Its lyrics were taken from “Fool In Love”, a song from Sting’s previous band Last Exit. Its chorus, Sting has admitted, is a sped-up reinterpretation of Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry”.
In a 2000 interview with Revolver, the band discussed “So Lonely”:
Sting: People thrashing out three chords didn’t really interest us musically. Reggae was accepted in punk circles and musically more sophisticated, and we could play it, so we veered off in that direction. I mean let’s be honest here, So Lonely was unabashedly culled from ‘No Woman No Cry’ by Bob Marley. Same chorus. What we invented was this thing of going back and forth between thrash punk and reggae. That was the little niche we created for ourselves.
Copeland: It was also the first time Sting said ‘screw the punk formula’. Sting started playing the song and I distinctly remember Andy and I making farting noises and going, ‘Yeah, right’. But then he got to that steaming chorus, we looked at each other and realised that maybe we should give it a try. In spite of our kerfuffling, Sting persevered and made us create something new.
Sting: The other nice thing about playing a reggae groove in the verses was that you could leave holes in the music. I needed those holes because, initially, I had a hard time singing and playing at the same time.
So Lonely
The Police Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That when you throw your love away
You act as if you just don't care
You look as if you're going somewhere
But I just can't convince myself
I couldn't live with no one else
And I can only play that partAnd sit and nurse my broken heart
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
Now no one's knocked upon my door
For a thousand years or more
All made up and nowhere to go
Welcome to this one man show
Just take a seat they're always free
No surprise, no mystery
In this theater that I call my soul
So lonely
So lonely (I feel low)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel low)
(I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel low)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel low)
(I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel low)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel low)
(I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel low)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
Lonely, I'm so lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
Lonely, I'm so lonely
I feel so alone
I feel low
I feel so
Feel so low
I feel low, low
I feel low, low, low
I feel low, low, low
I feel low, low, low
I feel low, low, low
I feel low, low, low
Low, I feel low
I feel low
I feel low
I feel so lonely
I feel so lonely
I feel so lonely, lonely, lonely, lone
Lone, lone, lone
I feel so lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so alone)
So lonely (I feel so lonely)
The Police's iconic song So Lonely explores themes of isolation, heartbreak, and loneliness. The opening lines begin with someone telling the singer that when you throw your love away, you act as if you don't care and look as if you're going somewhere. However, the singer cannot convince himself to live without his love, and he's stuck nursing a broken heart while playing the starring role in the theater that is his soul. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the feeling of being so lonely, with the singer feeling low and empty inside.
The second verse adds to the sense of loneliness, as no one has come to the singer's door in thousands of years, leaving him with nowhere to go but his one-man show. He invites others to take a seat in this theater, but there's no surprise or mystery to be found. The repetition of "I feel so lonely" at the end of the song drives home the feelings of loneliness and isolation that the singer is experiencing.
Overall, the song is a powerful portrayal of the emotions that many people feel at some point in their lives when they're left alone and heartbroken. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the weight of these emotions and leaves a lasting impression on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Well someone told me yesterday
Someone recently informed me
That when you throw your love away
When you end a relationship carelessly
You act as if you just don't care
You appear as if you have no emotions
You look as if you're going somewhere
You seem to have moved on with your life
But I just can't convince myself
But I can't make myself believe that
I couldn't live with no one else
I can't imagine living without someone else
And I can only play that part
I can only act as if I've moved on
And sit and nurse my broken heart
And stay alone while tending to my emotional wounds
So lonely (I feel low)
Feeling down and isolated (repeated throughout song)
Now no one's knocked upon my door
No one has come to see me
For a thousand years or more
For what seems like an impossibly long time
All made up and nowhere to go
Dressed well, but lacking social plans
Welcome to this one-man show
Welcome to my life of loneliness
Just take a seat they're always free
There's always room for one more in my solitude
No surprise, no mystery
Nothing unexpected, nothing unknown
In this theater that I call my soul
In my internal world
I always play the starring role
I am always the main character in my loneliness
Lonely, I'm so lonely
Feeling extremely lonely (repeated throughout song)
I feel so alone
I feel solitary
I feel low
I feel sad
I feel so
I feel
Feel so low
Feeling very sad
Low, I feel low
In a state of sadness
Low, low
Very low
Low, low, low
Extremely low
I feel so lonely, lonely, lonely, lone
Feeling intensely lonely (repeated)
Lone, lone, lone
Alone, alone, alone
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Christopher Eaton, Gordon Sumner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@elijahmodnar1
sue lawley sue lawley sue lawleyyy
@devonmedway7669
Love the Police, Love the free Hong Kong, that used to be!
@midoriyasuda5795
This is Japan
@charleswong9275
@@midoriyasuda5795 the subway scenes were in Toyko Japan, the street scenes were in Hong Kong
@DubioserAltschauerberger1510
I just see Hong Kong here. Chinese letters everywhere
@Millerben76
They shot a video on there way to shoot the video
@thomasmason6908
Hahaha 😆 😂 😆 😂 😆.. I'm listening to this song as you talk to me about this song!!❤❤❤
@thesuncollective1475
@@thomasmason6908I'm reading your response still laughing at his response and now I'm stuck in a loop ..
@NoEsMiPrimerEquipo
Lol
@NoEsMiPrimerEquipo
@@thesuncollective1475Actually I don't get it xd