☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about the disappointments and pain that the singer has experienced in previous relationships.
- He describes the previous ladies in his life who have let him down and how he has been disappointed time and time again.
- The lines show that he has had dishonest experiences with some ladies and that these relationships were not good for him.
- But then Lady Number 17 comes into his life. She is different from the other women he has met before.
- The song lyrics show the singer's hope that this relationship with Lady Number 17 will be lasting.
Interpretation
The song lyrics 'Lonely Lady #17' by
Neil Diamond are about the many relationships the singer had before meeting Lady Number 17. In the first verses, he describes how the previous ladies in his life left him and how he was disappointed time and time again. He uses numbers to represent the different women he met.
The lines 'Lady five, oh how she lied' and 'Six and seven, eight, nine, ten, they really were bad news' show that he had dishonest experiences with some ladies and that those relationships were not good for him. He feels deceived and hurt.
But then Lady Number 17 comes into his life. She is different from the other women he met before. She stays with him and has her own style. He describes her as someone who keeps him company and makes him happy.
The lines 'Lonely lady number seventeen, you stayed a while, you had the style' show that she stands out from the other women and has a special meaning to him. She is the one who doesn't leave him and makes him feel like he is no longer alone.
The song lyrics show the singer's hope that this relationship with Lady Number 17 will be lasting. He is grateful that she came into his life and makes him feel like he is no longer lonely.
Overall, the song lyrics are about the disappointments and pain the singer experienced in previous relationships, and his hope that Lady Number 17 is the one who stays with him and brings him love and happiness.