Tag: You’re Only Lonely

This song has always stuck with me. I have a special place for it. J.D. Souther was influenced by the Roy Orbinson song Only The Lonely. This title fits some today in what all of us are going through. You know sometimes when you say “all of us” you mean maybe your state, district, or country…but now it truly means all of us.

J.D. Souther collaborated on many of The Eagles’ hits, including New Kid in Town. J.D. Souther had some talented friends. In the early days of his career, Souther shared an apartment with future Eagles member Glenn Frey in Los Angeles. Downstairs was Jackson Browne. Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt and many others from that scene hung around, too.

“You’re Only Lonely” was originally released in 1979, and was No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. It peaked at #7 in the Billboard 100.

J.D. Souther talks about how Linda Ronstadt gave him good advice: “Very pointedly, she said, ‘Don’t try to rewrite the songs.’ I mean, she encouraged me to do the record because I defer to her advice quite often,” Souther says. “She really has just practically infallible taste in songs. She’s got what jazz players call ‘big ears.’ So I just kind of sat back and approached it as though the songs had been chosen for me by someone else.

From Songfacts

A #1 Adult Contemporary hit for 5 weeks, Souther told us that Roy Orbison, who had a hit with “Only The Lonely,” was a big influence on this song. Said Souther: “I was a little kid when I first heard Roy Orbison, but he was magic. He’s the guy that you turned out the lights and listened to his records by yourself – or with a girl – because he was just completely other-worldly. He had sarcastic and adventurous songs and great arrangements, and then that beautiful, almost operatic voice. Beautiful, natural deep echo on it. He is one of half a dozen or so rockabilly musicians that I really loved. When I was in junior high school was the first time I really started listening to that.

But then I started playing drums all the time, and I got so fascinated with jazz, I didn’t really think much about singing or making rock and roll records for quite a few years. The first song I ever heard called ‘Only the Lonely’ was this song that Frank Sinatra sang. It’s a Johnny Mercer song; it’s on a Sinatra album called Songs for Only the Lonely. There are a lot of songs with that name. But the beat that I used for ‘You’re Only Lonely’ is that rockabilly beat. That sort of break in it was taken from another Roy Orbison record called ‘I’m Hurtin” that I really love.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C88eKv-uphM

When You’re Only Lonely

When the world is ready to fall on your little shoulders
And, when you’re feeling lonely and small,
You need somebody there to hold you;
You can call out my name

When you’re only lonely;
Now, don’t you ever be ashamed;
You’re only lonely.

When you need somebody around on the nights that try you
I was there when you were a queen
And I’ll be the last one there beside you;
So you can call out my name

When you’re only lonely;
Now, don’t you ever be ashamed;
You’re only lonely. (You’re only lonely)
(You’re only lonely) (You’re only lonely)

Ooh, When the world is ready to fall on your little shoulders
And, when you’re feeling lonely and small,
You need somebody there to hold you;
So don’t you ever be ashamed
When you’re only lonely;
You can call out my name

When you’re only lonely; (You’re only lonely)
When you’re only lonely; (You’re only lonely)
Ooh, it’s no crime,
Darlin’, we got lots of time,
Woh, woh, (You’re only lonely)
Woh, woh, woh, (You’re only lonely)
No there’s nothing wrong with you,
Darlin, I get lonely too.
(You’re only lonely)(You’re only lonely)
So, if you need me, (You’re only lonely)
All you’ve gotta do is call me
Well, you’re only lonely
(You’re only lonely)(You’re only lonely)
Ooh, ooh, (You’re only lonely)