Lonely (Akon song)

Infobox Single
Name = Lonely


Artist = Akon
from Album = Trouble
Length = 3:55
Released = December 132004 (U.S.)
March 15, 2005 (UK)
Format = CD single
Genre = R&B
Experimental
Label = SRC / Universal
Producer = Akon
Certification = Platinum (RIAA)
Last single = "Ghetto"
(2004)
This single = "Lonely"
(2005)
Next single = "Keep on Calling"
(2005)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = single


Lower caption = European single cover

"Lonely" (also known as "Mr. Lonely") is a single by Senegalese singer Akon, it appears on his debut album, "Trouble". The single was released in 2005 and was a worldwide hit. It reached number 1 in several countries, including United Kingdom, Germany (where it stayed there for 8 weeks) and Australia. It was also highly popular in France where it reached number 2, in Brazil it reached number 3 after 6 weeks on the charts, and in the United States it peaked at number 4. It also did extremely well in Senegal, Akon's motherland where it stayed on top of the charts for a very long time.

Writing and inspiration

The song makes use of a sped-up sample of Bobby Vinton's "Mr. Lonely", providing a vocal sound similar to The Chipmunks style, made famous by producers such as the RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan and Kanye West. The song is written by G. Allen and A. Thiam (the sample is written by Bobby Vinton). Another version with a faster pace exists that's about 3 minutes and 45 seconds long. The lyrics are sang primarily by Akon as well as Bobby Vinton doing parts of the choruses.

Music video

The video shows a very upset Akon at the end of a show with one of his friends inviting him to keep company, he declines and starts to sing while remembering his girl. Then he goes out the theater and walks the street. He runs into partners/lovers, an old couple, kids (which maybe are laughing at him) and even bi-racial (the shot of the taxi that arrives behind Akon). There's also a kid he greets which may be a reflection of himself. It also shows his girlfriend crying, trying to call him, missing him too and leaving. It ends with shots of him singing and dancing both in stage and in the rain. The last scene shows Akon walking away between all these couples. This video is very similar to Shakira's "The One" from the album "Laundry Service".

Actor/Singer/Dancer Just Reynolds (actor name: Jabari) appears in the late 2nd minute of the song holding his arm around a girl with a rose.

Track listing

;CD 1
# "Lonely" (UK radio edit)
# "Trouble Nobody"

;CD 2
# "Lonely" (UK Radio Edit)
# "Trouble Nobody"
# "Kill the Dance (Got Something For Ya')" (featuring Kardinal Offishall)
# "Lonely" (Video)

;US cd
# "Lonely" (Clean)
# "Lonely" (instrumental)
# "Belly Dancer (Bananza)" (Snippet)