J.D. Souther’s name might not ring any bells unless you read songwriter credits or are old enough to remember his two hits, 1979’s “You’re Only Lonely” and 1981’s “Her Town Too” (with James Taylor). He has spent most of his career out of the spotlight, singing backup on other artists’ albums and composing tunes recorded by performers such as Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt. Most notably, he wrote or co-wrote some of the Eagles’ biggest chart successes, including “New Kid in Town,” “Heartache Tonight” and “Best of My Love.”
Souther is also a fine singer, however, as his own albums demonstrate. Omnivore reissued three of them—his first, second, and fourth LPs—back in 2016, all with bonus tracks. At the time, though, the label didn’t release a new edition of his third album, You’re Only Lonely.
That omission has been rectified by Omnivore’s July 26, 2024, reissue of the self-produced set, which shares the title of Souther’s only Top 10 single and ranks as his most commercially successful LP. The new edition includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks: an alternate take of “Bad News Travels Fast,” which the singer rerecorded for 1985’s Home by Dawn, and “Ever Faithful Woman.” Guest performers on the album include the Eagles’ Glenn Frey, Don Felder and Don Henley, as well as Jackson Browne, John Sebastian and Phil Everly.
The best track on the mostly self-penned CD is the title cut, a beautifully crafted, addictively hooked and well-sung pop ballad that owes debts to Roy Orbison. (Souther, a longtime fan, sang in Orbison’s band for his Black and White Night concert.)
It’s not the only gem on the record, however. The program also includes two other numbers that became singles and deserved to sell more copies than they did: the lilting “White Rhythm and Blues,” which Ronstadt covered on her Living in the USA album, and “If You Don’t Want My Love” (not to be confused with the identically titled John Prine song). Another standout is “The Last in Love,” a ballad that Frey co-wrote with Souther, which Nicolette Larson recorded even before this album came out.
Though Souther says in the Omnivore reissue’s new liner notes that one of his mottos has been “no filler,” several of the rockers on this album—“Fifteen Bucks,” “’Til the Bars Burn Down” and “Trouble in Paradise”—fail to showcase the qualities that render his best work distinctive. Still, there’s enough good stuff here to make the CD well worth seeking out, starting with that gorgeous title cut. [Omnivore’s reissue is available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.]
Watch Souther sing the title track in 2013
Related: Our Album Rewind of Glenn Frey and Souther’s Longbranch Pennywhistle
A top editor at leading consumer and trade magazines for more than 40 years, Jeff has interviewed dozens of musical luminaries, including Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Wolfman Jack, Tommy James, Tom Waits, the Righteous Brothers, and the members of Steely Dan.
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Jump into a conversationOne of the great LP’s of the 70’s. JD is one of his generation’s greatest songwriters! A masterpiece.