305:"...It's a song about empty success. It came about while the Motels were experiencing critical acclaim, traveling the world, riding in limos, and yet I was probably as sad as I had ever been. I was in a horrible relationship and had not yet recovered from my parents' death (I doubt one ever does). The contradiction of these two worlds was where 'Only the Lonely' lived... bittersweet."
330:. Martha Davis stars in the vintage-style video as a socialite who is frequenting the bar at a posh hotel. Eventually, a once solitary Davis becomes overwhelmed by the jubilation of an increasingly unstable crowd. The video earned the award "Best Performance in a Music Video" at the American Music Awards.
279:
initially recorded darker pieces for their anticipated third studio album. However, with the exception of a reworked "Only the Lonely", the rest of the songs were shelved. The unreleased songs would eventually be featured on the 2011 album
317:"'Those two songs couldn't be more opposite," she said. "With ‘Only the Lonely’ I picked up my guitar and (the tune) was sitting there (as if it wrote itself). I played ‘Only the Lonely’ bada-boom, bada-boom.'"
31:
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on April 24, 1982. It would ultimately climb to number 9 on July 17 of that year where it spent four weeks in that position. On the U.S.
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Top 100, it performed slightly better, peaking at number 8 for two weeks. The song is included in the 2006 video game
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wrote "Only the Lonely" on a guitar that was given to her by her late father—an administrator at the
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671:"Last Few Beautiful Days: Interview with Martha Davis of The Motels – Where Music Meets The Soul"
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599:""Shame": The David Fincher-directed music video by the Motels, Martha Davis's L.A.-based band"
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In a 2019 interview, she contrasted the song's development process with her later hit "
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239:. It was released in 1982 as the first single from their third studio album
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The music video for "Only the Lonely" was directed by
Australian filmmaker
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646:"Martha Davis and The Motels play Daryl's House Club in Pawling, New York"
245:. Propelled by a popular music video, it debuted at number 90 on the U.S.
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543:"Gary James' Interview With Martha Davis of the Motels"
792:"Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending July 31, 1982"
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755:"The Motels Chart History (Adult Contemporary)"
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822:"Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982"
773:"The Motels Chart History (Mainstream Rock)"
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264:in the fictional power ballad radio station
620:"Only the Lonely by The Motels – Songfacts"
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29:
1176:Songs written by Martha Davis (musician)
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847:"Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles"
235:" is a song by American new wave band
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644:Tuccio-Koonz, Linda (April 2, 2019).
737:"The Motels Chart History (Hot 100)"
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1011:No Vacancy – The Best of The Motels
853:. December 31, 1982. Archived from
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295:University of California, Berkeley
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993:Atomic Cafe: Greatest Songs Live
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798:. July 31, 1982. Archived from
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763:. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
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727:. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
697:Australian Chart Book 1970–1992
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721:The Motels – Only The Lonely"
571:"Martha Davis Interview 2007"
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968:The Last Few Beautiful Days
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18:1982 single by The Motels
344:"Only the Lonely" – 3:16
1161:Capitol Records singles
347:"Change My Mind" – 3:21
1171:Songs about loneliness
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857:on September 21, 2012
802:on September 20, 2012
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1092:Suddenly Last Summer
1025:If Not Now Then When
392:Canadian Top Singles
311:Suddenly Last Summer
1099:Remember the Nights
1003:Compilation albums
986:Standing Room Only
673:. October 18, 2017
429:Adult Contemporary
162:singles chronology
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403:Recorded Music NZ
381:Kent Music Report
352:Chart performance
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215:"Only the Lonely"
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1123:Related articles
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369:Chart (1982)
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1151:1982 singles
1085:Forever Mine
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933:All Four One
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859:. Retrieved
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800:the original
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339:US 7" single
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289:Lead singer
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266:Emotion 98.3
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242:All Four One
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139:Martha Davis
52:All Four One
50:
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1130:Discography
1050:Days Are OK
978:Live albums
693:Kent, David
379:Australia (
322:Music video
299:Beyond Race
272:Development
208:Music video
147:Producer(s)
1166:1982 songs
1145:Categories
1078:Take the L
961:Apocalypso
904:The Motels
529:References
283:Apocalpyso
277:The Motels
237:The Motels
191:Take the L
160:The Motels
74:April 1982
43:The Motels
778:Billboard
760:Billboard
742:Billboard
677:April 29,
655:April 29,
629:April 29,
604:April 29,
552:April 29,
498:Billboard
452:Billboard
434:Billboard
416:Billboard
374:position
301:magazine:
248:Billboard
153:Val Garay
851:Cash Box
695:(1993).
510:Cash Box
500:Hot 100
469:Top 100
466:Cash Box
255:Cash Box
97:pop rock
93:New wave
79:Recorded
71:Released
1035:Singles
926:Careful
418:Hot 100
250:Hot 100
220:YouTube
195:(1982)
186:(1982)
177:(1980)
125:Capitol
1057:Danger
919:Motels
703:
580:May 1,
520:
103:Length
61:B-side
39:Single
1113:Shock
1106:Shame
947:Shock
508:U.S.
496:U.S.
491:Rank
120:Label
88:Genre
954:This
863:2017
833:2017
808:2017
701:ISBN
679:2019
657:2019
631:2019
606:2019
582:2019
554:2019
372:Peak
82:1981
514:49
503:29
463:US
458:10
445:US
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413:US
408:10
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386:28
218:on
41:by
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