You're Only Lonely (song)

"You're Only Lonely" is a 1979 single by J. D. Souther from his album of the same name.^[3] The single peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, Souther's only top ten pop hit, and spent five weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.^[4]

"You're Only Lonely"
Single by J. D. Souther
from the album You're Only Lonely
B-side	"Songs of Love"
Released	August 1979^[1]
Genre	Country rock, soft rock^[2]
Length	3:48
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	J. D. Souther
J. D. Souther singles chronology
"You're Only Lonely" (1979) "White Rhythm and Blues" (1980)

Background

Souther hired Danny Kortchmar to play guitar, David Sanborn saxophone, and to help out with the harmony, Phil Everly, Jackson Browne, and three members of the Eagles (Frey, Felder, Henley).^[5]

Charts

Chart (1979-80)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	17
Canadian RPM Top Singles	18
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary	2
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	12
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[7]	7
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	60

Year-end chart (1980)	Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)^[8]	57

Cover versions

• The song was covered in 2004 by Taiwanese girl group S.H.E in their album Magical Journey.
• It was covered by singer-songwriter Schuyler Fisk on her album The Good Stuff.
• Patrick Norman covered the song to Québec in French as "Tout au long de ma vie".
• Also covered by Raul Malo of The Mavericks, on his 2006 album "You're Only Lonely".

Popular culture

• It is also featured in the 2005 Korean film, Daddy-Long-Legs and the 2013 Korean drama, A Little Love Never Hurts.

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1979 (U.S.)

References

1. "45cat - J. D. Souther - You're Only Lonely / Songs Of Love - Columbia - USA - 1-11079". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
2. Roy Kasten (January 2, 2012). "JD Souther". Riverfront Times. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
3. Allmusic song review
4. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 227.
5. DeGagne, Mike. "You're Only Lonely (Review)". J.D. Souther Biography. allmusic. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 285. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 788.
8. "1980 Talent in Action – Year End Charts : Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 51. December 20, 1980. p. TIA-10. Retrieved April 5, 2020.