"Ask the Lonely" is a soul/pop ballad recorded by Motown singing group the Four Tops. Released as the group's third single, the single became the group's second successful single ever since signing to Motown in 1963. Released in 1965, the song rose to number 24 pop and number 9 R&B. It's notable for it being co-written by longtime Motown staffer Mickey Stevenson as most of the group's hits on Motown were written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland. It's also notable for lead singer Levi Stubbs' emotional lead and The Andantes helping the other Tops (Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul "Duke" Fakir) in the background.
There is also a Journey song by the same name.
Being There is the second album by Chicago-based rock band Wilco. Despite its release as a nineteen-song double album, Being There was sold at a single album price due to a deal between lead singer Jeff Tweedy and Reprise Records. Released on October 29, 1996, the album was an improvement for the band in both sales and critical reception as compared with their first album, A.M..
Taking its name from the 1979 film Being There, the self-produced effort featured more surrealistic and introspective writing than their previous album. This was due in part to several significant changes in Tweedy's life, including the birth of his first child. Musically, it juxtaposed the alternative country styles songs reminiscent of Uncle Tupelo with psychedelic, surreal songs. It was the only Wilco album with steel guitarist Bob Egan and the last with multi-instrumentalist Max Johnston.
Jeff Tweedy formed Wilco in 1994 after creative differences between Jay Farrar and Tweedy caused the breakup of Uncle Tupelo. The band entered the recording studio almost immediately afterwards to record and release A.M. in 1995, which saw disappointing sales. Jay Farrar's new band Son Volt released Trace in late 1995 to critical praise and good sales numbers. Trace also provided a college rock hit song in "Drown", which entered the top ten of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, further increasing competition between the two bands.
The Lonely can refer to:
"The Lonely" is a song by British Sea Power. The song was the group's third single and their second on Rough Trade. It was their first single to garner much press coverage and resulted in a pleasing chart position. Unusually, the nominal a-side actually features as the flipside on both versions. The main position is taken by "The Spirit of St. Louis", a tale of Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic. This is still regularly performed live despite it only appearing on this release. The title track was written as a tribute to Geoff Goddard, a friend of the band who wrote the 1960s number-one single, "Johnny Remember Me".
The single reached number 76 on the UK Singles Chart.
(Written by William Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter)
Just ask the lonely
When you feel
That you can make it all alone
Remember no one is big enough
To go it all alone
Just ask the lonely
They know the hurting pain
Of losing the love
You can never regain
Just ask the lonely
The young and foolish
Who laugh at love and slowly run away
Confident and sure that fate
Will bring another love their way
But ask the lonely
How vainly a heart can yearn
For losing a love
That will never return
Just ask the lonely
Just ask the lonely
Just ask the lonely
They'll tell you a story of sadness
A story too hard to believe
They'll tell you
The lonliest one is me
Just ask the lonely
Just ask the lonely
Just ask the lonely