All Alone from Circumstantial Evidence by Jacob Haller

Here is how this song came about: Chris Monti said to me one day, "You should write a New Orleans-style song that we can play." I told him to write it himself, then went home and, over the next few weeks, wrote 'All Alone'. We originally performed it together with Jeff Keithline on upright bass and Matt McLaren on drums. That band broke up, and the song was largely unused for a while, until I started playing with Joe and Natalie and we revived it with a somewhat different groove.

One thing I definitely missed from the original version was the vocal harmonies, so when it came time to recorded I asked Jeff and Chris if they would come in to harmonize, which they very kindly did.

I'm also very pleased that Pam Murray agreed to come in and play trombone on the song, giving it some more of that New Orleans punch.

The lyrics grew out of the general idea that it's fun to go out and have a great time with your friends, but it's also nice to later on have a little bit of time to chill out on your own as you take care of your mundane day-to-day tasks. I don't know how well that comes through in the finished song, but anyway I don't insist on that interpretation -- make of the song what you like!

In particular, I leave it up to the listener to decide what the outcome of the attempted kiss in the last verse was.

I am inordinately proud of the rhyme: "It's the end of the day, I'll/check my email".

Tracklist

12.	All Alone	3:18

Lyrics

I had a hell of a time the other night.
My friends and I went out.
We drank, and ate, and partied it up;
Everybody starts to dance and shout.

And we joked, and we laughed, and I bought another round
Then I bought another round again;
Man, I don't think I've had a better time --
I thought it would never end.

Now I'm all alone.
I'm all alone.
After I've wined and dined,
well, it's time to unwind
'Cause I'm all alone.

I had some folks over this last weekend.
It was a hell of an affair.
There was dancing, and singing, and five-card stud;
Everyone I knew was there.

Now this party, it started at half past nine,
And at six it's still going strong;
If you asked me I'd've said it would never end,
But I guess I'd've been quite wrong.

Now I'm all alone.
I'm all alone.
Now that things are calm
Maybe I'll call my mom,
'Cause I'm all alone

I was out with a lady the other night
And I thought it was going quite well.
I'd dressed to the nines and ordered the wine
I was feeling awful swell.

We were having fun at the end of the night,
And so I went in for a kiss.
She looked so great and it seemed to me
There was no way that I could miss.

I'm all alone.
I'm all alone.
It's been a night of thrills.
Time to pay my bills,
'Cause I'm all alone.

'Cause I'm all alone.
I'm all alone.
Guess I'll get out the broom
'Cause there's dust in the room
And I'm all alone.

It's the end of the day, I'll
check my email,
'Cause I'm all alone.

Credits

from Circumstantial Evidence, released November 11, 2011
Jacob Haller: vocals, piano
Chris Monti: backing vocals
Jeff Keithline: backing vocals
Natalie Markward: electric guitar
Pamela Murray: trombone
Joe Auger: drums

License

CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. See the Creative Commons website for details.