The group signed to Motown Records, but weren't given top priority, as other female vocal groups were attracting audiences and recording hits. While the group awaited their chance at stardom, they recorded backing vocals for more established Motown girl groups, including The Marvelettes, Martha & The Vandellas, and The Supremes.
The Velvelettes got their break in 1964 with "Needle In A Haystack" which peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1964. The group recorded its follow-up, "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'", and spent time on various Motown-sponsored tours as an opening act.
With a song on the charts and a place on several concert tours, The Velvelettes began recording an album. Despite burgeoning success, the members of the group began to disagree about the music they were recording. Half wanted to record more mature songs and thought the material was trite, while the other half didn't want to rock the boat so early in their career.
Motown became apprehensive about the group's potential, and wary of the expense of the recordings. Not wanting to let good time and money go to waste, the label released two additional singles, "Lonely Lonely Girl Am I" and "A Bird In The Hand," as the group endured several line-up changes. Both singles flopped, and Motown cancelled the scheduled release of the group's eponymous debut album.
The last Velvelettes recordings included "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You," which became their last American single. They officially broke up in early to mid 1970.
The group reunited in 1984, when the Gill sisters and Barbee cousins re-recorded their original hits with some new songs for the album One Door Closes. The group continues to tour today.
Lonely Lonely Girl Am I
The Velvelettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing's been the same since he said to me we were all through
Listen to me, now
My telephone never rings anymore
And no one ever knocks on my door
(Woah-oh-oh-oh-yeah) A lonely, lonely girl am I
Sometimes I sit and I stare at his picture all-day long
No sense in me denying
Ever since he's been gone I've been crying
(Woah-oh-oh-oh-yeah) A lonely, lonely girl am I
Sly but tender he decieved me
Surrender your love to me
'Cause when my back was turned you whispered sweet words in another's ear
Not so long ago I felt complete
Now only disappointment follows me
(Woah-oh-oh-oh-yeah) A lonely, lonely girl am I
Listen to me, now
Having no baby to sleep at night
Don't make sister try to eat her pride
Everywhere I look I realise this
I'm just a lonely girl with a tear-stained face
(Woah-oh-oh-doo-dee-ooh) Lonely, lonely girl am I
The song "Lonely Lonely Girl Am I" by The Velvelettes is a heart-wrenching tale of a woman who has been left alone after the breakup of her relationship. The lyrics convey the sense of loss and loneliness that she feels after her lover ended things with her. The opening lines of the song, "As I sit here in my lonely room, nothing's been the same since he said to me we were all through," sets the stage for the rest of the song. She is all alone and has nobody to lean on, which is why she is so lonely.
The lyrics go on to explain that the woman's life has become so mundane after her relationship ended. She doesn't receive any phone calls anymore, and nobody knocks on her door. She is completely alone, and this isolation weighs heavily on her every day. The song's chorus repeats the line, "A lonely, lonely girl am I," emphasizing how alone she feels.
The woman also admits to staring at the picture of her ex-lover and wondering what went wrong. She remembers how she treated him well, yet he still left her without any real explanation. The pain of betrayal is evident in her words, "Sly but tender he deceived me. Surrender your love to me. 'Cause when my back was turned you whispered sweet words in another's ear." The lyrics show that she is hurt and heartbroken, and it's difficult to move on from the pain.
Overall, "Lonely Lonely Girl Am I" by The Velvelettes is a deeply emotional song that conveys the pain of a woman who is left alone after a relationship ends. The lyrics emphasize the sense of loss and loneliness that she feels every day, making it a relatable song for anyone who has experienced the crushing pain of a breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
As I sit here in my lonely room
I'm alone in my room and feeling sad
Nothing's been the same since he said to me we were all through
My life has been different since he broke up with me
Listen to me, now
Pay attention to what I'm saying
My telephone never rings anymore
No one calls me anymore
And no one ever knocks on my door
No one comes to see me
(Woah-oh-oh-oh-yeah) A lonely, lonely girl am I
I am very lonely
Sometimes I sit and I stare at his picture all-day long
I look at his picture for a long time
Wondering how could a fella that I treated so good been so wrong
I wonder why he would treat me badly even though I was good to him
No sense in me denying
I can't deny that I'm feeling bad
Ever since he's been gone I've been crying
I've been crying since he left
(Woah-oh-oh-oh-yeah) A lonely, lonely girl am I
I am very lonely
Sly but tender he deceived me
He tricked me in a cunning way
Surrender your love to me
Give me your love
'Cause when my back was turned you whispered sweet words in another's ear
He sweet-talked someone else behind my back
Not so long ago I felt complete
I used to feel whole
Now only disappointment follows me
I'm only experiencing disappointment now
(Woah-oh-oh-oh-yeah) A lonely, lonely girl am I
I am very lonely
Listen to me, now
Pay attention to what I'm saying
Having no baby to sleep at night
I don't have a child to help me sleep at night
Don't make sister try to eat her pride
Don't ask me to swallow my pride
Everywhere I look I realise this
I see this all around me
I'm just a lonely girl with a tear-stained face
I'm a sad, lonely girl
(Woah-oh-oh-doo-dee-ooh) Lonely, lonely girl am I
I am very lonely
Contributed by Annabelle S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@innocenteventiorbetello
Three soul music moguls wrote this, three classy ladies performed it. Pure magic.
@cdubz265
This is the pre Philly Soul sound
@elainelee-robinson2597
toooooooon !!! I can see those northern soul boys and gals shuffling along to this.
@stevenstewardson8613
Cracking tune not heard in a very long time thanks senator brico keep them coming BOSS MAN 🎼🎹🎼🎹🎼🎹
@gdsuperstar5657
heard this when i was kid , and was at a stoke alnighter and it got played , the room came alive , wot a tune , its not cheap but had to have it . one of my prides in my box ........... KTF✊
@thiscorrosion900
I never heard this song until my friend lent me his MOD box set that came out in the early 2000s or so, and this is on it. Now of course I know who the Velvelettes were. The single must be quite rare.
@capitol7950
Sure I first heard this on the 20 mod classic albums bout 80/81.
@peterlatham7692
She's a lonely girl, but what a way to tell us, the voice, the beat, everything just works.
@Tech_Soul
such a great dancer, wonderful strings and pounding beat
@barrythemod
RIP Bertha Barbee-McNeal.