King was born to an international jazz duo, Marion Cowings and Kim Kalesti. King and her brother were always exposed to music, especially jazz and classical sounds during their childhood. "It was an amazing experience," she says. "It was very challenging. We went from the fanciest hotels one day, to the dirtiest motels the next day -- you know, just living off a musicians paycheck. Also, being around so much incredible music. We were in the jazz world so I was with Dizzy Gillespie one day to Clark Terry the next day. It was my education."
As the daughter of two singers - one Italian, one African American - who performed internationally as a Jazz duo, King has always been exposed to music, its challenges and its rewards, from an early age. She always knew she would follow in her parents' footsteps. "I had a hard time in school," she says, "because I already knew what I wanted to do, so I was like, let me just get started." At age 16, King took two giant steps: She got her GED, and she started writing songs.
The music on her J Records debut, East Side Story, reveals roots that are both deep & ambitious. Kings words are packed with references to the wide range of great artists that inspired her - the Beatles, Nas, Sarah Vaughn, Radiohead & Michael Jackson. "Every record that I’ve ever heard has been an influence on me", she says.
The very first song that she completed, "Business Man" - a commentary on heartless capitalists - is a central moment on East Side Story. "I always thought if I write a song, it's not going to be about relationships," she says. "There are so many things in this world to talk about." She quickly advanced from banging around on a guitar in her apartment to performing on the local folk club circuit at such noted venues as the Bitter End and CBGB's Gallery.
In the meantime, King had discovered hip-hop and immersed herself in a culture that would add yet another ingredient to her musical mix. She met Sony Music publisher Bill Brown who introduced her to Sony writer/producer Chucky Thompson, a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's famed Hitman studio team who had recorded smashes with the likes of the Notorious BIG and Mary J. Blige. Thompson signed her to his production company, and together they began searching for the right sound to capture King's eclectic tastes and styles. After taking her demos to various labels, they signed with J Records.
In 2012, King was awarded the Holly Prize (a tribute to the legacy of Buddy Holly) from The Songwriters Hall of Fame for recognition of the "all-in songwriter" whose work exhibits the qualities of Holly’s music.
King's second studio album, The Switch, was self-released by her own label, Making Music Records, on 26 June 2015.
She signed with the independent label ATO Records in 2017 and with them released her third studio album, Scenery, on 1 February 2019.
King released her fourth studio album, Sides, on January 17, 2020.
More information can be found at www.emilykingfans.com or www.emilykingonline.com
Never Be Lonely
Emily King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But some how that's gon away
This morning I woke to find my love had gone
For reasons he did not say
Funny how things are never what they seem
But oooooh can we go back to where we used to be?
Oh, if I could have yesterday
And I would never be lonely
I'd give anything to hold you once again
I prayed that you could love me until the end
And I would never be lonely
Once we shared out world and anything I'd give
Simply to see you smile
This man was the center of my happiness
If only for a short while
Funny how things can change so easily
But oooooh can we go back to where we used be?
Oh, if I could have yesterday
I'd make it so you never go away
And I would never be lonely
I'd give anything to hold you once again
I prayed that you could love me until the end
And I would never be lonely
There was a time when I thought that love could never, never change
There was time when you'd hold me close
You'd take away my pain
Well how those days
What happen to forever?
Oh, if I could have yesterday
I'd make it so you never go away
And I would never be lonely
I'd give anything to hold you once again
I prayed that you could love me until the end
And I would never be lonely
The lyrics of Emily King's song Never Be Lonely appear to be about the heartbreak and loneliness that the singer is feeling after a breakup. The song is a reflection of the past, a time when she and her partner used to be together and how she feels their love had faded quickly. She wonders if things can go back to the way they used to be and if she can have her partner back to avoid feeling lonely. The chorus intensifies her desire to have her love back, as she states that she would give anything to hold her partner once again, pray he can love her until the end and never be lonely.
The lyrics become even more poignant as King describes the past moments of joy with her partner, a man who was the center of her happiness. The song reflects how love can change so quickly, leaving one with a feeling of despair and loneliness. The song is relatable to anyone that has had a heartbreak or lost a significant other. The words are honest and vulnerable, making it an excellent example of an introspective and emotive song.
Overall, the song Never Be Lonely is a reflection of a love that was lost and the despair and loneliness that comes afterward. Emily King’s descriptions of how love changed are relatable, showcasing how quickly love can become something beyond our control. Listening to Never Be Lonely can help people process and feel their heartbreak more deeply. As the song reminds us, sometimes the only way to move forward is to accept the past and try in our way to make the best of the present.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I sit and wonder of a life that was
I spend my time contemplating the life that I used to have
But some how that's gon away
But somehow that life has gone away from me
This morning I woke to find my love had gone
I discovered this morning that my loved one has left me
For reasons he did not say
And he didn't explain why he left me
Funny how things are never what they seem
It's interesting how things are not as simple as they appear
But oooooh can we go back to where we used to be?
But oh, how I wish we could return to the place where we were happy together
Once we shared out world and anything I'd give
We used to share everything and I would give anything to make you happy
Simply to see you smile
My only goal was to see you smile and be happy
This man was the center of my happiness
You, my love, were the focal point of my happiness
If only for a short while
Even though it was only a brief period of time
Oh, if I could have yesterday
Oh, if only I could go back to the past
I'd make it so you never go away
I would do anything to prevent you from leaving me
And I would never be lonely
Then I wouldn't be alone and unhappy
I'd give anything to hold you once again
I would give up everything just to hold you in my arms again
I prayed that you could love me until the end
I wished for you to love me forever
There was a time when I thought that love could never, never change
There was a time when I believed that love would never change
There was time when you'd hold me close
A time when you would embrace me tightly
You'd take away my pain
And you would relieve my pain and sorrow
Well how those days
But those days are gone now
What happen to forever?
What happened to our promise of forever?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRANDON HOWARD, EMILY KING, CHUCKY THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind