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.
Solitaire
Neil Sedaka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who lost his love through his indifference
A heart that cared, that went unchecked
Until it died in his silence
And solitaire's the only game in town
And every road that takes him, takes him down
And by himself, it's easy to pretend
And keeping to himself he plays the game
Without her love it always ends the same
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire
Another day, a lonely day
So much to say that goes unspoken
And through the night, his sleepless nights
His eyes are closed, his heart is broken
And solitaire's the only game in town
And every road that takes him, takes him down
And by himself it's easy to pretend
She's coming back again
And keeping to himself he plays the game
Without her love it always ends the same
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire
A little hope, goes up in smoke
Just how it goes, goes without saying
Solitaire
And by himself it's easy to pretend
He'll never love again
Ohhh
And keeping to himself he plays the game
Without her love it always ends the same
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire
Solitaire, solitaire
The song Solitaire by Neil Sedaka is a poignant and introspective ballad that deals with themes of loneliness, heartbreak, and isolation. The lyrics are focused on a man who has lost the love of his life due to his own indifference and negligence. He is left playing solitaire- a lonely game that he plays by himself- as he struggles to come to terms with his heartache and the fact that he may never love again. The song captures the feeling of being completely alone in a crowded world, where everyone around you seems to be living life to the fullest while you are stuck in a state of melancholy and despair.
The lyrics are particularly powerful in their portrayal of the man's internal struggle as he tries to move on from his past love. Despite his attempts to pretend that he is okay, the pain of his loss continues to haunt him, as seen in lines like "And by himself it's easy to pretend she's coming back again." The repetition of the phrase "solitaire's the only game in town" throughout the song adds to the overall sense of hopelessness, as if the man is resigned to his fate and cannot see a way out of his loneliness.
Overall, Solitaire is a beautifully written song that captures the emotions of heartbreak and loneliness in a way that is both relatable and profound. Through its introspective lyrics and melancholic melody, the song reminds us of the fragility of love and the importance of treasuring the people in our lives while they are still with us.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a man, a lonely man
This man was very lonely and did not have anyone around him.
Who lost his love through his indifference
He lost his love because he did not show her that he cared enough.
A heart that cared, that went unchecked
Although he cared for her, he did not express his feelings or show it enough.
Until it died in his silence
Eventually, his love for her faded away because he did not express it and kept it to himself.
And solitaire's the only game in town
The only thing that brings him comfort is playing solitaire, a game that he can play by himself.
And every road that takes him, takes him down
In every path he takes, he feels like he is sinking deeper into loneliness.
And by himself, it's easy to pretend
He can easily imagine things and pretend that everything is alright when he is alone.
He'll never love again
He believes that he will never find love again.
And keeping to himself he plays the game
He is always by himself and only plays solitaire.
Without her love it always ends the same
No matter how he plays, without her love, he always ends up in the same place - alone and sad.
While life goes on around him everywhere
People around him continue with their lives, but he cannot escape his loneliness.
He's playing solitaire
Playing solitaire is the only thing he has to comfort him.
Another day, a lonely day
Every day is lonely for him.
So much to say that goes unspoken
There are many things he wants to say, but he keeps them to himself.
And through the night, his sleepless nights
He cannot sleep at night because he is always alone and sad.
His eyes are closed, his heart is broken
Although his eyes are closed, he cannot escape the broken state of his heart.
She's coming back again
He fantasizes about his love coming back to him once again.
A little hope, goes up in smoke
Any hope he has usually disappears quickly.
Just how it goes, goes without saying
This is just how things are for him now - lonely and sad without her.
Solitaire
Solitaire is the only comfort he has.
And by himself it's easy to pretend
He can easily pretend everything is alright when he is alone.
He'll never love again
He does not think he will find love again.
Ohhh
This expresses the deep pain and sorrow he feels.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Neil Sedaka, Phil Cody
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@1969presley
One of the most talented musicians ever . When the list of greats are mentioned, Neil Sedaka should always be in there.
@ladykitanguilla
I totally agree. He has tremendous talent - an inspiring singer, composer, and musician.
@robstack3712
A treasure for our ears
@hugogabrielBruno
Amor y poder.. uno te da todo..el otro viene solo.
@neilbrown5858
your mental he's god
@JR-1983
Singer, musician,song writer. No one these days has anything close to his talent
@alffox9151
It’s 2024 and I still get goosebumps whenever I hear Neil Sedaka sing this.
Absolutely stunning.
@CLAelev1
It’s 2023…..this Is still MAGNIFICENT!
@terereynolds698
He sings with such raw emotion you can feel the pain, the tears are in his voice. He’s a legend, no one can perform like they did in the 60’s and 70’s
@user-yi5sc6xb1j
4 times my wife and I have been to one of his concerts. Never disappointed. Always classy and fabulous.musical genius