Born Esther Mae Jones in Galveston, Texas, when she was an adolescent, her parents divorced, and she was forced to divide her time between her father in Houston and her mother in the Watts area of Los Angeles. Because she was brought up singing in church, she was hesitant to enter a talent contest at a local blues club, but her sister insisted and she complied. A mature singer at age fourteen, she won the amateur talent contest in 1949 at the Barrelhouse Club owned by Johnny Otis. Otis was so impressed that he recorded her for Modern Records and added her to his traveling revue, the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, billed as 'Little Esther Phillips' (she reportedly took the surname from a gas station sign).
Her first hit record was Double Crossing Blues, recorded in 1950 for Savoy Records. After several hit records with Savoy, including her duet with Mel Walker on Mistrusting Blues, which went to number one that year, as did "Cupid Boogie". Other Phillips records that made it onto the U.S. Billboard R&B chart in 1950 include "Misery" (number 9), "Deceivin' Blues" (number 4), "Wedding Boogie" (number 6), and "Faraway Blues" (number 6). Few female artists, R&B or otherwise, had ever enjoyed such success in their debut year. Phillips left Otis and the Savoy label at the end of 1950 and signed with Federal Records.
But just as quickly as the hits had started, they stopped. Although she recorded more than thirty sides for Federal, only one, Ring-a-Ding-Doo, charted; the song made it to number 8 in 1952. Not working with Otis was part of her problem; the other part was her drug usage. By the middle of the decade Phillips was chronically addicted to drugs.
In 1954, she returned to Houston to live with her father to recuperate. Short on money, she worked in small nightclubs around the South, punctuated by periodic hospital stays in Lexington, Kentucky, stemming from her addiction. In 1962, Kenny Rogers re-discovered her while singing at a Houston club and got her signed to his brother Lelan’s Lenox label.
Phillips ultimately got well enough to launch a comeback in 1962. Now billed as Esther Phillips instead of Little Esther, she recorded a country tune, Release Me, with producer Bob Gans. This went to number 1 R&B and number 8 on the pop listings. After several other minor R&B hits on Lenox, she was signed by Atlantic Records. Her cover of The Beatles' song And I Love Him nearly made the R&B Top Ten in 1965 and the Beatles flew her to the UK for her first overseas performances.
She had other hits in the 1960s on the label, but no more chart toppers, and she waged a battle with heroin dependency. With her addiction worsening, Phillips checked into a rehab facility. While undergoing treatment, she cut some sides for Roulette in 1969, mostly produced by Lelan Rogers. On her release, she moved back to Los Angeles and re-signed with the Atlantic label. A late 1969 gig at Freddie Jett's Pied Piper club produced the album Burnin'. She performed with the Johnny Otis Show at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1970.
One of her biggest post-1950s triumphs was in 1972 with her first album for Kudu Records. The song penned by Gil Scott-Heron, Home Is Where the Hatred Is, - an account of drug use — was lead track on From a Whisper to a Scream which went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award. When Phillips lost to Aretha Franklin, the latter presented the trophy to Phillips, saying she should have won it instead.
Taylor continued to cut albums with her until in 1975, she scored her biggest hit single since "Release Me" with a disco-style update of Dinah Washington's What a Diff'rence a Day Makes. It reached a high of a Top 20 chart appearance in the U.S., and Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. On November 8, 1975 she performed the song on an episode of NBC's Saturday Night hosted by Candice Bergen. The accompanying album of the same name became her biggest seller yet, with arranger Joe Beck on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor sax, David Sanborn on alto sax, and Randy Brecker on trumpet to Steve Khan on guitar and Don Grolnick on keyboards.
She continued to record and perform throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, completing a total of seven albums on Kudu and four with Mercury Records, for whom she signed in 1977. In 1983, she charted for the final time on a tiny independent label, Winning with Turn Me Out, which reached #85 R&B. She completed recording her final album a few months before her death, but it was not until 1986 that the label (Muse) released the record.
Phillips died at UCLA Medical Center in Carson, California in 1984, at the age of 48 from liver and kidney failure due to drug use. Her funeral services were conducted by Johnny Otis, and she was buried in the Morning Light section, at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles. The bronze marker recognizes her career achievements, as well as quoting a Bible passage, "In My Father's House Are Many Mansions" - St. John 14:2
Alone Again
Esther Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to whoever
What it's like when you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch at a church
"She stood him up"
"No point in us remaining"
"We may as well go home"
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play?
But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about God in His mercy
Who if He really does exist
Why did He desert me?
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that there are more hearts
Broken in the world that can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?
Alone again, naturally
Looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally
Esther Phillips's song "Alone Again, Naturally" is a melancholic reflection on life's trials and tribulations. The first verse half-heartedly expresses the singer's wish to commit suicide, as she feels alone and shattered after being left at the church. She thinks no one cares about her and that there is no reason to go on. The second verse begins with the phrase "To think that only yesterday" and describes the singer's past joyful state, where she was looking forward to the role she was about to play, only to have her dreams shattered by reality that cut her into little pieces. The singer questions God's existence and His mercy, rhetorically asking why he deserted her in her hour of need because she feels truly alone again, naturally.
Phillips's song is a mournful reflection on the unfairness and harshness of life. It captures the sense of isolation and sorrow that comes when life doesn't go as planned. The song's poignant lyrics provide insight into the singer's emotional struggles, and the catchy tune helps to convey the realistic way people feel when life throws them curveballs. This song is a classic example of how music can relate to people's lives, and how in turn an audience can relate to music.
Line by Line Meaning
In a little while from now
At some point in the near future
If I'm not feeling any less sour
If I haven't improved emotionally
I promise myself to treat myself
I vow to do something special for myself
And visit a nearby tower
And go to a tower within close proximity
And climbing to the top will throw myself off
I'll climb to the top and jump off
In an effort to make it clear to whoever
To try to communicate to anybody who cares
What it's like when you're shattered
What it feels like when you're broken inside
Left standing in the lurch at a church
Being let down and abandoned by people who should support you
Where people saying: "My God, that's tough"
Others recognizing that it's a difficult situation
"She stood him up"
She didn't show up for him
"No point in us remaining"
There's no reason to stay
"We may as well go home"
We might as well leave and go back home
As I did on my own
Just like I did on my own
Alone again, naturally
Back to being by myself
To think that only yesterday
To realize how quickly things can change
I was cheerful, bright and gay
I was happy and carefree
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
Excited about the upcoming events
The role I was about to play?
The part I was going to take in life
But as if to knock me down
But as if to bring me back to reality
Reality came around
A harsh dose of reality set in
And without so much as a mere touch
Without any warning or explanation
Cut me into little pieces
Left me broken into fragments
Leaving me to doubt
Causing me to question things
Talk about God in His mercy
Mentioning God and his supposed love and kindness
Who if He really does exist
If he's actually a real entity
Why did He desert me?
Why did he abandon me?
In my hour of need
When I needed help the most
I truly am indeed
I really am
Alone again, naturally
Back to being by myself
It seems to me that there are more hearts
I feel like there are many hearts
Broken in the world that can't be mended
That can't be fixed or made whole again
Left unattended
Ignored or neglected
What do we do? What do we do?
What action should we take?
Alone again, naturally
Back to being by myself
Looking back over the years
Reflecting on the past
And whatever else that appears
And all of the additional experiences
I remember I cried when my father died
I recall crying when my dad passed away
Never wishing to hide the tears
Not wanting to conceal my emotions
And at sixty-five years old
And at age 65
My mother, God rest her soul
My mother, who's now deceased
Couldn't understand why the only man
Didn't comprehend why her husband
She had ever loved had been taken
Whom she had adored had passed away
Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken
Causing her to have a severely broken heart and start over
Despite encouragement from me
Even though I tried to support and encourage her
No words were ever spoken
We never actually talked about it
And when she passed away
And when she died
I cried and cried all day
I wept for an extended period
Alone again, naturally
Back to being by myself
Alone again, naturally
Back to being by myself
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Raymond Edward O'Sullivan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
city zen
In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to whoever
What it's like when you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch at a church
Where people saying: "My God, that's tough"
"She stood him up"
"No point in us remaining"
"We may as well go home"
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play?
But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about God in His mercy
Who if He really does exist
Why did He desert me?
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that there are more hearts
Broken in the world that can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?
Alone again, naturally
Looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally
Songwriters: O'sullivan
city zen
In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to whoever
What it's like when you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch at a church
Where people saying: "My God, that's tough"
"She stood him up"
"No point in us remaining"
"We may as well go home"
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play?
But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about God in His mercy
Who if He really does exist
Why did He desert me?
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that there are more hearts
Broken in the world that can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?
Alone again, naturally
Looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally
Songwriters: O'sullivan
Ferdinando Parigi
She makes this arrangement like no other.
Motownlover Motownlover
She was so special ! Love her !
Mic
Uma pena a música acabar tão rápido. Belíssima voz e arranjos perfeitos!
Marcos Moraes
É mesmo, como tudo que é bom.
Keizer Hedorah
Best recording of this song by anyone ever.
James McKeon
I love Billy Cobham's drumming on this.
Leslie Lees
Yes Sir
Roman Tylczynski
SUPER ORYGINALNA INTERPRETATORKA
Eleonora Zichinolfi
Just wonderful