About the song
Ah, 1960. A simpler time, some might say, but for matters of the heart, well, those remain timeless. Tonight, we take a trip back to that era with a song that resonated deeply then, and continues to touch our souls today: Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)”.
This wasn’t just any song. It was the one that launched Orbison’s career into the stratosphere, becoming his first major hit. The New York Times described it perfectly – “a clenched, driven urgency.” Can you hear it already? That powerful voice, brimming with a raw emotion that cuts straight to your core.
Orbison wasn’t just singing a song; he was pouring his heart out. And what a heart it was! Filled with the ache of loneliness, the yearning for connection, the desperate hope that someone, somewhere, could understand the depths of his pain.
This wasn’t just teenybopper pop. This was a ballad for grown-ups, for those who’d known the sting of heartbreak and the hollowness of nights spent alone. It captured a universal truth – that only those who have walked the path of loneliness can truly understand the journey.
“Only the Lonely” wasn’t just a hit in the US, it conquered the charts across the pond, reaching number one in the UK. It stayed there for two glorious weeks, a testament to its power to resonate with audiences worldwide.
Now, close your eyes and let the music wash over you. Feel the emotion in Orbison’s voice, the bittersweet melody, the driving rhythm. This is “Only the Lonely,” and it’s a song that promises, even in the darkest of nights, there’s solace to be found in shared experience. So let the music speak, and remember, you’re not alone.
Video
Lyrics
Only the lonely
Only the lonely
Only the lonely
Know the way I feel tonight
Only the lonely
Know this feeling ain’t right
There goes my baby
There goes my heart
They’re gone forever
So far apart
But only the lonely
Know why
I cry
Only the lonely
Only the lonely
Only the lonely
Only the lonely
Know the heartaches I’ve been through
Only the lonely
Know I cry and cry for you
Maybe tomorrow
A new romance
No more sorrow
But that’s the chance
You gotta take
If your lonely heart breaks
Only the lonely