This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Baby, love me now that you are born, oh, baby
Baby in your cradle look at me
Baby speak in rhythms now you're three
Ride your German Shepherd 'till you're five
Baby think the TV is alive
Baby spend the night out you're thirteen
Bending for a wish your candles lean
Baby bang erasers and wash the board
Think just yesterday you wore a sword
Watch your new years evening wash away
You're on the floor, can you hear me troubadour?
Alvin row tangled in your broken kite
It's hard to be Ben Franklin but
Try staying against the light
Old clapper you can step inside
Accustomed to the rust your silver child
Alvin Row, we're glad to see that you can fake it
White corn grow on every side
But you can't take it, the yellow wardrobes suits you fine
Alvin all these visions smile, let them do your makeup I know
Alvin Row, half of them are on your side
The other figments all are being completely unselfish today
And all behind the right man here
My mind is not unkind it's just not open
Alvin Row, I watched the mime crying his winches
Brown black bag, we'll let you be until you'll fade
Now fade, now fade, now fade, now
Tired of reaching for the lampshade, baby reading, baby love me
Run, run, run, run!
Run, run, run, run!
I told the baker's daughter that I didn't want the water
She only likes it when I beg, so I expect she's waiting
I told the baker's daughter that I didn't want their water
She only likes it when I beg, so I expect she's waiting
Row, Alvin Row, Alvin Row, Alvin Row, Row Alvin
I remember the day that I walked away from this empty flight
'Cause the demons are really the ones when there's nothing on
Words slip by when I'm silent I have to let so many people down
But the bell from the ice cream man comes to save the day
The winter comes, we do not wander, I belong
The chocolate shakes, the sun awakes, I play ping pong
The autumn clouds distort and crowd, you'd better go long
I pulled the glass it dripped too fast for second dawn
Since we passed through the maze as we unlock the stage of my other ride
I remember the shining, the spot on the day she played
Though I never knew Moses I know many noses with thoughts like me
Take a drive to the Jacksonville pharmacy and pretend
That a new apartment and a heart don't make me old
'Cause a spinal rage and lit a page and I've been told
But I'm walking on a wire with eight other eyes
Be sure to play the best of you eight other sides
When I'll stay shy, you stay shy, dear Alvin
When I'll say bye, you say bye, dear Alvin
When I'll say go, you say go, dear Alvin
When I sing Row, you sing Row, dear Alvin
When I'll stay shy, you stay shy, dear Alvin
When I'll say bye, you say bye, dear Alvin
When I'll say go, you say go, dear Alvin
When I'll sing Row, you sing Row, dear Alvin
When I'll say go, you say go, dear Alvin
Why that's funny, my voice didn't come back to me
I'll try it again
Hello, hello?
Oh my goodness, now my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is gone, my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is gone, my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is gone, my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is
Baby in your cradle look at me
Baby speak in rhythms now you're three
Ride your German Shepherd 'till you're five
Baby think the TV is alive
Baby spend the night out you're thirteen
Bending for a wish your candles lean
Baby bang erasers and wash the board
Think just yesterday you wore a sword
Watch your new years evening wash away
You're on the floor, can you hear me troubadour?
Alvin row tangled in your broken kite
It's hard to be Ben Franklin but
Try staying against the light
Old clapper you can step inside
Accustomed to the rust your silver child
Alvin Row, we're glad to see that you can fake it
White corn grow on every side
But you can't take it, the yellow wardrobes suits you fine
Alvin all these visions smile, let them do your makeup I know
Alvin Row, half of them are on your side
The other figments all are being completely unselfish today
And all behind the right man here
My mind is not unkind it's just not open
Alvin Row, I watched the mime crying his winches
Brown black bag, we'll let you be until you'll fade
Now fade, now fade, now fade, now
Tired of reaching for the lampshade, baby reading, baby love me
Run, run, run, run!
Run, run, run, run!
I told the baker's daughter that I didn't want the water
She only likes it when I beg, so I expect she's waiting
I told the baker's daughter that I didn't want their water
She only likes it when I beg, so I expect she's waiting
Row, Alvin Row, Alvin Row, Alvin Row, Row Alvin
I remember the day that I walked away from this empty flight
'Cause the demons are really the ones when there's nothing on
Words slip by when I'm silent I have to let so many people down
But the bell from the ice cream man comes to save the day
The winter comes, we do not wander, I belong
The chocolate shakes, the sun awakes, I play ping pong
The autumn clouds distort and crowd, you'd better go long
I pulled the glass it dripped too fast for second dawn
Since we passed through the maze as we unlock the stage of my other ride
I remember the shining, the spot on the day she played
Though I never knew Moses I know many noses with thoughts like me
Take a drive to the Jacksonville pharmacy and pretend
That a new apartment and a heart don't make me old
'Cause a spinal rage and lit a page and I've been told
But I'm walking on a wire with eight other eyes
Be sure to play the best of you eight other sides
When I'll stay shy, you stay shy, dear Alvin
When I'll say bye, you say bye, dear Alvin
When I'll say go, you say go, dear Alvin
When I sing Row, you sing Row, dear Alvin
When I'll stay shy, you stay shy, dear Alvin
When I'll say bye, you say bye, dear Alvin
When I'll say go, you say go, dear Alvin
When I'll sing Row, you sing Row, dear Alvin
When I'll say go, you say go, dear Alvin
Why that's funny, my voice didn't come back to me
I'll try it again
Hello, hello?
Oh my goodness, now my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is gone, my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is gone, my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is gone, my singing voice is gone
My singing voice is
Lyrics submitted by couldBanyone
Alvin Row Lyrics as written by David Michael Portner
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
This song makes me feel such a mix of emotions. Excitement, wonder, sadness, nostalgia, hope, anxiety. It makes me want to cry. The lyrics seem to be too abstract to be about a simple plot. Alvin probably represents some amorphous "thing", like childhood, or innocence, and the song shows what happens as that gets fades away and gives way to maturity and the "real world", and the the longing to go back to the stage of innocence and childhood with lyrics such as "ice cream man come to save the day". I don't think the speaker is old enough to be dying, I think it's just his childhood that's dying. He's trying to get past it and grow up, but it's so difficult to just let go of the times when you were young and carefree--no thoughts of wars, politics, cheating, beating, robbery, murder, disease, etc. Just happiness.
We may never know the real meaning, but that's what the song makes me feel, and it's incredibly powerful. Amazing song.