Lonely
Mick Jagger and Joss Stone Lyrics

Lonely
Emphasizes the loneliness of being on top.

Lonely
Reiterates the loneliness of being on top.

Lonely
Repeats the loneliness of being on top.

Lonely
Concludes the song by repeating the loneliness of being on top.

God know's you're ambitious, see you push so hard
Acknowledges someone's hard work and determination to succeed.

You want to get to the top of the heap from Sunset Boulevard
Desires to succeed and be at the top of the field, even when starting from a humble beginning.

Oh, it leads small-town girls astray
Implicates that the unrealistic aspects of fame can have negative effects on small town girls who aspire to achieve it.

Oh, it leads small-town girls astray
Reinforces the idea that false hopes of fame can trap small-town girls.

'Cause it's lonely, lonely at the top
Enunciates that it can be lonely at the top despite the acclaim and success.

Baby, it's hot!
Adds emphasis to the idea of loneliness and difficulty.

It's lonely, lonely at the top
Repeats the aforementioned idea of being lonely when successful.

Baby, it's hot!
Adds emphasis to the idea of loneliness and difficulty.

They're going to tear your soul away
Suggests that success could take an emotional toll on an individual.

Theater is deserted and the boards are bare
Sets the stage for a feeling of isolation as the main character is alone in an empty theater.

You're next up for the reading and you're feeling scared
Conveys the emotions of fear and anxiety while waiting to perform.

Oh, but you really want the part so bad
Shows the desperate desire of the individual to be successful and get the part.

Yeah, go on, show them how a star should act
Encourages the individual to take inspiration from their fear and anxiety to perform confidently and like a true star.

They're going to strip your soul away
Reiterates the idea that being successful can damage a person emotionally.

You could be a doctor, you could be a nurse
Presents the idea that no matter the profession, there's no escape from the possibility of attaining fame.

There's no time to rehearse
Indicates that an individual may not be entirely, mentally prepared for success.

You work as a waitress, you clean up the bar
Gives an insight into how many famous individuals started from humble beginnings and worked their way up.

But soon you'll be noticed, you'll be a star
Establishes that the possibility of getting recognized could occur overnight in unexpected ways.

You get your nomination, your heart's beating fast
Highlights the recognition for an individual's hard work when being nominated.

Yes, and the winner is you! You won the prize at last
Celebrates the triumph of an individual who achieved their goal and succeeded.

They're going to strip your soul away
Reinforces the idea that success can have a negative impact on a person's well-being.

It's lonely, lonely at the top
Reiterates the aforementioned idea of loneliness at the top of the ladder.

Yeah, baby, it's hot!
Adds emphasis to the idea that being on top is difficult and lonely.

You get hungry, you get thirsty
Illustrates that success causes another demand on an individual that isn't from critics.

You know you get thirsty...
Reiterates the sentiment in the line before.