Alvin and his older brother Phil Alvin grew up loving Americana, country and blues. In 1979 they formed The Blasters with friends Bill Bateman and John Bazz.
Shortly after leaving the Blasters, Alvin joined X as lead guitarist after the departure of Billy Zoom. Alvin amicably left the group to work on a solo project shortly after the recording sessions for their album See How We Are. Alvin is also a member of country band The Knitters (composed mainly of members of X), appearing on 1987's Poor Little Critter on the Road and the 2005 follow-up, The Modern Sounds of The Knitters.
In the early 1980s Alvin, along with fellow Blasters members Bill Bateman and Steve Berlin, performed on several albums with the Los Angeles punk band The Flesh Eaters. These albums are considered precursors to what is now called "deathrock". Alvin also played with the band The Gun Club briefly, playing guitar on "Eternally Is Here" & "The Stranger in Our Town" from the 1984 album, The Las Vegas Story.
Alvin's first solo album, entitled Romeo's Escape (1987) in the United States and Every Night About This Time in England, added a purer country influence along with a larger side-portion of the blues; while the album was critically well received, it didn't fare well in the marketplace, and Alvin was dropped by his American record label, Columbia. Alvin suffered health problems which sidelined him for a while, except for a wild tour with friends Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana as the Pleasure Barons, which was described as "a Las Vegas revue from acts who aren't going to be asked to play Vegas." (A live album was released of a second Pleasure Barons tour in 1993.)
In 1989, Dwight Yoakam scored a hit on the country charts with Alvin's song "Long White Cadillac," and Alvin used the royalties to start work on his second solo set, Blue Blvd. Released by the California-based roots-music label Hightone Records in 1991, Blue Blvd received enthusiastic reviews and sold well enough to re-establish Alvin as a significant artist in the roots rock scene.
After releasing Museum of Heart in 1993, Alvin began to turn his attention to acoustic music with 1994's King of California, and over the next several years Alvin moved back and forth between hard-edged roots rock and more introspective acoustic material that still honored his influences (and allowed him to display a greater range as a vocalist).
In 2000, Alvin recorded a collection of traditional folk and blues classics, Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land, which earned him a Grammy award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.
In 2011, Alvin released the album Eleven Eleven on Yep Roc Records. The album was a return to Alvin's rock roots. According to Rolling Stone, "Though Alvin has often switched between electric and acoustic, almost everything here is plugged in – above all Alvin, an under-recognized guitar hero."
www.davealvin.net
Out Of Control
Dave Alvin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So me and baby could get a little bump
And now she's in that motel room
Puttin? on a show for some chump
Yeah, well, baby?s gotta make a livin?
And I don't mind waitin? out in the car
?Cause I got some nine millimeter muscle
You know I try to take it easy, man
And just go with the flow
But sometimes things can get a little bit
Out of control
Well, my old man worked his whole life
In the Kaiser steel slag pit
And I worked there for a while back when I was a kid
But I got tired of all their shit
But that was years ago, man
Before they tore that Fontana plant down
And my old man smoked himself
Into a six-foot hole in the ground
And I got the same bad habit
And it'll probably take its toll
But sometimes it?s the only thing that keeps me
From goin? out of control
Well, my ex-wife?s workin? evenings
At a Sizzler makin? minimum wage
And she's cleanin? up other people?s houses
Every day just like some slave
And she's livin? with the kids in a mobile home
Just off the 60 freeway
Some nights I go to see her
And sometimes she lets me stay
Since she found Jesus
She's always tryin? to save my soul
Yeah, but every now and then she still likes to get
A little out of control
I used to work a little construction
But I never got along with my boss
So I do a little import export
Makin? enough just to cover my costs
And I'm losin? my hair and I'm losin? my teeth
But I'm tryin? to keep my grip
And live to see one more day
Without makin? any stupid slips
You know I could have played the game man
And just done what I was told
But I guess I was born just a little bit
Out of control
Baby gets done in there, I'm gonna
Take her for a little ride
Cruise up into the mountains
Park the car and get a little high
?Cause baby likes to look at the shootin? stars
And make wishes as they fly by
And I like lookin? down at the city
From way up there in the sky
Then I pull baby close to me
When it starts gettin? cold
Close my eyes for a little while and let the world
Spin out of control
The song "Out of Control" by Dave Alvin is a poignant commentary on the struggles of everyday life in America. The first verse talks about a drug deal in San Bernardino that the singer is involved in so he and "baby" can "get a little bump." The second verse is a reflection on the singer's father who worked as a steel worker at the now torn-down Fontana plant, and who smoked himself to an early grave. The third verse touches on the singer's ex-wife who works at a Sizzler making minimum wage and living with their children in a mobile home. The last verse is about the singer's own struggles as he talks about doing import and export to make ends meet, and his desire to escape reality by getting high in the mountains with his girlfriend.
The song's overall theme is that life can get out of control and people are just trying to survive. The singer is in a constant state of feeling like things are on the verge of spiraling out of control and is doing what he has to in order to keep going. The song's title provides a central metaphor for the struggles of everyday life.
Line by Line Meaning
I scored some speed in San Berdino
I purchased amphetamines in San Bernardino
So me and baby could get a little bump
So that my companion and I can stay up a little longer
And now she's in that motel room
And now my friend is in a motel room
Puttin on a show for some chump
Performing sexually for another person for pay
Yeah, well, baby?s gotta make a livin?
Well, my companion needs to make money
And I don't mind waitin out in the car
I willingly wait in the vehicle
?Cause I got some nine millimeter muscle
Because I possess some firepower
In case things go too far
To use as self-defense, if necessary
You know, I try to take it easy, man
I attempt to relax as best I can, buddy
And just go with the flow
And just let things happen as they will
But sometimes things can get a little bit
But occasionally things may become somewhat
Out of control
Out of hand
Well, my old man worked his whole life
My father worked his entire lifetime
In the Kaiser steel slag pit
In the slag heap at the Kaiser Steelworks
And I worked there for a while back when I was a kid
And I worked there for a period of time during my youth
But I got tired of all their shit
But I grew weary of their nonsense
But that was years ago, man
But that was many years ago, pal
Before they tore that Fontana plant down
Before the Fontana plant was demolished
And my old man smoked himself
And my father smoked so much
Into a six-foot hole in the ground
That it killed him and buried him in a grave six feet deep
And I got the same bad habit
And I also acquired that same addiction
And it'll probably take its toll
And it will likely have a significant impact
But sometimes it?s the only thing that keeps me
But sometimes it's the only thing that prevents me
From goin? out of control
From losing control
Well, my ex-wife?s workin? evenings
My ex-spouse is working late
At a Sizzler makin? minimum wage
At a Sizzler restaurant for very low pay
And she's cleanin? up other people?s houses
And she's performing cleaning duties at other people's residences
Every day just like some slave
Every day, similar to a slave
And she's livin? with the kids in a mobile home
And she's residing in a mobile home with the children
Just off the 60 freeway
Just off the Route 60 freeway
Some nights I go to see her
I visit her on some evenings
And sometimes she lets me stay
And occasionally she permits me to remain
Since she found Jesus
Since she discovered Jesus
She's always tryin? to save my soul
She's always trying to rescue my soul
Yeah, but every now and then she still likes to get
But every now and then, she still likes to become
A little out of control
A little wild
I used to work a little construction
I was once employed in the construction industry
But I never got along with my boss
But I never had a good relationship with my supervisor
So I do a little import-export
So I engage in trading goods across borders
Makin? enough just to cover my costs
Earning just enough to break even financially
And I'm losin' my hair and I'm losin' my teeth
And I'm losing my hair and teeth
But I'm tryin' to keep my grip
But I'm attempting to maintain my composure
And live to see one more day
And live to witness another day
Without makin' any stupid slips
Without making any foolish mistakes
You know I could have played the game, man
I could have followed the rules, friend
And just done what I was told
And just obeyed orders
But I guess I was born just a little bit
But I suppose I was born to be
Out of control
Reckless
Baby gets done in there, I'm gonna
Once my companion is finished in there, I'm going to
Take her for a little ride
Take her for a short journey
Cruise up into the mountains
Drive up into the mountains
Park the car and get a little high
Park the vehicle and consume some drugs
?Cause baby likes to look at the shootin? stars
Because my companion enjoys viewing the shooting stars
And make wishes as they fly by
And make wishes as they speed past
And I like lookin' down at the city
And I enjoy looking down at the city
From way up there in the sky
From the high vantage point
Then I pull baby close to me
Then I pull my companion near to me
When it starts gettin' cold
When the temperature begins to decline
Close my eyes for a little while and let the world
Rest my eyes briefly and allow the world
Spin out of control
To become wildly chaotic
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVE ALVIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nikki Golden
"I scored some speed in San Berdino.
So me and baby could get a little bump.
now she's in that motel room
puttin on a show for some chump.
Well baby's got to make a livin
and I don't mind waitin out in the car,
Cause I got some 9mm muscle
in case things go too far
you know I try to take it easy man
and just go with the flow
but sometimes things can get a little bit
out of control."
I.D.G.A.F.! about what anybody thinks! Those are some of the most honest and hardest lyrics in music today. My man Dave is a BEAST!!!!
James Couillard
Dave Alvin is way underappreciated. He is a national treasure.
lillian padilla
and he wears cool jewlry
Gregg Harper
A whole movie runs through my mind when I hear this..and I keep watching over and over and over..
Webrider357
I am about his age and never heard of him until now WTF. This is great. How did I miss this all my life. I can tell you everything Ritchie Blackmore or Tony Iomi, Page, Trower, Farner, ever did but never heard of this guy and he is great.
Glenn Kirste
I'm 55..grew up with his and his brothers music...they lived next town over....the Blasters...are away of life...have you found them yet ?
Jana Truesdail
6Love you dave alvin
zootman2020
So So So Underrated!!! His music (all of it) is just so F-ing good it's not funny. Just don't understand WHY he's not more known or maybe he likes it that way...1 of my all-time favorites!!!
cravinbob
Not under rated. His fans love his music and he tours almost non-stop. How can you say under rated? Based on what?
lillian padilla
I love Dave and "Phil Alvin 'they are amazing at Music and 'Mood and THE BLUES 'they do It 'all. I LOVE "them...
John Hickey
He’s absolutely fantastic!!!