It's Sad To Belong

Album: Dowdy Ferry Road (1977)
Charted: 21
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the big single released from the 1977 LP Dowdy Ferry Road, which was named after a street in the duo's home town of Dallas, Texas, and was the follow-up to the hit single "Nights Are Forever Without You." Written by hit songwriter Randy Goodrum, the lyrics are about a man who meets the girl of his dreams but he isn't available because he's already married. The same theme was covered by Lobo in the single "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love" in 1979. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Santa Barbara, CA
  • The duo ran into some trouble when they appeared on The Tonight Show, with Welcome Back Kotter's Gabe Kaplan filling in for host Johnny Carson, to promote the album. John Ford Coley recalled in a classicbands.com interview: "They got really ticked at us because the house band was playing 'Sad To Belong.' They were playing it slow and finally about half way through the song I stopped it and man, they were pissed at me, because you don't do that. This is a 'live' show. We never got asked back. (laughs) It was so slow, they were taking seven minutes to do a two minute song."
  • This was a #1 hit on the Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary chart.
  • B.J. Thomas covered this on his 1977 self-titled album.

Comments: 1

  • Minardski from GhanaI was in HS in the 80s when heard this on the radio. i researched the singers and uncover more hits. I guess i was pretty loner and loser back then to like this song. but i was able to save my allowance to buy a cassette tape of their Best of ...
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?