreams, Dreams", was a well known concert favourite.
In 1978, Brian MacLeod (guitar, drums, keyboards) and Ab Bryant (bass) joined the band. Chilliwack enjoyed its greatest success with this new lineup. The singles "My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)" (1981), "I Believe" (1982), and "Whatcha Gonna Do (When I'm Gone)" (1982) were popular both in Canada and in the U.S. The band was extremely popular at the time, and was regarded as the Canadian answer to the Grateful Dead. Rolling Stone Magazine wrote:
"At their best, Chilliwack was the finest Canadian rock band, outrocking BTO and Moxy and outwriting Burton Cummings. But a lack of consistency kept it from international success."
Henderson and MacLeod received a Best Producer Juno Award in 1982 for Opus X. In early 1983, MacLeod and Bryant left the band, to devote more time to their other project, the Headpins (with Denise McCann and then Darby Mills as lead vocalists). Chilliwack's last new recording was released in 1984 and Henderson and Lawrence continued to tour with other players until December 1988. In 1989 Bill Henderson went on to form the band UHF.
2005 saw Chilliwack play Voyageur Days Festival in Mattawa, Ontario, Canada (near North Bay) with other Canadian classic rockers Moxy, Toronto, Trooper, Goddo, Killer Dwarfs & Ray Lyell for the 30th anniversary for release of the debut album by the band Moxy.
My Girl
Chilliwack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sure feel all alone
A little misunderstanding
I can't get her on the telephone
Hanging out down on Main Street
Living in a different world
Standing around with the gang on the corner
Talking about my girl
My girl, she was the world to me
She's gone, away across the street
My girl, is just a memory
She's been so long away
She didn't have to leave me
She didn't have to run
She didn't have to go without a word to anyone
I hope she's doing alright
I got no way to know
Unless she gets to hear this song
Hear it on the radio
My girl, she was the world to me
She's gone, and that's a tragedy
My girl, is just a memory
She's been so long away
I hope she gets the message
Got to get back, you know
Gonna track her down, I'll find that girl
Gonna tell her that I love her so
Put the word on the grapevine
Spread it all around the world
Sooner or later I know I'm gonna get her
I'm talking about my girl
My girl
My girl [Repeat x12]
The Chilliwack song 'My Girl' tells the story of a man who has been left by his girlfriend, and he is struggling to move on. He feels lonely and misunderstood, and he cannot even get her on the phone to talk things over. He spends most of his time hanging out with his friends on Main Street, but the world feels different and empty without her. The only thing that brings him some solace is talking about her with his friends.
The man reflects on how his girl used to be the center of his world, but now she has become a memory, and she has been gone for so long. He wonders what went wrong, and why she had to leave him without saying anything. He hopes that she is doing okay, and he feels like the only way he can send her a message is through the song that he hopes she will hear on the radio.
Towards the end of the song, the man becomes determined to find his girl and tell her that he loves her. He plans to put the word out on the grapevine and spread it around the world until he finally gets to her. The repetition of 'My Girl' highlights just how much she still means to him, and how important it is to get her back in his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since left me
Since she left me, I have felt lonely.
I sure feel all alone
I feel completely isolated.
A little misunderstanding
Our breakup was caused by a small miscommunication.
I can't get her on the telephone
I have been unable to contact her via phone.
Hanging out down on Main Street
I spend my time on the main street in my town.
Living in a different world
I feel disconnected from the rest of the world.
Standing around with the gang on the corner
I hang out on the street corner with my friends.
Talking about my girl
We talk about my ex-girlfriend.
My girl, she was the world to me
My ex-girlfriend was everything to me.
She's gone, away across the street
She has moved away from me, but is still in the same neighborhood.
My girl, is just a memory
My ex-girlfriend is only a memory now.
She's been so long away
She has been gone for a long time.
She didn't have to leave me
We didn't have to break up.
She didn't have to run
She didn't have to leave so suddenly.
She didn't have to go without a word to anyone
She didn't have to leave without saying anything to me or anyone else.
I hope she's doing alright
I hope she is doing well after our breakup.
I got no way to know
I have no way of finding out how she is doing.
Unless she gets to hear this song
Unless she hears this song, she won't know how I feel.
Hear it on the radio
She might hear the song on the radio.
My girl, she was the world to me
My ex-girlfriend was everything to me.
She's gone, and that's a tragedy
Her leaving is a tragic event for me.
My girl, is just a memory
My ex-girlfriend is only a memory now.
She's been so long away
She has been gone for a long time.
I hope she gets the message
I hope she hears the message that I love her.
Got to get back, you know
I have to find a way to get her back.
Gonna track her down, I'll find that girl
I am determined to find her.
Gonna tell her that I love her so
When I find her, I will confess my love for her.
Put the word on the grapevine
I will spread the word about my search over gossip networks.
Spread it all around the world
I want people worldwide to know that I am looking for her.
Sooner or later I know I'm gonna get her
I am confident that I will find her eventually.
I'm talking about my girl
I am referring to my ex-girlfriend.
My girl
My ex-girlfriend.
My girl [Repeat x12]
Repeat the phrase 'my girl' 12 times.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN MACLEOD, WILLIAM HENDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lynn
on Groundhog
Ground hog. Ground hog
What makes your back so brown?
I been living in the ground so darn long
It's a wonder I go round round
It's a wonder I go round
It's a wonder I go round round
It's a wonder I go round.
Red bird. Red bird
What makes your head so red?
I been picking your corn all day long,
It's a wonder I ain't dead yet
It's a wonder I ain't dead
It's a wonder I ain't dead yet
It's a wonder I ain't dead.
Rattlesnake, rattlesnake
What makes your teeth so white?
I been lying in the sun all day long
You're lucky I don't bite bite
You're lucky I don't bite
You're lucky I don't bite bite
You're lucky I don't bite
Muskrat, muskrat
What makes you smell so bad?
I been living in the ground all my life
I'm bonafide if I did did
Bonafide if I did
Bonafide if I did did
Bonafide if I did