The Rutles originated as a sketch filmed for Idle and Innes' Rutland Weekend Television in the mid-1970's, albeit with a different cast of characters: Idle, for instance, portrayed the character "Dirk," which was at that time the parody equivalent of George Harrison, not Paul McCartney. The sketch was originally aired on Saturday Night Live; producer Lorne Michaels enjoyed the sketch so much that he produced a TV movie that became known as The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, a mockumentary which is regarded as a precursor to such films as This Is Spinal Tap. The film parodied all aspects of The Beatles' career, such as the Yellow Submarine animated film and the "Paul is Dead" rumors. Ex-Beatle George Harrison, a fan of Monty Python (and later executive producer for Monty Python's Life of Brian) appeared as a reporter interviewing the press manager for The Rutles, played by Idle's Monty Python colleague Michael Palin. Originally aired on television in 1978, the film was ignored upon its initial release, but became a home video sales success.
Neil Innes, under the pseudonym Nasty/McQuickly (a parody of Lennon/McCartney, whom a majority of Beatles compositions are attributed to), wrote all The Rutles' songs, borrowing heavily from Beatles riffs, chord formations, and lyrics. Additionally, songs were also written using the pseudonyms of Stig O'Hara and Barry Wom. Their first studio album, The Rutles, was released as the soundtrack for All You Need Is Cash in 1978. Due to copyright lawsuits from Apple Corps, six of the songs were removed from the first LP release, and The Rutles' song catalog became property of Apple Corps.
In 1996, Innes, Fataar, Halsey and John Haber (the replacement for Halsall, who had passed away) released Archaeology, a spoof of The Beatles' Anthology series, consisting of supposed "cut" material written for The Rutles and previously unreleased songs. In 2002, the sequel to All You Need Is Cash, called The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch, aired on selected TV channels. It featured little to no involvement from Innes, Fataar and Halsey, and consisted mainly of unaired footage from the first film interspersed with interviews with celebrities and their experiences with The Rutles.
Lonely
The Rutles Lyrics
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Too tired to yawn
As pale as a moon
On a bright afternoon
Your face is drawn
You've got lonely-phobia
And I only hope ya get better
You sit and stare
Beyond all care
But mirrors don't lie
And the look in your eye
Is showing your despair
You've got lonely-phobia
And I only hope ya get better
Another love could set you free
But you're afraid to go
Another love may prove to be
No better than the devil you know
It's late at night
You feel uptight
Your lover's in bed
While the thoughts in your head
Are far from light
You've got lonely-phobia
And I only hope ya get better
Another love could set you free
But you're afraid to go
Another love may prove to be
No better than the devil you know
You look forlorn
Too tired to yawn
As pale as a moon
On a bright afternoon
Your face is drawn
You've got lonely-phobia
And I only hope ya get better
You've got lonely-phobia
And I only hope ya get better
The lyrics to The Rutles' "Lonely-Phobia" tell the story of a person who is deeply unhappy and anxious due to their fear of being alone. The first verse paints a picture of this person as tired, pale, and drawn. The second verse describes their deep loneliness and the despair it causes. The lyrical repetition of "You've got lonely-phobia, and I only hope ya get better" serves both as a statement of fact and a plea for this person to find a way out of their unhappiness.
The third verse offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that another love could set this person free from their loneliness. However, there is also a warning that this could be risky and may not bring the relief they're seeking. The final verse returns to the initial image of the forlorn, tired individual, emphasizing their ongoing struggle with loneliness.
Overall, the lyrics of "Lonely-Phobia" highlight the profound impact that loneliness can have on an individual's well-being. The repetition of the term "lonely-phobia" also serves to underscore the idea that this fear of being alone is itself a source of anxiety and distress.
Line by Line Meaning
You look forlorn
You appear sad and dejected
Too tired to yawn
You're too exhausted to even have the energy to yawn
As pale as a moon
You have a complexion that's as white as a moon
On a bright afternoon
Despite the brightness of the afternoon, your complexion remains pale
Your face is drawn
Your facial expression is one of sadness and despair
You've got lonely-phobia
You have a strong fear of being alone
And I only hope ya get better
I'm wishing for your recovery and well-being
You sit and stare
You remain seated and gaze off into space
Beyond all care
You don't seem to care about anything in that moment
But mirrors don't lie
Your reflection in the mirror represents the truth
And the look in your eye
The expression in your eyes reflects your sadness
Is showing your despair
They reveal the extent of your sorrow
Another love could set you free
Finding a new love could help you overcome your fears and doubts
But you're afraid to go
However, you're too scared to take that leap of faith
Another love may prove to be
It's possible that a new love might not be
No better than the devil you know
Any new love might be just as bad, or worse, than the current situation
It's late at night
It's nighttime, and rather late
You feel uptight
You are tense and anxious
Your lover's in bed
Your significant other is asleep in bed
While the thoughts in your head
Your mind is consumed with thoughts
Are far from light
These thoughts are heavy and negative
You've got lonely-phobia
You are still struggling with a fear of loneliness
And I only hope ya get better
I continue to hope for your recovery and well-being
You've got lonely-phobia
Once again, you're feeling trapped in your fear of being alone
And I only hope ya get better
And, again, I'm wishing that you overcome it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL JAMES INNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L R
I'm blown away at how brilliant Neil Innes wrote the rutles songs.
Graham Stafford
The Rutles Archaeology is as good as some Beatles albums.
Daniel Hamilton
A another masterpiece by the Rutles, lovely songs and cool lyrics.
cemegonuts
A legacy that will last a lunch time.
chrisbacos
In 1978 the Rutles album was better than most of what the music business had to offer at the time.
Vito Guttilla
R.I.P Ron Nasty. RUTLES FOREVER !!!!
breatheintheair
Reminds me of The Hollies more than anything! I love it though!
metafis
R.E.M owe their careers to The Rutles.
Luciano Ramos
Reminds me losing My religion
Slev001
Sooooo classic :D