Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel)
by Roy Orbison
Album: 16 Biggest Hits (1960)
Charted: 1 2
songfacts ®
Only the lonely (dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah)
Know the way I feel tonight (ooh yay, yay, yay, yeah)
Know this feeling ain't right (dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah)
There goes my heart
They're gone forever
But only the lonely
Know why I cry
Only the lonely (dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah, ooh yay, yay, yay, yeah)
(Oh, oh oh oh oh ooh-ah-ah, only the lonely)
(Only the lonely)
Know the heartaches I've been through (ooh yay, yay, yay, yeah)
Know I cry and cry for you (dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah)
Maybe tomorrow
A new romance
No-o-o more sorrow
But that's the chance
You've got to take
If your lonely heart breaks
Only the lonely (dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) Writer/s: Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind
More songs from Roy Orbison
More songs about loneliness or isolation
More songs that have sequels
Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel) Songfacts
Roy Orbison Artistfacts
Personal Trainer from Middle Class Usa I remember my last girlfriend told me very early on she liked this song. That it was a very good song. I haven't heard it in years and I heard a double shot between this one and "suddenly last Summer today."
She tells me she likes how I'm more descriptive now than when we were together. I guess I should be more descriptive at least at some point. I owe her that much.
We used to plan fun birthdays for each other. I would have "happy birthday" written into the cake they will come to the table to her surprise. One year she got this awesome weekend cabin north of San Luis Obispo in Avila Beach. One year I took her to Philadelphia for her bday and we sat up front at of the jazz clubs, went to the Rocky steps, explore downtown. It was awesome.
When we would go places I would always put her hand on me, or her foot/leg across mine. Mainly I wanted her hand on me. I kind of became obsessed with her touch. I wanted to feel her touch anytime I could. I think deep down, I want her to heal me. She has that gift. When I went to the ER for a minor heart attack, thank God she came and I told the doctor "go ask the goddess, go ask the goddess; tell her the information." She is a goddess to me. I will always love her for that. Among other things.
We would go to the fights and she would say "Franco thanks a lot for not staring at the ring girls." I told her I like who I'm with, you're better looking than they are anyway."
That kind of thing.
One time I wanted her to meet my dad side of the family and we flew up and met my older brother, his wife, his son, my dad it was her first time. I think she was stressed about meeting all them but she did a great job. She passed with flying colors, they all liked her! I remember it was a big deal for me and I said give me the goddamn bill I paid for everybody! Well worth it. Fairmont Hotel, mami.
When I got bored and I'd look up YouTube videos and songs I would send her stuff. I sent her the Miami Vice scene - Phil Collins in the air tonight. " He called her because he wanted substance Franco." He didn't call any of the models, the singers or the actresses. He called her because he wanted substance Franco. Sounds like me. If I wanted that substance, I would call her. She would tell me some things I didn't want to hear. If I was gonna die, I would call her. I would want one more conversation.
She said to me if I wasn't fixed, she would be pregnant by now several times. We would have our own little tribe. I got fixed when I was 32 because I really didn't want any children. I really didn't want any children because I saw the bloodline I had I didn't want that problem when I was older. I saw what my parents went through with child raising and I said f--k this not for me.
Sometimes I would ask her what our baby would look like, what our boy would look like, hopefully it will be a son. She agreed. I never did that with anyone before. I never talked about having children with someone before. I could care less. Adamant. But I actually kind liked talking about it, with her. If I had ever wanted children, I would want them with her. She's a beautiful lady. She has a very good heart. She's very patient, she's a very loving person. More so than me.
I try to leave her alone this point aside from some small talk here and there. I send her these emails when I'm high on weed. Kind of just giving some descriptions. I owe her that.
I never go to Santa Barbara, I stay clear of that area. I think if / when she wants to talk to me, she'll call me. I feel bad I couldn't give her what she wanted. I got my own issues, and a lot more than I thought I had as recently learned. I had a crazy last couple years, couple minor heart attacks, dealing w/ depression, near death, - f--k it, take it all in stride. I don't care. Ha. I'm a crazy bastard.
When I hear these old-school songs I think of her because : "he wanted substance."
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1960 {July 25th} "Only The Lonely"* by Roy Orbison peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Top 100 chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "I'm Sorry" by Brenda Lee...
Three months later on October 20th, 1960, "Only The Lonely" peaked at #1 {for 2 weeks} on the United Kingdom's Singles chart...
Between 1956 and 1989 the Vernon, Texas native had thirty-one records on the Top 100 chart, nine made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "Running Scared" for 1 week in 1961 and "Oh, Pretty Woman" for 3 weeks in 1964...
One of his thirty-one charted records was a duet with Emmylou Harris, "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again", it peaked at #55 in 1980...
Plus two of his charted records were as a member of the supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys...
Roy Kelton Orbison passed away at the young age of 52 on December 6th, 1988 {heart disease}...
May he R.I.P.
* "Only The Lonely" was Roy Orbison's first of two of his records to peak at #2, his other #2 record was "Crying", for one week in October of 1961...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Billboard's Top 10 for July 25th, 1960:
At #3. "Alley-Oop" by the Hollywood Argyles
#4. "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" by Connie Francis
#5. "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" by Brian Hyland
#6. "Mule Skinner Blues" by The Fendermen
#7. "Image of A Girl" by the Safaris
#8. "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson
#9. "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" by Hank Locklin
#10. "That's All You Gotta Do" by Brenda Lee
Tai from Sonoma CaI've looked for years but have yet to find the names of the DoWop Session Singers who should go down in history for the opening Dum Dum Dummy Do Wah...they are unsung heroes of song.
German from Costa Mesa, CaWhat a voice... what a VOICE! I agree with Linc from TX, one of the most underrated artist in music history. His vocal range was ridiculous. All his songs remind me of my folks...my mother has always said that his voice was far superior to Elvis' and the more I hear his music the more I agree with her. "...I cry...only the lonely."
Linc from Beaumont, TxOne of the most over looked music greats - really
Radio Free EuropeR.E.M.
Michael Stipe hadn't finished the lyrics when R.E.M. recorded "Radio Free Europe." He calls the vocal "complete babbling."
CruiseFlorida Georgia Line
"Cruise" climbed from 6-5 on the Hot 100 in its 34th week. In doing so it set a record for the slowest ascent to the Top 5 in the chart's history, which was beaten by Imagine Dragon's "Radioactive" 42-week clamber to #4 three weeks later.
Uptown FunkMark Ronson
"Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson was 2015's best-selling single in both the U.S. and U.K.
VenusShocking Blue
The original "Venus" was a #1 hit for the Dutch band Shocking Blue. Listen to the first line and you'll hear a muffed word: "goddess" was sung as "goddness."
Somebody Like YouKeith Urban
When Keith Urban played "Somebody Like You" for his girlfriend, she called him a hypocrite because he "sucked at relationships."
UmbrellaRihanna
When Rihanna's "Umbrella" was a hit in the summer of 2007, it rained constantly in London, prompting their newspaper The Sun to suggest a "Rihanna Curse."
Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing
Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.
Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews
Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.
Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews
Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.
U2Fact or Fiction
How did The Edge get his name? Did they name a song after a Tolkien book? And who is "Angel of Harlem" about?
Sam HollanderSongwriter Interviews
The hitmaking songwriter/producer Sam Hollander with stories about songs for Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, Train, Pentatonix, and Fitz And The Tantrums.