Born Eugene Booker McDaniels, a name he used in later life, in Kansas City … Read Full Bio ↴Born Eugene Booker McDaniels, a name he used in later life, in Kansas City on February 12, 1935, Gene was a former gospel singer, signed to Liberty Records in the early 1960's where he scored American hits with original version of "Tower Of Strength" (covered successfully in the UK by Frankie Vaughan) and "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay", a UK hit for Craig Douglas. However, his influence on UK copyists brought him on a nationwide cinema tour with Gary U.S. Bonds and Johnny Burnette as well as an appearance in "It's Trad Dad", one of a series of pop-based movies of the time. His classy voice should have served him a lifetime of success, and songs like the above mentioned, plus "Point Of No Return", "Chip Chip" and "Another Tear Falls" stand the test of time. He re-emerged in the 1970's with a rock/funk album, "Outlaw", on Atlantic as Eugene McDaniels, and moved to record production. He died on July 29, 2011, but it was not national news till four days later.

It's a Lonely Town
Gene McDaniels Lyrics

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The streets are crowded, people are everywhere.
The sounds of laughter and music fill the air.
Thousands of people walk and sing and talk along the avenue
But it's a lonely town, lonely without you.

I go out dancing with someone new each night
And it means nothing if she lets me hold her tight.
Cause no one's warm embrace or lovely face can thrill me like you do.

But it's a lonely town, lonely without you.

Where can you be? All of our friends keep asking me.
Where have you gone? Without you love I can't go on.
I feel l ike crying each time I hear your name
Cause since you left me this town's just not the same.

So come back home and then we'll live again
The happiness we knew.
Cause it's a lonely town, lonely without you.
Lonely without you.
Lonely without you.

Lonely without you.
Lonely without you...

Overall Meaning

The song "It's a Lonely Town" by Gene McDaniels expresses the feeling of loneliness despite being surrounded by a bustling city full of people and activity. The first two lines of the song describes a scene where the streets are crowded, and people are everywhere, but the singer still feels lonely without the person they are addressing in the song. The singer then talks about going out to dance each night with someone new but finding no satisfaction in holding them close because no one can thrill them like the person they are missing.

The chorus speaks directly to the person who is absent, asking them where they could be and how the singer can go on without their love. They confess that hearing the person's name makes them feel like crying, and the city that was once filled with life has become a lonely town without them. The final lines of the song plead for the person to come back home, so they can be happy again, and the town can become alive again with their love.

The song's lyrics seem to suggest that true happiness depends on being with the one you love. Despite the hustle and bustle of city life, without that special someone, the city and all that it has to offer can feel empty and meaningless. The song captures the feeling of missing someone and how that feeling can override everything else, leaving a person feeling lonely despite being surrounded by people.

Line by Line Meaning

The streets are crowded, people are everywhere.
Despite the crowds and bustling atmosphere, the town seems empty without a certain someone.

The sounds of laughter and music fill the air.
The town is filled with sounds of happiness and entertainment, but it doesn't fill the void of a lost love.

Thousands of people walk and sing and talk along the avenue
There's constant activity in the town with thousands of people carrying on their lives as usual.

But it's a lonely town, lonely without you.
Despite the town being full of life, it feels lonely and empty without the person who was once there.

I go out dancing with someone new each night
In an effort to move on and forget, the singer goes out with different people every night.

And it means nothing if she lets me hold her tight.
Physical intimacy with someone new doesn't compare to the emotional connection the singer is missing.

Cause no one's warm embrace or lovely face can thrill me like you do.
No one else can replace the thrill and joy that came with the presence of the lost love.

Where can you be? All of our friends keep asking me.
The singer's friends are also curious and concerned about the whereabouts of the lost love.

Where have you gone? Without you love I can't go on.
The singer is unable to move on or continue living without the love they once had.

I feel like crying each time I hear your name
Even just hearing the lost love's name is enough to bring the singer to tears.

Cause since you left me this town's just not the same.
The loss of the love has affected the town and environment for the singer and made it difficult to experience happiness and normalcy.

So come back home and then we'll live again
The singer wants the lost love to return so they can start a new chapter together and bring happiness and liveliness back into their lives and the town.

The happiness we knew.
The singer hopes to regain the happiness they once knew with the lost love.

Cause it's a lonely town, lonely without you.
Once more, the idea is reiterated that the town will always feel empty without the presence of the lost love.

Lonely without you.
Lastly, the chorus repeats to emphasize the point that the absence of the lost love has left the town and the singer feeling alone and empty.

Writer(s): Mort Shuman, Jerome Pomus

Contributed by Matthew W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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