Lonely in January.
As Vondel spoke, “What lives lonely is dead alive. An hour long lament of lonely souls.
Like Ella Fitzgerald with the poignant “Lonely is,” in which she sings about the mailbox that stays empty, the laundry that doesn’t need to be hidden and the Christmas tree that no one will see.
Bobby Darin (“All by myself”), Matt Dennis in his own composition “Angel Eyes,” which was originally to be called “Have another beer on me” – well, then you know.
Peggy Lee, with coffee pacing through the night (‘Black Coffee’), Lotte Lenya (‘Lonely House’), Shirley Horn with the deep into the night written ‘In the wee small hours of the morning’, Chet Baker (‘I get along without you very well’).
Also, the melancholy infused voice of Lee Wiley (‘A woman alone with the blues’), Kay Starr (‘I’m oh so lonesome tonight’), Jim Reeves (‘Just call me lonesome’), The Delmore Brothers (‘I’m lonesome without you’).
More ultimate loneliness than Hank Williams’ is almost unthinkable (‘I’m so lonesome I could cry’); slightly more hopeful is Johnny Hartman (‘We’ll be together again’).
