John Dudley Leyton was born on 17 February 1939 in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. After completing his National Service, he studied drama, paying his way through drama school with bit-part roles in films and on television. His first major acting role was his portrayal of Ginger in a 1960 Granada TV adaptation of Biggles, which earned him a large following of young female fans and led to the formation of a John Leyton fan club.
Following the success of Biggles, Leyton attended a singing audition with producer Joe Meek, and subsequently recorded the song "Tell Laura I Love Her", which was released on the Top Rank label. At that time, however, Top Rank was undergoing a takeover by EMI, which had already released Ricky Valance's version of the same song. The John Leyton recording was withdrawn from sale, and the Valance version reached Number 1 in the UK chart.
A second single - "The Girl On The Floor Above" - was released on the HMV label, but was not a success. His first big hit, "Johnny Remember Me", coincided with his appearance as an actor in the popular ATV television series Harpers West One, in which he played a singer named Johnny Saint Cyr. Leyton performed "Johnny Remember Me" during the show, and the single subsequently charted at Number 1. His next single, "Wild Wind", reached number 2 in the chart, and later singles also achieved chart positions.
Leyton appeared in the accliamed Guns at Batasi (1964) also appearing in the popular film The Great Escape and in Von Ryan's Express starring Frank Sinatra. By the mid-1960s, he was no longer a huge success as a singer, but had begun to make a name for himself as a movie actor in the USA, taking starring roles in several major films in the mid-to-late 60s.
He returned to the UK in the early 1970s and unsuccessfully attempted to re-launch his singing career, signing to the York record label in 1973. Acting roles became fewer and farther between during the 70s, and by the early 1980s, he was no longer active in showbusiness.
In the 1990s, however, he began performing in the Solid Gold Rock 'n' Roll Show, appearing with artists such as Marty Wilde and Joe Brown. The Autumn 2004 tour featured Leyton, Showaddywaddy, Freddy Cannon and Craig Douglas. Leyton has also returned to acting, with a cameo appearance in the 2005 film Colour Me Kubrick starring John Malkovich. In May 2006, Leyton released "Hi Ho, Come On England", a re-working of Jeff Beck's "Hi Ho Silver Lining", to coincide with the World Cup in Germany.
Lonely City
John Leyton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wandered sad and all alone
Then in the heart of a lonely city
I saw the girl that I want for my own
She, just like me, was alone in the city
Searching for someone who really could care
Then in a moment I'd lost my heart
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ohh-ooh-ooh
Well, now in the heart of a lonely city
I'll never wander sad and alone
Evermore by my side and holding my hand
Is this lovely young girl that I've made my own
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ohh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ...
The song "Lonely City" by John Leyton expresses a sense of isolation and loneliness in a city and the hope of finding love in the midst of it. The lyrics suggest a feeling of being lost in a large, impersonal urban environment and the challenge of finding connection in that context. The singer describes wandering alone through the city until he sees the girl he longs for. The lyrics then highlight the power of love to transform his experience of the city, promising that he will never again feel alone with her by his side.
The song captures the mood of urban alienation that was common in the 1960s and resonated with many people. The lyrics communicate a sense of longing and vulnerability that is universal, and the melody is hauntingly beautiful. The song's chorus, with its repetitive "ooh-ooh-ooh" sounds, creates a sense of yearning and reinforces the theme of loneliness.
Overall, the song is a powerful expression of the human desire for love and connection in the midst of a harsh, isolating environment like a city. Its message remains relevant today, as people continue to seek meaning and intimacy in an increasingly urbanized world.
Line by Line Meaning
Deep in the heart of a lonely city
In the center of a city filled with loneliness and despair
I wandered sad and all alone
I walked aimlessly filled with sadness and isolation
Then in the heart of a lonely city
In that same desolate city center
I saw the girl that I want for my own
I caught sight of a woman I sought to have as my partner
She, just like me, was alone in the city
She, much like me, was alone in this hollow metropolis
Searching for someone who really could care
Looking for someone who genuinely empathizes
Then in a moment I'd lost my heart
Suddenly, I fell in love
To this lovely young girl who was standing there
For the sake of the beautiful young woman who was present
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
I said to the girl, 'You have erased my loneliness from my life'
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Through your smile, you have filled my nights with brightness
Well, now in the heart of a lonely city
Now, in this lonely, sorrow-filled center of the city
I'll never wander sad and alone
I will never again walk aimlessly, sad and by myself
Evermore by my side and holding my hand
Constantly by my side, holding onto my hand
Is this lovely young girl that I've made my own
Is this stunning young woman who I have taken as my partner
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ohh-ooh-ooh
Musical interlude
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ...
Musical interlude (continuation)
Writer(s): Geoff Goddard, Geoffrey Goddard
Contributed by Callie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marekzadrozniak3744
Głęboko w sercu samotnego miasta
Włóczyłem się smutny i całkiem sam
Wtedy w sercu tego samotnego miasta
Zobaczyłem dziewczynę, której chcę dla siebie
Ona tak jak ja była w mieście samotna
Szukając kogoś komu by na niej zależało naprawdę
Wtedy w jednej chwili straciłem moje serce
Dla tej cudownej dziewczyny, która tam stała
Mówię, dziewczynko, zabrałaś samotność moją stąd
Ty i twój uśmiech zmieniły noc moją w dzień
Oh, oh-oh-oh..........
Więc teraz w sercu samotnego miasta
Nigdy nie będę chodził smutny samotnie
Na zawsze obok mnie trzymając mnie za rękę
Jest ta cudowna dziewczyna, którą uczyniłem swoją
Mówię, dziewczynko, zabrałaś samotność moją stąd
Ty i twój uśmiech zmieniły noc moją w dzień
Oh, oh-oh-oh..........
@marekzadrozniak3744
Deep in the heart of a lonely city
I wandered sad and all alone
Then in the heart of a lonely city
I saw the girl that I want for my own
She, just like me, was alone in the city
Searching for someone who really could care
Then in a moment I'd lost my heart
To this lovely young girl who was standing there
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ohh-ooh-ooh
Well, now in the heart of a lonely city
I'll never wander sad and alone
Evermore by my side and holding my hand
Is this lovely young girl that I've made my own
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ohh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ................
@marekzadrozniak3744
John Leyton - Lonely City
Deep in the heart of a lonely city
I wandered sad and all alone
Then in the heart of a lonely city
I saw the girl that I want for my own
She, just like me, was alone in the city
Searching for someone who really could care
Then in a moment I'd lost my heart
To this lovely young girl who was standing there
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ohh-ooh-ooh
Well, now in the heart of a lonely city
I'll never wander sad and alone
Evermore by my side and holding my hand
Is this lovely young girl that I've made my own
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ohh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ................
@TomfromSosnowiec
I have been loving this song since my early childhood. Now I'm 39 years old and this song still inspires me. Is awesome.
@marekzadrozniak3744
Głęboko w sercu samotnego miasta
Włóczyłem się smutny i całkiem sam
Wtedy w sercu tego samotnego miasta
Zobaczyłem dziewczynę, której chcę dla siebie
Ona tak jak ja była w mieście samotna
Szukając kogoś komu by na niej zależało naprawdę
Wtedy w jednej chwili straciłem moje serce
Dla tej cudownej dziewczyny, która tam stała
Mówię, dziewczynko, zabrałaś samotność moją stąd
Ty i twój uśmiech zmieniły noc moją w dzień
Oh, oh-oh-oh..........
Więc teraz w sercu samotnego miasta
Nigdy nie będę chodził smutny samotnie
Na zawsze obok mnie trzymając mnie za rękę
Jest ta cudowna dziewczyna, którą uczyniłem swoją
Mówię, dziewczynko, zabrałaś samotność moją stąd
Ty i twój uśmiech zmieniły noc moją w dzień
Oh, oh-oh-oh..........
@marekzadrozniak3744
Deep in the heart of a lonely city
I wandered sad and all alone
Then in the heart of a lonely city
I saw the girl that I want for my own
She, just like me, was alone in the city
Searching for someone who really could care
Then in a moment I'd lost my heart
To this lovely young girl who was standing there
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ohh-ooh-ooh
Well, now in the heart of a lonely city
I'll never wander sad and alone
Evermore by my side and holding my hand
Is this lovely young girl that I've made my own
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ohh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ................
@nothinglynothing8094
🌹🌹🌷🌷🌷🌷
@marekzadrozniak3744
John Leyton - Lonely City
Deep in the heart of a lonely city
I wandered sad and all alone
Then in the heart of a lonely city
I saw the girl that I want for my own
She, just like me, was alone in the city
Searching for someone who really could care
Then in a moment I'd lost my heart
To this lovely young girl who was standing there
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ohh-ooh-ooh
Well, now in the heart of a lonely city
I'll never wander sad and alone
Evermore by my side and holding my hand
Is this lovely young girl that I've made my own
Say, little girl, you've taken my loneliness away
You and your smile have turned my night into day
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ohh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ................
@manueltelechea3620
Muy bonita cancion.
@janinestielow3569
I love this song, brings back many happy memories of my youth.
@folgore1
A tremendous voice! It's sad his singing career didn't have more staying power but sadly that's the way the music industry treats most groups/singers. One moment you're the rage and everything you release is a hit and then -- inexplicably -- a singer becomes old news and falls off the charts for good.
@HarryWebb46
Cool track! Cool singer! Great production!
@valeriereng8745
One of my favourite songs from John Leyton