The Box Tops were an American band of the 60s that combined soul and rock m… Read Full Bio ↴The Box Tops were an American band of the 60s that combined soul and rock music into a popular sound epitomized by their famous single "The Letter". The band was fronted by teenaged singer Alex Chilton, and for their studio recordings after "The Letter", consisted solely of Chilton and Memphis studio musicians. For live performances, Chilton was joined by Tom Boggs (drums), Rick Allen (bass), Gary Talley (guitar), and Bill Cunningham (organ). A popular original member before their first hit was Larry Spillman (drums). Spillman, who dated Cybil Shepherd during their high school years, left the band to to play college and pro baseball.

The band existed from 1967 to 1970, after which Chilton went on to lead the legendary Big Star.

The single "Neon Rainbow" was used in television adverts for the UK telecoms company, Talk Talk, in 2009/2010.

Ain't No Way
The Box Tops Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ain't no way
To get you out of me
Baby, there ain't no way
In the whole wide world
I'm about to see
By and by
You're all I ever need
Baby, when I forget how good life is

You bring it home to me

And I say hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Hey Hey
Ain't no way

Good time come
Ain't no doubt on it
Tomorrow sure looks somethin' else
No matter where I sit

Good time here
Big plum without no pit
And baby, there ain't no way to forget
That you're the why of it

And I say hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Hey Hey
Ain't no way

And I say hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Ain't no way

Hey Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey
Come on, hey

Come on, hey
Ain't no way

Overall Meaning

The Box Tops' song "Ain't No Way" is a heartfelt love song about the undeniable connection between the two people in the relationship. The lyrics express the idea that no matter how hard the singer tries, they cannot get the other person out of their heart and mind. The repetition of the phrase "ain't no way" reinforces the idea that there is no possibility of the singer moving on from this love. The absence of any negative language in the song underlines the idea that this love is not just powerful and undeniable but also happy and fulfilling. The line "Baby, when I forget how good life is, you bring it home to me" emphasizes that the other person is not just a part of the singer's life but is critical to their happiness.

The song's upbeat and energetic rhythm contrast with the lyrics' love-stricken and melancholic tone, which indicates the singer's unwillingness to let go of the relationship. The reason behind the singer's attachment to the other person is not clear, but the importance of the relationship to them is undeniable. The repetition of the phrase "hey, hey," creates a sense of urgency, which conveys that the singer cannot bear to be without their loved one any longer.

Line by Line Meaning

Ain't no way
There is no possible way

To get you out of me
To remove you from my thoughts or from within me

Baby, there ain't no way
My beloved, there is absolutely no way

In the whole wide world
Anywhere in the entire world

I'm about to see
That I am able to see

By and by
Eventually or over time

You're all I ever need
You are the only thing that I require

Baby, when I forget how good life is
My dear, when I lose sight of how wonderful life can be

You bring it home to me
You remind me of the goodness in life

And I say hey
I exclaim or call out

Come on, hey
Encouraging someone to join me or to take action