Released in 1972, and spent six weeks at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart.Gilbert started to telling of his plans to commit suicide, and then He telling about the death of his parents. Actually He didn't know his father very well because his father was died when Gilbert was 11. So, O'Sullivan said that this song isn't autobiographical. "I don't think so. 'Alone Again' wasn't. A lot of letters I've had have said, it must be awful, your mother dying like that. My father's dead, but that song's got nothing to do with me. It's just that I think I understand that situation. I get the feeling that if someone was jilted at the church, even though he had never contemplated suicide before, it might be such a shattering experience that he would. Maybe I would. Then, in that sort of deep depression, you would probably think of all the bad things that had happened during your life. They'd all come to you. But it's not about me."The acoustic guitar solo on this song was played by Scottish born guitarist Big Jim Sullivan (no relation).
The song is included on O'Sullivan's The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan album, and also was featured during a scene in Stuart Little 2.
Gilbert O'Sullivan - Alone Again (Naturally)
In a little while from now,
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promised myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower,
And climbing to the top,
Will throw myself off
In an effort to make it clear to who
Ever what it's like when your shattered
Left standing in the lurch, at a church
Where people 're saying,
"My God that's tough, she stood him up!
No point in us remaining.
May as well go home."
As I did on my own,
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday,
I was cheerful, bright and gay,
Looking forward to, but who wouldn't do,
The role I was about to play
But as if to knock me down,
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch,
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt,
All about God and His mercy
For if He really does exist
Why did He desert me
In my hour of need?
I truly am indeed,
Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that
There are more hearts
Broken in the world
That can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do? What do we do?
(instrumental break)
Now looking back over the years,
And what ever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to have cried the tears
And at sixty-five years old,
My mother, God rest her soul,
Couldn't understand, why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start with a heart
So badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally
