‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ is a song by British progressive rock band Yes. It is the first track and single from their eleventh studio album, 90125 (1983), and was released on 24 October 1983. Written primarily by guitarist and singer Trevor Rabin, contributions were made to the final version by singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, and producer Trevor Horn. It was a commercial success in the United States, becoming the band's only single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and its Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. In 1984, the song was ranked No. 8 on the US year-end chart. The single was reissued various times throughout the 1980s and 1990s with different remix versions and B-sides. This song describes the paradox of loneliness. Once you've been hurt, loneliness is better than a broken heart.
Those familiar with the Yes catalog were shocked to hear this tightly packaged concoction from the band that once released a double album containing just four songs (Tales from Topographic Oceans). This was a different variation of the band, however, and they weren't opposed to chasing a hit. "It was already deemed to be a hit record," Jon Anderson said in an interview. "The record company had invested a lot of money in making a record. They brought me in to make it Yes. They said, 'This is going to be a hit, and we're going to make sure.' They promoted it like crazy and did a good video - MTV had just started up. So everything just sort of happened at the same time."
The song originated in 1979 from South African musician, singer-songwriter, and producer Trevor Rabin; while going to the toilet, he wrote "the whole thing, from beginning to end". Rabin then put down his ideas onto tape using his home equipment which included a 4-track tape machine. One of the recordings consisted of the main verse and chorus riff played on an acoustic guitar with some vocals. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1981, Rabin added the song to his collection of demos that he wished to develop for a fourth solo album.
It was sung by Anderson, who had just returned to the group since leaving in 1980. He said in an interview about his role in writing ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’: "The song was already finished, but there were no verses. They had tried some verses and it really wasn't working. They had the chorus, they had the arrangement. I came in and all the songs were virtually put together, but there was a lack of choruses here, verses there. I went in for three weeks with Trevor and sort of filled everything in. I remember sitting with Trevor Rabin and we started off, 'Move yourself, you always live your life never thinking of the future.' That was the line I wrote. And then he'd say, 'Prove yourself, win or loser.' And then he said, 'Jon, I've got to go. You carry on.' So I just carried on writing the lyrics to the verses. The chorus was already well organized by Trevor."
Label – Atco
Songwriters – Trevor Rabin, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Trevor Horn
Producer – Trevor Horn
SONG LYRICS
[Intro][Verse 1]
Move yourself
You always live your life
Never thinking of the future
Prove yourself
You are the move you make
Take your chances, win or loser
See yourself
You are the steps you take
You and you, and that's the only way
Shake, shake yourself
You're every move you make
So the story goes
[Chorus]
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
I know (x3)
Maybe there's another way to do this
[Verse 2]
Say - you don't want to chance it
You've been hurt so before
Watch it now
The eagle in the sky
How he dancin' one and only
You, lose yourself
No not for pity's sake
There's no real reason to be lonely
Be yourself
Give your free will a chance
You've got to want to succeed
[Chorus]
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
[Bridge]
After my own indecision
They confused me so
Owner of a lonely heart
My love said never question your will at all
In the end you've got to go
Look before you leap
Owner of a lonely heart
And don't you hesitate at all - no no
Yow!
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
{Instrumental}
[Chorus]
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
[Outro]
Sooner or later each conclusion
Will decide the lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
It will excite, it will delight
It will give a better start
Owner of a lonely heart
Don't deceive your free will at all
Don't deceive your free will at all
Owner of a lonely heart
Don't deceive your free will at all
Just receive it
Just receive it
(Owner of a lonely heart)