Throughout the sixties, seventies, and eighties Dottie pumped out chart toppers like no other. she was selling out concerts, selling millions of records, staring in movies, winning Grammies, Clieos and any other kind of awards you can think of. There is no doubt that the little girl from Tennessee came a long way. Dottie West earned herself the respect of everyone in the music industry and countless fans. If not for her music, most people remember her for either her stage presence or overall good nature. She was always looking out for others and going out of her way to do things for fans, family and friends. Despite Dottie's constant chart presence and sold out concerts her foundation fell out from under her when she discovered that she was a victim of a sneaky accountant and was overpowered by the IRS to give up all she owned. And ALL is ALL. The list of Dottie's personal momentous included the rights to all her music (I believe she wrote well over 400). All Dottie did was look out for others and this is how she was treated...disgusting if you ask me! But Dottie had dignity and started to rebuild her empire.
On august 30, 1991 Dottie was scheduled to appear at The Grand Old Opry. Her car broke down and, determined to keep her promise, she flagged down a passing driver and got a ride. On the way the driver lost control of the car and crashed. Battered, beaten and suffering from the wreck, Dottie pulled the driver from the car herself. She died due to injuries from the accident days later while in the hospital.
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Dottie West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He sounds to blue to fly
The midnight train is a-winding low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I've never seen a night so long
When time keeps crawling by
The moon is gone behind the clouds
Have you ever seen a robin weep
When leaves have turned to brown?
Like me he's lost his will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple haze
And yes I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The lyrics to Dottie West's song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" talks about the feeling of intense loneliness that is overwhelming and causes one to feel lost and sad. The song starts with a lonesome whippoorwill that sounds too blue to fly, emphasizing the feeling of being trapped in one's emotions without any way to escape. The midnight train winding low and the moon hiding behind the clouds symbolizes a sense of longing, like there is something missing in one's life. The singer of the song is so lonesome that they feel like crying, and they have never seen a night so long as time keeps crawling by.
The second verse of the song talks about how the singer feels like a robin who has lost his will to live. The comparison of the robin weeping to the singer's emotions highlights that they are at a point where they have lost hope and feel like they have nothing to live for. The third verse talks about the silence of a falling star lighting up a purple haze, and the singer is wondering where the person they miss is. This verse adds a sense of longing for someone who might be the reason for the singer's loneliness.
Overall, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a song that captures the emotional pain of loneliness and speaks to the tendency of humans to feel lost and empty when they are without connections to others.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear the lonesome whippoorwill
The sound of a lonesome bird attempting to fly is being heard.
He sounds too blue to fly
The whippoorwill appears sad and unable to soar.
The midnight train is a-winding low
The train is making a low sound while passing by at midnight.
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The feeling of extreme loneliness is making the artist want to cry.
I've never seen a night so long
The artist finds this particular night endlessly drawn out.
When time keeps crawling by
Time is moving extremely slowly for the singer.
The moon is gone behind the clouds
The moon has disappeared behind some clouds.
To hide his face and cry
As if the moon is crying, he is hiding behind the clouds.
Have you ever seen a robin weep
Have you ever witnessed a robin bird shedding tears?
When leaves have turned to brown?
The leaves have turned brown during the fall but the robin appears to still be mourning.
Like me he's lost his will to live
The robin seems to have given up the desire to continue living, just like the singer.
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The feeling of extreme loneliness is making the artist want to cry.
The silence of a falling star
When a shooting star falls, it creates a sense of quietness that the singer is observing.
Lights up a purple haze
The falling star creates a purple shade around itself that is visible.
And yes I wonder where you are
The singer is wondering about the whereabouts of a person close to them.
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The feeling of extreme loneliness is making the artist want to cry.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind