Comments: 13

• Anthony from New JerseyTo me, it was always a given that the song was about death. It was saying to all the lonely people in the world, not to give up until "You drink from the silver cup" meaning death and "ride that highway in the sky" which is the most telling lyric that confirms he's talking about the afterlife meaning heaven. Yes I fully am aware that Dan Peek shared that story about him getting married and the cup being the symbol for the wedding chalice. I get that trust me, but I'm choosing to go with what I believe and I simply believe it's about death and to never stop trying until the day you die and it's all finished.
  
  On the bright side it's saying that there's always a chance while you still live for things to turn around, so keep striving and the only circumstance that it's only ever truly over is when you die, "Drink from the silver cup."
  
  Great song! Simple, harmony driven, soulful singing, it's a great example of how less is more.
• AnonymousThe silver cup could refer to the Lord’s Super that churches use to share wine as the blood if Jesus in a silver cup
• Greg S. from WashingtonFor Dan from Gurnee, Il...
  Dan Peek recorded a revised version in 1986. This revised version amended the original lyrics "And ride that highway in the sky" and "You never know until you try" to "And give your heart to Jesus Christ."
  https://youtu.be/y8q8WFpmZv4
• Romanong Kurong from PhilippinesThe guitar introduction thrills me to no end. The low vocals—“this is for all the lonely people, thinking that life has passed them by”—never allowed me to know why I was literally lonely in those days after my mother died.
  
  Listening to this in the afternoons when I was jobless, seeking any type of work that would pay—after my scholarship’s graduation stipend was depleted, spent for mailing my essays and poems to city-based magazines, that never even saw publication. Writing never did pay, and that time I hardly knew that it didn’t or that it could.
  
  “This is for all the single people, thinking that love has left them dry.” Yeah. What could be more heart-wrenching than being ignored by one person who could hardly care about how I chaliced her? Nothing follows. The guitars, keyboard, and the dismal vocals just had to fade. Please.
• Djflwb from Tampa, FlHighway Highlight (from the box set booklet)
  "Lonely People" was Peek's standout contribution to Holiday, a simple tune that carried a universal message. The song came out of true experience, Dan says: "I wrote it probably within a month of getting married to my long-lost love, Catherine. I had always felt like the melancholy, lonely person. And now I felt like I'd won. It had become this quest, to get this woman and make things right. There was a joy, but also a sadness for everybody that didn't have somebody, 'cause I knew what that was like. The line that inspired it was from 'Eleanor Rigby': 'all the lonely people, where do they all come from ... where do they all belong?' That line haunted me and cut me to the core. After a couple of years of it being out, we'd do shows where, when we played that song, there would be a standing ovation in the middle of it. This was for all the lonely people, and I was one of them." So at the time it was written it was about the chalice used during the wedding ceremony.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 22nd 1974 "Lonely People" by America entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on March 2nd, 1975 it peaked at #5 (for 1 week) and spent 14 weeks on the Top 100...
  And on February 15th, 1975 it reached #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
  Between January 5th and June 14th, 1975 there were 23 different records in a row that held the #1 spot on the Adult Contemporary chart for just one week; "Lonely People" was sixth in that string...
  R.I.P. Dan Peek (1950 - 2011).
  
• Lianna from Sylva, NcIt is also very interesting to note that many Pagans use this song, as in the last line it says "She" will never take you down or never give you up", which to Wiccans refers to the Goddess, and the silver cup is the chalice that predates the cup of Christ, and the silver highway is the silver astral cord leading from this life to that which comes next, Wiccans having no belief in Hell. Lovely that we can share these things. :o)
• Ric from Atlanta, GaCheck out this video from Dan himself... then read his autobiography... it's amazing!
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlWYWSfby0o&feature=related
• Lenny from Edison, NjR I P Dan Peek. You are now riding that highway in the sky!
• Bmn from Hisuan, Argentina>> I never knew that America was such a God-loving band.
  
  There were 3 and now there are 2. And it's been that way for 30+ years. It seems that *1* is God-loving.
  
• Dan from Gurnee, IlI thought I was day dreaming in my car when I heard the line for the version of Lonely People where he sings, "give your heart to Jesus Christ". Glad to see that wasn't. Where can you hear that version?
• Kevin from Reading , PaDustin, I don't think America was especially God loving when they were having their hits. Dan Peek is the one who got religion more or less after he left the in the late 70s. At least that's how I understand it.
  
• Dustin from Franksville, WiI never knew that America was such a God-loving band. This song is one of their shortest, but sweetest melodies ever.

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