Music of the Day, 31 December 2023
what do we do
With both of my kids turning nocturnal recently,1 I’ve been alone for long stretches of time the past couple of days. Thus it was no surprise to hear a melancholy favorite from my childhood start playing on the radio station in my mind earlier today.
I was around 10 years old when it was released and didn’t understand a fair portion of the lyrics, partly due to AM signal quality through a cheap radio, but also because the melody and singer’s style led to several words being “swallowed” by their pitch and/or phrasing. It was several years later that I got the song sorted and realized just how much of a downer it is; by then it had firmly established itself in my memory… and I also adored it.
When it was originally released, “Alone Again (Naturally)” wasn’t on the 1972 album Back to Front; it was recorded earlier and released separately as a single. It became a worldwide hit, and topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for six weeks.
Listening to it again today, a couple of things stand out: the ponderous intro and descending melody of many lines are both lovely and bolster the sadness of the lyrics. The music probably drew me in before I started trying to figure out the words. The sardonic “naturally” at the end of the chorus2 was noted and appreciated by young me. And last, the lines questioning the existence of god surely had an impact on me, as this was around the time I was internally questioning the messages pushed on me by the church I was forced to attend.
It’s hard to say what my responses to the song were back then—in no small part because so much of one’s childhood memories get lost as the brain undergoes its adolescent growth spurt—but hearing “Alone Again (Naturally)” at this remove leads me to think that it was a part of why I’ve never had a problem being alone. And really, technically speaking I’m not alone: my kids are still here; they’re just asleep in their bedrooms. But I’m completely comfortable with keeping my own company and am thankful for that.
O’Sullivan’s voice has always entranced me; his wide-ranging choice of subjects in his lyrics appeals as well. In researching this piece, I discovered that before he embarked on his solo career, he was the drummer for a band that included Supertramp founder Richard Davies. Interesting. And here’s a piece of musical trivia: “Alone Again (Naturally)” was the song at the heart of an important 1991 copyright infringement case. Rapper Biz Markie sampled the song without permission; the SDNY3 court ruled that doing so could be grounds for copyright infringement, which led to a shift in hip hop music practices.
Turns out there’s more to Gilbert O’Sullivan than I ever knew … including loads more music, the most recent album having been released just last year. I suspect I’ll be exploring his music on YouTube in some depth.
One because they’re rotating to night shift in a couple of days; the other’s circadian rhythm seems to be free-floating
Does a single line count as a chorus?
Southern District of New York
This is indeed an extremely melancholy song, both lyrically and musically, but gosh do I love it! I’m a sucker for story songs. And for sad songs. And this song checks both those boxes. Pretty sure I didn’t hear this until the 90s when my wife and I bought a 7-CD 70s music compilation on which it appeared. It’s one of my favorite soft rock songs from that era. I’ve never listened to much of his music, outside of this song and Clair. I’ll have to go back and give his other works a listen.
I had completely forgotten about this song as it's been decades since I heard it. I only ever knew the chorus but liked the sound. Thanks for the reminder and I'll have to dive deeper into his work too.