Too Much Alike

Album: Jungle Fever (1957)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Too Much Alike" is proof that the "good old days" were rarely as simple or idyllic as we like to imagine they were. Recorded in 1957, the song is about a man and a woman who have drifted apart and are now partying heavily and sleeping around on each other. Vocalist (and guitarist) Charlie Feathers laments the change they've undergone but owns up to his own role in it by singing about a mutually responsible "we" rather than an accusatory "you."

    I like the way we used to love, but we have changed somehow

    The fact that Feathers isn't lashing out or blaming anyone adds to the sadness of the song. Few things are more painful than when both partners want a relationship to work out but just can't seem to make it happen. Sometimes, change seems to initiate from someplace outside the partnership and to be something that not even our best efforts can contain. Anyone who has experienced that hopeless feeling knows how disheartening it is.
  • The song was released as the B-side to the "When You Come Around" single. Both songs are credited to "Charlie Feathers with Jody and Jerry," referring to Jody Chastain and Jerry Huffman, frequent Feather collaborators. The trio sometimes referred to themselves as Charlie Feathers and the Musical Warriors.
  • As he often did with his music, Feathers uses vocal stylings reminiscent of Elvis Presley in this one. Beyond the obvious reasons for doing so (Presley had released his first two albums in 1956), Feathers was a session musician at Sun Studios where Presley recorded. He also recorded some songs for the Flip record label started by Sam Phillips, who produced Presley.

    Feathers lived in Presley's shadow (like just about everyone else from that era), but he did carve out his own legacy and was a trailblazer in his own right - mostly in the Rockabilly genre. He's in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame (he was born in Hot Springs, Mississippi).

    Feathers is also credited on Presley's song "I Forgot To Remember to Forget."
  • Robert Plant covered this song on his 2020 compilation album Digging Deep: Subterranea. It's one of three "new" songs on the album (new in the sense that they were done uniquely and originally for that album rather than being culled from past ones). Patty Griffin shares vocals on the song.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Chris Isaak

Chris IsaakSongwriter Interviews

Chris tells the story of "Wicked Game," talks milkshakes and moonpies at Sun Records, and explains why women always get their way.

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.