What does Alone Again, Naturally mean?

Gilbert O'Sullivan: Alone Again, Naturally Meaning

Album cover for Alone Again, Naturally album cover

Song Released: 1972


Alone Again, Naturally Lyrics

In a little while from now,
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promised myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower,
And climbing to the top,
Will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to who
Ever what it's like when your...

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  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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     Jan 26th 2011 !⃝

    The song really explains itself. After his girl leaves him standing at the altar, he contemplates suicide. This after recounting the untimely death of his father from which his mother never recovers and later passes away herself. Each verse leaving the narrator more alone than the previous. Probably one of the saddest songs ever written.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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     Sep 4th 2011 !⃝

    He was expressing his grief, anger and sadness at being left at the alter. He said he would climb to the top of a tower to demonstrate to "whoever" how it feels when you are shattered. He could have said I would break a glass but I suppose it would not have carried the weight and made the point he was trying to make.

    Naturally if you are close to your parents and either one of them dies suddenly it will take you aback especially if you are not prepared since it is "appointed unto everyone a time to die," in essence all of us will. Unfortunately trauma effects each of us in different ways -perhaps specialiazed help for his mom would have helped maybe she needed more than his encouraging words - since she grieved herself to death or in other words died of a broken heart. It is good to note though that at the end of the song he says he cried and cried all day- he did not mention anymore about hurting himself.

    It appears that he knew life is worth living and that one can go on after the death of a loved one -since he gave encouraging words to his mom and tried to get her to come out of her sadness. He had already lost his dad and she her husband she had still had a purpose in the earth -afterall she had at least one son that we know of who loved her a was devestated at her seemingly untimely death.

  3. anonymous
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     Apr 10th !⃝

    My best friend has been on Chemo for quite a while but has now been told there is nothing more they can do for him. l visted him today in hospital and tried and succeed in not crying at the way he looks now. He is a mere shadow of what he was before. He bought me a nice chocker chain which l haven't worn for ages l am wearing it now, listening to this beautiful, music with tears flowing down. I quess l will be alone again, naturally.

  4. anonymous
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     Aug 30th 2022 !⃝

    Father died (asleep) when i was just 5 years old. Mom didn't re-married to take care all of us five children. Working odd jobs to support us. She never complained her hard life taking care of us. Died of breast cancer before 60 years old. Still mourning. I over live her. Lots of what ifs??? Missed her so very much. Every time i played the song i cried. All time favorite song. Thank you for writing the song

  5. anonymous
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     Jul 28th 2021 !⃝

    The song is extremely beautiful, the tone, rhythm, and the best has a gracious great full sound. The world has lost this kind of music. Naturally, songs of this caliber makes up the difference.

  6. anonymous
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     Mar 25th 2018 !⃝

    I think his being jilted at the alter reminds him of his prior pain- while he talks of suicide, you get the sense he’s just venting.

  7. anonymous
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     Jun 25th 2016 !⃝

    He is so low at the beginning & looking back over the sad years he thinks of ending the hurt he feels by climbing a tower & falling off & the loss of his loving father hurts so bad that he never wanted to hide the tears, but tries to console his mum with comforting words as her life with the only man she adored has gone, but they both find it so hard to talk about the pain they both feel, & words are left unsaid but his mum has a broken heart & though she loves her son she finds it to hard to carry on so she passes on & he is left Alone Again & he just cry's & cry's the whole day because he has lost his loving mum who he adored but there is no one now & he is Alone Again. This is the saddest song I know & I felt this way when I lost my parents & brother & I still am & my tears run so fast when I hear this sad song.....

  8. anonymous
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     Apr 9th 2016 !⃝

    A soothing song about reducing this enduring pain of humiliation and shame after being left at the Church Altar, supposebly by the woman who was to be his wife. Now he's overwhelmed by sadness climbing up ''only thinking'' about jumping of the tower out off the hope and happiness that he was and was suppose to come with her, but when reality hit, he felt broken to pieces in his mind to be ''imagined'' being crushed to the ground to let the people see the hurt he felt in his heart and soul ''if'' he would seriously commit himself to jump off to his death. Where now he feels alone again, thinking about the time when his Father died, that left him and his Mom mourning and crying without the shame to stop the tears from coming down, but feeling the abandonment and separation from god. Where now it feels there is nobody there again to understand and comfort him, only to be reminded of the past to figure things out with Him, and why was he deserted by the mercy of God that he needs while going through these difficulties to still learn and understand not to lose hope when being ''ALONE AGAIN'' [Naturally]

  9. anonymous
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     Jun 28th 2011 !⃝

    The song Alone Again,Naturally is about him considering suicide after his fiance leaves him as he looks back in time and it says this in the song (I remember I cried when my father died)


    As it goes on he says and I quote (I cried and cried all day) and if you want read the lyrics.It tells itself


    It also lets you know when the people who love you are gone your Alone Again,Naturally

  10. anonymous
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     Jun 28th 2011 !⃝

    The song Alone Again,Naturally,Gilbert O'Sullivan was hinting that whenever the people that love you.

    You are considering commiting suicide he even says in the song (climbing to the top will throw myself off)

    And when they are gone you have no one in your life.

    And your Alone Again,Naturally


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