Sedaka wrote his 1959 hit "Oh! Carol" about his then-girlfriend, Carol Klein, later to become Carole King. In 1963, King released a humorous answer entitled "Oh Neil".
The Laughter In the Rain Songfacts says Sedaka's hits dried up when The Beatles arrived, but then he teamed up with the lyricist Philip Cody and had a a number 1 hit with "Laughter In The Rain." It re-ignited Sedaka's career and he had 6 more Top-40 hits in America by 1977.
Sedaka's voice is in the tenor range.
Alone in New York in the Rain
Neil Sedaka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone somewhere's been neglecting things
I've known all along
It's wrong to go about expecting things
But looking for love in this city
Is like getting burned without feeling the pain
Safety first, cries the sign on the street
So far from home
All alone in New York in the rain
Chilled by the breeze
Autumn shadows are concealing things
Worn at the knees
Dungarees begin revealing things
Lord, I'm so low and lonely
Worst of all is this rain keeps on falling
Safety first, cries the sign on the street
Keep to yourself, sing the faces I meet
So far from home
All alone in New York in the rain
Da, da, da, da, da
Da, da, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Da, da, da, da
Da, da, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Lord, I'm so low and lonely
Worst of all is this rain keeps on falling
Safety first, cries the sign on the street
Keep to yourself, sing the faces I meet
So far from home
All alone in New York in the rain
All alone in New York in the rain
The lyrics of Neil Sedaka's song "Alone in New York in the Rain" delve into the loneliness and isolation that the singer feels while wandering the city streets in the rain. The song captures the palpable feeling of aimless searching for love in a city that is too harsh and uncaring, where the singer feels ignored and neglected. The lyrics suggest that the city is not conducive to finding love and that the singer's pursuit is akin to getting burned without feeling the pain, a metaphor that perfectly sums up his attempt at romantic connection.
The melancholic mood of the song is well-captured with phrases like "worst of all is this rain keeps on falling," which perfectly captures the sense of hopelessness and despair that the singer feels. The sign on the street that reads "Safety first" highlights the sense of detachment from human interaction and the need to prioritize self-preservation above all else. This suggests that the singer is in a vulnerable state and cannot risk romantic disappointment. Therefore, he keeps himself isolated from the world, having to endure the solitary existence of being alone in New York in the rain.
Overall, the song is a heartrending portrayal of loneliness that captures the complex emotions of the singer, masterfully weaving the imagery of the setting to drive home the sense of isolation and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Stumbling along
I am walking with uncertainty and clumsiness
Someone somewhere's been neglecting things
Things have been ignored, and it isn't apparent who is accountable for this situation
I've known all along
From the start, I have realized the state of things
It's wrong to go about expecting things
It's impractical to anticipate things to work out as expected
But looking for love in this city
Trying to find love in New York City
Is like getting burned without feeling the pain
It's like being hurt without realizing it
Safety first, cries the sign on the street
The street signs remind people to be cautious
Keep to yourself, sing the faces I meet
The people I encounter seem withdrawn and unapproachable
So far from home
I'm a long way from where I reside
All alone in New York in the rain
I'm by myself in a metropolis under the rain
Chilled by the breeze
I'm uncomfortably cold by the wind gusts
Autumn shadows are concealing things
The shadows that autumn casts hide specific features
Worn at the knees
My pants have torn fabric around my knees
Dungarees begin revealing things
My jeans are displaying more of myself than what I would like
Lord, I'm so low and lonely
I am feeling down, and there is no one near me
Worst of all is this rain keeps on falling
The worst part is how the rain is still coming down
Da, da, da, da, da
Da, da, la, la, la, la, la, la
Da, da, da, da
Da, da, la, la, la, la, la, la
Lord, I'm so low and lonely
I am feeling down, and there is no one near me
Worst of all is this rain keeps on falling
The worst part is how the rain is still coming down
Safety first, cries the sign on the street
The street signs remind people to be cautious
Keep to yourself, sing the faces I meet
The people I encounter seem withdrawn and unapproachable
So far from home
I'm a long way from where I reside
All alone in New York in the rain
I'm by myself in a metropolis under the rain
All alone in New York in the rain
I'm by myself in a metropolis under the rain
Contributed by Tristan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tim Hancock
Production and musical backing by Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme, Eric Stewart and Kevin Godley of 10cc and recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport. Its a great album introduced to me by a friend who lived in Stockport when I was at University in 1974
FAB4FAN
Such a talented artist.
Samuel Wesley
The piano is so evocative. Such genius.
mrob75
a grittier sounding Neil yet keeping to his style...Could have moved nicely into this genre...Would have enjoyed more like this.
TIME42
Love it！
Steven Cocorachio
The first Neil Sedaka LP that i bought in February 1974
MarcusTomatos
Typical Buckmaster ending... fabulous!
MarcusTomatos
With the great Paul Buckmaster.