Mr. Lonely
Listen to Bobby Vinton’s voice break as he sings. This is one of the saddest songs I know. It takes me back to 1964. It was the end of junior high school and almost the beginning of high school.
I was typical of most 14 year old girls… I giggled a lot, I wrote letters to my girlfriends in study hall, my friends and I spent the night with each other as often as our parents would allow, and I had crushes on all the cute boys in my class. A new one every week. I did a lot of fantasizing about boyfriends and dates and living happily ever after. I followed the latest fads whether it was itchy angora sweaters or making Gum Wrapper Chains.
It was probably the loneliest time of my life.
I was smart but I was insecure.
I wasn’t pretty.
I was awkward and didn’t have the coolest boyfriends.
I wasn’t a cheerleader and there was no organized sports for girls.
I was in the band which I loved, but was kind of geeky.
My armpits were always wet as were the palms of my hands. My hair would never do what I wanted it to do. I had pimples. My mother was the last mother in the world to allow her daughter to shave her legs,
We didn’t talk about self-esteem back in the 60’s. We didn’t know that pretty much everyone else felt insecure, too. We just acted like we were confident. And it was definitely an act.
I turned to humor to survive. I was never the class clown, but I could make people laugh and I could think on my feet with smart remarks which made everyone laugh. That was way better than thinking they were laughing at me…. I caused them to laugh so I was in control.
But it was a lonely time. On weekends I would listen to songs like “Mr. Lonely” and “In My Room” by the Beach Boys. Sometimes I would cry because I thought everyone else was out at some fun party having a great time and I hadn’t been invited. They weren’t. They were home sitting in their room like me, or watching Lawrence Welk with their families.
But it was a lonely time. It’s a time in your life you just need to feel accepted.
Retired Ruth 
I beg to differ with you – my mother was the last mother in the world to let a girl shave her legs–until I noticed my ten year old sister was, and thought it was about time for me too since I was a couple of years older. Still love “In My Room” to this day
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haha it was traumatic at the time! Now I dont want to shave my legs!
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I know – me too – I wear jeans a lot
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I love this song. We have a lot of similarities, Ruth, and I can relate to much of what you wrote – even the leg shaving! I remember listening to The Lettermen quite a bit.
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Yes, I had a Letterman album… I will have to see if I can find it! Thanks!
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Have the Tshirt. And, they wonder why there are always people, like me, who could care less about going back to high school reunions.
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Thank God high school ends. My favourite crying song was Johnny Rivers – Tracks of My Tears. I’m sure it was written just for me. lol
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So true… last night I went out to supper with a high school best friend and across the room we saw another classmate (who we really didnt like in high school) We ate in fear that she would recognize us and come over to talk! LOL Some things never change.
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Funny, how I had “packed away” all of that loneliness, Ruth. It was too agonizing, and went on forever, seemingly. And then I got used to it and became a poet. Well, one has to do something! God bless you, dear heart–love, Caddo
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I think that way as an adult sometimes, too! Everybody is out living a fascinating life and I’m at home trying to scrape an old raisin or Play-Doh (not sure which) off the kitchen floor. Then I call my friends and they’re all doing their own version of scraping. Love this song – hadn’t heard it before. Thanks!
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You made me laugh.. Play Doh or old raisins! And you’re right… it does carry over into adulthood….
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So bizarre I have been thinking about B.V. for over the last week this song and so many he did. i have singles and albums by him -Teen angst at its best..Writing a post on 10.24 that was going to include this song ut never finished it.. Love the small world w live in.
. Thanks Ruth for the memories I can see myself sitting in front of my stereo writing to a friend in Nam. Singing along trying match BV’s vocal ranges. Impossible. And of course crying…
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Oh finish your post…. you always say it better anyway… I want to hear what you say about Bobby! We def have a connection somewhere… although my wires are often disconnected!
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You are too too kind Ruth thank you. Should I ever finish it I will not use BV, it would be unkind to do that back to yours, in my heart. And I love the memories your post took me on, I’d not trade those for any others now.
I can use the piece in another fashion and happily I see wonderful possibilities. You actually have opened the door for me. I am inspired in another direction but one that will work to my advantage I think. To my life anyway. 🙂 Thank you! I love serendipitous events. Which just maybe reinforces what you said..Connections.
Many thanks for your kind nature, you are a lovely person Ruth!
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So true. We all thought that ‘life’ was happening somewhere…! It sure wasn’t happening where I was. Well, not the ‘good stuff’, anyway… 😉
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same here…Thank goodness for girlfriends…mkg
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True then and even more true now!
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Yep, been there done that!
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