England's one-man answer to Ferrante and Teicher, Aldrich churned out a ste… Read Full Bio ↴England's one-man answer to Ferrante and Teicher, Aldrich churned out a steady stream of albums featuring his "Twin Pianos" for London's Phase 4 label, starting in 1961--most of them no more distinguished than F&T's post-"prepared piano" recordings. Aldrich studied at the Guildhall School of Music in London and played and arranged for the RAF Dance Orchestra during World War Two. After the war, he remained associated with the group as it mutated into "The Squadronaires" and became one of the most popular groups in England. Aldrich eventually became the band's leader and conductor, and stayed in that role until the group dissolved in 1964. He also worked as musical director for Thames Television.

Aldrich's albums are usually pretty , easy listening,but if you haven't heard one, it's worth spending up to three bucks to own your own little bit of authentic 60s experience. Not the Haight-Ashbury-Woodstock-Jimi Hendrix kind of experience, but the experience most people had. What he produced entertained millions, although obviously not cutting edge music. Put on Ronnie's take on "Music to Watch Girls By" and you can imagine yourself strolling down the aisle at the A&P or shopping for school clothes at J.C. Penney. Or riding an elevator to your dad's office. Or waiting at the Omaha Airport. Who needs Eastern philosophy to get blissed out?

Born at Erith , Kent, U K, 15th February 1916, educated in Folkestone and proved musically talented as he learnt to play the piano aged only 3 !!! After his musical career he retired to the Isle of Man, where he died, from prostate cancer, aged 77, on the 30th September 1993.

Without You
Ronnie Aldrich Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I remember the time
Before you were mine
And I was dying to be with you
Now you've gone away
And I'm in this place
But your memory hasn't moved
The shadow you cast just grows larger than life
How can the past cut two hearts like a knife?

[Chorus]
I can't walk away
But how can I stay?
Any way I step I lose
My back's to the wall
I stumble and fall
Trying to live my life without you.

You weren't a saint
So what are these chains
You hold on both of us
You give it your best
But you can't forget
And my love's not strong enough
To put out a fire that someone else lit
Or walk in the footprints that never will fit.

[Chorus: x2]

In his shoes
In his shoes

Overall Meaning

The song Without You by Ronnie Aldrich tells the story of an individual who is struggling to move on after a relationship has ended. The lyrics describe the singer's memories of the time before their partner was theirs, and how they were "dying to be with" them. However, now that their partner has left, the singer is stuck in a place where their memories of the relationship have not faded away. The shadow of their partner looms large in their life, and the pain of the past is cutting two hearts like a knife. The chorus reinforces the theme of the singer's struggle, as they cannot walk away from the memories or stay in a place where they feel stuck.

The second verse of the song alludes to the fact that the relationship was not without its flaws; the partner was not a saint, yet they both seem to be weighed down by chains that they cannot break free from. The singer acknowledges that their love is not enough to "put out a fire that someone else lit" or to "walk in the footprints that never will fit." The song completes with a repetition of the chorus, underscoring the singer's dilemma.

Overall, Without You is a poignant ballad that captures the pain and difficulty of moving on from a ended relationship. The lyrics are introspective and emotional, and Aldrich's melodic piano playing complements the song's sentimentality.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember the time
I recall the past moment when I did not have you in my life

Before you were mine
The period of time when you were not a part of my life

And I was dying to be with you
I was extremely eager to be with you

Now you've gone away
You are not in my life currently

And I'm in this place
I am in a situation that I did not expect

But your memory hasn't moved
Your memory is still present and vivid

The shadow you cast just grows larger than life
The influence of your absence is becoming bigger and bigger

How can the past cut two hearts like a knife?
The effect of the past on two individuals can be as sharp as a knife

I can't walk away
I cannot abandon the situation

But how can I stay?
But how can I continue to endure the pain?

Any way I step I lose
Regardless of my efforts my condition does not improve

My back's to the wall
I have reached a dead-end

I stumble and fall
I try to stand up but I keep falling

Trying to live my life without you
Attempting to exist without your presence

You weren't a saint
You were not a perfect figure

So what are these chains
What is this binding force that is holding us both down?

You hold on both of us
You are inadvertently preventing us from moving forward

You give it your best
You try your hardest

But you can't forget
But your memory of the past with me is unforgettable

And my love's not strong enough
My love for you cannot overpower the effect of the past

To put out a fire that someone else lit
To extinguish the flames of a problem that someone else started

Or walk in the footsteps that never will fit
To experience a situation that is not right for me

In his shoes
To be in someone else's position

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: OLIVER PATRICK COLE, GAVIN FOX, IAN PATRICK MELADY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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