Wikipedia

User:11JORN/Sandbox9

< User:11JORN
"Song for the Lonely"
File:.Sftl.jpg
Single by Cher
from the album Living Proof
ReleasedJanuary 11, 2002
Recorded2001
StudioMetrophonic Studios
VenueLondon, England
GenreDance-pop
Length
  • 4:01 (album version)
  • 3:21 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriters
ProducerMark Taylor
Cher singles chronology
"The Music's No Good Without You"
(2001)		 "Song for the Lonely"
(2002)		 "Alive Again"
(2002)
Music video
"Song for the Lonely" on YouTube

"Song for the Lonely"[a] is a song by American singer Cher from her twenty-fourth studio album, Living Proof (2001). It was written by Mark Taylor, Paul Barry and Steve Torch, and produced by Taylor. It was released on January 11, 2002 as the second international single from the album by Warner Bros. Records and WEA, while in North America it served as the lead single. "Song for the Lonely" is a dance-pop song which was initially written as a love song, but after the September 11 attacks Cher eventually saw it in a different way.

"Song for the Lonely" was met with generally positive reviews, with music commentators complimenting its organic production, while others were less enthusiastic towards its patriotic themes after the attacks. Commercially, the song peaked at number 85 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while reaching the top forty in Canada, The Czech Republic, and Romania. Its music video was directed by Stu Maschwitz in New York City, and depicts Cher walking through the streets of the city since the 18th century until the modern days, while she is joined by several people from those times. To promote the song, Cher performed it on several television shows, and later included it on the setlists of her Living Proof: The Farewell Tour (2002–05) and her concert residency Cher (2008–11).

Background and release

edit
The song is dedicated to Rudy Giuliani (pictured) among others.

"Song for the Lonely" was written and recorded by Cher in London before the September 11 attacks, and intended to include it on her twenty-fourth studio album Living Proof (2001), and it immediately became her favorite song from the record.[2] However, she began thinking of it in a different way after the attacks. In an interview with Larry King Live she stated that she was listening to the album and when the track began, all of a sudden it took on a completely different meaning for her, especially because of the "when heroes fall in love and war, they live forever" line.[3] Cher commented that "Song for the Lonely" was one of the best tracks she has ever had the opportunity to sing, because according to her, "we still lived in a world of innocence" before the attacks.[2] According to the album liner notes, "Song for the Lonely" is "dedicated to the courageous people of New York especially the fire fighters, the police, Mayor Giuliani, Governor Pataki and my friend Liz".[3]

The public's initial reaction to "Song for the Lonely" was positive. James Lonten, manager of a Borders store in New York City, which had been stocking Living Proof since its European release, commented, "That goes without saying. We play the track in-store, and it literally stops people dead in their tracks. It's an instantly affecting, highly emotional song". John Boulos, senior vice-president of promotion at Warner Bros. Records, commented that they were not exploiting the September 11 attacks as a selling point to the single, but it had drawn the interest of people. "We simply feel that we have an incredible song by a truly legendary artist. That's a pretty potent combination to take it to the street", he said.[2] "Song for the Lonely" was sent to radio stations in the United States on January 11, 2002 by Warner Bros. Records and WEA, serving as the lead single from Living Proof in North America.[4][5][6] It was later included on three of Cher's compilation albums: The Very Best of Cher (2003), Gold (2005), and Forever (2024).[7][8][9]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/408285151/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/271084374/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/271087349/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1067207175/

Recording and composition

edit

"Song for the Lonely" was recorded at Metrophonic Studios in London. It was co-written by Mark Taylor, Paul Barry and Steve Torch, with production by Taylor, who also mixed and played all instruments on the track.[1] Other instrumentation also included guitars by Barry and Adam Phillips, as well as background vocals provided by Tracy Ackerman. Assistant engineers involved in the production were Jong uk Yoon, Christian Saint Val and Neil Tucker. It was mastered by Ian Cooper, Miles Showell and Julian Lowe at Metropolis Mastering, along with all other tracks present on Living Proof.[1]

"Song for the Lonely" is a guitar-laden dance-pop song.[2] Mark Taylor and Paul Barry, who also worked on her previous hit single "Believe" (1998), wrote the track, "giving the song a frenetic, knee-bobbing urgency that will wash the gray out of any winter day", according to Billboard's Chuck Taylor.[10] The music commentator also noted that the lack of vocoder, which had become a signature on Cher's songs, allowed Cher to "foster a grin" with opening notes, until the song reaches the chorus, which "explodes into a rhythmic tantrum".[10] When Cher recorded the track, she thought of it as a love song, but after the September 11 attacks, the singer felt the song was right for the occasion.[3] "Since the world has changed so dramatically, the lyrics have a different weight. They're heavier, yet they're comforting at the same time. Over the past month or so, I've had a number of people tell me that the song has helped them cope. What a humbling compliment", she commented.[2] Tony Peregrin from PopMatters noted that the song delivers "a message that is achingly emotional and somber".[11]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/243623625/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/141443445/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1049218268/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/408285151/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/877821160/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/646345882/

Critical reception

edit

"Song for the Lonely" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who described it as "bold", "pulsing", "rousing", and "uplifting".[b] On his review written for Living Proof, Billboard's Michael Paoletta described the song as "an empowering jam that deserves to rock the world just as 'Believe' did".[16] In a separate review for the single, Chuck Taylor from the same magazine described it as "an elixir for whatever ails you", as well as "a joyous romp with such mass appeal that its destination at the top of the charts seems a given".[10] Other reviewers also praised "Song for the Lonely" for having a less electronic production when compared to other tracks on Living Proof. Democrat and Chronicle newspaper staff wrote that results are "infectious" when Cher "does cut through the synthsizers",[17] while Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine noted that it "wisely abandons such (otherwise welcomed) electronic shenanigans", providing a "pure and impassioned performance".[18] Mark Sommer of The Morning Call agreed, writing that "with fewer sound effects, it's probably the song fans who prefer the recording from Cher's first three decades will be most comfortable with".[19]

Howard Cohen from The Miami Herald noted the song was pitched a key too high for Cher to sing comfortably, but affirmed that "this euphoric track still deserves a wide audience".[20] Tony Peregrin of PopMatters opined that the track "rides the waves of predictable synth pads and pulsating beats", although describing it as "an infectious, energetic track".[11] In a similar vein, Joanna Hensley of Journal and Courier wrote that although the song had a predictable beat, Cher's voice "sounds great" as she sings the chorus.[21] In a more negative note, Roger Catlin of The Washington Post felt it "jumps too lustly on the patriotism bandwagon",[22] a sentiment echoed by St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Kevin C. Johnson, who described the track as a "failed attempt to play off Sept. 11 sentiments".[23] A writer for Rolling Stone, Barry Walters also agreed by writing that Cher's intention to evoke September 11th felt calculated, as it comes from a "willfully wiggy billion-dollar diva", particularly when presented in "such a sparkling, showbizzy package".[24] Also negatively, Len Righi from The Morning Call described "Song for the Lonely" as "better suited as background music for plastic surgeons' offices, cheesy clothing stores, work out videos and segments of The Maury Show where the audience tries to guess if the guests are male or female".[25]

Commercial performance

edit

In the United States, "Song for the Lonely" debuted at its peak of number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100, on the issue dated April 6, 2002.[26] It spent six weeks inside the chart.[27] The song attained better positions on other component charts, such as topping both the Maxi-Singles Sales and the Dance Club Play charts,[28][29] as well as peaking within the top 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart,[30] and peaking in the top 40 on the Adult Top 40 and Mainstream Top 40.[31][32] As of May 2002, the single had sold 17,714 copies in the region, although receiving heavy promotion and released on several formats, as noted by Alan Jones, writer for Music Week magazine.[33] "Song for the Lonely" also reached number 18 on the Canadian Singles Chart,[34] and although the song was only released in North America, it reached number 39 in Romania through airplay.[35]

Music video

edit
File:Cher - Song for the Lonely video.jpg.
Cher (front) in the music video for "Song for the Lonely", as people around her are dressed in old-style clothes

The accompanying music video for "Song for the Lonely" was directed by Stu Maschwitz, and was filmed in the streets of New York City in December 2001.[36] A first-time director and an architecture enthusiast, Maschwitz sent Warner Bros. Records an idea for the video, featuring a Cher-guided tour through New York City's history, exemplified by a multiple reverse-timelapses of some of the great buildings of the city rising up before the viewer's eyes.[36] After receiving news that he got the job following the singer's personal liking for the project, they would start filming the following weeks. The crew received special permission from Mayor Rudy Giuliani's office for live audio playback in the streets of Manhattan, a practice that had recently been outlawed.[36]

Cher had done her own makeup, as her makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin was nowhere to be found due to his struggling with a terminal illness. At one point of the shooting, they needed to cover some parts of the streets with big, loud smoke machines. As the attacks were still a fresh and painful memory for the citizens, complaints about the smoke started coming in.[36] The police officer manning the intersection gave word that they would have to shut down their atmospheric effects, but they still had one more shot. The director solved this by taking Cher and the script supervisor's camera, and autographing a polaroid to the cop, to continue the last smoked-up shooting.[36]

The video starts in sepia tone, featuring Cher walking around the streets of New York City. While the setting for the start of the video is in the 18th century, the singer is dressed in modern-day clothes. The video progresses to black and white, and then to color, as the times for the setting of the video change to the 19th century through various eras to the 20th century. As the timeline changes, buildings around New York are shown being constructed. The video is intercept with shots of Cher dressed in white, which is overlaid in some shots, as well as shots of New York City from the air. People from each stage of the development of the city join Cher as she walks the streets until at the end, there is a large crowd of people from all eras. In 2002, the video was released on VHS to serve as promotion in the United States.[37] An alternative version for the video for "Song for the Lonely" was included on the DVD The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection (2004).[38]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/134780564/

Live performances

edit

Cher made a number of live performances to promote "Song for the Lonely" at the time of its release. She opened the 2002 American Music Awards on January 9, 2002 with a performance of the song, accompanied by dancers and wearing a blonde wig.[39] She also appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show,[40] The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Oprah Winfrey Show,[41] Late Show with David Letterman and VH1 Divas promoting the song.[42] It was later added to Cher's 2002–05 Living Proof: The Farewell Tour setlist. During the first four legs of the tour, as the second song on the setlist; the performance for the song began when the singer's back-up dancers removed her headdress and robe to unveil a revealing midriff-baring vest and beaded harem pants.[43] After dropping it for five legs, the song was re-added only on the last show at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on May 2, 2005, where it was used as tour finale.[44] Cher also performed the song on the 2008–11 concert residency Cher, held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada but only for a couple of weeks.[45]

Cher would perform "Song for the Lonely" again years later, as part of the annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert, held on March 6, 2025 at New York's Beacon Theatre. For the performance she wore striped winter hat and puffer jacket, while images of old New York were displayed behind her, "celebrating the spirit of the city’s resilience".[46][47] She would also perform the track at Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda event in Rome, Italy, on July 12, 2025, wearing a platinum blonde wig styled with waves and an army green jumpsuit layered under a sparkly corset.[48]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/284696466/

Usage in media

edit

In 2005, "Song for the Lonely" was used internationally in television advertisements for Weight Watchers showing overweight women. However, the choice of song, suggesting that the overweight women were desperate, lonely and unloved, raised complaints, and the advert was soon edited to include only the instrumental of the song.[49] "Song for the Lonely" was also included in the Broadway musicals Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,[50] and The Cher Show.[51]

Track listing

edit

US CD maxi single[52]

  1. "Song for the Lonely" (Almighty mix) – 8:46
  2. "Song for the Lonely" (Illicit vocal mix) – 8:09
  3. "Song for the Lonely" (Thunderpuss club mix) – 8:43
  4. "Song for the Lonely" (Thunderpuss Sunrise mix) – 8:25
  5. "Song for the Lonely" (Almighty radio mix) – 3:34
  6. "Song for the Lonely" (Illicit radio edit) – 3:51
  7. "Song for the Lonely" (Thunderpuss radio edit) – 4:06
Digital download[53]
  1. "Song for the Lonely" (Almighty radio mix) – 3:34
  2. "Song for the Lonely" (Illicit radio edit) – 3:51
  3. "Song for the Lonely" (Thunderpuss radio edit) – 4:06

Credits and personnel

edit

Credits adapted from Living Proof and CD maxi single liner notes.[52][1]

  • Cher – vocals
  • Mark Taylor – songwriter, producer, mixing
  • Paul Barry – songwriter, guitar
  • Steve Torch – songwriter
  • Tracer Ackerman – background vocals
  • Adam Phillips – guitar
  • Jong uk Yoon – assistant
  • Christian Saint Val – assistant
  • Neil Tucker – assistant
  • SMOG Design, Inc. – art direction, design
  • Barrie Goshko – art direction

Charts

edit

Release history

edit
Release dates and formats for "Song for the Lonely"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States January 11, 2002 [6]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ↑ In the European and international editions of Living Proof, it is listed as "(This Is) A Song for the Lonely".[1]
  2. ↑ [12][13][14][15]

References

edit
  1. 1 2 3 4 Living Proof (European release liner notes). Cher. WEA. 2001. 0927 42463 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Flick, Larry (January 12, 2002). "Warner's Cher Offers 'Living Proof'". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 2. pp. 1–100. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Special Edition: September 11: One Year Later". Cable News Network. September 11, 2002. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  4. ↑ Larocque 2013, p. 268
  5. ↑ Taylor, Chuck (July 13, 2002). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 28. p. 30. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1435. January 11, 2002. p. 34. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  7. ↑ Cher (2003). The Very Best of Cher (Liner notes). Warner Records. 2564 60864-5.
  8. ↑ Cher (2005). Gold (Liner notes). Geffen Records. B0003643-02.
  9. ↑ Cher (2024). Forever (Liner notes). Warner Records. 093624839569.
  10. 1 2 3 Taylor, Chuck (January 19, 2002). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 3. p. 25. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  11. 1 2 Peregrin, Tony (February 25, 2002). "Cher: Living Proof". PopMatters. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  12. ↑ Smith, Kerry L. "Living Proof - Cher". AllMusic. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  13. ↑ Nichols, Natalie (February 24, 2002). "Weary Confessions and Vital Emotions". Archived from the original on June 12, 2002. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  14. ↑ Ashenhurst, Gordon (February 3, 2016). "Cher: Her 10 Best Albums". Metro Weekly. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  15. ↑ O'Hare, Kevin (March 2, 2002). "Resilient Cher does it again". The Ann Arbor News. p. C3. Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (March 2, 2002). "Living Proof". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  17. ↑ "New Music On CD". Democrat and Chronicle. March 14, 2002. p. 6. Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (January 21, 2002). "Cher: Living Proof". Slant Magazine. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  19. ↑ Sommer, Mark (March 12, 2002). "Cher rolls out another dance-floor collection". The Morning Call. p. C1. Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Cohen, Howard (February 22, 2002). "Smarmy Morissette finds love under the rug". The Miami Herald. Vol. 99, no. 161. p. 35G. Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ Hensley, Joanna (March 15, 2002). "Cher gives 'Living Proof' that gadget hinders beautiful voice". Journal and Courier. Vol. 84, no. 74. p. 4. Retrieved November 4, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ Catlin, Roger (March 7, 2002). "The timeless beat goes on with Cher". Hartford Courant. Vol. 164, no. 66. p. 6. Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ Johnson, Kevin C. (March 18, 2002). "CDs pop". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Vol. 124, no. 77. p. D3. Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ Walters, Barry (February 28, 2002). "Living Proof". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  25. ↑ Righi, Len (March 9, 2002). "Disc Reviews". The Morning Call. p. 50. Retrieved November 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. 1 2 "Cher Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Cher Song For The Lonely Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  28. 1 2 "Cher Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  29. 1 2 "Cher Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  30. 1 2 "Cher Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  31. 1 2 "Cher Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  32. 1 2 "Cher Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  33. ↑ Jones, Alan (May 4, 2002). "American Chartwatch" (PDF). Music Week. p. 6. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  34. 1 2 "Cher Chart History (Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  35. 1 2 "Arhiva romanian top 100". SC Vento Consultanta. Archived from the original on May 14, 2005. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 Maschwitz, Stu (September 13, 2011). "A Song For The Lonely". Prolost. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  37. ↑ Song for the Lonely (US promo VHS liner notes). Cher. Warner Music Vision. 2002. 208588.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  38. ↑ The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection (European DVD liner notes). Cher. Warner Music Vision. 2004. 0349 70184-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  39. ↑ Larocque, J. (2013). You Haven't Seen The Last of Me. LULU Press. p. 268. ISBN 9781300888581. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Cher's New Video and Single 'Song For The Lonely'". PR Newswire. February 18, 2002. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  41. ↑ Smith, Liz (May 1, 2002). "Excite - Liz Smith". Excite. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  42. ↑ Schumacher-Rasmussen, Eric (May 24, 2002). "Celine Does AC/DC, Blige Brings Drama To 2002". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  43. ↑ Fuoco, Christina (June 17, 2002). "Cher Rides Chandelier, Puppet Elephant At Past-Glorifying Michigan Show". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 13, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  44. ↑ Shuster, Fred (May 2, 2005). "Goodbye, Cher, for the love of gaud diva of flash, camp thrills crowd at Hollywood Bowl". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on December 24, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  45. ↑ Peterson, Kristen (August 14, 2008). "They're few — but fervent —fans". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  46. ↑ Watts, Marina (March 7, 2025). "Cher Impersonates Elvis Presley During LOVE ROCKS NYC Benefit Concert". People. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  47. ↑ Aswad, Jem (March 7, 2025). "Cher Performs as Elvis, Alicia Keys Honors Roberta Flack at Love Rocks NYC Concert". Variety. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  48. ↑ Lee, Michelle (July 14, 2025). "Cher, 79, Makes Glam Outfit Changes and a Dramatic Hair Transformation During Dolce & Gabbana Concert". People. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  49. ↑ Larocque, J. (2013). You Haven't Seen The Last of Me. LULU Press. p. 287. ISBN 9781300888581. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  50. ↑ Clark, Jason (April 6, 2010). "Am I Too Old for This Shit?: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson at the Public Theater". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  51. ↑ Di Nunzio, Miriam (June 29, 2018). "'The Cher Show' turns back time to capture essence of star". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  52. 1 2 Song for the Lonely (US CD maxi single liner notes). Cher. Warner Bros. Records. 2002. 9 42422-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  53. ↑ "Song for the Lonely by Cher". Apple Music. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  54. ↑ "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda - Pro týden" (in Czech). IFPI ČR. Archived from the original on April 5, 2002. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  55. ↑ "Major Market Airplay". Music & Media. March 30, 2002. p. 23.
  56. ↑ "Major Market Airplay". Music & Media. February 16, 2002. p. 23.
  57. ↑ "Major Market Airplay – Scandinavia" (PDF). Music & Media. April 13, 2002. p. 23. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  58. ↑ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). March 23, 2002. p. 19. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  59. ↑ "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2002 (Part 2)". Jam!. January 14, 2003. Archived from the original on September 6, 2004.
  60. ↑ "2002 Year End Charts – Hot Dance Music/Club Play Titles". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  61. ↑ "The Year in Music 2002: Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 52. p. YE-41. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:11JORN/Sandbox9&oldid=1321324201"