Originally coming to fame in the mid-1960s singing orchestral pop ballads as the frontman of The Walker Brothers, Walker went on to a solo career balancing a light entertainment/MOR ballad approach with increasing artistic innovations in arrangement and writing. Despite a series of acclaimed albums, a disastrous drop in sales forced him back into straight Middle of the road recordings with little of his own artistic input. This in turn eventually led to a Walker Brothers reunion in the mid-1970s (although the latter eventually moved, by mutual consent, into more avant-garde areas).
From the mid-1980s, Walker revived his solo career while drastically reinventing his artistic and compositional methods, via a series of acclaimed and vividly avant-garde albums. These combined his iconic voice with an unsettling avant-garde approach which owed more to modernist and post-modernist classical composition than to his pop singer past. This change in approach has been compared to "Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen".
Walker has been a continuing influence on other artists, in particular The Last Shadow Puppets, Marc Almond, Goldfrapp, Douglas Pearce of the band Death in June, Billy MacKenzie of The Associates, David Sylvian, Julian Cope, Antony Hegarty, Thom Yorke, Steven Wilson, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Trey Spruance, Perry Blake, Radiohead, Noah Lennox, Mikael Åkerfeldt, and the Divine Comedy/Neil Hannon.
Walker continued to release solo material until his death, and was signed to 4AD Records. As a record producer or guest performer he worked with a number of artists including Pulp, Ute Lemper, Bat For Lashes and Sunn O))).
That's How I Got to Memphis
Scott Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
If you love somebody enough, you'll go where your heart wants to
Go
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
I know if you had seen her, you'd tell me 'cause you are my
I've got to get back and find out the trouble she's in
If you tell me that she's not here, I'll follow the trail of her
Tears
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
She'd get mad, and she used to say - that she'd get back to
Memphis one day
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
I haven't eaten a bite, or slept the three days and nights
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
I've got to find her, and tell her that I love her so
I'll never rest 'til I've found out why she had to go
So thank you for your precious time - forgive me if I start to
Cry
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That's how I got to Memphis...
The lyrics of Scott Walker's "That's How I Got to Memphis" is about a man who is determined to find a lost love in Memphis. The song talks about how love can make someone go to great lengths to be where their heart desires. The singer is beyond smitten with the girl that he loves and he would indefinitely follow wherever she goes.
The singer deems his search for his true love paramount such that he is willing to leave everything behind, go hungry and forget his basic needs as he embarks on this journey to Memphis. The emotional strain of the search process is so strong that he can barely hold back the tears whenever he speaks about why he had to come to Memphis. Throughout the song, we can sense that this is undoubtedly a love that is worth fighting for and he will not stop until he finds her.
The repetition of the chorus line, "That's how I got to Memphis," reinforces the idea that love moves people in mysterious ways and can inspire them to do extraordinary things. The song tells a poignant love story that deals with themes of devotion, heartbreak, and hope. In essence, the lyrics of the song suggest that love is a powerful force that can bring people together even when they are worlds apart.
Line by Line Meaning
If you love somebody enough, you follow wherever they go
If you care strongly enough for someone, you will go anywhere they go.
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That is the reason I came to Memphis.
I know if you had seen her, you'd tell me 'cause you are my Friend
I am certain that you would inform me if you had seen her, because you are my friend.
I've got to get back and find out the trouble she's in
I must return and uncover the problems she's experiencing.
If you tell me that she's not here, I'll follow the trail of her Tears
If you inform me that she is not present, I will follow the path of her heartbroken emotions.
She'd get mad, and she used to say - that she'd get back to Memphis one day
She had a habit of getting angry and proclaiming that she would one day return to Memphis.
I haven't eaten a bite, or slept the three days and nights
I have not had a single meal and have been awake for three consecutive days and nights.
I've got to find her, and tell her that I love her so
I need to locate her and express my deep affection for her.
I'll never rest 'til I've found out why she had to go
I will not rest until I understand the reason that she had to leave.
So thank you for your precious time - forgive me if I start to Cry
I am grateful for your valuable time - pardon me if I begin to weep.
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That is the reason I came to Memphis.
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That is the reason I came to Memphis.
That's how I got to Memphis - that's how I got to Memphis
That is the reason I came to Memphis.
That's how I got to Memphis...
That is the reason I came to Memphis.
Contributed by Parker B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Morkel Jakeson
Why do people dislike these covers albums? I like them quite a bit. His voice and phrasing are everything
Willem Vandeursen
It depends on the covers. Some classic popsongs have been covered to death. With Scott it's - like you stated - his voice and phrasing that lifted them above par. He could have made bubblegum pop sound great, and Neil Diamond (whom I absolutely abhor...)
franzitaduz
Just discovered him in the Brel Sogs…. This was a unique voice from an insightful man singing of life. „Where does brown begin“…. Poignant! He was too classy and versatile for the country audience to embrace him. Great arrangement of the Bill Withers tune….
Anthony Mead
'Someone who cared' was released as a single in 1973 - the NME slated it to hell. The best thing he ever did and the point where I knew I was listening to a genius. Beautiful man.
Damian B
He had been delivering on all fronts, steaming ahead on overdrive, living possibly the greatest rock & roll/TV/film star calibre highlife... lowlife London-centric writers tend to hate that.
Dave D Music
The NME was always from its inception to the day it went bust a haven for wankers
stwads
@Damian B He wasn't living the high life at all. Scott himself was low key & turned his back on " showbiz". The man stayed true to himself & returned on his own terms facing criticism & ridicule & ultimately triumphed. He was a genius!
Damian B
@stwads oh sure but did enjoy Black Russians in clubs with the Stones fraternity, and date the odd playboy bunny: she was his his intro to Brel! He apparently became introvert later.
Anthony Mead
The silky power, harmonic delivery of note touches the soul - grabs it with both hands, won't let it go.
keith stevenson
23 Dec 2019 I did not know Scott recorded CW material. His voice: so deep, smooth, with perfect diction. We have lost an amazing voice.