Lonely If You Are

Album: The Album Part I (2019)
Charted: 91
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Chase Rice has made it clear to the object of his affections that he likes her and will drop anything to spend time with her.

    It could be AM or PM
    It could be middle of the week or the weekend, baby
    It ain't too late or too far
    Just call me 'cause I'm lonely if you are


    Rice will be ready any time she decides she's ready for romance.
  • The country star appeared on the January 27, 2020 episode of The Bachelor, performing a private concert for bachelor Peter Weber and his date, Victoria Fuller. It later emerged that Rice and Fuller had previously had a relationship.

    Speaking to Taste of Country, the country star explained he was just as shocked as the two contestants, adding that he didn't pen "Lonely If You Are" about Fuller.

    "I didn't write that to try to get on the show," he said. "I just thought it was a cool picture. My ex-girlfriend, who a lot of these songs are about, loved The Bachelor and watched it religiously. I always sat there and was like, 'This is ridiculous.' But when she was watching with her girls, it's like... it's kind of that story. It's like, 'Once it's over, come hit me up.'"
  • Chase Rice recorded the song for The Album Part I. A good portion of the tracks on the record were inspired by a woman the singer dated for 18 months. "It was the best relationship I have ever been in," he told American Songwriter. "The worst part is that she didn't do anything wrong and I didn't do anything wrong. It was just timing. It just didn't work out, for now. Who knows? It may come back around."
  • The song opens with a reference to a popular Nashville dive bar.

    If it's Friday, you know where I'll be
    Kickin' back with the boys down at Santa's Pub


    Santa's Pub is located at 2225 Bransford Avenue, near the fairgrounds in Nashville. Kid Rock refers to it in his 2017 song "Tennessee Mountain Top."
  • Rice wrote the acoustic guitar-driven song with Lindsay Rimes and Hunter Phelps. He said it reflects the sound he cultivated during his early days as a country artist. "'Lonely If You Are' starts out simply with just an acoustic guitar, which is a different sound for me than what people might be used to, but it also goes back to how I started in Nashville, when it was just me with a guitar writing songs," Rice explained.
  • Directed by Reid Long and filmed at Grand Rapids' 20 Monroe Live venue, the music video shows kid versions of Rice, his band, and crew getting ready for a show; even the fans are children. The grown-up version of Rice cameos as a photographer, guitar tech, stage manager, and in the pre-show huddle. Rice's bandmates and crew also make appearances throughout the clip.

    The idea came from a conversation between Reid Long and Rice where the pair discussed their young family members. The singer recalled to Billboard: "He said, 'I love kids,' and I love my nieces and nephews. They're so funny to me. I thought, 'What if we somehow have kids play us?' and it went from there and worked out great. I was only disappointed that we couldn't get a little guy with a mohawk, like my real guitar player has."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.