We walked the loneliest mile
We smile without any style
We kiss all together wrong
No intention

We lie about each other's drinks
We live without each other
Thinking what anyone would do
Without me and you

It's like I told you
Only the lonely can play

So hold on here we go
Hold on to nothin' we know
I feel so lonely
Way up here

You mention the time we were together
So long ago well I don't remember
All I know is it makes me feel good now

It's like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely only the lonely can play

Only the lonely only the lonely can play
It's like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely
Only the lonely can play


Lyrics submitted by stoolhardy, edited by deemic

Only The Lonely Lyrics as written by Martha Emily Davis

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Only the Lonely song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

13 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Clearly Martha spent her share of time alone to be able to write a song like this. Thinking... A LOT.

    It makes you wonder how someone so beautiful and talented could ever feel this way, and then you read about her life: pregnant at 15, then again at 17, her mother a suicide, spent many years in poverty and deprivation chasing her dreams of stardom - never quite finding the right guy.

    The fact that she was able to have even a couple of hits like this one was and is an incredible story of perseverance, if not just plain stubbornness.

    It's amazing in some ways how different this song is from her other hit, 'Suddenly Last Summer'. In that song, the music itself is the real draw, as the lyrics are simplistic and used more as a suggestion of what you should be thinking about.

    This lyrics in this song are far more critical and anyone who's ever felt loneliness can absolutely empathize. Here, Martha reaches out to embrace the emptiness of her life and translate it into words.

    I believe she is writing this to her ex, and anyone who's had to deal with their ex after the relationship is over knows how to 'hold on to nothing we know'. You wonder how you even had a relationship with that person in the first place.

    And yet, when you've spent part of your life with someone, they still know you pretty well, and depending on how amicable the breakup was, maybe you can still talk to them and share. Is it a waste of time to continue to pour your heart out to someone who will no longer be with you romantically?

    Maybe. But maybe it beats being lonely altogether...

    ctlizyrdon April 01, 2017   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.