Their self-titled album was an underground sensation, particularly with smooth 70s easy listening ruling the airwaves back then. Chrissie Hynde once commented that every punk band ("And I knew them all") had both New York Dolls albums, illustrating the Dolls' influence. Still, the original line-up experienced many problems, particularly with the mainstream record industry that didn't know what to do with the wild group. Upon their break-up, frontman David Johansen had a moderately successful solo career.
In 2004, the three surviving members reunited for some sporadic touring. In 2006, now down to two surviving members, the band released a new album, 'One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This'. Two albums followed after this: 'Cause I Sez So', in 2009, followed up by a revamped lineup for 2011's 'Dancing Backward in High Heels'.
Sylvain Sylvain died on January 13, 2021. He was 69 years old.
Final lineup
* David Johansen - vocals, harmonica (1971-1977, 2004-2011)
* Sylvain Sylvain - guitar, bass, piano (1971-1977, 2004-2011; died 2021)
* Claton Pitcher - guitar (2011)
* Kenny Aaronson - bass (2021)
* Brian Delaney - drums (2005-2011)
Past members
* Johnny Thunders (deceased) - guitar, vocals (1971-1975)
* Rick Rivets - guitar (1971)
* Arthur Kane (deceased) - bass guitar (1971-1975, 2004)
* Billy Murcia (deceased) - drums (1971-1972)
* Jerry Nolan (deceased) - drums (1972-1976)
* Blackie Lawless - guitar (1975)
* Peter Jordan - bass (1975-1977)
* Chris Robison - keyboards (1975-1977)
* Tony Machine - drums (1976-1977)
* Gary Powell - drums (2004)
* Steve Conte - guitar (2004-2010)
* Sami Yaffa - bass (2005-2010)
* Frank Infante - guitar (2010-2011)
* Brian Koonin - keyboards (2005-2006)
* Earl Slick – guitar (2011)
* Jason Hill – bass (2010–2011)
Lonely So Long
New York Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
I feel like a fragment
Out here in the street
Like I've been sleeping
On the concrete
I miss your soft skin
Laying in a feather bed,
Safe and warm
I can't get it out of my head,
I'm out here instead
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
The back of a taxi
Thought I saw you go by
I called out your name, girl,
And started to smile
This is too deep even for tears,
Don't wanna cry out here
I loved you for seven years,
I wanna come on home
Tried to bum a cigarette
Nobody smokes no more
Down on Bleecker and Lafayette
Girl I'm so sick
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
(Don't you leave me lonely)
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
(You know girl?
It ain't even funny out on the street)
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
(It's like everything living,
Everything living out here is deceased)
So don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
(Don't you leave me lonely)
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
(Lonely, lonely, baby)
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
(Don't you leave me lonely)
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
The lyrics to New York Dolls' "Lonely So Long" are a plead to a lost love to come back and end the singer's loneliness. The first verse presents the singer's current state, feeling like a "fragment" in the street, having slept on concrete, and missing the warmth and tenderness of his lover. He recalls the comfort of laying in a feather bed, but now "can't get it out of [his] head" and is stuck outside, alone.
In the second verse, the singer thinks he sees his lover pass by in a taxi and calls out her name, but it turns out to be a false alarm. He's so desperate for her to come back that even crying doesn't seem to be enough to express his yearning. He's now just wandering around, lonely and lost, and can't even find a cigarette to smoke, showing his disconnection from everything around him.
The repetition of the words "Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long" in the chorus highlights the desperation and urgency in the singer's voice. He doesn't want to be alone anymore and needs his lover to come back to him. The lyrics convey a sense of raw vulnerability and emotional neediness as the singer longs for the one he loves.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't leave me lonely, lonely so long
The singer is pleading with someone not to leave them lonely for such a long period of time.
I feel like a fragment
The singer feels incomplete and broken.
Out here in the street
The singer is outside, possibly feeling lost or abandoned.
Like I've been sleeping
The artist feels like they've been sleeping on hard, uncomfortable surfaces.
On the concrete
The artist is sleeping on the pavement, which is usually very uncomfortable.
I miss your soft skin
The singer misses the feel of someone's soft skin.
And your kisses so sweet
The singer misses the sweet taste of someone's kisses.
Laying in a feather bed,
The artist is dreaming of being in a comfortable bed with soft, fluffy pillows.
Safe and warm
The artist imagines feeling safe and warm in a comfortable bed.
I can't get it out of my head,
The artist can't stop thinking about their desire to be in a comfortable bed.
I'm out here instead
Instead of being in a comfortable bed, the singer is outside.
The back of a taxi
The artist is in the back of a taxi.
Thought I saw you go by
The singer thought they saw someone they miss walking by.
I called out your name, girl,
The singer shouted the name of the person they thought they saw.
And started to smile
The singer began to smile, possibly at the thought of seeing the person they miss.
This is too deep even for tears,
The artist is experiencing intense emotions that are difficult even to express through crying.
Don't wanna cry out here
The artist doesn't want to cry while they're outside in public.
I loved you for seven years,
The singer has loved someone for seven years.
I wanna come on home
The singer wants to go home, possibly to be with the person they love.
Tried to bum a cigarette
The artist attempted to get a cigarette, possibly to ease their anxiety.
Nobody smokes no more
The artist is having trouble finding someone who smokes cigarettes, possibly indicating a changing culture.
Down on Bleecker and Lafayette
The artist is on a street corner in New York City.
Girl I'm so sick
The singer is feeling ill or upset, likely due to the emotions expressed in the previous lines.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN DELANCY, DAVID JOHANSEN, SAMI TAKAMAKI, STEVE CONTE, SYLVAIN MIZRAHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jamie A2Z83
I was so excited for new music from lots of great punk bands the year this came out.
Timothy Culkin
Loneliness is good
Atondro Mahmud
Maybe I'm the most lonely person on earth...that's my destiny and i'm cursed ... anyway i just love this song
Jerry Merritt
Naaaa, never that lonely just give em' a ring. The "Dolls" are never lonely, R' n R'
VonHoganSchmidt
TREMENDOUS Stuff
Richard Burchett
Miss you, Sylvain Sylvain
VonHoganSchmidt
Nobody Smokes no more