About The Song
“Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue)” is a track by American country singer Patsy Cline, recorded on February 5, 1963, at Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, during her final recording sessions (February 4–7, 1963) produced by Owen Bradley. The song is a cover of the 1933 popular standard written by Peter DeRose (music) and George Brown (lyrics, under the pseudonym Billy Hill), originally popularized by Ted Lewis and His Band in 1933 and later a country hit for Ernest Tubb (1941) and others. Cline’s version features her intimate, sorrowful vocals over lush Nashville Sound orchestration arranged by Bill McElhiney, including strings, The Jordanaires on backing harmonies, and session musicians such as Grady Martin (electric guitar), Harold Bradley (electric bass), Floyd Cramer (piano), Bob Moore (bass), Buddy Harman (drums), and a full string section with violinists like Brenton Banks and George Binkley III. The recording runs approximately 2:12 in duration and exemplifies the sophisticated, orchestral pop-country style that defined her late Decca era (1960–1963).
The song was released posthumously as a single on Decca Records (catalog 31671) in September 1964, paired with “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home” as the B-side, over a year after Cline’s death in a plane crash on March 5, 1963. It did not chart on the Billboard Hot Country Songs or pop charts. The track appeared on the 1964 Decca compilation album That’s How a Heartache Begins (released November 2, 1964) and later on retrospectives including The Patsy Cline Story (1973), Gold (2005), The Commemorative Collection, and archival releases such as Imagine That: The Lost Recordings (1954-1963) (2025 Elemental Music/Deep Digs). A live version from radio transcriptions or TV performances also exists in some collections.
Musically, Cline’s rendition is a slow, tender ballad with gentle strings, soft piano, and The Jordanaires’ warm harmonies creating a melancholic, nostalgic atmosphere. Her vocal performance is restrained yet deeply felt, emphasizing the loneliness and longing in the melody. The lyrics pose a series of poignant questions about isolation and heartbreak (“Have you ever been lonely? Have you ever been blue? / Have you ever loved someone just as I love you?”), expressing shared pain and the universal ache of unrequited or lost love. Owen Bradley’s production elevates the 1933 standard to a classic Nashville Sound piece, aligning with Cline’s successful late-period sound on hits like “Crazy” and “She’s Got You,” showcasing her interpretive mastery of timeless material.
As one of her very last studio recordings, “Have You Ever Been Lonely” carries special poignancy in her discography of over 100 tracks from 1955 to 1963. While not a commercial hit, it demonstrates her vocal elegance and the orchestral direction of her final sessions. Posthumous releases helped sustain her popularity, with the song frequently included in compilations highlighting her emotional depth and ability to bring authenticity to standards and popular songs. Sources such as discographies, session logs, and Genius annotations confirm the February 5, 1963 recording date and its role as a posthumous single, underscoring her legacy as a pioneering female country artist who blended vulnerability with sophistication in her interpretations of loneliness, love, and loss in the Nashville Sound era.
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Lyric
Have you ever been lonely? Have you ever been blue?
Have you ever loved someone just as I love you?
Can’t you see that I’m sorry for mistakes I’ve made?
Can’t you see that I’ve changed, dear? Can’t you see that I’ve paid?Be a little forgiving, take me back in your heart
How can I go on living now that we’re apart?
If you knew what I’ve been through, you would know why I ask you
Have you ever been lonely? Have you ever been blue?Have you ever been lonely? Have you ever been blue?
Have you ever loved someone just as I love you?
Can’t you see that I’m sorry for mistakes I’ve made?
Can’t you see that I’ve changed, dear? Can’t you see that I’ve paid?Be a little forgiving, take me back in your heart
How can I go on living now that we’re apart?
If you knew what I’ve been through, you would know why I ask you
Have you ever been lonely? Have you ever been blue?