Alone Again (Naturally)
Written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.

Released on the 1976 album Love, Life And Feelings. A live recording was released on the album Live In Japan 1977. Shirley Bassey performed this song at more live concerts, and in one of her 1976 TV shows she has performed it together with Gilbert O'Sullivan himself, whom she had invited as guest.

The song is available on CD on the collection Let Me Sing And I'm Happy and the 3 CD box set Diamonds Are Forever.

This song had originally been recorded and released by Gilbert O'Sullivan in 1971 on a single (outside of the UK: 1972). In 1972 the song was on the US-issue of the "Himself" album (his debut album), and in the same year on the European issue (except UK) of his "Back To Front" album. He reached position number one in the US Billboard charts with this song in 1972, and sold over a million copies of the single.

Gilbert O'Sullivan was born in 1946 in Waterford, Ireland as Raymond O'Sullivan. He issued his first recordings under the name "Gilbert" and some years later added his surname. "Alone Again (Naturally)" was his breakthrough to the international market. 1972 he had two more hits "Clair" and "Get Down", which both became number one in the UK and top ten places in the US. His "Back to Front" LP also became number one in the UK. But then his success declined.

At the end of the 1980's "Alone Again (Naturally)" was used as the closing theme song of "Masion Ikkoku", a Japanese animated series. Thereby a new Japanese generation discovered Gilbert's music and his popularity grew in Japan. His songs have been re-issued in Japan and he performs there regularly. Some his 1990's albums have only been released in Japan, and are designed for the Asian market. In 2000 he released another studio album in Japan.


Lyrics

In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself
To treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top
Will throw myself right off
In an effort to
Make it clear to whoever
What it's like when you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch
At a church
Where people saying
"My God it's tough
She's stood him up
No point in us remaining
We might as well go home"
As I did on my own
Alone again
Naturally

To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to
Who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play
As if to knock my down
Reality came around
And without so much
As a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about
God in his mercy
Who if he really does exist
Why did he desert me?
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed Alone again
Naturally

It seems to me that there are more hearts
Broken in the world
That can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do?
What do we do?

Now looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried
When my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty-five years old
My mother
God rest her soul
Couldn't understand
Why The only man
She had ever loved
Had been taken
Leaving her to start
With a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
When she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again
Naturally
Alone again
Naturally

(Transcribed by Roman)