Songfacts®:

• In a 1982 interview with Sounds magazine, Squier explained that he doesn't write songs when he's on the road, which keeps him away from topics like groupies and parties. Said Squier: "'Lonely Is The Night' for example is nothing to do with the fact that I'm in a rock band, but it does have to do with the fact that you can be by yourself in a room somewhere and not know what to do, be scared to death of having to go out and find something."
• "Lonely Is The Night" was the third single from Billy Squier's second album, Don't Say No, following "The Stroke" and "In The Dark," and preceding "My Kinda Lover." "Lonely Is The Night" was the only one of these singles that didn't chart, and we think we know why: Squier didn't make a video for the song.
  
  The album was released in 1981 a few months before MTV launched. Squier's videos for those other three singles - all shot in the same day on the same soundstage - were very popular on the network and helped drive sales of the singles.
• Squier wore a lot of hats musically, writing his own songs and playing a variety of instruments on them, including all the guitars. For the Don't Say No album he got some help with the production from Reinhold Mack, known for his work with Queen. Mack helped polish the songs and give them more pop appeal.