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.
Watcha Gonna Do
Chilliwack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watcha gonna do
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
I must believe it's in your hands
I know you'll wait but for how long
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
When I'm away
You're going to have a good time
What can I say
Will you remember you're mine
What will you do
When they want to touch you
What will you do
When they want to get you
I know what they'll do
If you ever let em
Are you going to let em
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
(Watcha gonna do)
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
(Watcha gonna do)
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
When the boys all come to call
Will you take them in at all
Or will you send them all away
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Why don't you run
And do what you wanna do
Ain't nothing wrong
'Cause I'll be doing it too
If you give in, I don't wanna hear it
And if he wins, I don't wanna see it
Whatever you do, maybe you could hide it
Try to keep it quiet
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
And when it's night and I'm not there
When the cold is in the air
Will you make the best of it
With someone there to keep you warm
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Where you gonna be when I'm gone
Who will be with you
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Watcha gonna do
(Watcha gonna do now)
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
Where you gonna be
When I'm gone
(When I'm gone)
Who will be with you
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
The song "Watcha Gonna Do" by Chilliwack is about a man expressing his concerns to his significant other about what she will do when he is gone. He is leaving and he wants to know how she will handle herself in his absence. He asks her a series of questions, urging her to be honest with herself and with him. He wants to know if she will wait for him or move on. He also wants to know if she will be faithful to him or if she will give in to temptation from other men. The singer assumes that he will be missed and he wonders if his significant other will spend time with other men or if they will reject her. The song explores the uncertainty and anxiety of a lover's absence.
The song opens with the repetition of the song's title, suggesting that this is a question that is weighing heavily on the singer's mind. He is unsure of the future and wants reassurance that his significant other will remain loyal to him while he is gone. He tells her that there is no time to change plans and that he must have faith in her. He recognizes that waiting is difficult and he wants to know how long she will wait for him to return. The singer is aware that there will be other men who will try to capture his significant other's attention and he warns her that they may try to touch her or get her to leave him. He knows that if his significant other gives into temptation, he will not want to hear about it. He encourages her to do what she wants to do and to make the most of his absence.
At the end of the song, the singer asks his significant other where she will be when he is gone and who will be with her. The song concludes with the repetition of the song's title, emphasizing that the singer's absence is a significant issue and that he is not certain what will happen in his absence.
Line by Line Meaning
Watcha gonna do when I'm gone
What actions will you take when I am no longer here?
Watcha gonna do
What choices will you make?
There's no time for changing plans
There is not enough time to make different arrangements.
I must believe it's in your hands
I have to trust that you will handle the situation.
I know you'll wait but for how long
I understand that you will wait, but I do not know how long you will wait.
When I'm away
During my absence
You're going to have a good time
You will have an enjoyable experience.
What can I say
There is nothing else I can say about the situation.
Will you remember you're mine
Will you remember that I am your partner/lover?
What will you do
What choices or actions will you take?
When they want to touch you
When they want physical contact with you.
When they want to get you
When they want to have a relationship with you.
I know what they'll do
I am aware of what they will try to do.
If you ever let em
If you give them the opportunity to try.
Are you going to let em
Will you allow them to make advances on you?
When the boys all come to call
When other men come to visit.
Will you take them in at all
Will you let them inside your home or life in any way?
Or will you send them all away
Or will you reject them completely?
Why don't you run
Why not take the opportunity to do what you want?
And do what you wanna do
Make choices based on your own desires.
Ain't nothing wrong
There is nothing moraly objectionable with this.
Cause I'll be doing it too
I also plan to make choices based on my own desires.
If you give in, I don't wanna hear it
I don't want to know if you choose to pursue other people.
And if he wins, I don't wanna see it
I don't want to witness the success of other men making romantic advances on you.
Whatever you do, maybe you could hide it
If you choose to pursue other people, you could try to keep it secret.
Try to keep it quiet
Do not openly reveal your romantic pursuits.
When the cold is in the air
During a time of cold weather.
Will you make the best of it
Will you make the most of the situation?
With someone there to keep you warm
With another partner/lover to keep you warm.
Where you gonna be when I'm gone
What will be your location when I am no longer here?
Who will be with you
Who will be your partner/lover during my absence?
Contributed by Mateo V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Animal Lover
These guys were amazing as well as the Headpins. They should have been bigger then they were! These guys represent Canada to me!
labyfan1313
How did I not know this was Chilliwack all this time. I'm finally getting around to doing a deeper dive into all the Classic Rock bands I like so I can expand my music collection. It was obviously greatly needed.
R Roach
Another Great Canadian Band,great listening music and awsome guitar,
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1982 {November 13th} Chilliwack performed "Whatcha Gonna Do" on the ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
At the time "Whatcha Gonna Do" was at position #48 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, three weeks later it would peak at #41 {for 3 weeks}, it spent thirteen weeks on the Top 100...
Between 1973 and 1982 the Vancouver, Canada band had seven records on the Top 100 chart, their biggest hit was "My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)", it reached #22 {for 2 weeks} in December of 1981...
In their native Canada they charted twenty six times, with four records making the Top 10...
Member Brian Oliver MacLeod, guitarist, passed away he young age of 39 on April 25th, 1992 {cancer}...
May he R.I.P.
TestDriver
Drove a Honda G.W. in the 80's back in Sweden. This song came on, and life was not too bad.
ScotianBrunswicker
Alright you can't deny it, Britain and the USA made some legendary tunes, but the best shit always came out of Canada. Holy hell man.
Moi S
@ScotianBrunswicker -- Hey! My mum hailed from Pictou County. Hugs -- I'm stuck in Calgary.
ScotianBrunswicker
Or in other words.. Canadian music is just plain fun to listen to. Always has been, whether it's the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s or 10s.
Joey Jeremiah
I met these guys a few years ago here in Vancouver. Got the lead singers autograph.
Moi S
Cool!