Lonesome Town

{{short description|1958 song by Ricky Nelson}} {{about|the song|the musical|Lonesome Town (musical)}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox song | name = Lonesome Town | cover = Lonesome Town - single cover.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[Ricky Nelson]] | album = [[Ricky Sings Again]] | A-side = [[I Got a Feeling (Ricky Nelson song)|I Got a Feeling]] | released = August 29, 1958 | format = | recorded = | studio = Harvard University | venue = | genre = [[Rock and roll]]<ref name= "Patience 2015">{{cite book|first=Matthew|last=Patience|editor-first=Robert |editor-last=Dimery |year=2015 |title=1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die|chapter=Ricky Nelson - "Lonesome Town|publisher=[[Rizzoli Libri|Universe]]|location=New York|page=94}}</ref> | length = {{Duration|m=2|s=17}} | label = [[Imperial Records|Imperial]] | writer = [[Baker Knight]] | producer = | prev_title = [[Poor Little Fool]] | prev_year = 1958 | next_title = [[It's Late (Ricky Nelson song)|It's Late]] | next_title2 = [[Never Be Anyone Else But You]] | next_year = 1959 }}

"'''Lonesome Town'''" is a song written by [[Baker Knight]]. A version sung by [[Ricky Nelson]] became a [[hit single]] in the United States, reaching No. 7 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and No. 15 on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B chart]] in 1958.<ref>[http://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Lonesome+Town+by+Ricky+Nelson&id=35041 Ricky Nelson, "Lonesome Town" Chart Positions] Retrieved April 7, 2014</ref> The song was featured on his 1959 album, ''[[Ricky Sings Again]]''.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Ricky-Nelson-Ricky-Sings-Again/release/1948990 Ricky Nelson, ''Ricky Sings Again''] Retrieved April 7, 2014.</ref> Nelson is accompanied on the recording by the vocal quartet [[the Jordanaires]].

==Other versions== *[[Johnny Tillotson]] recorded and released his version of this song in 1962. *[[Paul McCartney]] recorded it for his 1999 album ''[[Run Devil Run (album)|Run Devil Run]]''. He also performed the song live alongside David Gilmour for a 1999 [[PETA]] fundraiser concert. *[[The Ventures]] recorded at least two versions of this song, the first released in 1961 on their album ''The Ventures'' (subsequently mistitled on later CDs as ''Lonesome Road'') and the second, new recording on their 1975 cassette-only album ''Hollywood Metal Dinamic Sound 3000''. * [[Jerry Garcia]], guitarist for the [[Grateful Dead]], recorded two versions during the 1974 sessions for his solo album ''[[Garcia (1974 album)|Garcia]]''. Neither version were included on the original release but both, one being acoustic, were included in the 2004 box set ''[[All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grateful Dead Family Discography: Lonesome Town |url=http://www.deaddisc.com/songs/Lonesome_Town.htm |accessdate=25 September 2020}}</ref> *The song was covered by the psychobilly band [[The Cramps]] on the EP ''Gravest Hits'' and also featured on compilations ''Off the Bone'' and ''How to Make a Monster''. *Australian singer [[Jason Donovan]] recorded it for his album ''[[Let It Be Me (album)|Let It Be Me]]'' (2008). *[[Milton Mapes]] recorded a cover version for the covers compilation soundtrack released in support of video game ''[[Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse#Soundtrack|Stubbs the Zombie]]'' in 2005. *The song was covered and released as single by English garage legend [[Holly Golightly (singer)|Holly Golightly]]. The song also appears on ''Singles Round-Up''. *The song was covered by Portuguese rocker [[Legendary Tiger Man]] with [[Rita Redshoes]] on vocals on his 2009 album ''Femina''. *The song was covered by [[Tom Petty]] and [[Bob Dylan]] on their ''Live on Air / Radio Broadcast 1986 Live album''. *[[Françoise Hardy]] recorded a version in French, ''La Rue des cœurs perdus'' in 1968. *[[Richard Hawley]] recorded it as a b-side for his 2008 single "Valentine".

==In media== * The song appears on [[Pulp Fiction soundtrack|the soundtrack]] to the film ''[[Pulp Fiction (film)|Pulp Fiction]]''. The song is played as characters Mia and Vincent begin their conversation in the restaurant.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/pictures/surf-music-and-seventies-soul-the-songs-of-pulp-fiction-20140521/ricky-nelson-lonesome-town-0430379 | title=Surf Music and Seventies Soul: The Songs of 'Pulp Fiction' | magazine=Rolling Stone | accessdate=7 July 2014}}</ref> * The song was used on the NBC television series [[Heroes (American TV series)|''Heroes'']] in chapter 14 of the fourth season, in the episode [[Close to You (Heroes)|"Close to You"]], which aired January 11, 2010. * The song was used in Episode 4 of the [[Netflix]] series ''[[The End of the F***ing World]]''. * The song was used in the trailer for the [[Hulu]] series ''[[Castle Rock (TV series)|Castle Rock]]''. *The song is used in the beginning of Grantchester season 7 episode 3 on PBS. *The song is used in Will Gowling’s play The Model. *The song was used in the NBC television Series "Crossing Jordan" in season 2, episode 8 "Don't Look Back."

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:1958 songs]] [[Category:1958 singles]] [[Category:Songs written by Baker Knight]] [[Category:Imperial Records singles]] [[Category:Rock ballads]] [[Category:Rockabilly songs]] [[Category:Songs about loneliness]] [[Category:Ricky Nelson songs]] [[Category:The Ventures songs]] [[Category:Hep Stars songs]]