In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Following graduation in 1959 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications, he signed with Cadence Records and moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In 1960, he recorded his first hit, a composition entitled "Poetry in Motion" (written by Anthony/Kaufman), that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #1 on the UK Singles Chart.
A "crossover" artist, several of Tillotson's songs were successful on both the country music charts and pop charts. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for another of his own compositions, "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin," and also for the song "Heartaches by the Number," nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965. He also appeared in the 1963 film "Just for Fun" and sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy "Gidget".
In a career spanning more than 40 years, Tillotson has recorded 26 singles that made it onto Billboard's charts, and performed at venues across the United States and other places around the globe.
He was featured in the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, Phyllis Diller, Brian Donlevy and Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones. This film was featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (#46).
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Johnny Tillotson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I've never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind the clouds
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die
That mean's he's lost his will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The song “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Johnny Tillotson captures the depths of loneliness and heartbreak in a poetic and profound way. The lyrics immediately set a melancholic tone with the mention of the lonesome whippoorwill that sounds too blue to fly. The midnight train’s low whine adds to the sense of desolation, emphasizing the singer’s own feelings of solitude. He even sees a reflection of his own sorrow in the moon, which hides behind the clouds as if to weep along with him.
The second verse continues to explore the theme of loss and detachment. Tillotson asks the listener if they’ve ever seen a robin weep, as if to say that even nature itself grieves sometimes. The falling of the leaves in autumn creates a somber image, as the robin has lost its will to live. The chorus then returns, as Tillotson repeats his own refrain of being so lonesome he could cry.
The final verse paints a picture of a star falling through the sky, symbolizing the fleeting nature of love and its ability to disappear without warning. The singer is left wondering where his lost love has gone, and his loneliness is only magnified in this moment. The tone of the song is hauntingly beautiful, capturing the raw emotions of heartache and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
Listen to the sad sound of the whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The bird's melancholy song makes it seem unable to take flight
The midnight train is whining low
The sound of the train at night is adding to the singer's sadness
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The artist is overwhelmed with loneliness and sadness
I've never seen a night so long
The night seems never-ending and drags on for eternity
When time goes crawling by
Time seems to move slowly, making the singer's loneliness even more unbearable
The moon just went behind the clouds
The moon disappears from view, adding to the darkness and gloom of the night
To hide its face and cry
The moon's disappearance feels like it is crying and adds to the artist's feeling of sadness
Did you ever see a robin weep
Have you ever seen a bird cry?
When leaves begin to die
The changing of the seasons and the falling of leaves is symbolic of the artist's feelings of loss and loneliness
That mean's he's lost his will to live
The bird's tears show that it has lost its motivation to live and overcome its struggles
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The artist expresses again how overpowering their emotions of loneliness are
The silence of a falling star
The quietness of a shooting star as it descends from the sky
Lights up a purple sky
The shooting star creates a brief, colorful burst of beauty amidst the dark sky
And as I wonder where you are
The singer is contemplating their separation from someone important to them
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The artist reiterates their deep sense of loneliness and sadness
Contributed by Declan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@miltonmoore7687
Johnny Tillotson
sounded better on
this song than anyone else because
his voice was more
expressive and beau-
tiful than anyone else who recorded it. Hank
could write 'em, but
it took two pop vocalists, JohnnyTillotson and
AL Martino, to come
along and nail the
touching poetry that
Hank Williams set to
music. (Download
Al Martino singing
TAKE THESE CHAINS FROM MY HEART by
HW, and songs by
other writers in this
genre like IT'S A SIN;
STILL; I REALLY DON'T WANT TO
KNOW; YOU WIN AGAIN; BOUQUET OF
ROSES, etc. Tillotson,
Martino, and also Gene Pitney were the
greatest country singers who never were!)
@pjf654
1962.......Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I've never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind the clouds
To hide it's face and cry
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die
That mean's he's lost his will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry......1962
@onebgg
I agree as well, nobody sang this song this way, with this much emotion, and with a great arrangement; it;s the best cover ever.
@sybilian
Hank would be proud of the treatment of his beautiful lyrics.
@ChristianMartins1995
A classic country, very well sung
@VealParmigiana
In my opinion, this is Johnny Tillotson's best recording.
@sapphiretaurus
A beautiful version. Johnny puts his own signature on it, and makes it his own as much as B.J. Thomas did.
@MapleSyrupBoyEh
Love all of Johnny's songs, but this is one of my favourites. On top of this, he sings this classic song better than any other artist. Thanks for posting this wonderful rendition of I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry and making me feel like a teenager again. Keep up the good work!
@pamelagatti4541
❤🎉🎉😢😮tonyvitale eden hill
@jerryrice8860
Hank the Drifter was a huge influence on Johnny as well as Dion. Two 81-year-old kids now still with incredible voices and talent!
@kathleenveronica9453
he is a great singer I love it so much you are the best singer in the world 🌎 ❤️ ♥️ 💕 💖 💙 🌎 ❤️ ♥️ 💕 💖 💙 🌎 ❤️ ♥️ 💕 💖 💙 🌎 ❤️ ♥️ 💕 💖 💙 🌎 ❤️ ♥️ 💕
@rwlhorsefarm
Hank Williams was born and raised in Georgiana, he wrote this song about the time I was born. I mom knew him and when he sang at bars she would go and dance.
Now Johnny Tillotson has sung it. many people have redone this son. Hank Williams did many song that are still popular today. He was a legend. He was born just of the street from my house in Georgiana, I think I drove by it for you to see one time when you were here. hugs, dad