"In a Lonely Place" is a song by the American alternative rock group The Smithereens, released in 1986. It is the third

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

released in support of their debut album '' Especially for You''. It features

Suzanne Vega Suzanne Nadine Vega ( Peck; born July 11, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter best known for her folk-inspired music. Vega's music career spans almost 40 years. She came to prominence in the mid-1980s, releasing four singles that entered the ...

on background vocals, as well as guest musicians Frank Christian on

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

and Jeffrey Berman on vibraphone.

Background

The song takes its title from the 1950

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

In a Lonely Place ''In a Lonely Place'' is a 1950 American film noir directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame, produced for Bogart's Santana Productions. The script was written by Andrew P. Solt from Edmund H. North's adaptation o ...

'', starring

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...

and Gloria Grahame, and its

pre-chorus Song structure is the arrangement of a song, and is a part of the songwriting process. It is typically sectional, which uses repeating forms in songs. Common forms include bar form, 32-bar form, verse–chorus form, ternary form, strophic form, and ...

lyrics are largely adapted from key lines of dialogue in the film; at one point, Bogart's character says, "I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me," while in the film's climactic scene, Grahame's character says, "Yesterday, this would've meant so much to us. Now it doesn't matter... it doesn't matter at all." The relevant lyrics are: "I was born the day I met you/Lived a while when you loved me/Died a little when we broke apart//Yesterday, it would have mattered/Now today, it doesn't mean a thing/All my hopes and dreams are shattered now." Songwriter Pat DiNizio originally wanted to record the song with Brazilian

samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...

and

bossa nova Bossa nova () is a style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mainly characterized by a "different beat" that altered the harmonies with the introduction of unconventional chords and an innovativ ...

singer

Astrud Gilberto Astrud Gilberto (; born Astrud Evangelina Weinert, March 29, 1940) is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She gained international attention in the 1960s following her recording of the song "The Girl from Ipanema". Biography Astrud Gilbert ...

, known for her performance of the song " The Girl from Ipanema". He went to see a concert she gave in New York City and approached her about singing on the song. "I went to see her specifically, not only because I loved her singing, the records she’d made, but I knew she was perfect for this", DiNizio told ''PopEntertainment.com''. "She said, ‘Call my manager.’ She could have been sincere about wanting to do it – of course for a price, probably. For a fee. I just got the feeling I was barking up the wrong tree". Instead, DiNizio decided to record the song with

, whom he knew from when they worked together at an office.

Formats and track listing

All songs written by Pat DiNizio, except where noted. ;US 7" single (B-75003) #"In a Lonely Place" – 4:04 #" Blood and Roses (live)" – 5:45 ;US 12" single (V-75501) #"In a Lonely Place" – 4:04 #" Behind the Wall of Sleep (live)" – 3:26 #"Beauty and Sadness (live)" – 4:10 ;UK 7" single (Enig 1) #"In a Lonely Place" – 4:04 #"Beauty and Sadness" – 3:47 ;UK 12" single (Enig 1T) #"In a Lonely Place" – 4:04 #"In a Lonely Place (live)" #"Blood and Roses (live)" – 5:12 #"Beauty and Sadness" – 4:10 #"

Mr. Eliminator ''Mr. Eliminator'' is the fourth studio album by Dick Dale (and his Del-Tones), released in 1964 as a loose conceptual successor to the previous album ''Checkered Flag''. This album consists mostly of hot-rod or racing themes, whether simply in ...

" ( Dick Dale) – 2:00

Charts

Personnel

;The Smithereens * Pat DiNizio – vocals *

Jim Babjak Jim Babjak (born November 17, 1957) is an American guitarist and ex-banker. He is the lead guitar player and co-founder of The Smithereens. Babjak has written and sung several songs for the band. He also is the leader of the band ''Buzzed Meg''. ...

– guitar *Mike Mesaros – bass guitar *

Dennis Diken Dennis Diken (born February 25, 1957) is an American drummer, DJ, author, music historian, and founding member of the band the Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak, and Mike Mesaros in Carteret, New Jersey. Besides ...

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

, percussion ;Additional musicians *

– vocals * Frank Christian –

*Jeffrey Berman – vibraphone

References

External links

*
The Smithereens Discography at 45cat
Retrieved on 19 August 2018. {{DEFAULTSORT:In a Lonely Place (song) 1986 songs 1986 singles The Smithereens songs Song recordings produced by Don Dixon (musician) Songs written by Pat DiNizio Enigma Records singles