Only the Lonely
Various Artists Lyrics


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A heart made of stone
Callous and bone
Fracture and tear it out
To let it go
And to think
I called it my own
And I would have never thought
The pain could grow

So I'll break it
Knowing what you said
The pain is what you make it
Sadly you are so mistaken
I will take you with a grain
And step into the changes
Throw away the empty heart

Right now
Never want to leave this place
And right now
See it in a different way
So right now
Even if you take me on
I'll stand the lonely
Stand the lonely

It's harder to know
Just where to go
If only the stars aligned
The sunsets glowed
I don't need
A calm in a storm
Or something to scream about
With empty lungs

So I'll break it
Knowing what you said
The pain is what you make it
Sadly you are so mistaken
I will take you with a grain
And step into the changes
Throw away the empty heart

Right now
Never want to leave this place
And right now
See it in a different way
So right now
Even if you take me on
I'll stand the lonely
Stand the lonely

Right now
Never want to leave this place
And right now
See it in a different way
So right now
Even if you take me on
I'll stand the lonely
Stand the lonely

Right now
Never want to leave this place
And right now
See it in a different way
So right now
Even if you take me on
I'll stand the lonely
Stand the lonely





(Stand the lonely)

Overall Meaning

In "Only the Lonely," Various Artists sing about the pain of having a heart made of stone, one that is callous and hardened, yet still deeply attached to someone. The singer speaks of the moment when they realize that they must fracture and tear their heart out to let go of the pain caused by this attachment. They acknowledge that this heart was once a source of pride, but it now causes them nothing but anguish. Despite knowing that the pain is self-inflicted, the singer acknowledges that they must "break it" in order to move on.


The lyrics depict a person who is trying to reconcile their desire for change with their need for security. They express a yearning for something more in life and the willingness to step into the unknown, but they also feel the pull of the familiar and the comfort of the "empty heart." The song suggests that the only way to achieve true freedom is by letting go of the past, even if that means standing alone. The repeated refrain of "stand the lonely" echoes this sentiment.


Overall, "Only the Lonely" is a song about the struggle of stepping out of one's comfort zone and the pain that comes with letting go of what is familiar. It speaks to the human condition of attachment and the difficulties we face when trying to detach from those things and people that have become a part of us.


Line by Line Meaning

A heart made of stone
My heart has become hard and unfeeling


Callous and bone
It feels as if it's made of rough skin and bones


Fracture and tear it out
I want to break it apart and remove it from my body


To let it go
So I can be free of the pain it causes


And to think
It's hard to believe


I called it my own
That I once thought of it as mine


And I would have never thought
I never expected


The pain could grow
That the pain would intensify


So I'll break it
I will shatter my heart


Knowing what you said
Because of what you told me


The pain is what you make it
You have control over how much pain you feel


Sadly you are so mistaken
But you are wrong about that


I will take you with a grain
I won't take your words to heart


And step into the changes
I'll embrace the changes that come with letting go


Throw away the empty heart
I will discard my cold and lifeless heart


Right now
In this moment


Never want to leave this place
I'm content staying here


And right now
At present


See it in a different way
I perceive things differently now


So right now
At this exact moment


Even if you take me on
Even if I face challenges


I'll stand the lonely
I can handle being alone


It's harder to know
It's difficult to understand


Just where to go
What direction to take


If only the stars aligned
If circumstances were in my favor


The sunsets glowed
Everything was perfect


I don't need
I don't require


A calm in a storm
A peaceful moment during a difficult time


Or something to scream about
Something to get excited or passionate about


With empty lungs
When I feel like I have nothing left to give


(Stand the lonely)
I can withstand being alone




Writer(s): Gordon James Gano, Christopher Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Thomas Hinton Murray, Jerry Harrison

Contributed by Jonathan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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