| "The Lonely" | ||||
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"The Lonely" cover |
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| Promotional single by Christina Perri from the album lovestrong. | ||||
| Released | March 29, 2011 | |||
| Format | Digital download | |||
| Genre | Pop, soul | |||
| Length | 3:52 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Writer | Christina Perri, David Hodges | |||
| lovestrong. track listing | ||||
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"The Lonely" is a song by American singer-songwriter Christina Perri. The song was released to iTunes March 29, 2011, only to be followed by the release of the songs lyric-video the next day on Perri's YouTube account. The song is included on Perri's debut album, lovestrong., where it was released from as a the first promotional single for the album.
The song draws inspiration from Perri's life, written about a relationship she had with the emotion of being lonely. The song's accompanying lyric-video premiered on Teen Vogue, March 29, 2011, and was released on Perri's official YouTube account March 30, 2011. Many critics found themselves divided on the song, most of which positively reviewed the songs chilling tone and Perri's powerful lyrics, but constantly compared the song to Perri's lead single "Jar of Hearts" negatively stating that "The Lonely" doesn't compare to the lead single.
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"The Lonely" was written by Christina Perri herself, co-written by David Hodges.[1] One month prior to the release of lovestrong., Perri revealed that three promotional singles were set to be released via-iTunes leading up to the albums release.[2] The first promotional single released was "The Lonely" on March 29, 2011, following with the official lyric-video release from Perri's official YouTube account on March 30, 2011.[3][4] The song is the first promotional single released, out of three; the others being "Penguin" and "Tragedy".[5] An official karaoke version of the song was released by Perri herself onto iTunes, April 5, 2011.[6]
Perri wrote "The Lonely" in August 2010 in her driveway at two o'clock in the morning.[7] She revealed that she was preparing for a diner event, with full hair and makeup in a "poufy dress", when she realized that she was alone as she pulled into her driveway and began to "cry her eyes out" as she wrote the song.[7] She revealed that the song is about her relationship with nobody or with this ghost of somebody.[7] She revealed that at the moment of writing the song, it couldn't have been more true for me during that time in my life.[7] While revealing the track to Teen Vogue, Perri gave more insight into the songs message stating "The saddest, quietest, most painful kind. It's lonely personified. It’s my relationship with no one, and I’m very happy I kept it superdramatic and simple at the same time. It’s me, a piano, plus a nineteen-piece orchestra."[8]
Perri's voice has been described as somber in the song, and compliments the piano melody of the song which grows louder as the song progresses.[9] The song begins lyrically emotional as Perri sings "2am, where do I begin / Crying off my face again / The silent sound of loneliness / Wants to follow me to bed," only to begin a sad story of losing herself and becoming someone she no longer recognizes; "I’m the ghost of a girl / That I want to be most / I’m the shell of a girl / That I used to know well."[9] With the idea of loneliness personified, the song is about Perri's relationship with no one, setting a very clear timeline for Perri in her past.[10]
"The Lonely" garnered mixed review by critics, most of which favored the chilling tone set in the song and compared the song to Perri's lead single "Jar of Hearts". Bill Lamb of About.com included the song in a list of the "Top 10 New Pop Songs", "The Lonely" coming in at number five.[11] Lamb continued complimenting the song, describing it as "another beautiful ballad".[11] Naming the song the "power ballad" of lovestrong., Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone complimented the song as "bombastic", including the song as a "must hear" in the end of her review.[12] While reviewing the album, Tom Lanham of The San Francisco Examiner described the song as a "gorgeous anthem".[13] Chad Grischow of IGN gave the song a negative review, naming the song a sappy string-laced piano ballad which attempted to recreate the "magic" of "Jar of Hearts" but lacks the songs "emotional heart".[14]
A music video was released to promote the song. The video debuted on Teen Vogues website on March 29, 2011, the day of the songs iTunes release.[15] The video was later released on Perri's official YouTube account the following day, March 30, 2011.[16] The video was directed by Elliott Sellers, and is shot as a lyrical video.[15]
The video begins with an old fashioned typewriter typing out the artists name and the name of the song. As the song starts, the camera moves away from the typewriter and shows a brick wall with the song lyrics written on it as a light beams upon the current lyrics being sung. As the chorus begins, the lyrics are now being shown cut through a board as light beams behind them. As the song continues, the rest of the song lyrics are shown being typed by a typewriter again, until the pages are shown being burnt on the floor with larger letters on them continuing the songs lyrics. The video ends with a closeup of a candles wax dripping, later to be blown out simulating the videos end.
Perri performed the song on her joint tour with James Blunt in Boston, MA at "The House of Blues".[17]
On July 20, 2011, "The Lonely" was performed on So You Think You Can Dance.[18]
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