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While this is one of the sadder songs ever recorded, projecting the misery onto Roy Orbison would be a mistake. It wasn't necessarily Orbison's sadness that helped transcribe that song. In 1980, he explained to the NME that many of his most painful songs were written in happier times. Roy Orbison stated: "I've always been very content when I wrote all those songs. By this I'm saying that a lot of people think you have to live through something before you can write it, and that's true in some cases, but I remember the times that I was unhappy or discontent, and I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't communicate, and I certainly couldn't write a song, no way. All the songs I wrote that were successful were written when I was in a contented state of mind." This was one of the first songs Roy Orbison and Joe Melson wrote together. The inspiration for the lyrics came from Melson, who as a teenager fell in love with a girl who left him brokenhearted, not Orbison's sadness. Melson says that she took off in a Cadillac and the words to this song came to him naturally. Joe Melson also says that the song was his proudest moment as a songwriter, as it was his first hit with Orbison. The pair would write many more hits for Orbison, including "Running Scared," "Crying" and "Blue Bayou." Not too shabby! (sourced from songfacts.com ) Roy Orbison's Sadness in, "Only The Lonely" "Only The Lonely" (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah, ooh yay, yay, yay, yeah) (Oh, oh oh oh oh ooh-ah-ah, only the lonely, only the lonely) Only the lonely (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) Know the way I feel tonight (Ooh yay, yay, yay, yeah) Only the lonely (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) Know this feeling ain't right (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) There goes my baby, there goes my heart They're gone forever, so far apart But only the lonely know wh-why-why I cry, only the lonely (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah, ooh yay, yay, yay, yeah) (Oh, oh oh oh oh ooh-ah-ah, only the lonely, only the lonely) Only the lonely (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) Know the heartaches I've been through (Ooh yay, yay, yay, yeah Only the lonely (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) Know I cry and cry for you (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) Maybe tomorrow a new romance No-o-o more sorrow, but that's the chance You've got to take, if your lonely heart breaks Only the lonely (Dum-dumb-dummy doo-wah) What do you best remember about Roy Orbison? If you want more Roy, Check Out – Orbison Live On The Johnny Cash Show