☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the feelings of a man who secretly loves Alice, his neighbor for 24 years
- The turning point in the song is when Alice leaves and the protagonist is left with his unrequited love
- He refuses to know the reasons for Alice's departure, as he cannot let her go
- A friend named Sally tries to help him by revealing that she has been waiting for him for 24 years
- The song addresses the theme of unrequited love and the difficulties of dealing with the loss of a loved one
Interpretation
The song 'Living Next Door to Alice' by
Smokie tells the story of a man who has been living next to a woman named Alice for 24 years. He has strong feelings for her but has never found the courage to confess them. The song begins when he learns that Alice is moving away. He watches as a limousine drives into her driveway and takes Alice away.
He expresses that he doesn't understand why she's leaving and that he doesn't want to know her reasons because he simply can't let her go. He reflects on the past time, where he always waited for the chance to confess his feelings and maybe get a second chance. However, now he has to come to terms with no longer living next to Alice.
A friend, Sally, calls him and tries to help him cope by telling him that even though Alice is gone, she is still there and that she has actually been waiting for him for 24 years. However, the protagonist can't imagine getting used to a life without Alice next door. Ultimately, the song reveals the feelings of unrequited love and the difficulties of dealing with the absence of a loved one.