Recordings:
* Leprechauns Are Upon Me (1959 as Dory Langdon)
* On My Way to Where (1970) - United Artists
* Reflections in a Mud Puddle/Taps Tremors and Time Steps (1971) - United Artists
* Mythical Kings and Iguanas (1971) - United Artists
* Mary C. Brown and the Hollywood Sign (1972) - United Artists
* Dory Previn (1974) - Warner Bros
* We're Children of Coincidence and Harpo Marx (1976) - Warner Bros
* "Dory & Andre Previn (1983)
* "Planet Blue" - (2002)
Scared To Be Alone
Dory Previn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Till a person's gone
We never yearn
To know him
Till he's traveled on
When someone is around us
We never stop to ask
Hey, what's behind your mirror
We never stop to wonder
Till a person's gone
We never yearn
To know him
Till he's packed
And traveled on
Sweet Marilyn Monroe
On the silver screen
Platinum reflection
In a movie magazine
Well, did you ever
Have a headache
Did your mama own a gramaphone
Did you like to be an actress
Were you scared
To be alone
We never stop to wonder
Till a person's gone
We never yearn
To know him
Till he's traveled on
When someone is around us
We don't know what we're seeing
We take a Polaroid picture
To find the human being
We never stop to wonder
Till a person's gone
We never yearn
To know him
Till he's packed
And traveled on
Sweet beautiful Jesus
On a painted cross
Polystyrene body
With a superficial gloss
Hey, were you
Jealous of your father
Were you short
When you were fully grown
Did you like to walk on water
Were you scared
To be alone
I think perhaps tomorrow
I'll try to make a friend
To really get
To know him
Instead of pretend
I'll ask him if his feet hurt
Has he burdens to be shared
And if he doesn't walk away
I'll ask him
If he's scared
And if he doesn't walk away
If his eyes don't
Turn to stone
I'll ask him
If he's scared
To be alone
The lyrics of Dory Previn’s song “Scared to Be Alone” convey a feeling of regret over not getting to know someone until it’s too late. The song expresses how we often take the people around us for granted, failing to truly understand them until they’re gone. Previn notes the disconnect between our perception of others and their true selves. When someone is present in our lives, we often fail to question their thoughts or motivations. The suggestion is that we need to build meaningful relationships based on a genuine desire to know the other person, to ask questions and listen without judgment.
Previn uses two contrasting examples to emphasize her point. Marilyn Monroe is held up as an example of someone whose beauty and fame glossed over the realities of her life. Previn wonders if Monroe ever experienced discomfort or loneliness despite her glamorous persona. Similarly, the song questions whether Jesus ever felt insecure or afraid in his humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
We never stop to wonder
We fail to ponder
Till a person's gone
Until they're no longer with us
We never yearn
We don't have an earnest desire
To know him
To understand who they are
Till he's traveled on
Until they've left us
When someone is around us
In the presence of another person
We never stop to ask
We forget to inquire
Hey, what's behind your mirror
What's your true self
Hey, who's beneath your mask
Who you really are
We don't know what we're seeing
We can't perceive what's in front of us
We take a Polaroid picture
We capture an image of them on the surface
To find the human being
To discover their true essence
Sweet Marilyn Monroe
Mentioning the famous actress and model
On the silver screen
In the movies
Platinum reflection
The surface allure
In a movie magazine
As depicted in magazines
Well, did you ever
Have you ever
Have a headache
Experience pain
Did your mama own a gramaphone
Questions about personal history
Did you like to be an actress
Asking about preferences
Were you scared
Were you afraid
To be alone
To spend time by oneself
Sweet beautiful Jesus
Reference to the Christian savior
On a painted cross
Depicted in art
Polystyrene body
Physical representation
With a superficial gloss
Surface perceived as without depth
Hey, were you
Asking questions
Jealous of your father
Reference to relationships
Were you short
Commenting on physical appearance
When you were fully grown
In adulthood
Did you like to walk on water
Asking about abilities
I think perhaps tomorrow
Considering an attitude shift
I'll try to make a friend
Aiming to create a connection
To really get
To genuinely comprehend
To know him
To understand the person
Instead of pretend
Rather than pretending
I'll ask him if his feet hurt
Asking about their wellbeing
Has he burdens to be shared
If they need to share their struggles
And if he doesn't walk away
To see if he's responsive
If his eyes don't
If his expression doesn't
Turn to stone
Become impassive or unresponsive
If he's scared
If he's afraid
To be alone
Of solitude
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DORY LANGDON PREVIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bountybar
I saw her in Glasgow, Scotland in, I think, late 1976 or maybe early 1977. Great show. This performance for network TV omits the following verse:
Sweet beautiful Jesus
On a painted cross
Polystyrene body
With a superficial gloss
Hey, were you
Jealous of your father?
Were you short
When you were fully grown?
Did you like to walk on water?
Were you scared
To be alone?
Vincent
There is so very little live performance available of Dory. She was a unique, special artist - much too 'real' for popular consumption but her true fans love her. Thank you for posting.
Common Pike
I'm wondering if this is 100% live ? There's a lot of instruments involved, and it sounds very good ...
hnc52
Dory had a lovely voice and wrote such moving music.Her Carnegie Hall album is a true gem.
sofia baker
A great thank you from Dory's grandaughter <3
That 70's Girl
Ne doubt about... she puts her heart and soul into the song. Thank you for sharing! 💖
Gabor Dobos
Most underrated artist of all time
POMMELHORSE POMMELHORSE
@sofia baker your grandmother was a great artist - and you're grandfather was really cute
sofia baker
It means a lot. I sincerely agree and I love to know she is in others thoughts <3
Sincerely,
Sofia (Dory's granddaughter)
Benn Mordecai
it honestly makes me sad to think about how someone can consistently produce such fantastic works and still be largely forgotten. I wish someone would help reinstate her to her deserved place in music history.
Jack Gaylord
Thank you ! I have been waiting years to hear someone else say that !