Augustana is an alternative rock (or piano rock) band that originally met a… Read Full Bio ↴Augustana is an alternative rock (or piano rock) band that originally met and formed at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois, United States. The original band members included Dan Layus, Josiah Rosen, Simeon Lohrmann, and Kyle Baker. The band recorded Midwest Skies and Sleepless Mondays on campus in early 2003. After locally releasing their Mayfield EP, the band parted ways with drummer Kyle Baker and bass player Simeon Lohrmann; and added Josh Calhoun (drums) and Jared Palomar (originally keys, moved to bass guitar) to the lineup. Soon after, the band decided to quit school and head to Los Angeles in search of a label. Augustana quickly signed by Epic Records in California during 2004. Josh Calhoun was replaced by Justin South. Their first major-label album, All the Stars and Boulevards, was produced by Epic Records and catapulted them into the spotlight. The band is perhaps best known for its single, Boston, whose music video features the lead singer on a beach full of pianos and was featured on the WB show "One Tree Hill." Their music has also been largely played on NBC's comedy, Scrubs. Characterized by piano lines and the breathy vocals of Dan Layus (the lead singer), Augustana's sound is at once contemplative and slow, but also captivating. Josiah Rosen left the band in April of 2006. Chris Sachtleben replaced Josiah. David Lamoureux also parted ways with the band end of 2006/early 2007. John Vincent replaced David.

In early 2014 the band announced that they had signed with Razor & Tie. On April 22, 2014, Augustana released the album, Life Imitating Life. On September 2, 2015, Augustana release three new tracks ("Climb", "Must Be Love" and "You Can Have Mine").

In 2016, they began touring as an opener for the Dixie Chicks on their DCX MMXVI World Tour. On August 3, 2016, Augustana's social media sites changed their named to Dan Layus, the name of the sole remaining founding member and lead singer/songwriter. Dan Layus released the album, "Dangerous Things," on October 21, 2016.

The band members are:
Dan Layus (lead vocals, piano, guitar)
Jared Palomar (bass, keyboards, vocals)
Chris Sachtleben (lead guitar, mandolin)
Justin South (drums)
John Vincent (keyboards, vocals)

Former band members include:
Simeon Lohrmann (bass, vocals)
Josiah Rosen (lead guitar, vocals)
Kyle Baker (drums)
Josh Calhoun (drums)
David Lamoureux (keyboards, vocals)

Lonely People
Augustana Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I swear I never watched you sleeping
Well honey, I'm an honest man
I guess it always gets me drinking
She makes me sad

Sweet, sweet and cold
Clean up the mess and sleep the day away
When you call, I might be here

I might be gone
But here at the sound of the bells you cry
You've lost your mind
But dear, don't be sad
It's just a dream you dreamt you had

But I ain't seen you look so good
So honey
I guess it always gets me drinking
Well Holly, she makes me sad
Forgive me if I look so lonely
It's not that bad

Hey, well I know
California might be warm this time of year
I should go, turn the engine and the radio
But it's cold, always cold
This hotel room won't let me sleep
Well time, it's alright
I guess I'll just stay up all night

But I ain't seen you look so good
So honey
I guess it always gets me drinking
Well Holly, she makes me sad
Forgive me if I look so lonely
It's not that bad
Sometimes it's just the sound of the TV that gets me always wondering why
Sometimes it's just a conversation that makes me cry
It makes me cry

Oh, so honey
I guess it always gets me drinking
Well Holly, she makes me sad
Forgive me if I look so lonely
It's not that bad
Sometimes it's just the sound of the TV that gets me always wondering why
Sometimes it's just a conversation that makes me cry

It makes me cry
The lonely people, lonely people

Overall Meaning

The song "Lonely People" by Augustana depicts a person struggling with loneliness and alcohol addiction. The singer confesses that he drinks whenever he sees someone he used to love, namely Holly. The lyrics are poignant and suggest that the character is unable to overcome his addiction and move on. Despite his confession of being an honest man and not watching Holly sleeping, the singer seems unable to avoid the pain of seeing her again. The second verse suggests that the singer is in a hotel room, unable to sleep, and distracted by the sound of the TV when he is not drinking. The chorus repeats the idea that Holly makes him sad, but the singer rationalizes that feeling lonely is not that bad.

The song's raw emotions and poetic lyrics make it particularly powerful. The mention of California in verse two, a place often associated with happiness and sunshine, creates an interesting contrast with the bleak hotel room where the singer is stuck. The song's title "Lonely People" implies that the singer's experience is not unique, but rather common among individuals who feel alone and use alcohol to cope. The use of the bells in the outro creates the impression that the singer's sober self recognizes the negative effects of alcohol on his life.

Line by Line Meaning

I swear I never watched you sleeping
I promise I never spied on you while you slept

Well honey, I'm an honest man
I'm truthful, dear

I guess it always gets me drinking
My drinking tends to escalate in these situations

She makes me sad
She causes me sadness

Sweet, sweet and cold
This situation is both tender and frigid

Clean up the mess and sleep the day away
Tidy up and indulge in slumber

When you call, I might be here I might be gone
I may or may not be present when you reach out to me

But here at the sound of the bells you cry
The ringing of the bells prompts you to weep

You've lost your mind
Your sanity has slipped away

But dear, don't be sad It's just a dream you dreamt you had
Darling, don't despair. What you experienced was simply a figment of your imagination

I ain't seen you look so good
You've never appeared more appealing

Forgive me if I look so lonely It's not that bad
Excuse my melancholic demeanor. It's really not terrible

Hey, well I know California might be warm this time of year
I'm aware that California is pleasant around this season

I should go, turn the engine and the radio But it's cold, always cold
I ought to depart, start the car, and commence a music session. However, it's consistently chilly

This hotel room won't let me sleep
This lodging won't allow me to slumber

Well time, it's alright I guess I'll just stay up all night
Time isn't an issue. I suppose I'll stay vigilant throughout the evening

Sometimes it's just the sound of the TV that gets me always wondering why
Occasionally, the television audio prompts me to ponder the reason behind things

Sometimes it's just a conversation that makes me cry It makes me cry
Conversations intermittently cause me to weep. They just do

The lonely people, lonely people
Individuals who lack companionship, people who are alone

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL LAYUS, JARED PALOMAR, JOSIAH ROZENCWAJG, JUSTIN SOUTH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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