Lonely People

‘The second single from Holiday was a Dan Peek composition, "Lonely People." Co-written with Dan's wife, Catherine, "Lonely People" was a very simple song with a potent message, a radical departure from America's lyrically vague efforts of the past, including Dewey's impressionistic "Tin Man." Lasting just under two and a half minutes, it was a short song even for a group noted for its brief compositions, but then a powerful message need not take long to articulate. "Lonely People" featured a strikingly positive and upbeat feel for a song which basically had a melancholy underpinning -- that of loneliness and emptiness. The song also featured both a harmonica and a piano solo toward the middle of the song for the just the right hook. The honesty of both the flavor and the message that the song offered struck a chord with the public, and it rode all the way to Number Five on the Billboard singles chart in March 1975. Ten years later, Dan reflected back on the song's legacy: I've had a lot of letters from people, a lot of people coming up to me personally, and... some have even said it literally changed their life. When you have that kind of response, that's what you're looking for really as an artist. Every artist is trying to convey some kind of a message. It may be as simple as, "Let's all let our hair down and have a good time"... So I'm happy that "Lonely People'" has a good message and one that people have received, and one that has touched a lot of people.’

Source: Comprehensive History: America Revisited http://www.accessbackstage.com/america/hist01.htm

Actually the second verse should read "This is for all the single people thinking that LOVE has left them dry".

Drink from the silver cup refers to Norse mythology where someone welcomed into Valhalla is offered a drink from a silver cup. That is why it is followed by "ride that highway in the sky", although that is not where Valhalla was.

I think this particular song is talking about a pervasive problem in our modern society, which is that you can know a lot of people, but still find something missing. It does offer some hope, with the line to "not give up, util you drink from the silver cup, which I interpet to mean never give up until the time of your closing of this life to the next-where one will experiece a banquet with silver cups in Heaven and never again feel like a pariah. I think the other line refering to the next life is of course-ride the Highway in the sky.

Is this the complet lyric?

believe it or not, it's complete

this is a really nice song about lonely single ppl, i like to listen when im feeling shit about not having a woman. Like tonight when i had to go to a party with this guy who is an asshole and has a really gorgeous girlfriend. She is hot and friendly and smart ant just all round a really beautiful girl, he does not deserve her. This song is part of my feeling sorry for myself collection, because i listen to it when im drunk and i think about how much i deserve skye and nat doesnt.

hey i think it was written for people like him, i know i like to complain when im feelin down about loneliness

although i do prefer lonely songs to be written in the first person point of view, i guess it makes it more real

although i do prefer lonely songs to be written in the first person point of view, i guess it makes it more real