| "Alone Again (Naturally)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Gilbert O'Sullivan | ||||
| from the album Himself Greatest Hits (1976) |
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| B-side | Save It | |||
| Released | 1972 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded | 1971 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:36 | |||
| Label | MAM | |||
| Writer(s) | Gilbert O'Sullivan | |||
| Producer | Gilbert O'Sullivan | |||
| Gilbert O'Sullivan singles chronology | ||||
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"Alone Again (Naturally)" is a song by Irish singer–songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan. It was released in 1972, and in total spent six weeks, non-consecutively, at #1 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In Casey Kasem's American 'Top 40 of the 1970s', "Alone Again (Naturally)" ranked as the fifth most-popular song of the decade (Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" was #1). "Alone Again (Naturally)" also spent six weeks at number one on the Easy Listening chart.[1] The track reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]
It is an introspective ballad, starting with the singer telling of his plans to commit suicide after being left at the altar, and then telling about the death of his parents. O'Sullivan has said that the song is not autobiographical, as he did not know his father (who died when O'Sullivan was 11) very well, and that his father had mistreated his mother.[3] "Alone Again (Naturally)" is included on O'Sullivan's The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan album (2004) on the EMI record label. Big Jim Sullivan plays the guitar break in the original recorded version of the song.
The landmark 1991 copyright case Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records Inc. centered on the unauthorized use of a sample from "Alone Again (Naturally)" by rapper Biz Markie.
Esther Phillips's version of the song was the title track of her classic 1972 album.
In 1972, the Dutch comedy duo Van Kooten en De Bie wrote a Dutch version of the song, called 1948. It deals about nostalgic feelings of a sober, but happy childhood in the year 1948, just three years after World War II.
Popular balladeer Johnny Mathis covered the song in 1973.
Dame Shirley Bassey covered the song on her 1976 album Love, Life, and Feelings.[4]
Jazz musician Dewey Redman included an instrumental version on his 1979 album Musics
Nina Simone recorded her own version on the 1982 album Fodder on My Wings. The lyrics are about the death of Nina's father, and her emotions while "I waited three weeks for him to die".
Spanish singer Chao recorded in 1988 a spanish version called "Solo soy para ti" (I'm only for you), with a very different meaning in the lyric.
Jazz trumpeter Blue Mitchell covered the song on his 1973 album Graffiti Blues.
In 2004, Ehud Manor wrote a Hebrew version of the song. This version is called "VeShuv Levad" (Hebrew: "ושוב לבד", "Alone Again"), and sung by Tiki Dayan, an Israeli actress. The Hebrew version was used as the theme song for the Israeli drama series Matay Nitnashek, in 2007.
The song was covered in 2005 by Elton John and the Pet Shop Boys for a rare 2005 promo of Gilbert O'Sullivan. This cover version was never released commercially.
Cass Elliot also covered the song live, at The Julie Andrews Hour (1972), Season 1, Episode 8.
Makoto Ozone made a jazz version of the song for the Japanese television drama Ashita no Kita Yoshio.
Har Mar Superstar covered the song on his 2004 album The Handler.
In 2007, Donny Osmond covered this song on his solo studio album, Love Songs of the '70s.
Neil Diamond released a cover version on his 2010 album "Dreams".
The song has been featured in many movies and TV shows, including Megamind, Summer Time Machine Blues, The Virgin Suicides and Stuck on You. It was the opening theme song of Episode 24 of the anime Maison Ikkoku. (Sullivan's later hit "Get Down" was the closing theme of that same episode, but the producers were unable to use the songs for more than one episode due to copyright problems.)
The song can be heard briefly in the background in the movie Osmosis Jones.
The episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily" of the eleventh season of the animated television series The Simpsons, is a clear reference to the song, as is season 20's No Loan Again, Naturally. In the season 17 episode "The Wettest Stories Ever Told" of The Simpsons, Comic Book Guy uses the song as inspirational music.
During the second series of the British television drama Life on Mars, it is used as an end theme of one episode to signify the despair of the lead character, Sam Tyler.
In May 2000, a cover version of the song appeared on Diet for a New America by the band 58, a side project by Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx.
The song was also used in the feature film Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, but the lyrics were changed to be more humorous and romantic.
In the episode "Look Who's Stalking" of the television series Veronica Mars, the song is referenced in a banter between the characters. Logan asks Veronica "Alone again?" and she replies "Naturally".
The lyric "65 years old, my mother, God rest her soul" is referenced in the song "Fly" by Sugar Ray, changed to "25 years old".
In the 2003 film Love Actually, the character of Colin Firth says to himself, upon arriving at his secluded cabin after discovering that his girlfriend cheated on him with his brother, "Alone again. Naturally."
In the 2002 film, Stuart Little 2, the song can be heard while Stuart is driving after George goes off to play with his friends and not allow him to partake in the fun.
The song also appeared, covered by Vonda Shepard, in the TV series "Ally McBeal".
| Preceded by "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single July 29, 1972 (four weeks) |
Succeeded by "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" by Looking Glass |
| Preceded by "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" by Looking Glass |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single September 2, 1972 (two weeks) |
Succeeded by "Black and White" by "Three Dog Night" |
| Preceded by "Where Is the Love" by Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway |
Billboard Easy Listening Singles number-one single (Gilbert O"Sullivan version) July 29, 1972 (6 weeks) |
Succeeded by "The Guitar Man" by Bread |