The Lost Dogs have been called a country music supergroup, but they conside… Read Full Bio ↴The Lost Dogs have been called a country music supergroup, but they consider themselves to be a roots and alternative music group. They began in 1991 as a one-time collaboration between four very different vocalists and songwriters from four different bands at the behest of their label at that time. Terry Scott Taylor (Daniel Amos, the Swirling Eddies), Gene Eugene (Adam Again), Derri Daugherty (The Choir), and Michael Roe (The 77s) have over the last two decades released nine eclectic albums of traditional American music (country, folk, blues, rock) with a decidedly modern feel. The Lost Dogs' concert performances are filled with between-song jokes and one-liners between the band members (usually poking fun at each other).

Many of the Lost Dogs albums include at least one or two cover songs. Songs covered by the Lost Dogs include Bob Dylan's "Lord, Protect My Child," Leonard Cohen's "If It Be Your Will," The Beatles' "I'm A Loser," and Stephen Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More." They have also recorded a number of Traditional or Gospel standards such as "Dust On The Bible," and "Farther Along."

In March, 2000, shortly after the release of their Gift Horse album, Gene Eugene died in his sleep at The Green Room, his recording studio in Huntington Beach, California.

2003 saw the release of the band's first DVD, Via Chicago, a black and white concert film released by Lo-Fidelity Records. A follow-up DVD, Via Chicago (All We Left Unsaid), containing additional songs from the concert, was released in 2006.

Although the loss of Eugene is noticeable, the remaining three Lost Dogs members continue to tour and record new albums. In 2004, the band got together with longtime friend Steve Hindalong to produce a special album for their summer tour. The result was entitled Mutt, and included new acoustic versions of nine songs originally written and recorded for each band member's regular rock bands, with one new song. The following year, the band would release one of their most unusual recordings to date, the almost entirely instrumental Island Dreams.

The band's most recent project, Old Angel, was released May 2010. The band — including the newest official "dog," drummer Steve Hindalong — once again hit the road for a national tour in support of their new album.

Lovely Man
Lost Dogs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey little mama, be my friend
You can be the trouble that you think I'm in
I'm a lovely man
Lovely man
Yes I am, I'm a lovely man
(Right by damn, I'm a lovely man)

I traveled the world, the first time in my life

Fell in love with a woman but she wasn't my wife
I'm a lovely man
Lovely man
Yes I am, I'm a lovely man

Oooh Hooo
A lovely man
(Keep on a dancin' and a prancin')
Ooo Hooo Hoooo

Livin' high in a house of mirrors
Let a girl named Delilah cut my hair
I'm a lovely man
A lovely man
Yes I am, I'm a lovely man
(Right by damn, I'm a lovely dog gone man.)

You never told me when I started out
I'd be sailin all alone in a sea of doubt
And end up a lonely,
Lonely Man

Lonely,
Lovely man

Settin' my sight on some bigger things
Mama's old Cadillac and diamond rings
I'm a lovely man
Lovely man
What I am is a lovely man
Ooo Hooo
A lovely man
(keep on a dancin' and a prancin')
Ooo Hooo
Lovely man
Whoa oh, Ooo Hooo
Just a lovely man

Ooo Hooo Hooo Hoooo
Lovely man!

Overall Meaning

The Lost Dogs' song "Lovely Man" is a contemplative yet upbeat track about a man who has traveled the world and found love, but also experienced doubt and loneliness. The lyrics describe the singer as a "lovely man", someone who has a magnetic personality and a zest for life. He invites a woman to be his friend even though she may see him as trouble, perhaps alluding to his free-spirited nature. The chorus repeats the phrase "Lovely man" as a celebration of the character's positive attributes.

The second verse reveals that the lovely man has fallen in love with a woman who is not his wife, which adds a layer of complexity to his persona. He describes living in a "house of mirrors" and getting his hair cut by a girl named Delilah. The third verse shows a hint of regret as the lovely man reflects on his journey and how he ended up feeling lonely despite his worldly possessions. The bittersweet ending emphasises the contrast in the character's life and the aching loneliness that often accompanies the search for fulfilment.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey little mama, be my friend
Addressing a woman and asking her to be friends

You can be the trouble that you think I'm in
Inviting the woman to be part of his life despite any perceived problems

I'm a lovely man
Self-identification as a good person

Yes I am, I'm a lovely man
Reiterating that he is a good person

I traveled the world, the first time in my life
Talking about his experience of traveling for the first time

Fell in love with a woman but she wasn't my wife
Admitting to cheating on his spouse

Oooh Hooo A lovely man (Keep on a dancin' and a prancin') Ooo Hooo Hoooo
A catchy and repetitive chorus that reaffirms his self-identification

Livin' high in a house of mirrors Let a girl named Delilah cut my hair
Describing his living situation and a peculiar experience with a woman

You never told me when I started out I'd be sailin all alone in a sea of doubt And end up a lonely, Lonely Man
Reflecting on the loneliness and uncertainty he is now experiencing

Lonely, Lovely man
Rhyming 'lonely' with 'lovely' to emphasize the contrast between his self-identification and his current state

Settin' my sight on some bigger things Mama's old Cadillac and diamond rings
Talking about his aspirations, which are materialistic in nature

What I am is a lovely man Ooo Hooo A lovely man (keep on a dancin' and a prancin') Ooo Hooo Lovely man Whoa oh, Ooo Hooo Just a lovely man Ooo Hooo Hooo Hoooo Lovely man!
Ending the song with an enthusiastic and repetitive chorus that reaffirms his self-identification

Contributed by Emma N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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