Somebody
Paul Kelly Lyrics


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Are you lonesome tonight?
Are you feeling like me?
I'll bet you're dancing tonight
Running around so carelessly

[Chorus]
Somebody's forgetting somebody
Somebody's letting somebody down

The door to my heart
Your kiss is the key
The keys to the car
Now they're useless to me

[Chorus]

And every time I hear those bells
I think I'm done for
And every time they cast their spell
I think I'm done for
Nowhere to run for





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paul Kelly’s “Somebody’s Forgetting Somebody” convey themes of heartbreak, loneliness, and the struggle to let go of a failed relationship. The song begins with a rhetorical question directed at the listener - “Are you lonesome tonight?” - which sets the melancholic tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer is essentially asking if the person listening is feeling the same loneliness and pain that he himself is experiencing. He then goes on to speculate that the other person must be out dancing and enjoying themselves, oblivious to the singer’s heartache. The chorus drives home the song’s main message: somebody in the relationship is forgetting about or letting down the other person. Essentially, one party is not holding up their end of the bargain, and the relationship is suffering as a result.


The second verse offers more concrete examples of things that the singer feels have been taken away from him due to the dissolution of the relationship. He likens the door to his heart to a lock that the other person used to hold the key to, and now that they’re gone, the lock is essentially useless. Similarly, the keys to the car that the couple used to share are now a reminder of what the singer has lost. The repetition of the chorus throughout the song reinforces the idea that someone is hurting and feels that their needs are not being met in the relationship.


Line by Line Meaning

Are you lonesome tonight?
Are you feeling lonely and missing me?


Are you feeling like me?
Do you feel the same way I do?


I'll bet you're dancing tonight
I imagine you're out dancing and having fun


Running around so carelessly
Being reckless and not thinking about me


Somebody's forgetting somebody
Someone is forgetting about their past relationship


Somebody's letting somebody down
Someone is disappointing their former lover


The door to my heart
My heart is closed off


Your kiss is the key
Only your love can open it up again


The keys to the car
My car keys


Now they're useless to me
Without your love, they have lost their meaning


And every time I hear those bells
Whenever I hear certain sounds or music


I think I'm done for
I feel defeated and hopeless


And every time they cast their spell
Whenever I am reminded of our past


Nowhere to run for
I have no escape from my feelings




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PAUL MAURICE KELLY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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