Not Where It's At
Del Amitri Lyrics


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With some girls it don't matter who you hang with
With some girls it don't matter how you talk
And some girls they are easy to be yourself with
But the one girl that I want, ain't easy to please with what I've got

With some girls it don't matter where you're aiming
With some girls it don't matter how you act
And some girls they don't care what car you came in
But the one girl that I want, she wants that one bit of geography I lack

Yeah, she don't want me 'cause I'm not where it's at

And some girls they will worry about reactions
And some girls they don't give a damn for that
But somehow I ain't ever in on the action
'cause the one girl I want, she wants that one little quality I lack

Yeah, she don't want me 'cause I'm not where it's at





I don't have my finger on the pulse of my generation
I just got my hand on my heart, I know no better location

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Del Amitri's song Not Where It's At speak to the frustration of trying to win over that one person who seems impossible to please. The opening lines suggest that some girls are easier to impress or connect with, regardless of who you hang out with or how you talk. But there's always that one girl who seems unattainable, who doesn't respond to your efforts no matter how hard you try.


The song goes on to explore this idea, noting that some girls don't care about superficial things like social status or material possessions. They are willing to be themselves and accept others for who they are. However, the one girl that the singer desires is not like this. She seems to be looking for something specific, some quality or attribute that he lacks. This leaves him feeling left out and frustrated, unable to join in the action and win her over.


The final verse of the song suggests that the singer is aware of his shortcomings but also aware of his own authenticity. He doesn't claim to have his finger on the pulse of his generation or to be in tune with the cultural trends or fashions of the day. But he does have his heart in the right place, which he believes is more important than trying to be someone or something that he's not.


Overall, the lyrics to Not Where It's At express the desire to connect with someone who seems out of reach, while also recognizing that sometimes we have to be true to ourselves and accept our limitations, even if that means we might miss out on certain experiences or relationships.


* "Not Where It's At" was released as a single in 1997 and appeared on Del Amitri's album "Some Other Sucker's Parade".
* The song was written by Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie and produced by Mark Freegard.
* The music video for the song was directed by John Hillcoat and features a cameo by actor Matt Dillon.
* The song was a Top 40 hit in the UK and also charted in Australia and New Zealand.
* "Not Where It's At" was covered by the band Fun Lovin' Criminals on their album "Loco", with Justin Currie providing backing vocals.
* The song's title phrase has become a popular colloquialism, used to describe situations where someone is out of touch or not cool enough to be included in certain social circles.
* Del Amitri disbanded in 2002 but reunited in 2013 and have since released new music and toured extensively.
* Justin Currie has also released several solo albums, including the critically acclaimed "Lower Reaches" in 2013.
* Del Amitri's most famous song is probably "Roll To Me", which was a hit in the US in 1995 and featured in the movie "The Big Green".
* The band's name is a combination of the first names of two friends, guitarist David Cummings and bassist Chris Harvie.


Chords (verse): E - A - E - A - F#m - B7 - A
(chorus): E - A - G#m - F#m - B7 - E - A - E.


Line by Line Meaning

With some girls it don't matter who you hang with
There are some girls for whom it doesn't matter who you hang out with.


With some girls it don't matter how you talk
There are some girls for whom it doesn't matter how you talk.


And some girls they are easy to be yourself with
Some girls are easy to be yourself with.


But the one girl that I want, ain't easy to please with what I've got
But the one girl I want is not easy to please with what I have to offer.


With some girls it don't matter where you're aiming
There are some girls for whom it doesn't matter where you're aiming.


With some girls it don't matter how you act
There are some girls for whom it doesn't matter how you act.


And some girls they don't care what car you came in
Some girls don't care what car you arrived in.


But the one girl that I want, she wants that one bit of geography I lack
But the one girl I want wants that one aspect of my life that I don't have.


Yeah, she don't want me 'cause I'm not where it's at
She doesn't want me because I'm not where the action is.


And some girls they will worry about reactions
Some girls worry about how others will react.


And some girls they don't give a damn for that
And some other girls don't care about that at all.


But somehow I ain't ever in on the action
But somehow I'm never a part of the exciting stuff.


'cause the one girl I want, she wants that one little quality I lack
Because the one girl I want is looking for that one little trait that I lack.


I don't have my finger on the pulse of my generation
I don't really understand what my generation wants and likes.


I just got my hand on my heart, I know no better location
I just follow my heart and don't really know a better way.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JUSTIN CURRIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

CroxleyEducator

One of the most perfect power-pop singles ever made.

Gary DeMichele.

100 percent

brewer9565

Again, another power pop hook-filled gem from Del Amitri. Great songwriting from Justin, vocals and overdubs, Iain’s Gibson, the overall production just washes over you and envelops you, the lyrics...an absolute gem. Loved this one for years and it still sounds as fresh as when it was recorded.

jman66053

always will love this band

Paul Stillman

I loved this song from the first time I heard it - and the band - for quite a while.

DrNSalmon

Regarding why this song did not get the attention it deserves: I heard it at a store or restaurant, but not on the radio. I loved it; it was love at first hearing. Years later I heard it again, but again at a store or a restaurant. So I still didn't have the artist or title. I Googled "Some girls."  That got me nowhere. Out of desperation I sought an iPhone app that could identify songs just by listening and WAITED for an opportunity to apply the app. Finally, years later, the song played at a restaurant, I ripped out my iPhone, the app worked, I got the album. One reason the song wasn't a hit is that it didn't receive the air play it deserved. I suspect some old-fashioned entertainment-industry corruption basically killed it. I wonder how many great songs are out there that I'll never hear. It's a real shame.

James

"I wonder how many great songs are out there that I'll never hear."

I literally think this exact same thing all the time, and it makes me sad to know that there are songs that I would absolutely love but I'll never hear them.

nutmegwombat

Top tune – great lyrics and a perfect pop song!

km kamins

i've been looking for this song for 13 years or so... i'd hear bits & pieces from mall of america to home depot to wall mart to food lion. "some girls" was the words i could pick out and of course... that made the search all that more difficult. finally, the other night at food lion i heard it and positioned myself under a speaker and could make out the rest of the lyrics... couldn't be happier!!!

Gary

One of the greatest songs of the 90's.

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