During this period he also collaborated with Allen Ginsberg, accompanying him on cello while Ginsberg read or sang. Russell also spent time in a Buddhist commune in California; he left when they decided to collectivize his cello.
By the mid-1970's Russell relocated to New York City, where he studied at The Manhattan School of Music. He formed a band from 1975-1979, The Flying Hearts, recorded by John Hammond and featuring David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Frank Pagano, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett, and Peter Zummo.
In the late 1970s Russell became enamored with the disco scene in New York. At the time it represented a liberation force, particularly for the gay scene, just a few years after the Stonewall riots. (For more see "Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco" by Peter Shapiro).
'Kiss Me Again' was Russell's first dance track. Released under the name Dinosaur L by Sirerecords, it was to be the first of many innovative dancefloor tracks released under different names and with different collaborators, such as 'Is It All Over My Face' by Loose Joints, released in 1980. In 1982, Arthur Russell and William Socolov founded Sleeping Bag records and their first release was his 24-24 Music. This featured 'Go Bang' which was re-mixed as a 12" single by Francois Kevorkian.
Arthur Russell continued to release dance singles such as 'Tell You Today' (4th and Broadway, 1983) an upbeat dance groove featuring the vocals of Joyce Bowden . 'Wax the Van' (Jump Street, 1985) with vocals by Lola Blank, wife of notorious BobTreehouse aka Bob Schoolbell (Sleeping Bag, 1986) and 'Let's Go Swimming' (Upside / Rough Trade, 1986).
At the same time, he produced more meditative works on the albums 'Tower of Meaning' (Chatham Square, 1983) and 'World of Echo' (Rough Trade, 1986), which presented many of his pop and dance compositions in solo cellist form.
Arthur Russell died of AIDS on April 4, 1992, at the age of 40. The obituary in the Village Voice wrote: "his songs were so personal that it seems as though he simply vanished into his music."
In 2004 a renewed interest in Arthur Russell saw the release of "The World of Arthur Russell" on Soul Jazz records, which compiled his best-known dance hits alongside more introspective love songs such as "Little Lost" and "Keeping Up".
In the same year Audika records reissued "World Of Echo" and produced "Calling Out Of Context", 12 unreleased songs from 1985-90. The songs were taken from an album "Corn", recorded in 1985 but never released. They showcase a set of visionary pop songs years ahead of their time, minimalist and expansive, evidence that Russell's best work was perhaps never realized before his death.
In 2006 Audika released "First Thought Best Thought", compiling Russell's out of print orchestral and instrumental works with previously unreleased material.
Nobody Wants a Lonely Heart
Arthur Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Arthur Russell's song "Nobody Wants a Lonely Heart" are a poignant reflection on isolation and the fear of being alone. The song describes how the singer must avoid thoughts of their loved one and the sky above to avoid feeling the pain of loneliness. It continues to describe the emotions of a homeless dog who knows it's better off being out of sight, comparing it to the singer's emotions. The song ultimately conveys the fear of never finding companionship again, as the door remains empty, and the loneliness continues.
The words of the song convey loneliness and the fear of being alone in a powerful manner. It reflects the intense emotions that people feel when they are isolated for a long time. The lyrics reveal the frustrations of being in a situation where no one seems to care about one's existence. Russell's low and haunting voice also adds to the overall melancholic tone of the song.
In terms of the song's composition, it incorporates a beautiful blend of cello and acoustic guitar, which add to the haunting ambience of the song. The lyrics are also quite repetitive, reinforcing the message of loneliness and isolation that the song conveys.
Line by Line Meaning
Now as you eat, don't think of the one you love, and on the street, don't look at the sky above.
Even if you miss someone as you go through your daily routine, try not to let it consume you. Don't let your mind wander and distract you from your immediate surroundings.
If there's no one home, don't expect nothing, 'cause nobody wants a lonely heart.
If you're alone and don't have anyone to talk to or share your time with, don't expect anyone to come and fill that void. Being lonely is undesirable and it's not something most people want in their lives.
Now like a dog, who's homeless and can't be sleeping like a log; he knows that's he's best off keeping out of sight, don't expect nothing, 'cause nobody wants a lonely heart.
Like a stray dog who has no permanent home and must constantly move and hide to survive, lonely people may feel like they have no place to belong. Accepting that others don't want to be alone can lead to keeping to oneself and not expecting anything from others.
And in the door, there's nobody coming through it anymore, but I'm looking through it to some other way, don't expect nothing, 'cause nobody wants a lonely heart.
When someone you love or care about is no longer in your life, it can be easy to cling onto the hope that they might return. But to cope with loneliness, it's important to actively look for other ways to find fulfillment and not expect anyone to come save you from it.
Nobody wants a lonely heart.
This line reiterates the main theme of the song: that loneliness is an undesirable state of being that most people don't want to experience.
If there ain't no one home, don't expect nothing, 'cause nobody wants a lonely heart.
Similar to the earlier line, this lyric emphasizes the idea that being alone can lead to disappointment and sadness if you expect someone to show up and fill that void. Accepting that others don't want a lonely heart can help in finding ways to cope with being alone.
Contributed by Blake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.