England during the late '50s had its equivalents to Frankie Avalon and Fabi… Read Full Bio ↴England during the late '50s had its equivalents to Frankie Avalon and Fabian, teenage boy singers whose sounds were specifically tailored to appeal to the most romantic sides of the young female psyche and not offend their parents. Craig Douglas was one of the better of these and has proved one of the most enduring, still performing more than 40 years after cutting his first record. Born Terry Perkins on the Isle of Wight, he was one of a pair of twins (and those twins were one of three sets among nine children). His mother sang well, one of Douglas' sisters performed on the Isle of Wight, and he'd reportedly begun trying to sing while still in the crib. An indifferent student, he preferred athletics and being outdoors, which led to his volunteering during a school holiday to help the milkman make his deliveries.

It was the latter brief diversion that got the boy labeled the Singing Milkman at the outset of his career. At 16, his mother entered him in a local talent contest and he won by singing "Love Letters in the Sand." He got to a final round, where he specifically avoided doing the standard Elvis Presley imitations that his competitors presented. This led to an appearance at a variety show on the island, where he was seen by London agent Bunny Lewis, whose wife was performing on the same bill. She, in turn, was impressed with the boy's poise and professionalism. Lewis arranged for singing lessons for the 16-year-old and began grooming him for a career on the stage in London. Lewis gave him the name Craig Douglas after seeing it outside a house in Scotland.

His breakthrough came on The Six-Five Special, then the only real showcase for rock & roll on British television. Douglas was booked on the show the same week that Cliff Richard and Joe Brown appeared, but he made an impression even in their company: A few days later, he was presented with two huge sacks of fan mail from the performance. The Six-Five Special led Douglas to a recording contract and a string of successes. Much of Douglas' career was spent at EMI, for which he had a number one hit with his version of "Only Sixteen," but also charted very high with "A Teenager in Love," "The Heart of a Teenage Girl," "Pretty Blue Eyes," and "When My Little Girl Is Smiling." Douglas wasn't really a rock & roll singer, his diction being too good and his delivery too straight-ahead for that designation.

His early records call up images of Ricky Nelson but, like a lot of young British singers of his era, he quickly aimed for a more mature audience. His singing was very emotive but also very clean. He was obviously more comfortable with dignified pop music, such as "Time," than with the more rocking numbers like "Ring-A-Ding" that he was occasionally called upon to record, with its slurred lyrics, honking saxes, and loud electric guitars (although Douglas acquitted himself well in that setting). He made the usual moves, appearing on film soundtracks (Two and Two Make Six) and in movies (It's Trad, Dad; A Painted Smile), as well as numerous television shows. Douglas' appearance alongside his EMI stablemate Helen Shapiro in It's Trad, Dad (which was Richard Lester's first feature and a dry run for A Hard Day's Night) showed off his strengths and weaknesses. He was charismatic simply based on his good looks, but was rather a stiff on camera as an actor, especially next to the vivacious Shapiro (who was also about five years younger than the then 21-year-old Douglas).

Rock & roll was just another musical genre to Douglas, which is not to say he was wrong, it's just that antique numbers like "It All Depends on You" or "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" done straight will never resonate the same way "Dream Lover" or "Rainbows" will to listeners born after 1945. Douglas' time on the English charts ended in 1962 and his major recording career came to a halt a year later with the advent of the Liverpool sound, but he continues to perform regularly in clubs, on cruises, and in cabarets, as well as international tours. Indeed, well into the 1990s, he had an annual month-long booking in Hong Kong. He's a fondly remembered and talented exponent of England's early flirtation with rock & roll. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Oh Lonesome Me
Craig Douglas Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody's going out and having fun
I'm just a fool for staying home and having none
I can't get over how she set me free oh lonesome me
A bad mistake I'm making just by hanging round
I know that I should have some fun and paint the town
A lovesick fool is blind and just can't see oh lonesome me
I'll bet she's not like me she's out and fancy free
Flirtin' with the boys with all her charms

But I still love her so and brother don't you know
I'd welcome her right back here in my arms
Well there must be some way I can lose these lonesome blues
Forget about the past and find somebody new
I've thought of everything from A to Z oh lonesome me

I'll bet she's not like me she's out and fancy free
Flirtin' with the boys with all her charms
But I still love her so and brother don't you know
I'd welcome her right back here in my arms
Well there must be some way I can lose these lonesome blues
Forget about the past and find somebody new
I've thought of everything from A to Z oh lonesome me

Oh lonesome me oh lonesome me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Craig Douglas's song "Oh Lonesome Me" describe the singer's feelings of heartbreak and loneliness after being abandoned by his lover. As the chorus repeats the phrase "oh lonesome me," the singer expresses how he is constantly reminded of his loneliness in the face of those around him who are out enjoying themselves. The singer reflects on his own foolishness for staying at home and not making the effort to have some fun like others do. He is fully aware that he should be moving on and trying to find someone new, but he cannot seem to get over the woman who left him.

As the song progresses, the singer paints a picture of the woman who left him as someone who is wild and free, flirting with other boys and enjoying her life. Despite all this, the singer still loves her and longs to have her back in his arms. He questions himself and wonders if there is a way for him to forget about the past and move on, but it seems like an impossible task. In the end, the chorus comes back full circle, with the singer resigned to his fate as "oh lonesome me."

Overall, the lyrics of "Oh Lonesome Me" touch on universal themes of heartbreak, loneliness, and the difficulty of moving on from a lost love. The song is a poignant reflection on the pain of lost love, and an honest admission of the challenges of trying to move on.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody's going out and having fun
Everyone else is enjoying themselves with friends and activities.

I'm just a fool for staying home and having none
I feel foolish for staying alone at home, without any fun or enjoyment.

I can't get over how she set me free oh lonesome me
I am still sad and lonely because I can't get past the fact that my ex-partner left me.

A bad mistake I'm making just by hanging round
I know that it's a mistake to stay isolated and wallow in my misery.

I know that I should have some fun and paint the town
I realize that I need to go out and enjoy myself, perhaps by socializing and exploring new places.

A lovesick fool is blind and just can't see oh lonesome me
As someone who is deeply in love, it's hard for me to see things clearly or move on from my heartbreak.

I'll bet she's not like me she's out and fancy free
I suspect that my former partner is living a carefree life without me, doing whatever she wants.

Flirtin' with the boys with all her charms
She's probably using her charm to attract and flirt with other guys.

But I still love her so and brother don't you know
Despite everything, I still have strong feelings for her.

I'd welcome her right back here in my arms
If she were to come back to me, I would be happy to welcome her back into my life.

Well there must be some way I can lose these lonesome blues
I am determined to find a way to overcome my sadness and loneliness.

Forget about the past and find somebody new
I need to move on from my past relationship and open myself up to finding someone new.

I've thought of everything from A to Z oh lonesome me
I've tried everything I can think of to feel better and move on, but I'm still struggling with loneliness and heartache.

Oh lonesome me oh lonesome me
I am still feeling alone and sad, even though I am trying to find a way to overcome it.

Writer(s): Don Gibson Copyright: Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music

Contributed by John L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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