It’s like I told you/
Only the lonely can play.

The Motel’s Martha Davis sings “Only the Lonely” and makes it sound so depressing. She truly captures what loneliness seems like it would sound like, and we seem to feel her loneliness. The vocal is clearly what makes the song. The lyrics remain a bit cryptic: what exactly is it that ‘only the lonely can play’? Let’s figure out what is going on in the song:

We get the impression that two people who were once together are meeting over drinks and the author begins to reminisce and ponders the situation she finds herself in. It is awkward and there is not necessarily an intention of doing anything other than catching up.

She remembers the life they had. It seems like during the relationship there were some lies told and perhaps they took each other for granted. She has forgotten a lot of the specifics, but overall, she gets a good feeling thinking of their past.

So, it sounds like the experience that ‘only the lonely can play’ is the bittersweet reminiscing between two old lovers. This song is truly heartbreaking. Another good song with a similar theme is Dan Fogelburg’s Another Auld Lang Syne.

Lyrics Only The Lonely
We walked the loneliest mile
We smile without any style
We kiss all together wrong
No intention

We lie about each other’s drinks
We live without each other
Thinking what anyone would do
Without me and you

It’s like I told you
Only the lonely can play

So hold on here we go
Hold on to nothin’ we know
I feel so lonely
Way up here

You mention the time we were together
So long ago well I don’t remember
All I know is it makes me feel good now

It’s like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely only the lonely can play

Only the lonely only the lonely can play
It’s like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely
Only the lonely can play

Songwriters: Martha Emily Davis