Lonely People

This is a song I haven't heard for a while, but the words have got me thinking, who are the lonely people? We can so easily make assumptions about people, both good and bad. It could be that the ones that we assume are lonely, ie the more down trodden, are in fact happy in what they have. We can also assume that the apparent rich and powerful of commuter belt are ok, but are they? We should not assume anything about anyone, only God knows where a person really is. We need to ask God to show us the lonely people he wishes us to come alongside. This is not something I am good at, as I prefer the company of those I know, but God calls us to reach out to the lonely. We need to befriend them, and introduce them to potentially their best friend ever - Jesus.

The song is taken from the Paradise Theatre album, which is about the closure of a cinema of that name in Chicago, that is the reference made to Paradise in the song. The song makes reference to the subway seats, and penthouse suites, ie the apparent affluent people. How many people do we know that smile and say their fine, but really this is not the case?


Lonely People

The rain was hot, the streets were empty
As downtown closed her eyes
The movie house stood in silence as I said my last good-byes
Her silver screen was stained with memories
As Cagney shot them down
And as I watched I was that hero
In dreamlands lost and found

Oh my God, well we both are empty Paradise and me
Do you believe I'm still chasing rainbows
When everywhere I see

Lonely People, Lonely People
Up above these ghetto streets
In penthouse suites they sit and stare
Lonely People, Lonely People
They smile and say they're fine
But behind their eyes they just don't care
Lonely People
They just don't care
Lonely People, Lonely People

Lonely People, Lonely People
Beneath these neon streets in subway seats they crowd for air
Lonely People, Lonely People
So close and yet so far they share the secrets of despair
Lonely People, Lonely People