Conway Twitty – Somebody’s Needing Somebody

About The Song

In 1984, the legendary baritone of country music, Conway Twitty, graced the airwaves with a song that resonated deeply with listeners across generations. “Somebody’s Needing Somebody”, a poignant ballad about the universal yearning for connection, became Twitty’s 31st number one country single, solidifying his position as a country music powerhouse.

The song, penned by songwriter Len Chera, arrived on Twitty’s album “By Heart”. While Twitty was known for his smooth vocals and a repertoire that traversed honky-tonk, rockabilly, and pop-tinged country, “Somebody’s Needing Somebody” leaned into the genre’s core themes of loneliness, heartache, and the solace found in companionship. Producer Jack Clement, a longtime collaborator of Twitty’s, likely played a crucial role in shaping the song’s melancholic yet hopeful atmosphere.

Clement, a visionary producer who had worked with artists like Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, understood the power of simplicity in country music. “Somebody’s Needing Somebody” avoids complex arrangements, instead relying on Twitty’s expressive vocals and a gentle melody carried by acoustic guitar and piano. This stripped-down approach allows the raw emotion of the lyrics to take center stage.

The song’s opening verse paints a picture of universal loneliness: “Someone somewhere’s fallin’ asleep / In a chair in front of the TV / ‘Cross town somebody’s up / And walkin’ the floor at a quarter to three.” Chera doesn’t dwell on specific scenarios, but rather creates a tapestry of isolated individuals yearning for connection. This universality is key to the song’s enduring appeal. Whether it’s a late-night struggle with loneliness or the quiet ache of an empty house, “Somebody’s Needing Somebody” taps into a truth that resonates with listeners regardless of their background or experiences.

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Lyrics

Someone somewhere’s fallin’ asleep
In a chair in front of the tv
‘Cross town somebody’s
Up and walkin’ the floor at a quarter to three

In some little corner of the world
A forgotten soul is waitin’ by the phone
And right down the hall someone’s in there feelin’
Like cryin’ ’cause they’re livin’ all alone

Somebody’s needin’ somebody the way I do
Somebody’s wantin’ somebody they can hold on to
To be loved by somebody that’s the way it should be
Oh, there’s got to be somebody somewhere waitin’ for me

Late at night it’s lonely and I wonder how I’ll ever get through
There’s got to be somebody somewhere who’s feelin’ it too
Hurtin’ inside, goin’ through the motions, it’s so hard to live
So many feelin’ so lonely when they got so much to give

Somebody’s needin’ somebody the way I do
Somebody’s wantin’ somebody they can hold on to
To be loved by somebody that’s the way it should be
Oh, there’s got to be somebody somewhere waitin’ for me

To be loved by somebody that’s the way it should be
Oh, there’s got to be somebody out there waitin’ for me…