I do seem to like pictures of children in this blog, don’t I? Getting older naturally makes one wistful for lost childhood and things like conkers, grazed knees, jam sandwiches, untied shoelaces, jumpers for goalposts and all that soft-focus nostalgia malarkey. But this isn’t about that, despite it’s title Andrew Gold’s “Lonely Boy” has nothing to do with my own childhood except for the fact that my sister and I loved it and always turned it up when it came on the radio. I still think it’s one of the great pre-punk singles of the 70s.

A hit in 1975, this is the epitome of West Coast FM soft rock, immaculately played by session musicians with a polished, driving production designed to make it sound great on the radio. And sound great it did, in comparison to Gold’s other hits (Never Let Her Slip Away, Thank You For Being A Friend) this actually rocks quite a bit, the piano really pumps and the guitar solo is pretty hot. I do remember getting swept away by it in our living room and being quite exhilarated by the big chorus. Thankfully I was young enough not to know I was supposed to be embarrassed about liking such a record.

Download: Lonely Boy – Andrew Gold (mp3)
Buy: “What’s Wrong With This Picture?” (album)