Joseph Kim Mitchell (born 1952 in Sarnia, Ontario) is a Canadian guitarist,… Read Full Bio ↴Joseph Kim Mitchell (born 1952 in Sarnia, Ontario) is a Canadian guitarist, singer-songwriter, and radio DJ personality. He's best known for his critically acclaimed sophomore album, 1984's 'Akimbo Alogo', which proved a hit both in Canada and the U.S. and featured the arena rock classic "Go For Soda".

During the 70s, while still in his teens, Mitchell began playing with local bands in the city of Sarnia. After evolving through a few name changes with essentially the same band, Mitchell and a group titled "Zooom" headed off for Toronto, Ontario. The band eventually dissolved, with Mitchell travelling over to the Greek islands.

Upon his return to Canada, he formed the band Max Webster, which managed to finally break through commercially. Besides playing the group, Mitchell and wrote most of the band's songs with fellow Sarnia native and lyricist, Pye Dubois (Paul Woods). Max Webster toured extensively and built a string of hits. Mitchell's solo career began after his departure from Max Webster, with session work and a succession of solo albums.

In early 1985, the song "Go For Soda" from the Akimbo Alogo album became an international hit and perhaps remains his best known song outside of his native Canada.

In 2004, Mitchell entered the radio broadcasting industry, becoming afternoon drive time host on Toronto classic rock radio station Q107.

As of 2005, Mitchell, still does the afternoon drive time on Q107, and is working on a new double CD set for a Spring 2006 release.

In December of 2005, Mitchell had proposed to the Q107 listeners that they write a Christmas song together. The resulting song is entitled "A Christmas Smile". At the end of the song, Mitchell advises his fans not to drink and drive, but to "go for a soda" instead.

Caroline
Kim Mitchell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm gonna ride out this love wave
Breaking in my mind

Caroline
Calling out loud I say wait
I want to know where I'm going

Is it too late

For my love to be ever showing?
Is it too late
For my love to be ever growing?
Is it too late?

Hold it
Caroline I'm fading I'm fading I'm fading I'm fading
Away from love
Hold it
Caroline I'm breaking I'm breaking I'm breaking
Away from love

Is it having the pain
That doubles the heart
Or is it having the heart
That doubles the pain

All the signs say
It's having the heart

Yes, it's having the heart
That doubles the pain

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kim Mitchell's song "Caroline" convey a sense of longing for love and a fear of missing the opportunity to express it fully. In the first verse, the singer describes the intense emotion of being in love as a "love wave" that is "breaking in [his] mind." The chorus then shifts to a plea to Caroline to wait and allow the singer to figure out where he stands in the relationship. The repeated refrain of "Is it too late" expresses the singer's uncertainty and fear that his love may never be fully expressed or reciprocated.

The second verse of the song delves into the theme of pain and its close relationship with love. The singer poses a question: is it the pain that doubles the heart, or the heart that doubles the pain? The suggestion is that the intensity of love and the potential for heartbreak are intertwined, and that experiencing one inevitably means experiencing the other. The final chorus reinforces this sentiment, proclaiming that "all the signs say" having a heart is what doubles the pain. Overall, the lyrics of "Caroline" are an honest depiction of the complexity of love and the vulnerability that it can bring.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna ride out this love wave
I'm going to enjoy this feeling of being in love

Breaking in my mind
It's causing me distress

Caroline
Direct address to someone named Caroline

Calling out loud I say wait
I want to pause and figure out my direction in this love equation

I want to know where I'm going
I need to understand the future of this relationship

Is it too late
Wondering if anything can be done now to change the status quo

For my love to be ever showing?
Can I still be open and upfront about how I feel?

For my love to be ever growing?
Is there any chance of my love increasing?

Hold it
Take a break

Caroline I'm fading I'm fading I'm fading I'm fading
Emphasizing again how much distress is being felt

Away from love
Feeling like falling out of love