The Loneliest Guy

David Bowie

About The Loneliest Guy

"The Loneliest Guy" is a song written by David Bowie in 2003 for his album Reality. It's a slow-tempo minimalistic piece in which, according to James E. Perone, "Bowie's character also lives in denial: in spite of the shards of glass that he finds near his windows, the solitary life he lives, and 'all the pages that have turned,' he expresses the belief that he is not 'the loneliest guy' in the world, but, rather, 'the luckiest guy'." The biographer also writes: "The slow, solemn pace of the piece, the long phrases sung with a slowly pulsing vibrato suggest a profound sadness. "The piano is played by long-time Bowie pianist Mike Garson in a sombre form that led David Buckley to make an analogy with the "psychotic menage" of Bowie's Outside (1995), although the biographer concludes: "Bowie's vocal, quivering and unstable, is just too much. As music writer Alex Petridis put it, the song was sadly 'overcooked'."Lou Reed praised the song, writing for Rolling Stone: "He's always changing, so you never get tired of what he's doing. And I mean all the way up to his later records: 'The Loneliest Guy' on his album Reality is a great song. Yet another one." Margaret Cho also wrote in her compilation of essays and prose I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight (2005) that she likes many Bowie songs, "and the new songs from the Reality album, a new favorite being 'The Loneliest Guy.' It's almost too much to ask for, the ageless, timeless, faultless, flawless Bowie in a vocal storm of versatility [...]" 


Year:
2003
4:11
113 
#5

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Streets damp and warm
Empty smell metal
Weeds between buildings
Pictures on my hard drive
But I'm the luckiest guy
Not the loneliest guy

Steam under floor
Shards by the mirrors frame
Clouds green and low
No sign, no nothing now
But I'm the luckiest guy
Not the loneliest guy

All the pages that have turned
All the errors left unlearned, oh
Well I'm the luckiest guy
Not the loneliest guy
In the world
Not me
Not me

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David Bowie

David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 - 10 January 2016), known by his stage name David Bowie ( /ˈboʊ.i/ BOH-ee), was an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. He is known for his distinctive voice as well as the intellectual depth and considerable eclecticism of his work. more »

30 fans

Written by: DAVID BOWIE

Lyrics © TINTORETTO MUSIC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

ALBUM
"The Loneliest Guy" is a track from David Bowie's 2003 album "Reality". This album was his 23rd studio album.
GENRE
The song comprises elements of rock and electronic music, mainly focused in ambient and art entries, which are some of Bowie's favorite genres.
COMPOSITION
Bowie wrote the song himself, combining introspective lyrics with a minimalist, atmospheric musical arrangement. The melancholic tone of the song is typical of other tracks on the "Reality" album.
LYRICS
The lyrics of "The Loneliest Guy" depict a sense of isolation and loneliness, the mood that Bowie often expressed in his songs.
INFLUENCE
The song was supposedly influenced by Bowie's feelings of isolation following the 9/11 attacks in the United States. The overall story of the album "Reality" resonates with the feeling of uncertainty and fear in the post 9/11 world.
REVIEWS
The song received mixed reviews from music critics. Some praised it for its emotional depth, while others felt it was less impactful than other tracks on the album.
LIVE PERFORMANCES
Bowie included "The Loneliest Guy" in the setlist for his "A Reality Tour", which spanned from 2003 to 2004.
CHARTS
While "The Loneliest Guy" didn't chart itself, the album "Reality" did quite well, reaching the top 10 in more than 10 countries and becoming one of Bowie's most commercially successful albums in the 21st century.
THEMATIC PARALLELS
"The Loneliest Guy" is thematically related to many other songs in Bowie's repertoire that engage with feelings of alienation and despair, demonstrating the singer's ongoing exploration of these themes throughout his career.
PRODUCTION
The song was produced by David Bowie himself along with Tony Visconti, who has a long-standing professional relationship with Bowie and has produced many of his albums.

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