Foster & Allen began back in the seventies when Mick and Tony were playing in Country Music bands around Ireland. In 1975 they formed a small group and went over to the UK to work the Irish music venues on a short tour.
Mick & Tony had at this stage the idea of working together as a duo, playing ‘easy listening’ music with a touch of traditional Irish instrumentals. When their UK tour finished they decided to let the band return to Ireland whilst they stayed behind to try and break into the public eye. They played several venues in the London area and the reaction was very favourable; so much so, they decided to remain as a duo and Foster and Allen was formed.
It was difficult at the beginning and after a time working around the circuit in the UK and Ireland, they released their first single record The Rambles of Spring. This made a good impact on the Irish market and Foster and Allen were soon in demand for cabaret venues all over Ireland and to a lesser extent the UK At the end of 1978 Foster and Allen released the single A Bunch Of Thyme in Ireland, which entered the Irish charts and became their first top-selling No. 1 single.
It was not until 1982 that this single was released in the UK. It was played by all the radio stations in Britain and was soon in the pop charts. It climbed rapidly to number 18 in the UK Singles Chart. At the time, Mick & Tony were in the U.S. on a tour. They were contacted and told to fly back to Britain immediately as they were required to appear on television’s Top of the Pops.
Demand for Foster and Allen's services at venues all over Ireland and the UK increased at this point. They released another single "Old Flames" which also made its way into the UK Charts. They did their first concert tour of the UK in 1983 and this tour was boosted even more by the release of another single Maggie. This reached number 27 in the UK singles chart and, along with A Bunch Of Thyme, these became the signature tunes for the duo. Since then they have toured the UK twice each year.
In addition to the UK tours, Foster and Allen have toured the U.S.A, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They had five No. 1 Hits in Australia/New Zealand. They have also appeared on numerous TV shows in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales as well as Australia, USA and Canada, and they have had their own TV series on RTE Television in Ireland.
In the early days Mick & Tony performed on stage as a duo, but in 1982 (when the concert tours started) they added a band to their show thus giving a much fuller sound to their program. On the recording front, Foster and Allen have to date released a total of 27 albums, all of which have gone into the British charts. This is a great achievement for a middle-of-the-road ‘easy listening’ act.
As well as the albums, they have released thirteen videos, again all of which have entered the British charts. The video "Souvenirs and Memories" reached No. 3 in the British charts around Christmas 1991, the "By Request" video went straight into the No. 1 spot in 1993 and their latest DVD/Video release "After All These Years" was a Top 10 Chart Release in the UK. To date Foster and Allen have achieved album and video sales in excess of 19 million worldwide.
Foster and Allen celebrated their 30th Anniversary together in the music industry with the release of their new album "Foster & Allen Sing The No. 1’s" which was a Top 30 Chart hit in the UK during Christmas 2005 bringing the sales of their last three albums in the UK and Ireland to over 500,000 units.
The duo recently completed their “World Concert Tour – 2005/2006” which took them on tour to the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, U.S.A., Australia and Ireland.
Oh Lonesome Me
Foster & Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just call me lonesome
Heartbroke and then some
'Cause I ain't got no one
Since you've been gone
You called me baby
Now I've got a new name
Don't need my old one
You used to call me, your one and only
But now you only call me someone you once knew
You were my angel, before some stranger
Stole your heart and stole my world when he stole you
[Chorus:]
I see you with him, and fall apart again
Remembering when I was the only man you needed
We said forever, We'd be together
He came between us and now forever lies in pieces
[Chorus:]
Don't need my old one
Call me lonesome from now on
The lyrics to Foster & Allen's song Oh Lonesome Me are a poignant expression of heartbreak and loneliness. The chorus begins with the singer asking to be called "lonesome" because he has no one in his life after the person he loved has gone. The use of the word "heartbroke" in the same line indicates the depth of sadness he feels. The following lines express the feeling of being replaced by someone else, as the person who once called him "baby" now refers to him as "someone you once knew." The second verse adds to this sense of loss as the singer comments on how he sees the person he loved with someone else and how he falls apart inside. He remembers that they had promised to be together forever, but that promise has been broken. The chorus repeats, emphasizing that now he only wants to be called "lonesome," as his old name and old life no longer have any meaning for him.
The lyrics of Oh Lonesome Me are simple, yet they convey the complex emotions that come with a failed relationship. They speak to anyone who has suffered heartbreak and found themselves adrift in a lonely world. The song is a classic example of country music's ability to tell a story with depth and feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
Just call me lonesome
Address me as lonesome from now on as I am feeling extremely isolated
Heartbroke and then some
My heart is broken in a way that is beyond words
'Cause I ain't got no one
As a result of your departure, I have no one in my life
Since you've been gone
Ever since you left me, I have been struggling to cope
You called me baby
You used to address me as 'baby'
Now I've got a new name
However, since you left me, I consider myself to have a new identity
Don't need my old one
Therefore, I do not require my previous name
Call me lonesome from now on
I would like to be called lonesome from now on
You used to call me, your one and only
In the past, you used to describe me as your one and only
But now you only call me someone you once knew
But now, you only refer to me as someone you once knew
You were my angel, before some stranger
You were like an angel to me, but some stranger managed to capture your heart
Stole your heart and stole my world when he stole you
That person managed to take away the love of my life away from me and my entire world came crashing down
I see you with him, and fall apart again
Even seeing you with that stranger, causes me to crumble and break apart emotionally
Remembering when I was the only man you needed
I reminisce about the times when I was the only man in your life and you needed no one else
We said forever, We'd be together
We made a commitment to each other that we would be together forever
He came between us and now forever lies in pieces
Unfortunately, that stranger came between us and now our forever has been shattered beyond repair
Don't need my old one
I have no use for my previous name anymore
Call me lonesome from now on
You can call me lonesome as that is how I feel currently
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGE DUCAS, RADNEY M. FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind