Songfacts®:

• Speaking with CBC Music, Sexsmith said this was a "sort of an accidental song." He explained: "My wife and I went to a friend's cottage, and I'm not really an outdoors person. It was fine and everything, but I was a little bit bored. I brought my guitar and I started singing this song with the phrase 'lonely avenue,' but I thought there is already a song called 'Lonely Avenue' that Doc Pomus wrote. But it sounded good, so I fiddled around with it and came up with 'If Only Avenue,' and all of a sudden the light bulb came on over my head and I just started writing, again, a song about regret and things that you can't see except in hindsight. I was just happy to be able to quote 'Heartbreak Hotel' in the last verse. It's always fun when you get to do that."
  
  Sexsmith is correct in his recollection. The Doc Pomus penned song "Lonely Avenue" was a rhythm and blues hit for Ray Charles in 1956.