Written by the regular team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, the men who wrote hits for Suzie Quatro, Sweet and (the one they don't talk about) Gary Glitter, "Living Next Door To Alice" was recorded initially by New World in 1972. In November 1976, it was released by Smokie, a group Chapman and Chinn were producing, for whom it was a massive hit, topping the charts in no fewer than seven countries. Curiously, this was a double A-side, the other side being "Night Moves" by Bob Seger. In 1995, the Dutch project Gompie decided to add an unfortunate refrain to it: "Alice, Alice, who the f--k is Alice?" This version topped the Netherlands chart.
In this song, the singer is heartbroken because Alice, his neighbor for 24 years, is moving away. He never expressed his feelings for her, but he clearly thought about her a lot. In the last verse, his other neighbor, Sally, says that she's been waiting 24 years for him, and she's still here, but he ignores her and continues to pine for Alice.
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