The Alternate Routes is an American rock band based in Bridgeport, Connecti… Read Full Bio ↴The Alternate Routes is an American rock band based in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and formed by Tim Warren (lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars) and Eric Donnelly (electric guitars, backing vocals) in 2002 while studying at Fairfield University.

In 2005, the band recorded their debut album, Good and Reckless and True, with producer Jay Joyce in Nashville, TN. The next few years were spent touring and honing their live sound. In 2006, the band won an Independent Music Award for the song "Ordinary." Later that year, the band signed with Vanguard Records.

In 2007, the band re-released Good and Reckless and True on Vanguard, and released a limited-edition acoustic album. This latter album, available only at shows, was affectionately titled The Brooklawn Sessions, referring to the house where Tim and then bass player Chip Johnson lived and recorded the album. On April 10, 2007, the Alternate Routes performed their single "Time is a Runaway" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

In 2008, the band recorded their follow-up LP, Sucker's Dream, again with Jay Joyce in Nashville. While waiting for its release in February 2009, the band recorded a five song EP, The Watershed EP, at Tarquin Studios with producer Peter Katis in their hometown of Bridgeport.

In 2010, longtime band member Chip Johnson left the band to pursue his home studio, Alpine Red.

The Alternate Routes parted ways with Vanguard Records in 2010 and shortly headed back to Nashville to begin work on their third studio album, Lately. Produced by Teddy Morgan at Barrio East in Nashville over the course of 6 weeks, the album featured drummer Richard Medek and multi-instrumentalist Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket.

“The way that I make is my own, but I know what I’m in for,” sings Tim Warren, front man and co-founder of The Alternate Routes.

Whatever fate has in store for this promising young band, it’s sure to make for a good story…and an even better song. Since 2002, The Alternate Routes have never been afraid to roll the dice during their brief and turbulent journey, always relying upon their heartfelt brand of music to pull them through the ups and downs that come with the territory. It’s a trait evident in their powerful Vanguard Records debut, Good and Reckless and True, a memorable, incredibly confident opening statement from a band that takes nothing for granted.

Warren recalls the initial meeting with his future songwriting partner/lead-guitarist, Eric Donnelly, between classes at Connecticut’s Fairfield University. “Eric and I appreciated the same things about music,” Warren says. "When we started out, we didn't really fit in anywhere. We played everywhere we could, at bars, clubs, coffee shops …but we always believed in what we were doing. We believed our music was important and we’ve never lost that feeling.”

The duo’s path crossed with that of bassist Chip Johnson during a brief residency in the Boston area. He was a skinny, mild-mannered presence—a kid who could pick up any instrument and make it his own. “I always say that Tim and I had the songs, but we didn’t have a band until we met Chip,” says Donnelly.

The months following Johnson’s arrival were important ones, the trio hung onto their music, their ideals, refining their sound and never lost focus. They turned each humbling moment into a lesson, each gig into a learning experience and established the all-or-nothing attitude that has come to define them.

Me and You
The Alternate Routes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Your eyes
Light me up like a sunrise
I was yours by the time the wax on your fingers had dried

We were rollin' along
That's just what we do
Ah, we're in this together, my love, me and you

Love is not a promise
It's never too late
This love is alive, it's open and wide, it's every choice that we make

I'm here to remind you
That's just what I do
Ah, we're in this together, my love, me and you

Don't waste a moment on what's to come
When one is in love, you see them all at once
And I see you all at once

The tide is still turning
But don't be afraid
You're never that far away, from this love that we made

I'm here to remind you
That's just what I do
Ah, we're in this together, my love, me and you

Ah, we're in this together, my love, me and you
Ah, we're in this together, my love, me and you
We're in this together

Ah, we're in this together

Ah, we're in this together
We're in this together, my love, me and you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Alternate Routes' song "Me and You" describe a deeply loving and committed partnership between two people. The singer talks about how his partner's eyes light him up with joy, like a sunrise. He says he was immediately enamored by his partner when they first met, so much so that he was already "yours" before the wax on their fingers had dried. This is a poetic way of saying that their connection was instant, strong, and unbreakable.

As the song progresses, the singer emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment and not getting too caught up in worrying about the future. He advises his partner to stop worrying and instead focus on the present, on the love that they share. The love they have together is not a promise that can be easily broken, but a living and breathing force that is shaped by their every choice.

The song's chorus emphasizes that the two partners are in this together, forever connected and committed to one another. Their love is constant, even as the world around them changes and flows like the tide. Through it all, the singer is always there to remind his partner of the strength and depth of their love, which will always endure.

Overall, "Me and You" is a song about the power of love to overcome all obstacles, and the importance of being present and committed in a partnership.

Line by Line Meaning

Your eyes
The sight of just your eyes sparkling brightens my day like a sunrise

Light me up like a sunrise
The way you look at me is like the sun rising - it leaves me with a warm feeling inside

I was yours by the time the wax on your fingers had dried
I fell for you entirely and completely by the time the wax on your fingertips had hardened from holding mine

We were rollin' along
We were moving forward in our relationship

That's just what we do
We have a natural ability to work smoothly together

Ah, we're in this together, my love, me and you
We are united in love and will face life together

Love is not a promise
Love cannot be guaranteed by making promises

It's never too late
It is always the appropriate time to express love

This love is alive, it's open and wide, it's every choice that we make
Our love inspires us and gives us freedom to choose our own paths

I'm here to remind you
I am here to make you feel good

Don't waste a moment on what's to come
Don't miss living in the present moment and enjoying every bit of it

When one is in love, you see them all at once
When one is in love, they open up to reveal all the beautiful facets of themselves

And I see you all at once
And I see you with all your unguarded self

The tide is still turning
Our path is not always smooth

But don't be afraid
But you have nothing to be scared of